the shits have finished, thats the good news! i dunno what caused it, maybe the singapore air?
i was a bit surprised at the drop off point, so many homeless people on the street alseep, kids and adults alike.
i was grateful to see a cop van nearby. i found an atm and then went straight to the mcdonalds for breaky. i had a quick chat with the locals who pointed me to the subway station, then i headed to the twin towers, i was a little tired and still feeling a bit lost, but i eventually found the right place, and luckily i was up close, so after an hours wait, i got the first ride up, the 9am one, first come, first served!
the view from the bridge wasnt bad. although the 15 mins alotted was all u needed up there.
then it was straight up to the 88th floor, u couldnt see people from there and the buses looked smaller than toys from there.
alot of people were asking each other for photos, and again i was mistake for staff! damn that shirt! lol
i had been bacon and eggs, and wrote my final postcards for the trip. i went to a pc bang, where i realised i was tired and my shoulder was knackered, so i called my friend Z, who said I could stay with him and his friends Tomas and Valerie.
on the way, i met the best taxi driver i had experienced in years, an Indian man, very intelligent and sincere, so i gave him a good tip when we finished the ride, but he was too good a man to take it.
Z and the mates and I hada few beers, it was a nice way to relax, dinner was simple,and the kids tried to teach me how to read english, so cute! but by 12 i was knackered, so i crashed out on the floor, i needed it.
Day 22, there are no photos for this day.
the end of the journey, as i write this, i wonder, years to come what will I say about this trip? did it have a profound affect on me or was it just me in another place?. these questions, i cannot answer now. just content and peaceful is all i feel now.
I woke up at 7.30 and at 8.30 Z said good bye. Tomas arranged my taxi and shortly after 10, I was away.
I got into a long talk with the airasia counter people, and we exchanged facebooks as they wanna go to Korea, and I maybe able to help them here.
Later I met Damien, a guy I know from Korea, but honestly I dont know where, hes a Napier, Hawkes Bay lad, much like myself, and thats why counts!
then I met another guy, who irronically i had met at the start of my trip, he was on the same plane, but going to Myranmar lol.
and of course on the plane, i got talking to some cool cats, and that off course has been the theme of this trip, its been grand indeed! the best yet!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
day 20 winter holidays 2012
So what, I mainly stayed in one place, so what!!! its my holidays and I was happy enough about it.
I left with Pretty Pricilla in the morning, about 9am, we went to get my bus ticket to KL. I got subway for breaky then i headed to Marine Parade. i had a nice talk with an old man on the train who was in tourism, he took me to where i needed to be. and i was sold on a dual experience, with a quick tour to the top of the the boat like tour,and the art museum.
i checked out the art museum, the watch exhibit was a little boring, until i got to the most beautiful room i have ever had the pleasure of being in, it was pure white with a clear tick tock thingee hanging in the middle of it. it really was a shame that photos werent allowed to be taken inside of it.
i had a coupla good chats with the security guards and that was it, down to the basement i went to see the titanic exhibition. i remember thinking, it woulda taken quite a while to set up and i would love to have been a part of this crew setting it up.
i got my photo taken, pretending to be on the bow of the magnificent ship, but when i was told $30 to collect, fuck that! Brilliant amazing exhibit, but it was the casino i was more interested in.
the high rollers place, was something i watched with interest, but i could never do that, too afraid of loosing all that money, i guess!
i found some pokie machines, it wasnt that hard. i bet 10 bucks and won 27! then i bet 4, and lost it, then i bet 10 more and won 13, so i walked away with 40, not bad i say, and i stopped at that too, i didnt wanna get into the trap of loosing!
next, i went to the top, very high and very windy!
i stopped at the souvenier shop and got talking to the attendants as im good at, the beauty shot came out again! lol. i got the postcards for everybody and then i was time to do the tour to the otherside, where only paying customers are allowed in.
a pool at the top, now, that was cool!
one man thought i was staff at the place, partly because i was wearing a shirt with staff on it lol.
on the way back to the subway station, i took a ride on a paddle boat in the middle of b2, it was quite funny to do this, and i did it only for the novelty factor.
with my postcards sorted, and posted, i went to meet leon and observed him get fit for his taylormaid suit, then the shits came back and i had to try and make a quit retreat to the bathroom, luckily it was caught before my pants were soiled!
we met a nice coupla korean girls on the way back to the station, leon heard their korean talking, so it was nice to have a touch of home in the pore.
Ayu called me at Pricillas home, i looked forward to that, shes a good girl she is!
and her brother joked with me on facebook about that...
on the way to the bus, my last journey in the pore, i met some good people in the elevator, but then i shat myself, this time soiled, and i had to wait until i got to the international bus station, before i could fix that situtation!
Pricilla was apologetic about not doing much with me, but, this is the best vacation i have ever had, and i was grateful for the time that i had with her and her friends there.
then it was on the bus and a 4 hour ride to KL, I'm tired now, I'm ready for home, but what a trip its been!
I left with Pretty Pricilla in the morning, about 9am, we went to get my bus ticket to KL. I got subway for breaky then i headed to Marine Parade. i had a nice talk with an old man on the train who was in tourism, he took me to where i needed to be. and i was sold on a dual experience, with a quick tour to the top of the the boat like tour,and the art museum.
i checked out the art museum, the watch exhibit was a little boring, until i got to the most beautiful room i have ever had the pleasure of being in, it was pure white with a clear tick tock thingee hanging in the middle of it. it really was a shame that photos werent allowed to be taken inside of it.
i had a coupla good chats with the security guards and that was it, down to the basement i went to see the titanic exhibition. i remember thinking, it woulda taken quite a while to set up and i would love to have been a part of this crew setting it up.
i got my photo taken, pretending to be on the bow of the magnificent ship, but when i was told $30 to collect, fuck that! Brilliant amazing exhibit, but it was the casino i was more interested in.
the high rollers place, was something i watched with interest, but i could never do that, too afraid of loosing all that money, i guess!
i found some pokie machines, it wasnt that hard. i bet 10 bucks and won 27! then i bet 4, and lost it, then i bet 10 more and won 13, so i walked away with 40, not bad i say, and i stopped at that too, i didnt wanna get into the trap of loosing!
next, i went to the top, very high and very windy!
i stopped at the souvenier shop and got talking to the attendants as im good at, the beauty shot came out again! lol. i got the postcards for everybody and then i was time to do the tour to the otherside, where only paying customers are allowed in.
a pool at the top, now, that was cool!
one man thought i was staff at the place, partly because i was wearing a shirt with staff on it lol.
on the way back to the subway station, i took a ride on a paddle boat in the middle of b2, it was quite funny to do this, and i did it only for the novelty factor.
with my postcards sorted, and posted, i went to meet leon and observed him get fit for his taylormaid suit, then the shits came back and i had to try and make a quit retreat to the bathroom, luckily it was caught before my pants were soiled!
we met a nice coupla korean girls on the way back to the station, leon heard their korean talking, so it was nice to have a touch of home in the pore.
Ayu called me at Pricillas home, i looked forward to that, shes a good girl she is!
and her brother joked with me on facebook about that...
on the way to the bus, my last journey in the pore, i met some good people in the elevator, but then i shat myself, this time soiled, and i had to wait until i got to the international bus station, before i could fix that situtation!
