Snakes, Frogs and Sunshine

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Well here we are. Sorry it's taken so long for our first entry but we have been busy....relaxing.


So to begin, our flight from Sydney to KL seemed to take forever, but was otherwise uneventful. Passing through customs etc was quick, we got to go through the APEC line, even though Patrick doesn't yet have his card, and I didn't even use mine. It's just that no-one else was using it at that time of night, so they herded us through. We then found our free shuttle service to our hotel, checked in, quick change of clothes and off to the bar for beers.

Our flight the next morning to Kota Bharu was at 7.30am, so we were up at 5.30 to sample the buffet breakfast.....it was a bit different than those we had experienced 5 star in Sabah! We hadn't booked a taxi to the airport, which apparently we should have done, but we jumped in with 2 other guys heading to the LCCT and off we went. The taxi was a mini bus with no seat belts, and was going fast enough to scare Patrick!!


Once in Kota Bharu we found a company offering combined taxi boat packages to the island. The taxi was more expensive than the Lonely Planet had lead us to believe (isn't everything), Patrick managed to negotiate them down slightly. The taxi was clean and fast, and the driver took us out of the way to an ATM. We hadn't taken out any money at the airport and there are no ATM's on the island. We reached Kuala Besut just before 10am and were on a boat just after 10. We were travelling on the boat with some Malaysian families, and a French family (mother, father, son and girlfriend we think). Anyway the Dad was a little fragile and obviously not comfortable on the boat. I immediately went to the back of the boat, as I've learnt from experience this is the most comfortable place to ride a speedboat. The French Dad ended up being sat next to me. He struggled to put his lifejacket on and do it up, so I had to help as the boat drvier was getting impatient. They were getting out at a different beach to us, so Patrick and I ended up having to help them off with all their luggage.

As usual, Patrick and I arrived on the island smack bang in the middle of a public holiday. We arrived at Long Beach, which has no jetty, so once you're close, speedboat taxis race up to take you the rest of the way. So you have to haul yourself and backpack onto a smaller boat, and then you land on the water. Once we had landed we set off to find a)accommodation and b) a cold beer, both quite difficult tasks. We went to a few places to see if any accomodation was free. The first couple of places were full, so I decided to sit with the bags and send Patrick off. He tried a few more places, and some helpful travellers at one of the hostels suggested a place up the hill called the Rock Garden. He was told that if they said yes accept it no matter what. They did, and he did. The cost was 25 RM a night. He was told it was basic.....it was.

We couldn't check in straight away, so we left our bags there and then went down to find a cold drink (still no beer). Once we could check in, we went back up the hill, and then up a bit further to our bungalow. It was basic, a mattress and a mosquito net, one small window a balcony and a door. It had a tin roof and had no shade so it was bloody hot. It did however have the most amazing view, out of the water toward the other island. We stayed here for 2 nights, it was just too hot to sleep in. There was also just too much wildlife, Patrick encountered a snake the first time he went to the toilet, which he was afraid to tell me about. I think he was more scared of it than me. We also came back to the room one day, and I started jumping around because there was somthing in my hair, Patrick was convinced it was the top of the mosquito net until a frog jumped out. Very funny.......

We met some people whilst diving who were staying in another place called Bintang View. More expensive at 40 RM a night, but with a fan, shade and really clean bathrooms. We took our first real shower in 2 days....bliss.

We are still on the island and there is more to tell, but that's it for now. I'm about to start my Advanced Diver Course so we'll be here for at least 4 more days. We have been sleeping, reading (I have finished all the books I brought with me plus 3 more the chalet has lent me, Patrick has finished a book), playing cards, eating, walking, diving, snorkelling and fishing. Great way to start the holiday.

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