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| 5 February | Singapore |  |
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The others had their flights early. I hung around town (ugh) until about 2:00, then walked over to Gambir station to hop the bus to the airport. I met an Israeli fellow while I waited for the bus. He speaks 6 languages fluently, but only a little English. He kept trying to speak German with me, but we always ended up back in French. A little Dutch, Italian, Swedish, and others thrown in. We spent about an half hour talking, none of it in English. He is a taxi driver back home, so needs to be able to speak with the tourists. Strange he doesn't speak English... I arrived at the airport early for my flight, so I sat and talked with a Danish couple until the check-in desk opened.
Uneventful flight. Changi airport in Singapore was very clean, civilized, and all the signs were in English. Directions were easy to read. This looks promising. I grabbed my bag and hopped an air con bus into town. S$1.30, bus 16. Finding a place to stay was harder than I thought. Everything was full! It was 11:30 at night, the Chinese New Year has just ended, and no one in the Beach Rd area had a room. "Try Bencoolen St." After trying several places, I get to Why Not homestay. They were full, but they also had an auxiliary place. It was grim, but any port in a storm. Finally to bed about 1:00. |
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| 6 February | Singapore | |
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Up at 6:00, out the door by 7:00. I was going to get a single room at Lee Traveler Club on Beach, but decided at the last minute to go for a dorm instead. S$8 for an aircon six bed dorm. Nice place, nice people.
Out to Orchard Rd to change my tickets. The agent at STA was an asshole, but I needed to go ahead anyway. There was a US$40 charge to change my ticket from India to Nepal. I really should have waited to buy tickets instead of buying from home... I then went shopping around town, looking for a micro recorder and a calculator. I was getting prices anywhere from S$200 to S$45 for the same recorder. The problem was, I don't know how much it should be, so I just continued to ask around. I felt like having Indian food for dinner, so I walked out to Little India to find a place recommended in LP. I spent over an hour in back alleys and side streets looking for the place while the light faded and hundreds of Indians were just standing around on all sides. Gotta love LP maps... Muhluhs or something like that. When I finally found it, I sat down inside and a waiter dropped a banana leaf in front of me, rice, assorted stuff, lemon juice drink right away, then asked what I would like. OK. Well, what is there? It was a friendly place. Great chicken curry, and the lemon juice was just what was needed to offset the spicy meal. Ended up costing S$7.10, not bad for Singapore. Hard rain all day. |
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| 7 February | Singapore | |
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I spent the entire day shopping around malls. Checked for mail. Yes! There was a package from the folks containing contact lenses, cookies, and mail. Good haul.
In the evening I joined a group I met at the hostel going to Newton Circus, a sort of food bazaar. It was an outdoor area filled with all sorts of food stalls, Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, Malay. The prices were clearly marked, it looked good. You ordered a dish, sat down, and they brought it to your numbered table. S$5 for more chicken and rice than I could eat. The others were drinking, so I decided to splurge and also bought a couple large beers, S$6 each. I even found some rambutans. We talked and ate and drank until after midnight. At that point, someone asked "What time does the MRT stop?" Uh oh. It turned out that the last one left here just minutes ago. The last bus was in 5 minutes from the road outside. We made it with little trouble, and it dropped us near Raffles City, a short walk away. One American girl in our group, Amy, is going to teach English for a year in Bandung. She also knows Achmed Sa from Yossies! Wow, small world. |
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| 8 February | Singapore | |
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My mission today was to get my film developed. I spent most of the morning asking around at photo places for prices. It is necessary to haggle this as well, and I was getting all sorts of prices. I finally settle on one just to stop looking, not because of any special deal. S$50 for 2 rolls of 36, 3 rolls of 24.