Pricilla was apologetic about not doing much with me, but, this is the best vacation i have ever had, and i was grateful for the time that i had with her and her friends there.
then it was on the bus and a 4 hour ride to KL, I'm tired now, I'm ready for home, but what a trip its been!
day 18/19 winter holidays 2012
saying good by to Bintan. in the morning when i woke up, Ayus mum had cooked me breakfast, frenchfries, i just needed bacon and eggs to go with it!
alot of the family came over to say good bye to me, it was really sweet, and Ayus brother gave me a lift to the ferry too, Ayu came with me, what a good girl she is!
I bought Bintan postcards to send to the family, then drank a couple of Bintang beers, not a bad brew i might say!
the ferry ride to singapore was great! i was in awe of how busy this shipping lane really was, i was always seeing ships, and when i got closer to the pore, it was jst packed with ships, musta been hundreds anchored there, waiting i spose. never before had i seen so many ships in my life! customs was a breeze and i called leon and pricilla to say i was there.
a cheap taxi ride later and i was meeting Pricilla and her friend at the subway station. we became friends straight away,and i knew i had found a great place to stay. Pricilla, gave me the key, like i have to so many others and off she went, leaving me to my own devices.
so Leon and I met, after me getting lost on the bus, and we had some kfc for lunch before attempting to see the presidents palace, but all i did was get photos of me with the police, lol!
then we dragged ourselves back to Pricillas and got some beers, sitting outside on a hot day dropping a few was a perfect way to end this day!.
finally, back home, i met Pricilla and we had some indian food for dinner. then her friends came round to play Mahjong, which i didnt quite understand.
Day 19 a restful day
I had to wake Pricilla up at 11.30 and i convinced her to go out and get tome food. a late brunch, but something in the food didnt agree with me, as after we went to the supermarket, i shat my pants on the way home, so i had to promptly shower...
this was chinese new years day, and Pricilla was putting on a feast for her friends and they were guna play games. about 8 people came, and most of the men, only wanted to gamble, which im not that big on, i must admitt. so luckily one of the men, didnt like the games, so he and i went out and he showed me where the universal studios were.
this big mechanical bird show, broke down, halfway through, it was quite funny, so we walked around,got a burger and my photos taken by a lamboghini, funny thing is, once my job was driving those things, although these looked much nicer than the one i used to drive!
alot of the family came over to say good bye to me, it was really sweet, and Ayus brother gave me a lift to the ferry too, Ayu came with me, what a good girl she is!
I bought Bintan postcards to send to the family, then drank a couple of Bintang beers, not a bad brew i might say!
the ferry ride to singapore was great! i was in awe of how busy this shipping lane really was, i was always seeing ships, and when i got closer to the pore, it was jst packed with ships, musta been hundreds anchored there, waiting i spose. never before had i seen so many ships in my life! customs was a breeze and i called leon and pricilla to say i was there.
a cheap taxi ride later and i was meeting Pricilla and her friend at the subway station. we became friends straight away,and i knew i had found a great place to stay. Pricilla, gave me the key, like i have to so many others and off she went, leaving me to my own devices.
so Leon and I met, after me getting lost on the bus, and we had some kfc for lunch before attempting to see the presidents palace, but all i did was get photos of me with the police, lol!
then we dragged ourselves back to Pricillas and got some beers, sitting outside on a hot day dropping a few was a perfect way to end this day!.
finally, back home, i met Pricilla and we had some indian food for dinner. then her friends came round to play Mahjong, which i didnt quite understand.
Day 19 a restful day
I had to wake Pricilla up at 11.30 and i convinced her to go out and get tome food. a late brunch, but something in the food didnt agree with me, as after we went to the supermarket, i shat my pants on the way home, so i had to promptly shower...
this was chinese new years day, and Pricilla was putting on a feast for her friends and they were guna play games. about 8 people came, and most of the men, only wanted to gamble, which im not that big on, i must admitt. so luckily one of the men, didnt like the games, so he and i went out and he showed me where the universal studios were.
this big mechanical bird show, broke down, halfway through, it was quite funny, so we walked around,got a burger and my photos taken by a lamboghini, funny thing is, once my job was driving those things, although these looked much nicer than the one i used to drive!
day 17 winter holidays 2012
interesting day to say the least. after the mornings relaxation, we went of after lunch and saw a chinese temple with Luna and her mum. it was a kinda special day for me, my last day with the lovely Ayu, for the time being at least, so relaxing with her and her family was all i needed.
they all thought i was tired after the days trip, but nah not this kiwi cunt, so i started making brownies, yum!
then i took her out on the bike, i was driving of course, to see her aunty and her cousin, the cousin is 16, with a 3 month old baby, it sounds familiar in my home town, my mates Raymond and Louise, had their first at a similar or younger age.
i did find it a little boring there, but nice, and we left 2 hours after to go have tea at a observation point for the city.
we visited luna, to say good bye, she wasnt happy, i think the poor kid actually got attached to me in that brief stay.
back home Ayus mum gave my shoulder a good massage.
i had a good time there, and i will be back there soon, there is no doubt about that!
they all thought i was tired after the days trip, but nah not this kiwi cunt, so i started making brownies, yum!
then i took her out on the bike, i was driving of course, to see her aunty and her cousin, the cousin is 16, with a 3 month old baby, it sounds familiar in my home town, my mates Raymond and Louise, had their first at a similar or younger age.
i did find it a little boring there, but nice, and we left 2 hours after to go have tea at a observation point for the city.
we visited luna, to say good bye, she wasnt happy, i think the poor kid actually got attached to me in that brief stay.
back home Ayus mum gave my shoulder a good massage.
i had a good time there, and i will be back there soon, there is no doubt about that!
day 16 winter holidays 2012
Crazily the night before I had said about making hokey pokey and cookies, so thats what we did this day. we spent the morning in the supermarket buying ingriedients for makign these things. there was no golden syrup or corn syrup, so we had to settle for honey to make the hokey pokey with, and that was a poor substitute.
after lunch we went to Penyengat Island, whch is famous for moskes and there are the old office buildings from the colonial period. we walked to the other end of the island and we drunk coconut drinks overlooking the rocky beach. OMG, its all sounding so romantic!
we spent about 3 hours there, and it was good to get to know each other better.
when we got back to Bintan, i bought my ferry ticket to Singapore, wishing I was staying there for longer with Ayu. we had a short walk through China town, to get Ayu some comic books.
when we got back, Ayu, demanded i have a shower, did i stink that bad? well it was actually getting a bucket and pouring cold water over myself.
the other kids had gone out, leaving young Luna, a loner poor girl.
i had taught the kids how to play fish that day, so we played a few games.
then Ayu, and me and Luna took a ride on the shitty public transport system to town, where luna won a bubble machine from this toy fishing thing.
later we took a walk and sat at a roadside cafe near the beach, watching the waves roll in and taking photos of our shadows doing silly things.
along day finished, we had done so much that day, so we crashed out pretty much straight away.
after lunch we went to Penyengat Island, whch is famous for moskes and there are the old office buildings from the colonial period. we walked to the other end of the island and we drunk coconut drinks overlooking the rocky beach. OMG, its all sounding so romantic!
