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Published: April 14th 2009
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Tioman Island
It has taken me 2 days to recover to be able to write about it.
From the beautiful city that is Singapore, here are my thoughts.
Left Melaka for the 4 hour couch journey to Mersing which was ok.
Arrived at Mersing just after noon - the ferry port for departure to Tioman Island. Just as Lonely Planet warned, the ‘travel agent’ scam started. The Coach pulled up before the bus station to get all tourists travelling to Tioman to get off and purchase their tickets for the ferry. Most tourists ignored them but the couple behind me were about to get up when I told them what they were up to. Coach carried on to bus station. Got off coach and a woman behind a counter informed me that the ferry was a 10 min walk or a taxi ride away. ACE. A second woman approached and tried to direct a few of us back to the scammy git. Ignored her and found a taxi which would cost 6RM to the ferry. A Russian couple and child asked to share taxi which was fine. Told taxi driver to go to the Jetty, off we
Tioman approach
The moon coming out above Tioman Island went chatted to the Russian guy - v good English, his boy wife said nowt as don’t think she could speak English. Transpires that they have been bumming around India for a year until their visa expired and they couldn’t get a new one. Decided to come to Malaysia and travel around til November when they will then go to Thailand.
Anyway the taxi driver stopped outside the scammy git and got out. Again they tried to get us to get out and buy a ferry ticket from them but we were insistent that we wanted to go to the jetty and get ticket from there. Scammy git was miffed as was taxi driver because he probably missed out on commission.
Got to the jetty to find out the next ferry was at half 5- 5 hour wait in a god forsaken s hole.
Had some food and 2 watermelon fruit juices, 14:07.
3 hours to go.
Moved to the ticket office waiting area and played patience with the cards I bought - thank goodness. 16:00.
Move to the ferry entrance and read.
The guy I met at Mersing station that morning turned up and we had a good chat
The island
Appearances can be deceiving for 15 mins - the miserable girlfriend no where to be seen.
Go on the ferry at 17:38.
We’re off. The old guy sat next to me told me about a place his son ran on the island and gave me details. It was south of the island and only accessible by private boat and 60RM a night which was pricey but probably a nice place.
I thanked him and wrote all details down and told him if I didn’t like where I was gonna stay - Selang which is North of the island and the liveliest part, I would contact him
Went and sat on the top deck which enabled me to view the approach to the island and take some photos. Got to the first jetty stop about 2 hours later - 1 more before Selang.
Arrived at Selang just after half 8.
Headed straight to a recommended place - Ellas Place. Sour faced cow, there were no bungalows anyway - it was an effort getting that out of her.
I tried the next place along. OH MY GOD. I have never seen anything like it. It was filthy. I can’t describe the ‘bathroom’.
I said yes just
School trip
Main island activities run by the guy with a whistle so I could leave my big backpack and go to the other places to find summin else.
15 mins of rushing down the length of the island with my smaller backpack containing my laptop - I found somewhere. I looked like I had done a 20 mile march with the marines. This place was attached to a Chinese restaurant and 40RM a night. It was better than the last place, but not that much. I went and retrieved my other backpack and said I had found somewhere else - he wasn’t bothered.
Got my key, dumped my stuff and had a shower. Found Internet, then back to restaurant for some food and a well earned Tiger beer.
Slept very well that night but was woken about 4am by an almighty rain storm which as it transpires is usual. Was at breakfast for 9am which consisted of coffee, orange juice and scrambled eggs. Nice.
Picked up some water and found a hammock half in shade/sun, read, went in the sea, sunbathed on small strip of sand, lunch, back in hammock, sleep, a beer, shower and change, internet then dinner.
What had become apparent during the day is that there was no
Says it all
Comments by previous visitors where to really chill out in the shade and just have a beer. The restaurants consisted mainly of men and they were all quite unfriendly. It seems the Island is a weekend destination for Singaporeans who are their main source of income and they just can’t be arsed with western travellers so just don’t make the effort. As well as there being no where to relax there was nothing to do.
By day 2 I wanted to scream and made a beeline to find out about getting a flight out of there. No flights for 2 days. No coaches to Singapore (via mersing) for 2 days. Chatted to a French guy who told me I can go to Johar B (via mersing) and catch a bus to Singapore from there. I was booked on the 07:30 ferry the next morning and a connecting coach from the Mersing bus station at 11:30.
I can’t really remember what I did for the rest of the day.
I have spent a great day in Singapore and staying in an Aussie backpacker place in Little India which is clean, lively and friendly.
Caught the Metro down to Raffles Place and wandering around the colonial district. Had lunch in a colonial square then afternoon tea at Raffles Hotel. A lovely chocolate cheesecake and Earl grey.
Wandered around taking lots of photos - I really got into it, which I haven’t done for a while.
It has been very hot but highly enjoyable - what a great place Singapore is. So diverse.
Had a beer and am now chilling before dinner. A pint is even dearer here than in Brighton - £4 - £5. Expensive city.
Booked my flight to Phuket tomorrow - 14:00 flight. Lets hope thinks are calming down in Thailand!
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