I came back at dinnertime, picked them up and went to an "all you can eat" at Milanos for S$9. Sat and enjoyed my pictures, putting them into the mini-albums I had haggled as part of the deal. I wasn't completely happy about the quality, but it was good enough. I just wished I had taken more. The only shot I have in Byron Bay is one of Carena filming my drawing! None of Allison, Carl, or the others. Damn. |
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| 9 February | Singapore | |
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I spent all morning putting a package together to send home, labeling my photos, and writing letters. I sent home my duffel bag, even though I've been using it. I'm starting to get stricter with my packing! Visa receipts, etc. I finally got to the GPO around 4:00. S$92 to airmail 2½ kg! Not. S$24 to sea mail. Oh well, at least it'll get there. I'm keeping the negatives until the package arrives, then I'll send them home.
Next, I tried to get my ticket at STA, but they closed at 5:00. Damn again. Now 5:05. I'm just about out of money after developing the film and sending the package, and I still need to pay the difference on my ticket in cash, so I had to visit the bank machine again. At least it's easy, I just need to slip the card into the ATM. Perhaps it is too easy. Maybe I would spend less if I had to work harder to change money... With a kitchen back at the hostel, I decided to cook. Chicken, noodles, sauce, garlic bread, cookies, just like old times! I stuffed myself, then sat around until the others came back. They were also cooking tonight. Pasta a la backpacker. It was a big elaborate preparation, they didn't sit down to eat until after 11:00. It looked good, and they invited me, but I was just too stuffed. I sat and talked with them while they ate. It was bloody hot in the kitchen. We all went to our air con room and hung out for a bit. Amy asked (no, demanded) a massage from me while I was sitting on the bed behind her, so I did my best. But it was about 1:00, way past my bedtime, and I was fading fast, so to bed. |
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| 10 February | Kuala Lumpur | US$1 = ~2.4 Ringgit (M$) | |
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Moving fast this morning. I forwarded my mail to Bangkok, bought a new chamois towel (the old one is developing holes), and bought my air ticket. I was shafted by STA. I only received US$150 credit on my US$188 Bombay ticket! And that didn't count the S$40 they additionally charged. I wasn't happy, and let them know, but I only get the standard Chinese, laugh when you're nervous, reaction, and no satisfaction. Grr. I didn't get back to the hostel until 12. Packed, said my good-byes, and on to the bus station.
The bus took me easily through Singapore customs, then to Johare Bharu Malay customs, and then it vanished. I wandered around town, totally lost. I had no map, no Malaysian money, no clue. All the money changers only took cash. At least I could speak the language. It is close enough to Indonesian that I can understand. The main difference I notice is that nobody smiles here! The Indonesian grins had started to irritate me, but now I miss them. Everyone is so serious! I finally found a bank, changed US$40 in cheques, and got directions to where I could buy a bus ticket to Kuala Lumpur (KL). The bus took about five hours to KL. When I got there, I asked directions to Jalan Sultan (in Malay), no worries. I got a room at the Backpackers Travelers Lodge. I was told that it's the best of a bad lot. The air con dorm was full, so it was a hot night. |
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| 11 February | KL | |
| Nothing day. I wandered around town all morning, then moved to an air con dorm room. 4 beds, good enough. Trying to find some rambutans here. I tried to find the National Library to research Nepal, etc. but couldn't find it. Back by way of many shopping malls (for the air con). Bought some rambutans, half kilo M$2.50. Back to the hostel. Talking with Kay and Karen (Brit and S.African), two girls in my room. They are also going to the Cameron Highlands tomorrow morning, we may be on the same bus. The video at the hostel tonight was "Speed". It doesn't seem to be much of a plot with the bus drivers around here! | ||
| 12 February | Cameron Highlands | |
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Up and out. I bought a bus ticket to the Cameron Highlands, and it actually left on time! Kay and Karen went with me on the same bus, though I managed to get a cheaper ticket for the same ride. I don't know what to make of Malaysia so far. It is like Indonesia maybe, moved 10 years into future. The people seem less happy, more modern. I don't know, maybe that's just the cities...