we spent about 3 hours there, and it was good to get to know each other better.
when we got back to Bintan, i bought my ferry ticket to Singapore, wishing I was staying there for longer with Ayu. we had a short walk through China town, to get Ayu some comic books.
when we got back, Ayu, demanded i have a shower, did i stink that bad? well it was actually getting a bucket and pouring cold water over myself.
the other kids had gone out, leaving young Luna, a loner poor girl.
i had taught the kids how to play fish that day, so we played a few games.
then Ayu, and me and Luna took a ride on the shitty public transport system to town, where luna won a bubble machine from this toy fishing thing.
later we took a walk and sat at a roadside cafe near the beach, watching the waves roll in and taking photos of our shadows doing silly things.
along day finished, we had done so much that day, so we crashed out pretty much straight away.
day 15 winter holidays 2012
I had told Ayu many times I couldnt wait to meet her (Ayu stole my journal and wrote this) and she is very kind and very very much i can read her writing :) I like her from the first time my met her via email and I can read her hands writing again and I really happy to have developed a relationship with her over the last month (again, I'm not writing this part!)
This morning i wake up early, so i could check my fb message just incase she sent me a message, but she hadnt. so i went for breakfast and i met someone who helped me by my breakfast. but i lost her facebook name (luckily, later I found it) I said good bye to the hostel staffs and William is a good man. He took me up and took me to the airport.
Finally the time was near to heading to Batam.
And I was about to met this Indonesian Beauty, who is such a treat. And I met a taxi to harbour in Batam. the cost is Rp65,000. Pretty cheap she said!
Arrived at Punggur and I borrowed the peoples phone to contact her. She was there for more than 30 minutes to wait me. The poor bitch!
On a ferry we set sail, first class outdoors. Ayu had never travel first class, cause she is very weird. lol
Wow, oh my god, I'm so happy to be here. The sea air, the beauty, is it Ayu or the scenary?
We got taxi (ojek) scooters to Ayus home. her mum (ebu) had made lunch.
And the meal was so damn good!!! they then gave my shoulder a massage, for free :)
Meeting her family has reflected on her, because very kind, generous, food and best! I knew I had made the right decision making short stops in each place, because i have got to met such great people, like my Brunei Beauties Bintulu banter buddy, my Kuching last minute man, and Sabo park friends, my Ponitanak pals and awesome Ayu. And, if i hadnt made this decision to make such short stops, I wouldnt have met them!
(now I'm back writing) Ayu, my chocolate milkshake, is very pretty, I can't believe she doesnt have a bf, not that it wont be long until she has a new one.
I had to show her and her mum my ugly tattoo, and beer belly, now i have extra incentive to work and diet hard, as opportunities like this are rare for me ^^
I met her whole family, brother, sister in laws, kids, very nice people.
for dinner, we jumped on the scooters and went to the China town for dinner.
Later on, Ayu and I went to a karaoke room for fun, but we discovered we are both very horrible singers!
and that was it for day 15 of this journey.
This morning i wake up early, so i could check my fb message just incase she sent me a message, but she hadnt. so i went for breakfast and i met someone who helped me by my breakfast. but i lost her facebook name (luckily, later I found it) I said good bye to the hostel staffs and William is a good man. He took me up and took me to the airport.
Finally the time was near to heading to Batam.
And I was about to met this Indonesian Beauty, who is such a treat. And I met a taxi to harbour in Batam. the cost is Rp65,000. Pretty cheap she said!
Arrived at Punggur and I borrowed the peoples phone to contact her. She was there for more than 30 minutes to wait me. The poor bitch!
On a ferry we set sail, first class outdoors. Ayu had never travel first class, cause she is very weird. lol
Wow, oh my god, I'm so happy to be here. The sea air, the beauty, is it Ayu or the scenary?
We got taxi (ojek) scooters to Ayus home. her mum (ebu) had made lunch.
And the meal was so damn good!!! they then gave my shoulder a massage, for free :)
Meeting her family has reflected on her, because very kind, generous, food and best! I knew I had made the right decision making short stops in each place, because i have got to met such great people, like my Brunei Beauties Bintulu banter buddy, my Kuching last minute man, and Sabo park friends, my Ponitanak pals and awesome Ayu. And, if i hadnt made this decision to make such short stops, I wouldnt have met them!
(now I'm back writing) Ayu, my chocolate milkshake, is very pretty, I can't believe she doesnt have a bf, not that it wont be long until she has a new one.
I had to show her and her mum my ugly tattoo, and beer belly, now i have extra incentive to work and diet hard, as opportunities like this are rare for me ^^
I met her whole family, brother, sister in laws, kids, very nice people.
for dinner, we jumped on the scooters and went to the China town for dinner.
Later on, Ayu and I went to a karaoke room for fun, but we discovered we are both very horrible singers!
and that was it for day 15 of this journey.
day 13 winter holidays 2012
Teaching with William!
I was up bright and early, waiting for the famous Willy to arrive.
Bloody nice guy he is! We caught the end of the mornings church service and met with some of his co-workers, they were quite cool, to say the least.
I taught his first few classes, nice and cheery. I told them about Korea and English in Korea. And even the old joke about the criminals living across the ditch from NZ!
The kids were decent and respectful. they listened to every word i said. Although the rooms were quite shabby, missing a few windows, hot too, even with the fans going full tit!
over there the kids start school around 6-7 and are finished by 1, in order to avoid the heat of the day.
we joked about looking at girls in cafes, horse flying, not riding, it was all good of course!
i even taught them that long Porangahau word, the longest placename in the world.
some kids even got it right, well to my satisfaction.
i could have stayed and watched the kids train for badminton, but my shoulder wasnt there yet, so i went back to the hostel instead.
later we went to the equator monument. to be honest, it was a little dissappointing.
the souvenier shop had just closed and all the monument was, was a couple of big circles, with an arrow, nothing to say what side of the equator we were on either. i really thought, the local government could do alot more to market this place better, as its the equator, and its the start of a journey that takes you to Indonesias wild Borneo rainforrests!
But, from what I understand, the Indonesian government is so corrupt, just like the Malaysian government, that any money given, would never get through to the right people anyway!
William took me to a street stall, that turned out to be pig skin and insides,it tasted ok, but i'm glad i didnt ask what it was first!
Fennie was waiting for me, when i got back to the hostel.
She took me to visit Eis house, where we had cheesecake, freshly made from the roadside stall. and we ate a variety of fruits, all very nice. but my yawns started early, so they took me back home to bed.
I was up bright and early, waiting for the famous Willy to arrive.
Bloody nice guy he is! We caught the end of the mornings church service and met with some of his co-workers, they were quite cool, to say the least.
I taught his first few classes, nice and cheery. I told them about Korea and English in Korea. And even the old joke about the criminals living across the ditch from NZ!
