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Published: June 29th 2009
Hello!! Its been a while since I had the pleasure of chatting to you, and as I promised last time, I am not giving a history lesson this time. We have had quite an eventful few days, as some of you (I'm talking about our parents here) have found out.
Joey left you after we had conquered Cambodia. So the next morning we got in our tuk tuk with Chai for a final time. As we rattled our way to the airport we realised we had no idea about the tipping etiquette for tuk tuk drivers, and we had used Chai for 5 days. We decided that we would give him a small tip, because although we felt he was a little expensive (probably $2 too much a day) he had given us some interesting information and insight into the Angkor area. Also we only had $5 left in small change and though we wouldn't be needing it. Chai seemed genuinely pleased with this, he knew we were really budget travelers and students so didn't have a lot of money, and as we walked into the airport, he caught us up and gave us a Khmer scarf each! We checked into the airport, and wandered across to baggage control, then we were stopped and made to pay $25 dollars each to leave the country! Gutted! After a quick hop across the water we arrived in Kuala Lumpur. Only we didn't, Kuala Lumpur airport is 45km outside Kuala Lumpur. Gutted! We got a cab the full way into China Town where we are staying, and it only cost 61 Ringgit (10 quid). We picked a hostel and slept for a few hours. Then, as we tend to do on our first day in a new place we had a mooch round and got our bearings. I would like to say here, as in other countries there are monks although Malaysia is mainly Muslim. But the monks here are rubbish! They go into restaurants selling bracelets, they beg, we have even seen one having a crafty fag!
On Wednesday we took the suits that we had made in Vietnam and posted them home, we took about an hour to walk to the post office, and another hour sorting it all out. When we started to walk back we realised that we had done a phenomenal loop, and in fact our hostel was only a 5 minute walk away. Then we went to the bus station and booked our bus up to Kuala Besut, where we would take a boat to the Paradise Islands of the Pehrentians, honestly Google it! . In the afternoon we read our books and chilled out as much as possible! Also it was pouring down for hours outside, I got some photos, but unfortunately you wont be able to see them......
Thursday, I woke up like a kid at Christmas. Today was the day, I had been waiting forever (since Laos). We were going to a water park! We got a taxi out to the Desa water park, because out of the 3 water parks in KL it was the cheapest. Unfortunately you get what you pay for. The best ride was shut, loads of the others were for kids, so there was just one slide and a wave machine, but we made the most of it, and got into our swim clothes. Joey in a bikini and me in my shorts and walked out the changing room ready to catch some rays! People stared. Lots of people, and lots of staring. Malaysia is a Muslim country, and everyone else had at least a t shirt on (we were dressed within the rules, however everyone else was much more conservative!). Now after what I witnessed there today, I can honestly say you have not lived until you have seen a Muslim woman, entirely clothed, with only feet and hands showing, and a headscarf on, get in a inflatable yellow rubber tube and go down a water slide. There are some things money just can't buy!
On the Friday we checked out of our room and went into town, we had 10 hours to kill until our bus was due. So we bought a Su Do Ku book each and passed the time just winding down. When we went to collect our bags and head out to get the bus, the fellas behind the desk at reception just blurted out Michael Jackson's dead. We had already seen the news but they were engrossed in some story about it on the internet. We were waiting for the bus and Joey said to me "this better have air con" - be careful what you wish for. This bus did indeed have air con, but it only had one setting - Baltic! After a sleepless night we arrived in Kuala Terrengganu. "Hold on" I hear you cry! "Didn't you say you booked the bus to Kuala Besut?!? " Yes we bloody well did! So why we stopped and got kicked off 145km away was a mystery to us! Joey was FUMING! Really cold, really tired and REALLY REALLY ANGRY. The air was blue. We sat down to sort out where we were and how we should get to Kuala Besut.
"Well" I said " There's buses every hour"
"Whats the time?" Joey asked
"You've got my watch in your bag" I said,
"where's my bag??"