It was a beautiful ride up to the Highlands. We drove through the mountains, with thick forest and waterfalls surrounding us. I'm almost considering sticking around Malaysia longer to check this out. When we got to the Cameron Highlands, the air was nice and cool, the entire place has a relaxed atmosphere. It felt like late Autumn. We went to Father's Guest House based on many past recommendations from other travelers. Very nice. The people were friendly, they had a great collection of videos, books, tips about Thailand, etc. from other travellers, all a traveller could want. ;-) I think I'll stick around here longer than expected... Kay, Karen and I walked into town to grab some lunch after I got some money from the ATM. Cheap food here. Back to guesthouse to relax all afternoon. It was a cool night. 2 heavy blankets kept me snug and warm! |
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| 14 February | Cameron Highlands | |
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Up at 9:15. The others had left without waking me. OK... I wasn't going to do anything but relax today, but after breakfast, I felt an incredible surge of energy and decided to go anyway, but with a twist: I was going to run it! I changed into my singlet, shorts, and shoes, loaded my daypack with food and water, and took off. I jogged all through town, down trail 9A, up trail 9, and collapsed at the waterfalls at the top. Lovely. The trails were in good shape, all around me, the jungle stretched as far as I could see. At one point, some development was going on, but it was only in a very limited area, the rest was still natural, though obviously tamed. I then jogged all the way up trail 8 and collapsed at top. Picked down first part of trail 7, then jogged from there. It took the others 6 hours to do, it only took me only 3 hours! I was absolutely exhausted. The others didn't believe I did it all until I described the route. Whew. Excellent energy output!
After recovering, I wash my clothes, my daypack, and my body, then collapsed for the rest of the day. Karen wasn't eating tonight, so I went down to dinner with Kay. I'm falling for her fast, and enjoyed our night alone. On our way back up to the guesthouse, I carried her up the stairs on my back. We lay in bed talking for a while, then I went back to my dorm. Yes, alone. |
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| 15 February | Cameron Highlands | |
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There was a minibus tour driver sitting outside on the road waiting for his group to return. We jokingly asked him how much for a ride back to town. Free? "OK." We got a free ride back to Fathers! Nice guy. It's beautiful country around here. Without the muggy heat of the lowlands, everything seems more alive. The hot showers are still not losing their appeal... Afterwards, I went to Kay's room to talk. She was lying in bed, half asleep. She asked me to join her. Mm. Decided I was definitely interested, just not in the one night stand action. After Penang, if she's still with me, we'll be together for a while. If. The problem is Karen. Nice at first, she's getting bitchier the closer I get to Kay. She's on an unneeded starvation diet, eating only one skimpy meal a day. I suppose she's anorexic. Anyone would be nasty on that program... I'm afraid she'll pull Kay away from me just to keep her for herself if she doesn't kill herself first from hunger... We'll see. |
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| 16 February | Cameron Highlands | |
| We were going to do another walk today, but Kay and I were not into it. We decided to do nothing today, much to Karen's annoyance. Kay and I played chess. Karen stalked. Kay had asked me to duplicate one of my drawings for her. I like doing them, so I have been redoing the one from the Lindisfarne Gospels. I made much progress today on it. Remarks were flying between us that could be interpreted any way. Hmm. Talking that night, Kay and Karen settle in for bed. I was on my way out, when Kay demanded a foot massage. OK. The sleeping bag works the same as oil, making her body slippery and easy to massage. The lights out, I progressed up to her shins, her thighs, then a bit above. I was a gentleman as usual, but I could have abused the situation. Should have as a matter of fact. Afterwards, when I moved to go, Kay hooked me with one foot, "I wanted to scare you." As usual, I passed on the opportunity and slipped out. | ||
| 17 February | Penang | |
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9:30 bus to Penang. It was a very rough bus ride down from Highlands. The narrow winding roads and rough terrain made the bus lurch wildly around. Many people's faces were a nice shade of green. Karen had a really bad attitude today. When we got to Penang, she literally snarled at me when I started to lead the way I thought the Plaza Hostel was located. So I sat back and didn't contribute to the search. She took us the long way around to get there, but eventually, we found the place and got a triple room.