The kids were decent and respectful. they listened to every word i said. Although the rooms were quite shabby, missing a few windows, hot too, even with the fans going full tit!
over there the kids start school around 6-7 and are finished by 1, in order to avoid the heat of the day.
we joked about looking at girls in cafes, horse flying, not riding, it was all good of course!
i even taught them that long Porangahau word, the longest placename in the world.
some kids even got it right, well to my satisfaction.
i could have stayed and watched the kids train for badminton, but my shoulder wasnt there yet, so i went back to the hostel instead.
later we went to the equator monument. to be honest, it was a little dissappointing.
the souvenier shop had just closed and all the monument was, was a couple of big circles, with an arrow, nothing to say what side of the equator we were on either. i really thought, the local government could do alot more to market this place better, as its the equator, and its the start of a journey that takes you to Indonesias wild Borneo rainforrests!
But, from what I understand, the Indonesian government is so corrupt, just like the Malaysian government, that any money given, would never get through to the right people anyway!
William took me to a street stall, that turned out to be pig skin and insides,it tasted ok, but i'm glad i didnt ask what it was first!
Fennie was waiting for me, when i got back to the hostel.
She took me to visit Eis house, where we had cheesecake, freshly made from the roadside stall. and we ate a variety of fruits, all very nice. but my yawns started early, so they took me back home to bed.
day 12 winter holidays 2012
I hardly slept last night. It wasnt because of my excitement for moving on.It was because i didnt have a bloody alarm so I kept on waking up to take a photo, so I could see what the time was.
The ride to Pontianak was a little more nerve wracking. I kept on thinking about the pickpockets, which doesnt help!
Going through the Malaysian border crossing was a breeze, but the Indonesian crossing was a challenge, $25 for the visa, luckily I had enough money! Then i went to a seperate room, had my photo and prints taken.
they scanned my bags, the big one had to be scanned twice! because the guard thought he saw a powder in it, I dont wanna die in an Indonesian jail, thank you!
Juergin had asked me to check for gas stations along the way. I think I can definately do this trip on his bike.
I got talking to an Indonesian man, sitting beside me and through broken english, we were able to understand each other. he had a wife and kid somewhere south of Jakarta, and now he was returning to them, after working in Bintulu for a while.
They had said that the roads were rough coming here to Pontianak, and for the first half they were wrong! The Malaysian side was almost perfect. But, after half an hour on the Indonesian side, the fun started to happen. It was about 10 minutes of drving, the 5 minutes of potholes, and thats how it was for the 3rd 1/4 of the journey.
I was amazed at all the houses being open. I could see inside and all I saw was nothing, typically dusty wooden floors, maybe a bed or a couch, sometimes a TV, thats it. I saw people washing in streams outside of them.
Closer to Pontianak, the houses were on stilts, I think alot were mostly in stagnant water, as there didnt appear to be too much movement in the waterways.
the gas stations had mostly consisted of a few petrol cans out the front of each little mart. our rest stop was for 30 minutes, but even then i didnt get off the bus for too long as i was too scared to miss it, and my fears were proved true, when the bus stopped to wait for 2 clowns who had fucked around too much at the rest stop.
My first impressions of Pontianak was that it was a dirty city ( hard to believe that 10 years before it had been named Indonesias cleanest city)
Fennie, a nice Indonesian lady, eventually picked me up from the bus stop, and saved me from the hoards of taxi drivers who were gathering around me.
she took me to a hostel on my scooter, then we had KFC, as i hadnt eaten any lunch!
that bus ride had been a long 10 hours!
seeing the people and the traffic was something i had never seen before. sitting behind Fennie on her flash scooter was another thing, hearing that she doesnt know how to drive a car was interesting. there were crowds of scooters on the roads, and all i was saying was "WOW"!!!
I went to Fennies place to meet her kids, she too had a maid, so her family must be rich too!
then we went out for coffee at the mall with her friend Eis, we met in a mall and there were alot of pretty girlees walking past ^^
Later, near days end we had snacks at an outdoor restaurant, and another friend of theirs from their cycling club joined us.
then just before bedtime, they showed me the night markets, i made sure i had my camera on me, and my wallet tight and secure, as i didnt trust anyone walking near me.
i got home around 11, 8 days after the accident, my arm was still giving me alot of grief!
The ride to Pontianak was a little more nerve wracking. I kept on thinking about the pickpockets, which doesnt help!
Going through the Malaysian border crossing was a breeze, but the Indonesian crossing was a challenge, $25 for the visa, luckily I had enough money! Then i went to a seperate room, had my photo and prints taken.
they scanned my bags, the big one had to be scanned twice! because the guard thought he saw a powder in it, I dont wanna die in an Indonesian jail, thank you!
Juergin had asked me to check for gas stations along the way. I think I can definately do this trip on his bike.
I got talking to an Indonesian man, sitting beside me and through broken english, we were able to understand each other. he had a wife and kid somewhere south of Jakarta, and now he was returning to them, after working in Bintulu for a while.
They had said that the roads were rough coming here to Pontianak, and for the first half they were wrong! The Malaysian side was almost perfect. But, after half an hour on the Indonesian side, the fun started to happen. It was about 10 minutes of drving, the 5 minutes of potholes, and thats how it was for the 3rd 1/4 of the journey.
I was amazed at all the houses being open. I could see inside and all I saw was nothing, typically dusty wooden floors, maybe a bed or a couch, sometimes a TV, thats it. I saw people washing in streams outside of them.
Closer to Pontianak, the houses were on stilts, I think alot were mostly in stagnant water, as there didnt appear to be too much movement in the waterways.
the gas stations had mostly consisted of a few petrol cans out the front of each little mart. our rest stop was for 30 minutes, but even then i didnt get off the bus for too long as i was too scared to miss it, and my fears were proved true, when the bus stopped to wait for 2 clowns who had fucked around too much at the rest stop.
My first impressions of Pontianak was that it was a dirty city ( hard to believe that 10 years before it had been named Indonesias cleanest city)
Fennie, a nice Indonesian lady, eventually picked me up from the bus stop, and saved me from the hoards of taxi drivers who were gathering around me.
she took me to a hostel on my scooter, then we had KFC, as i hadnt eaten any lunch!
that bus ride had been a long 10 hours!
seeing the people and the traffic was something i had never seen before. sitting behind Fennie on her flash scooter was another thing, hearing that she doesnt know how to drive a car was interesting. there were crowds of scooters on the roads, and all i was saying was "WOW"!!!
I went to Fennies place to meet her kids, she too had a maid, so her family must be rich too!
then we went out for coffee at the mall with her friend Eis, we met in a mall and there were alot of pretty girlees walking past ^^
Later, near days end we had snacks at an outdoor restaurant, and another friend of theirs from their cycling club joined us.
then just before bedtime, they showed me the night markets, i made sure i had my camera on me, and my wallet tight and secure, as i didnt trust anyone walking near me.
i got home around 11, 8 days after the accident, my arm was still giving me alot of grief!
day 11 winter holidays 2012
At the time of writing this piece, I hadnt yet written about day 10 yet, but I just gotta tell this story!
So, I woke up early, after a hard night on the piss, nothing surprising there. Its a usual thing you know!
I'm writing at a table my journal. When first the wild pigs arrive, then the monkeys come. they are everywhere. I have to grab my bag, just incase they steal it, its like that here, you know!
So one is bold enough to venture to my table. I think they had just woken up and were looking for a feed. they were eating through all the scraps we had left behind from last night.