Things then unraveled fast. The bus we were on pulled out of the station, I ran after it, but I'm not as fit as I once was and the bus just had the edge. So we jumped in a taxi to take us to the depot, where the bus wasn't. Back to the bus station. We waited 3 hours for the office of the bus company to open, only to be told that the driver had said nothing was left on the bus. We lost our passports, ipods, phones, 240quid in cold hard cash, camera, Joeys debit/credit card. Pretty much everything. We were the last ones off the bus and I'm going to stick my neck out here, the driver was a liar and a thief. The reason all our valuables were in one bag was because our big bags were in the hold, the small bags were above our heads and joeys handbag was just in front of us so we could keep an eye on all our valuables. Error of judgment. So now its Saturday morning, so we trudge to the police station. We walk in explain whats happened and the rotund desk officer looks up with a huge grin on his face and says "Michael Jackson's dead"
Cheers!
In all fairness the police department were fantastic. The desk officer was really jolly, kept our spirits up when we were feeling pretty awful, and we made a statement and got taken to two Inspectors so they could have a look for us. We went back to the bus station in the police car. (Joey was disappointed that there wasn't any heroic police driving) the inspectors asked around, were on the phone, but turned nothing up. They took us to the immigration office and told us to go there the following morning to sort out our passports. Then back to the police station to get our bags. As we pulled out of the immigration office a bike pulled out right in front of the car. The inspector honked, wound down the window and gave the guy a roasting. Then he pulled out and did some ridiculous overtaking and undertaking just because he could! This made Joey happy. One of the Inspectors gave us his number so we could tell him where we were staying, so if anything turned up he could find us. And just as we made to leave, he stopped me, shook my hand and held out 50Ringgit, or about 10quid. Now we didn't have much money on us, but even so, that's a lot more money to him than it is to us, so I tried to refuse it, and thanked him all the same, but he had none of it, and made sure we took it. It was an incredibly kind gesture, and he promised to do his best to turn our stuff up for us. That kind of thing just wouldn't happen at home.
We checked into our hotel at about 2pm, and slept for 3 hours. Then we got up and went out for dinner, there were two places open McDonald's or KFC. Now we had indulged in McD's the day before as a treat, and we had had to have a McDs breakfast that morning because at 7am it was the only thing open (Joey doesn't think you can say "had had to have" but I think its perfectly acceptable- thoughts?) . So the thought of passing under those golden arches for a third time made our stomachs turn. Fortunately we found a place that did a lamb chop for 2quid, so we went there. It wasn't great but we were very tired and very hungry. We had a very early night.
Sunday morning we were up and off at 8am, back to the police station to get our report validated and to the immigration office to get our passports back! Easy. We got to the office, and after about 10 seconds we were told straight up, you gotta go to your embassy in KL. So back to the bus station we went again. Booked a bus for 1pm and off we went. We emailed the fella from the guesthouse in KL and asked if we could have a room again. When we got there he had saved one for us. Result. After all that traveling and hardly any sleep (20hours on a bus out of 45), I wanted a beer. Now, beer here is expensive. 2pounds a pop. Which after drinking for 30p is quite steep! So after a beerless week, and a stressful few days we had our first beer in Malaysia. It was worth waiting for!
Today we were up early again and off to the Embassy. We got the new passport papers and filled in what we could. We have to go back and hand them in tomorrow, where they will kindly take a further 125quid off each of us. (Being robbed is just the gift that keeps on giving aint it?) Then we will have to wait 10days to get our new passports, before we can move on. Fortunately we have a good insurance package, so we are well covered. We think that we may spend those day doing volunteer work at the KL Zoo. It will kill the time, and I'm sure be really good fun too. I also want to go to the more expensive water park, so don't be too surprised if I get my way, I don't think Joanna will resist too much!
I did tell you that we'd go out and do stuff didn't I? Not really what I had in mind but life goes on eh? Joey will take you through the end of this ordeal I am sure. Until next time goodbye!!!
PS. Just a quick thank you to Steph and Tony who have been really good in helping us out with the insurance at home, when we have been struggling to get through on the phones, and finding out what we are covered for. So cheers! xx
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TravelDani
Danielle Lloyd
wow what a bloody mission and a half! So sorry to hear about your lost possessions in Terengganu! I truly believe now that place is cursed for non-muslim people (see my story). I had a similar experience with a malay trying to give me money in Langkawi. I met this guy called Zainol and he insisted on giving me RM100 to make sure I got back ok but I turned it down. Your right that just would not happen in the UK. By the way you do know there is a shuttle bus from the airport to KL Sentral for RM8? Dani x