After cleaning up, Kay, Karen, and I, plus a Scottish guy also named Seán we met at the hostel went to the Green Planet Restaurant for dinner. Problem. It was closed until 7:00. It was only 5:30, and we were all very hungry. So we went to an "all you can eat" at Pizza Hut for Rg9.50. We gorged, Karen only drank an orange juice. All she ate today was bag of crisps and a candy bar. She was in a really bitchy mood. She took off while we ate, and drags us out later after we had finished. We walked around mall doing some shopping. While Seán stopped at a store to buy a tape, she took off on him, and dragged Kay with her. Really poor behavior. Karen informed us that the two of them are going to Langkawi Island from here, knowing I have no interest in going there. When I ventured to say "No one I've spoken to nor the book have much good to say about it," she practically growled at me "What do they know!?!" Whoa. OK... Kay was making all sorts of coy remarks at me. I decided to try to get Kay to come with me instead, at least for a couple weeks. She mentioned, earlier, that she might split with Karen if her nasty behavior continues. I don't want Karen along, though. Maybe tomorrow... Back to our room. It was hot, very hot after the Highlands. I took a cold shower before bed, but I just didn't sleep. I was up all night listening to the traffic outside and Kay in bed next to me. Long sleepless night, with only a half hour of sleep or so around morning. Groan. |
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| 18 February | Penang | |
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This morning Karen made it clear that she and Kay were on their own today, so I made my own plans. On my way out, I overheard her asking to move to a double room. She was saying to Kay, "It'll be cheaper for us" Rg1 each for them, Rg8 more for me. Bitch. Yes, I'm finally upset. She decides after looking at available rooms and dorm, and Kay saying just one more night, to stay put. OK.
I'm out for the day. Trying to find rambutans and a shirt as usual. I had no luck as usual. I grabbed lunch supplies at a market and went back to the hostel. Karen hadn't left the room key even though both Kay and I told her to. Bitch. I no longer care for her. I chilled in the lounge talking to a blonde girl for a bit. She invited me along with her and her friend for some sightseeing. OK. I left my groceries behind the desk and went out. Cheryl and Sue, Brits. We took bus 1, then bus 8 (70sen, 30sen) to Penang Hill. Then Rg 4 to the top return for the lift. It was nice and cool up there. There was a good view of the town. Away from the noise and pollution, this area was suprisingly beautiful, with a couple temples and some pleasant walks. After exploring the area, we went back down into the city and visited Kek Lok Si Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia. It was very intricate, with a pond packed with turtles and beautiful detail, but there was no atmosphere like the one in the Highlands. Also, the horrible approach through hundreds of souvenir stalls ruined any peace this place may have had. There was a ceremony going on when we were there, with ringing bells and incense being burned. This could have been quite fascinating except for the constant flashing of bulbs and shouts from the tour groups mobbing the place. The effect I was left with was a place that had been raped so many times by foreigners that it no longer even attempted to maintain its dignity any more and now just lets them have their way. Back at the hostel, I waited for Kay and Karen to return. Karen was as bitchy as ever. Karen took a quick shower and went down to the lounge. Kay stayed longer, drying off in front of me. Nice body. More hints or normal behavior? Karen came back and dragged her off to town for a drink. I stayed behind (not invited) and updated my journal. It's not looking good... Damn. |
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| 19 February | Penang (Georgetown) | |
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I got back from my shower this morning to find Karen packing her bag. She didn't say a word to me. Kay got back, asked what's up? Karen informed her, we're (Kay and Karen) checking into the place around the corner. Uh huh. Nothing to me at all. The bitch has no consideration for others. Now, it is looking like I'm going to lose Kay as a result. Yes, I'm pissed. They're out now checking out the place. Of course, Karen took the key. I'm out of here. It's not worth it!