So, I put a mentos on the table, this monkey takes it, hes like less than 30 centrementres away from me. holly cow!
then a man comes out and starts cleaning, and scares them all away.
But after I put another on the table and a new monkey comes. They're all watching me now!
Finally, I pull out the last one. this dude, hes sitting on the table, so close I could almost kiss him. i'm not sure, should i put it on the table or hold it, in the end i have no choice.
hes impatient, so like feeding hay to a horse i hold it in my hand and he takes it sitting there to chew it before going on his way.
Yes, I was touched by a monkey physically and emotionally. but wow! oh my god! I can't believe this shit! I'm so happy right now!
One of the monkeys, earlier, had spilt the wine, so there was this young fellah, drinking it, lapping it up. I'm sure he woulda feltquite tipsy after. Poor boys gunna have a hangover later!
there was a mother carrying her baby too, and more wild pigs came out to play. I'm so happy we came out here!
So after all this excitement, I saw a sign in my room DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS. THEY MAY ATTACK! too late now lol
on my way back to my room, i had seen some more wild pigs, one of the piglets stopped to smell/kiss my foot, lol
After a hearty breakfast and a small talk it was time to move on. we shared a boat back with a girl from the netherlands, an Aussie bloke called Kallum and his irish girl friend.
Nothing much happened between arriving back at Juegins and the money exchange.
But then it all started to get interesting. I had given Juegin my wallet to hold onto for safe keeping on his bike.
when i got off his bike and walked into the money exchange, i realised i had left my wallet behind and i didnt have his number, so i had to madly find a cyber cafe or computer to call him.
theres nothing like the feeling of doom, having just lost ur wallet. its ur identity, your moneys in there as well as ur id. for maybe 40 minutes i tried in vain to reach him, but i couldnt, so i walked back to the money exchange and there he was, walking around the corner. i gave him a big hug. Relief doesnt come much better than this, ecstasy may do, but i've had my excitement for my trip. from here on in my wallet and camera and passport are staying with me 24/7!
After coffee and a final good bye I chilled, thinking I would take an evening cruise, but when i was the only one on the last cruise of the night. I said to the owner, lets get a beer instead, in which we did, with dinner of course!
Finally to cap the evening off, I stopped by another backpackers hostel, because mine didnt have a computer to check the emails and read the news, the usual lol.
I'm enjoying this trip so far its been great to have these moments alone to myself, to reflect and try to find some peace.
that night i was staying at a hostel, where i was the only one in it, not even the owner, i had to leave the charge on the desk and the key in the box when i left in the morning, it was quite nice! ^^
So, I woke up early, after a hard night on the piss, nothing surprising there. Its a usual thing you know!
I'm writing at a table my journal. When first the wild pigs arrive, then the monkeys come. they are everywhere. I have to grab my bag, just incase they steal it, its like that here, you know!
So one is bold enough to venture to my table. I think they had just woken up and were looking for a feed. they were eating through all the scraps we had left behind from last night.
So, I put a mentos on the table, this monkey takes it, hes like less than 30 centrementres away from me. holly cow!
then a man comes out and starts cleaning, and scares them all away.
But after I put another on the table and a new monkey comes. They're all watching me now!
Finally, I pull out the last one. this dude, hes sitting on the table, so close I could almost kiss him. i'm not sure, should i put it on the table or hold it, in the end i have no choice.
hes impatient, so like feeding hay to a horse i hold it in my hand and he takes it sitting there to chew it before going on his way.
Yes, I was touched by a monkey physically and emotionally. but wow! oh my god! I can't believe this shit! I'm so happy right now!
One of the monkeys, earlier, had spilt the wine, so there was this young fellah, drinking it, lapping it up. I'm sure he woulda feltquite tipsy after. Poor boys gunna have a hangover later!
there was a mother carrying her baby too, and more wild pigs came out to play. I'm so happy we came out here!
So after all this excitement, I saw a sign in my room DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS. THEY MAY ATTACK! too late now lol
on my way back to my room, i had seen some more wild pigs, one of the piglets stopped to smell/kiss my foot, lol
After a hearty breakfast and a small talk it was time to move on. we shared a boat back with a girl from the netherlands, an Aussie bloke called Kallum and his irish girl friend.
Nothing much happened between arriving back at Juegins and the money exchange.
But then it all started to get interesting. I had given Juegin my wallet to hold onto for safe keeping on his bike.
when i got off his bike and walked into the money exchange, i realised i had left my wallet behind and i didnt have his number, so i had to madly find a cyber cafe or computer to call him.
theres nothing like the feeling of doom, having just lost ur wallet. its ur identity, your moneys in there as well as ur id. for maybe 40 minutes i tried in vain to reach him, but i couldnt, so i walked back to the money exchange and there he was, walking around the corner. i gave him a big hug. Relief doesnt come much better than this, ecstasy may do, but i've had my excitement for my trip. from here on in my wallet and camera and passport are staying with me 24/7!
After coffee and a final good bye I chilled, thinking I would take an evening cruise, but when i was the only one on the last cruise of the night. I said to the owner, lets get a beer instead, in which we did, with dinner of course!
Finally to cap the evening off, I stopped by another backpackers hostel, because mine didnt have a computer to check the emails and read the news, the usual lol.
I'm enjoying this trip so far its been great to have these moments alone to myself, to reflect and try to find some peace.
that night i was staying at a hostel, where i was the only one in it, not even the owner, i had to leave the charge on the desk and the key in the box when i left in the morning, it was quite nice! ^^
day 10 winter holidays 2012
With my photos all uploaded onto Piccasso, Juergen, the good man, had inspired me to put them there, just incase something happened. We started the trip to Bako National Park.
The journey on the boat was ok, seeing a few otters along the way.
we had lunch and got the keys sorted. then it was time to start the mish, just a simple walk, watching pigs and monkeys, do their shit. then the hike begins and i loose the cap to my bottle in the early parts of my journey.
the hike was ameant to be a cool 5 hour hike and we did it in 3 hours, not bad i say!
At 4.15, back at the resort, its hot, I tired and i need a rest. thus, the drinking begins. only a couple i say to myself, but no that doesnt happen! come on you know me! I dont know how many we drank, but i sure spent some money and then some! but luckily its RMB, so it wont be that much! The beauty shot came out, and it was quite amusing, at least for the first few minutes. Now for those of you who dont know what the beauty shot is, its a feature on my camera, that somehow picks out the most beautiful person when a photo is taken, and sometimes it chooses me! so its gotta to right! right?
the conversations were soaring and i managed to get our little group of 3 or 4 transformed into a group of maybe 10 or more at its peak. i'd be damned if i knew what we were all talking about that night!
Finally about midnight, with the shop closed and me sometimes sleeping on my chair it was time to head to bed. I'm so happy I came on this trip and thanks to Juergen for taking me out here! great man he is! ^^
The journey on the boat was ok, seeing a few otters along the way.
we had lunch and got the keys sorted. then it was time to start the mish, just a simple walk, watching pigs and monkeys, do their shit. then the hike begins and i loose the cap to my bottle in the early parts of my journey.
the hike was ameant to be a cool 5 hour hike and we did it in 3 hours, not bad i say!
