Kota Bharu, Malaysia

PERHENTIAN ISLANDS
In one of my last updates I went on about how cool Boracay Island in the Philippines was. Well we beat that hands down. Returning from 4 days on the Perhentian Island of Kecil in Malaysia, it made Hawaii look like South Padre Island, TX. It did take a while to get to this paradise, leaving Georgetown for a scenic drive through the central jungle highlands of Malaysia (and a first time we have ever seen a sign for wild elephant crossings) arriving in the city of Kota Bharu 8 hours later. The ferry to the Islands run three times a day, the last one being 4:00pm. Having missed the last one we arranged to leave at 10:00am the following morning with a lovely young couple John and Laura, students at Durham University.

I was impressed that the ferry driver could fit 26 adults and our bags in a boat that normally would hold 8 comfortably, but the sea was smooth and the ride uneventful. We chose Long Beach on the Island of Kecil for our short stay. We were able to find a modest A-frame bungalow in the center of the beach for about $10 a night. Our companions, who have an envious 2 week stay on the island, checked into the Moonlight Chalets on the north end of the beach in nicer digs. Life was hard. Opening our door the beach was no more than 10 meters away and the ocean as calm and blue as you could ever imagine. We spent the first day reading or lounging, but mostly standing in the calm sea waters to escape the midday heat.

Our A-Frame on the beach

Eating was simple, just about every restaurant (10 total) serve the same menu at the same price. The method of selection is based upon what movie they restaurant shows that evening. Since it rains each evening at 8:30pm sharp restaurants usually show a new release and then a second popular movie, such as the new Austin Powers, or Star Wars II, etc. BUSY DAY

Our beach on Kecil

It was hassle free because no one tries to sell you anything, no watches, to tours no nothing. No one coming up to us while we ate, or were on the beach. All activities are clearly posted in front of the shops and if you want to join in you just walk up. We chose to go snorkeling on our second day. Meeting after breakfast at the polite hour of 10:30am with John and Laura we joined 4 other people for a tour of 5 locations around the two islands. The first coral garden had colorful parrot fish, clown fish, Angel fish, and many others - some the size of a small child. A local school had about 50 children there swimming - I noticed that they tended to stay close to their boat. The second location was a turtle garden. We thought they would be small maybe a foot long. Not the 4 and 5+ foot long turtles. There were probably about 10 in total hanging out. After feeding on the bottom for a bit, they swim to the surface for air, and that is when you can swim next to them. Being a strong swimmer, Ian was able to dive under probably 20 feet and swim next to one while it surfaced. Our next site, was Shark point where the black tip reef shark hang out. That is a shark that would normally appear on a menu. I ended up turning back to the boat because a small school of jelly fish floated through the area, and I didn't want to dodge them all. The rest of our group had to swim back through after seeing two small sharks. The last couple of sites were more impressive than the first. Our boat driver often diving in to show us a cool location or to feed the fish. The whole adventure was at our leisure.

Sara heading to the north end of the beach on Kecil

That afternoon we relaxed on the beach once again and Ian joined in a game of beach football that was played every evening around 5. Our bungalow also had a couple of playful kittens that made the afternoon rounds. My favorite had ginger banding around his front legs and gray banding around his hind legs. It appeared that he had his tail bobbed while he was still quite young, and I think I found out how. There was an enormous Monitor Lizard that grazed in the garbage behind our complex. She was easily 5 feet from head to tail and so thick around the middle she was either pregnant or had just consumed one of the local kids.

Beach football

Monitor lizard

I will put the Perhentian Islands #1 on my list of recommended vacations spots. And I know we will be back.

Bangkok, Thailand to Georgetown, Malaysia

ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK
On our last night in Bangkok Sara was poorly. And this happened right after we had phoned our respective parents to say that all is well. In the two days since then everything has been fine, helped by various drugs including Cipro and Imodium and plenty of water. We both have suffered from upset stomachs at various times during the trip but Sara has been affected more recently, whereas I was ill in week two. My last serious incident in the Philippines could have been precipitated by 3 Pina Coladas and 15 assorted shots - it 'could' have been, I'm not convinced though.

ANOTHER OVERNIGHT TRAIN
At around noon today our train pulled into Butterworth in northern Malaysia, 22 hours after leaving Haulamphong Station in Bangkok. It sounds rough but the train ride was superb. Thai trains have loads of room, especially compared to the Chinese carriages, and we both slept very well after playing endless games of backgammon and playing hide and seek with a little Thai boy in a Spiderman outfit. The border crossing was very smooth and unlike the Eastern European system we had to leave the train with all of our luggage to pass through immigration and then return to our seats once the formalities were complete. Another new country for the both of us and for me an exciting one because my parents lived in Malaysia in the 1960s and both of my brothers have passed through in the last year or so.

Me by the Malaysian flag

 Sara looking poorly in Malaysia

PENANG
Georgetown, on the island of Penang, is just across the channel from Butterworth and that is where we are spending tonight but early tomorrow morning we catch a bus to the other side of the peninsular and a small town called Kota Bharu. It's not that we don't like Penang but we need to keep moving if we are to make our flight out of Bali in a few weeks time.