ooo Well, it's now 2 hours later. I talked to Kay after Karen went down with her pack. I said "you like people to speak their minds, well..." I told her I wasn't happy. She said the same, but that she didn't want to raise a fuss. I told her I didn't want to her to leave, but Karen obviously was trying to leave me behind. I asked her if she wanted to join me for at least a couple weeks in Thailand and maybe meet Karen later. She said it sounded good, that she'd like to. Yes. Karen of course will order her to stay with her, but as long as Kay wants to go with me, I think she may come. I'm trying not to get my hopes too high... They ended up moving into a double room downstairs, I moved into the dorm. Let's say it again boys and girls: "Karen's a bitch." At least it's cheaper for me... M$6 a night, but in a big dorm. Seán and I went out to Batu Ferrenghi (beach) for the afternoon. We met Andy (Swiss) on the way and dragged the poor guy along with us. The beach is not bad, but nothing special. The water was polluted, the beach pretty empty, with what looked like open sewers every now and then. It is a resort area full of rich old tourists roasting in the sun. The average age was something like 50 years old. Despite that, there was lots of jet boats, water-skiing, parachuting, etc. for the younger tourist. We found a nice bar looking out on the beach and settled in. We ordered some food and many beers. By the time the night was over, we were all quite pissed. Andy and I paddled around in the ocean as the sun set over the hills and water. We eventually stumbled back to the road and hopped a bus back to town. Instead of going right to bed, we somehow ended up back at the Green Planet for food. Well OK, and a few more drinks... We made it home, though I'm a little hazy on the details... Good day. |
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| 20 February | Georgetown | |
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Up early to get my Thai visa. I was feeling a little groggy. Andy and I waited 2 hours for bus 137. Only 1 passed and it wouldn't stop. Argh. We finally got fed up and grabbed a taxi for Rg6. The visa form was very simple, costing Rg33. Kay and Karen were there. I had bad vibes right from start, Kay was quite subdued. On the bus back, Karen said they're staying around until after the weekend. OK. Kay? What's up? She decided to stay with Karen. Oh well. I was upset for about 20 min, then put it behind me. Kay who? OK, damn.
I spent the afternoon wandering around Chulia St. looking for a 1995 Let's Go Thailand book. I'm fed up with the incomplete LP SEAsia book. I found a used 94 book, but I was told Krabi has many shops as well, so I will wait... I ran into Seán on the street. He was buying an air ticket to Bangkok, meeting a friend who is flying in. It looks like I'll be doing Thailand alone to start with... We went to Green Planet for lunch. They had great tips books from travellers in the area. There some good comments in there. Seán went then to Penang Hill for the afternoon, we arranged to meet back for dinner. I went back to Plaza and repacked my bag, figuring how I'll do with just the small pack... Because of yesterday's binge, I no longer have enough money to make it through to Wednesday, plus buy my bus ticket, so I hit the ATM yet again. Seán, Andy and I went out to an Indian restaurant for dinner. Good murtabaks. Then to Green Planet for a couple drinks. We all love the place. Great atmosphere there. The owner's a friendly guy, walking around, talking with guests. I tried some lychee juice. Ugh. I'll stick with orange and watermelon from now on I think... |
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| 21 February | Georgetown | |
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Up early for breakfast, then out to the Thai Consulate. Seán, Andy, and I took a taxi. I think it's time to pamper myself for a while. I got a 3 month visa, no problem. Seán's flying out at 1:00 to Bangkok, so we saw him off, then grabbed some food. I shopped around for air mail paper and a new journal book (this one's running out fast!) Found the paper, but no luck with the other. It was a hot day to be out. Back to the air con hostel! In the lounge, I started talking to Natalie and Andy, Brits. Natalie's sailing to Ko Phi Phi for 6 days on a yacht. It sounds really good. We all went out to the Green Planet for dinner. It was their first time there, and they approved greatly. Afterwards, Natalie introduced me to the skipper of the boat. He's a rough Aussie guy, but he seems up and up. He had room for one more. The ship might be a bit rough as well, but I can handle that. Looks like fun. I decided to join them. As Eman, the Egyptian doctor I met in Greece once said, "trust your instincts." The group of us then went to a pub for a drink. Kay and Karen were there with 2 good looking Aussie guys. Karen ignored me, Kay said hi, where's my picture. Yeah right! She said she'll stop by later for it. I may be there. She seemed a bit smug until I mentioned how I was going on a 6 day cruise to Thailand. Natalie came in with me, so Kay thought we were together, "found someone else to hassle?" she asked. Childish I know, but I felt a little better. OK, very childish.
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©Copyright Seán Connolly |
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