At 4.15, back at the resort, its hot, I tired and i need a rest. thus, the drinking begins. only a couple i say to myself, but no that doesnt happen! come on you know me! I dont know how many we drank, but i sure spent some money and then some! but luckily its RMB, so it wont be that much! The beauty shot came out, and it was quite amusing, at least for the first few minutes. Now for those of you who dont know what the beauty shot is, its a feature on my camera, that somehow picks out the most beautiful person when a photo is taken, and sometimes it chooses me! so its gotta to right! right?
the conversations were soaring and i managed to get our little group of 3 or 4 transformed into a group of maybe 10 or more at its peak. i'd be damned if i knew what we were all talking about that night!
Finally about midnight, with the shop closed and me sometimes sleeping on my chair it was time to head to bed. I'm so happy I came on this trip and thanks to Juergen for taking me out here! great man he is! ^^
day 9 winter holidays 2012
Juergin, what a great guy! He has a free schedule, so he took me to see the Orangatans in the wild. We had to wait a bit, but they finally arrived they came so close yet so far, and we were called to 3 different locations before they were finally spotted.
Then off to the crocodile farm we went, on the way stopping at a Chinese cemetry to take some photos of their elaborate designs.
watching the crocs feed, made me feel safe that i was on the other side of the fence, especially when one large croc had a smaller in his mouth.
we saw a few turtles and bears, but nothing compared to seeing these guys jump to get their feed.
Later we walked around Kuching's riverside front. It was great! the councils building on the other side was on a much grander scale than my little hometown!
For dinner, we met other friends, this lady Franky, was a bit of a loud mouth, and appeared to get a little upset, when I told her about a friend in Brunei, and who was selective about who she hosted and when. Honestly fuck her! Franky is not someone I had alot of time for. This guy Willy, on the other hand, great guy, worked with for an NGO, told me about all the corruption, and how hes doing his best to help the little people. I felt very inspired by him.
Then off to the crocodile farm we went, on the way stopping at a Chinese cemetry to take some photos of their elaborate designs.
watching the crocs feed, made me feel safe that i was on the other side of the fence, especially when one large croc had a smaller in his mouth.
we saw a few turtles and bears, but nothing compared to seeing these guys jump to get their feed.
Later we walked around Kuching's riverside front. It was great! the councils building on the other side was on a much grander scale than my little hometown!
For dinner, we met other friends, this lady Franky, was a bit of a loud mouth, and appeared to get a little upset, when I told her about a friend in Brunei, and who was selective about who she hosted and when. Honestly fuck her! Franky is not someone I had alot of time for. This guy Willy, on the other hand, great guy, worked with for an NGO, told me about all the corruption, and how hes doing his best to help the little people. I felt very inspired by him.
day 8 winter holidays 2012
After a morning yack to Huwaida (I miss her so) and Imin and a few more z's on the floor, it was time to go.
3 hours by car to Siba, we were hungry at 7.30 but the muslim restaurant was closed so we had to wait till 9 to get a feed. A quick break at a Chinese temple was refreshing, and i learnt that cheap ever ready batteries are shit!
we finally arrived at the bus terminal near ten, bus ticket bought, we had to rush into town for Abdillahs business, then rush back to catch the bus.
the bus ride was nothing short of spectacular. the scenary was great.
I met Noora, eventually at the bus station. I bought batteries and charger and a new larger better memory chip, the 4 gig was all used up.
We had dinner and met her mate Adam, who to be honest was a bit of a dick. too selfish in the conversation, he really had to be the centre of attention, defo not the type of guy I'd normally hangout with.
After dinner, I was dropped off at Joegen's place. hes a bloody nice guy, but I was tired of all my travels.
3 hours by car to Siba, we were hungry at 7.30 but the muslim restaurant was closed so we had to wait till 9 to get a feed. A quick break at a Chinese temple was refreshing, and i learnt that cheap ever ready batteries are shit!
we finally arrived at the bus terminal near ten, bus ticket bought, we had to rush into town for Abdillahs business, then rush back to catch the bus.
the bus ride was nothing short of spectacular. the scenary was great.
I met Noora, eventually at the bus station. I bought batteries and charger and a new larger better memory chip, the 4 gig was all used up.
We had dinner and met her mate Adam, who to be honest was a bit of a dick. too selfish in the conversation, he really had to be the centre of attention, defo not the type of guy I'd normally hangout with.
After dinner, I was dropped off at Joegen's place. hes a bloody nice guy, but I was tired of all my travels.
day 7 winter holidays 2012
what a day!i could never forget this day, much like the rest of this trip so far. but more special for it wasnt the quantity, but rather the quality of the things that occurred.
First, my aunty and I went to suss out the bus schedule for the next day, but we couldnt work it out, so we went to meet the beautiful Brunei girls instead. Earlier, we had walked around the market, where people come in on their boats from the water villages etc to sell their shit. it was interesting and i saw alot of cats, but this was rather a side issue from the main dish of the day.
As it was the girls i was more interested in meeting, I'm a bloke afterall!
I was horribly under dressed, arent I always? and I was feeling a little shy, I must admit! and with no beers under my belt, my courage was gunna be a little underfire!
Wow, wow, and wow again, although at this stage of writing, I only really remember the names of Ida, Im... Shu and Jpanna, as it was them I talked to the most.
Ida, the muslim in her beautiful head scarf thingee. I really wanted to see her (I'm guessing long black hair) if u cant see it, it leaves u wondering! Ida's a uni lecturer, single, but shes travelled to NZ, so thats a bonus! I think, I can forgive her, for her aussie studies!
Shu...shame she had a boyfriend, shes damn cute!
Imra, the DJ, shes a lesbian, cool for her! Her hair looked really cool. a shaved head with a pink top, I could see us having a beer or two.
Joanna, when we talked over tea, I could feel her specialness. I heard shes divorced with four kids, who ever her her ex is, deserves a good smack in the head for letting her go!
And of course Mimi, who's Chinese, but we barely spoke a word, unfortunately.
then of course, there were the couple, the boyfriend, being a real estate agent. I forget her job. And most importantly my aunty Izza, whom with out my trip woulda been a whole lot worse!
I was sad to see them go, I wanted longer, alas, we had more things to do It was off to meet Jenny, the jungle girl who I had given up a date with to meet these lovely ladies.
I did my shopping and bought new shorts and postcards for all the family back home.
Walking to the post office I saw the lovely Huwaida, for 5 minutes only, but i was dreaming of seeing them for longer.
Then it was off to the mansion, with the lady, Aunty Izza and Jenny, before we departed to the 6 star empire hotel, where the Sultan has an OJ while out riding his horse every sunday.
Watching the sun go down felt like a proper way to end my journey in Brunei, well almost.
Jenny, her friend and Ida, oh Ida, what at treat, came for a proper English dinner and desert. Roast beef, spuds, carrots, broccoli, the works Even a vege meal (not that I'd eat it, its not a manly thing! I need meat!) for Jenny.
Followed by bread and butter pudding, red wine, and tea. All served by the maid, how posh we are!
The excitement wasnt done yet, with Jenny's friend getting locked in the bathroom. Aunty Izza was calling the fire department, when against all odds the girl walked out.
I talked to Ida alot that night, like I had at lunch. Shes really sweet and pretty and everything neat. Yet, I wonder what hair does look like!
So that was the end of my day 6, I wonder what the rest of my journeys gunna turn out like?
First, my aunty and I went to suss out the bus schedule for the next day, but we couldnt work it out, so we went to meet the beautiful Brunei girls instead. Earlier, we had walked around the market, where people come in on their boats from the water villages etc to sell their shit. it was interesting and i saw alot of cats, but this was rather a side issue from the main dish of the day.
As it was the girls i was more interested in meeting, I'm a bloke afterall!
I was horribly under dressed, arent I always? and I was feeling a little shy, I must admit! and with no beers under my belt, my courage was gunna be a little underfire!
Wow, wow, and wow again, although at this stage of writing, I only really remember the names of Ida, Im... Shu and Jpanna, as it was them I talked to the most.
Ida, the muslim in her beautiful head scarf thingee. I really wanted to see her (I'm guessing long black hair) if u cant see it, it leaves u wondering! Ida's a uni lecturer, single, but shes travelled to NZ, so thats a bonus! I think, I can forgive her, for her aussie studies!
Shu...shame she had a boyfriend, shes damn cute!
Imra, the DJ, shes a lesbian, cool for her! Her hair looked really cool. a shaved head with a pink top, I could see us having a beer or two.
Joanna, when we talked over tea, I could feel her specialness. I heard shes divorced with four kids, who ever her her ex is, deserves a good smack in the head for letting her go!
And of course Mimi, who's Chinese, but we barely spoke a word, unfortunately.
then of course, there were the couple, the boyfriend, being a real estate agent. I forget her job. And most importantly my aunty Izza, whom with out my trip woulda been a whole lot worse!
I was sad to see them go, I wanted longer, alas, we had more things to do It was off to meet Jenny, the jungle girl who I had given up a date with to meet these lovely ladies.
I did my shopping and bought new shorts and postcards for all the family back home.
Walking to the post office I saw the lovely Huwaida, for 5 minutes only, but i was dreaming of seeing them for longer.
Then it was off to the mansion, with the lady, Aunty Izza and Jenny, before we departed to the 6 star empire hotel, where the Sultan has an OJ while out riding his horse every sunday.
Watching the sun go down felt like a proper way to end my journey in Brunei, well almost.
Jenny, her friend and Ida, oh Ida, what at treat, came for a proper English dinner and desert. Roast beef, spuds, carrots, broccoli, the works Even a vege meal (not that I'd eat it, its not a manly thing! I need meat!) for Jenny.
Followed by bread and butter pudding, red wine, and tea. All served by the maid, how posh we are!
The excitement wasnt done yet, with Jenny's friend getting locked in the bathroom. Aunty Izza was calling the fire department, when against all odds the girl walked out.
I talked to Ida alot that night, like I had at lunch. Shes really sweet and pretty and everything neat. Yet, I wonder what hair does look like!
So that was the end of my day 6, I wonder what the rest of my journeys gunna turn out like?
Day 5 winter holidays 2012
After a brisk walk in the morning, the maid arrived at the cottage to do some cleaning and cook our breaky, wow this was pretty damn cool i thought!
we visited the hospital about my shoulder, nothing broken, thank god! they gave me a sling and 3 weeks of pain killers to shut me up.
so we went back to the house to relax a bit, before heading off to have chicken and beer on the otherside of the border.
this wasnt a house by any normal means, as u can see it was a mansion, 6 bathrooms, one per bedroom, wow!
later, on the way to the border we stopped by the sultans place for a visit, unfortunately he was out getting fish and chips for dinner, so we couldnt see him. the guard recognised my aunty and complained that she wasnt bringing any hot girls to vist!
it took half an hour to cross the border, there were so many alkies going there, and the car park at the restaurant was packed, we were lucky to get a park.
our waitress as u can see from the photos was a little plump, but very pretty.
after a few beers with fries and chicken wings, we got the duty free wine and beer and ciggies to go back and on the way i made friends with one of the border guards, a nice day indeed!
we visited the hospital about my shoulder, nothing broken, thank god! they gave me a sling and 3 weeks of pain killers to shut me up.
so we went back to the house to relax a bit, before heading off to have chicken and beer on the otherside of the border.
this wasnt a house by any normal means, as u can see it was a mansion, 6 bathrooms, one per bedroom, wow!
later, on the way to the border we stopped by the sultans place for a visit, unfortunately he was out getting fish and chips for dinner, so we couldnt see him. the guard recognised my aunty and complained that she wasnt bringing any hot girls to vist!
it took half an hour to cross the border, there were so many alkies going there, and the car park at the restaurant was packed, we were lucky to get a park.
our waitress as u can see from the photos was a little plump, but very pretty.
after a few beers with fries and chicken wings, we got the duty free wine and beer and ciggies to go back and on the way i made friends with one of the border guards, a nice day indeed!
Day four: Kuala Lumpur to Brunei.
Day four: Kuala Lumpur to Brunei.
I’m writing this on day 7, because of a series of unfortunate events, or typical Paul, others might say! But, for me, I call it awesome! Releasing yourself and letting yourself to god and all his glory can bring astonishing results.
So there I was having just arrived in Bangar Bruneis capital city. My host had just cancelled on me, when she had said only the night before that staying at her place was ok. However, she had contacted another person for me, and I had posted on the group to say I was about, wearing a cowboy hat, but just incase I had sought out another last minute host.
I was walking around, chewing my cud, taking photos, enjoying the hot sun, when I heard someone calling my name. That person, was the person I would later affectionately call Aunty.
She was driving a Mercedes, I had heard people weren’t poor here, but I wasn’t thinking they were that rich either!
I threw my bag in the boot of the car, while she held up traffic behind her. And we went off to get my first Malaysian meal .
I told Iza, my aunty, how I wanted to ride a horse at the polo club, so off we went to the club.
Aunty Iza sweet talked the manager from $65 down to $25, talk about having the gift of the gab! We drove around the club and managed to have a talk and pat to a few horses. Then we drove back to the cottage for a beer, in Brunei! I couldn’t believe it, I thought this was a dry country!
Back at the club, I met the trainer, who told me it was an ex polo horse and I just thought oh fuck. I remembered cousin Pat’s words about them being too firery for me, so that’s why he wouldn’t let me on his wifes!
A few shivers traversed my spine, but what the hell! I thought. It can’t be that bad! I was wrong.
I had to ride polo style, which I’m not used to. I tried trotting and eventually got talked into cantering (running) by my trainer. The first time was sweet, no worries at all! I was happy. The second time, I did something wrong, maybe I held the reins too tight, but the horse reared his legs and bucked me off. I went flying, I tried to reach the sky, and I landed like a heavy sack of spuds on my right shoulder and head. I stood up quickly and carefully got the horse. I was more concerned about the boy than me. I got on him again for a coupla minutes, and that was it, my shoulder was buggered, it hurt like a bitch!
The thing about this injury, was that it had the potential to ruin my whole journey, but infact, it only enhanced my travels.
Then it was time for Aunty to go to her business meeting and me to meet this other host, eventually we met, but not having a phone sucks!
Huwaida and I eventually met, but I was in a lot of pain by then. She stopped her car in the middle of a parking lot and made me slowly take off my shirt so she could see the injury. Then after I had to do it in the general eating area, where about 50 or more people got a good look in. However, the waitress did put some heat cream on it, which was good! ^^ Then again, all those people got a good look at my horrendous tattoo!
We decided to try the hospital, but the 3 hour wait wasn’t inviting, so we went back to the cottage for a few beers instead!
I was able to reflect on what a great day this had been, despite the injury, I was so very happy. My aunty kept some turtles and bunnies, that sometimes she let sleep on her bed, cute, but cats and dogs are better on the bed I think!
I’m writing this on day 7, because of a series of unfortunate events, or typical Paul, others might say! But, for me, I call it awesome! Releasing yourself and letting yourself to god and all his glory can bring astonishing results.
So there I was having just arrived in Bangar Bruneis capital city. My host had just cancelled on me, when she had said only the night before that staying at her place was ok. However, she had contacted another person for me, and I had posted on the group to say I was about, wearing a cowboy hat, but just incase I had sought out another last minute host.
I was walking around, chewing my cud, taking photos, enjoying the hot sun, when I heard someone calling my name. That person, was the person I would later affectionately call Aunty.
She was driving a Mercedes, I had heard people weren’t poor here, but I wasn’t thinking they were that rich either!
I threw my bag in the boot of the car, while she held up traffic behind her. And we went off to get my first Malaysian meal .
I told Iza, my aunty, how I wanted to ride a horse at the polo club, so off we went to the club.
Aunty Iza sweet talked the manager from $65 down to $25, talk about having the gift of the gab! We drove around the club and managed to have a talk and pat to a few horses. Then we drove back to the cottage for a beer, in Brunei! I couldn’t believe it, I thought this was a dry country!
Back at the club, I met the trainer, who told me it was an ex polo horse and I just thought oh fuck. I remembered cousin Pat’s words about them being too firery for me, so that’s why he wouldn’t let me on his wifes!
A few shivers traversed my spine, but what the hell! I thought. It can’t be that bad! I was wrong.
I had to ride polo style, which I’m not used to. I tried trotting and eventually got talked into cantering (running) by my trainer. The first time was sweet, no worries at all! I was happy. The second time, I did something wrong, maybe I held the reins too tight, but the horse reared his legs and bucked me off. I went flying, I tried to reach the sky, and I landed like a heavy sack of spuds on my right shoulder and head. I stood up quickly and carefully got the horse. I was more concerned about the boy than me. I got on him again for a coupla minutes, and that was it, my shoulder was buggered, it hurt like a bitch!
The thing about this injury, was that it had the potential to ruin my whole journey, but infact, it only enhanced my travels.
Then it was time for Aunty to go to her business meeting and me to meet this other host, eventually we met, but not having a phone sucks!
Huwaida and I eventually met, but I was in a lot of pain by then. She stopped her car in the middle of a parking lot and made me slowly take off my shirt so she could see the injury. Then after I had to do it in the general eating area, where about 50 or more people got a good look in. However, the waitress did put some heat cream on it, which was good! ^^ Then again, all those people got a good look at my horrendous tattoo!
We decided to try the hospital, but the 3 hour wait wasn’t inviting, so we went back to the cottage for a few beers instead!
I was able to reflect on what a great day this had been, despite the injury, I was so very happy. My aunty kept some turtles and bunnies, that sometimes she let sleep on her bed, cute, but cats and dogs are better on the bed I think!
Day two: Kula Lumpur to Batu Pahat
In the morning I was cooked breakfast by my hosts and I met some of their friends, Jennifer and Patrick, I remember thinking, what nice people these guys are, how lucky I am to be on this journey.
Zahir took me to the metro station, and I was on my own at last. I reached the bus station an hour later, where I ate potato and gravy at the KFC, ohhh I had missed it, Korea does corn instead, its not quite the same… I got on a bus close to 4 and travelled to Batu Pahat. Watching all the palm trees out the window, seemed amazing, no grassland like NZ or scrub like Korea, big talk palm trees, I felt like I was in heaven. The bus stopped once, where I when I got off for a stretch, I made sure I stayed by the bus, just in case it took off without me.
The bus ventured off the main road, onto a 2 lane stretch, I saw a school with a rugby field, sweet!!! A lot of houses were on stilts, perhaps this is because of the monsoons.
Finally the bus entered this dirty little town, I wasn’t quite sure that it was the right place, but when I got off I saw my mate Justin standing there, and I was home. 4 hours looking out the window, just trying to absorb the energy was refreshing.
Justin and his wife and their older friend took me to a Thai restaurant, 2 days there and the only Malaysian food I had eaten was on the plane!
Then, they gave me a tour round town, and we watch Indian belly dancers, celebrating the Chinese new years. Justins house was big, he shared it with his sister inlaw and 2 kids. They had a basement, where the shower and kitchen were. This was to be the start of my cold showers that would continue for almost the rest of the trip. I ended up sleeping about 11 that night, and I was tired, it had been a very long day, however, it was good to sleep in a nice warm bed, instead of the floor.
Day three: Batu Pahat to Meleka to Kuala Lumpur.
Justin and I woke up early to get out and have some breaky, over there they hardly cook at home, as its cheaper to eat out.
So we ate at an Indian restaurant and I had banana pancakes with curry and mutton, very delicious.
Justin was great, he took me for a small cruise through town, then he took me to a Chinese fishing village. There was a golden arch and I had to walk through it for good fortune, and the giant petting fish for more money. I leaned through the fence and just touched one fish. The next pond, I had better luck, although, I kinda hit it the first time, so it swam away on me. But it came back and I had it!
We watched people fishing on a jetty, and looked out to see the Melecca straight, the busiest shipping lane in the world.
We picked up Justins wife and threw the bags in the car. They had to go to KL because they needed to get visas for Thailand. On the way we visited Melack. I saw the old Dutch fortress, years ago, this is where they first colonized Malaysia. The jandals were putting blisters on my feet by this stage, so I got some sandals, which were about the only things I would wear for the next 3 weeks!
We ate some shit for lunch, I dunno the name of the food, but like everything I had eaten so far, it was bloody nice!
On the journey up, we had the usual toilet break, but that was it, I was too interested in the scenary rushing by to take notice of anything else.
They dropped me off at the Petronas twin towers, but before they did they had to take me in this huge underground tunnel, went for ages, and we came up to a new place, which was nothing like the place I left.
I was taking some photos, and this Kiwi guy walked up with his Phillipino wife and offered to take a photo of me, bloody good guys are those Kiwis!
I saw an NZ sign close to the towers, but I was disappointed to find out it was an Indian curry sign… not impressed!
Justin and his wife had gotten me paranoid about the pic pockets in Malaysia and Singapore, so I tried like mad to find button shorts, but I couldn’t. So, in the end I gave up and went to the airport.
It took a while, but I eventually found the right bus to go to the airport. This taxi driver tried leading me astray, but I was too smart and told him to f… off.
Two Indian guys were becoming too friendly with me on the bus, so I was very happy to get away from them, they were just too strange for me.
I learnt something at the airport too, the new shitdonalds chicken burger is spicy and shit, I should have known… babo!
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