Author: Kathy Scott

We’re settling in well to life here in Phuket (need to remember to pronounce it ‘Pooket’).  The first two nights were spent in the marina at Ao Po, some way south of where we are now and a bit closer to the immigration office at Chalong where we needed to check in.  Our arrival at Ao Po proved to be a fitting finale to the passage here when an almighty squall occurred just as we were about to take the sails down outside the harbour. After everything else that had happened on the way, it had been such a relief to see the pontoon only minutes away, that I hadn’t even noticed how dark the sky to our left had gone (a worthy lesson learned in not relaxing until safely tied up).  Luckily Paul spotted it and the ‘super squall’ hit us seconds later. From down below where Paul sent me for safety, I could see the concentration on his face as he battled to keep control.  The flapping and banging noises coming from the sails was alarming, and visibility had lessened considerably.  Feeling helpless, I asked if it would end, and he retorted – shouting above the noise – ‘no, this is the famous never-ending superstorm that only happens in Thailand’- I knew he must have gained control of the situation with a quip like that :).  Some pics below of Ao Po Grand Marina.

The marina had a photographic shrine on display in tribute to Thailand’s late King and we were careful to heed advice about dressing conservatively.  It was late and dark by the time we went for a walk to look for somewhere to eat that first night and we came upon a great-looking open-plan restaurant. It had a fish pond lit with fairy lights, water features and tasteful wooden interior decor, including a boat suspended from the ceiling.  The food wasn’t brilliant but nice enough and the service was faultless.  In fact, every person we’ve interacted with since arriving in Phuket has been extremely friendly, polite and helpful.

Both the cost of the meal and the taxi we took into Chalong the following day were more expensive than we’d been used to in Malaysia. The Brexit effect continues to cause financial disadvantages; the pound is 20% down from its value in June apparently.  The 30 minute journey provided an opportunity to check out Phuket’s inner area.  There was a lot to look at on either side of the road.  It’s a lot more verdant than Malaysia and there are no high rise blocks, just lots of ramshackle houses-cum-shops-cum cafes, some of them resemble Swiss-style chalets, others are like wendy houses, and some looked like smaller scale versions of the grand houses found in the American South. Each one is individual and you can’t help but be curious about what they’re like inside.

The immigration process took about an hour and thankfully presented no huge problems, just the usual form exchanging and questions that happens in any bureaucratic process.  So, now finally legal immigrants we were free to shop for some basic provisions. At the huge Tesco we visited on the main road I was disappointed to discover that there are even fewer products for vegetarians than in Malaysia.  All the more surprising since this is the city that hosts the world’s biggest vegetarian festival each October (we arrived too late to see it this year).  Looks like I’ll have to carry on enjoying more tasty rice and noodle dishes and salads then :).

The short passage to Yacht Haven Marina was blissfully uneventful – it was even rain free! That didn’t last long, however. It poured down for most of the weekend but it’s so much easier to cope with when safely tied to a pontoon, and the climate seems a lot cooler than Malaysia. We’ve even managed without the cumbersome and noisy air conditioning unit so far, making do with opening the windows and hatches and using the small cabin fan.  Anyway it rained most of Saturday night and pretty much all of Sunday. The showers were spectacularly heavy, as Paul showed in the video on his post. Late in the afternoon after the boat was tidied we explored the marina and its vicinity a little.  The resort is vast, with small shops, a pool, laundry, gym and several other facilities scattered over a wide area. For this reason, people carriers (like golf buggies) are employed to offer lifts to destinations.  They’re especially useful when carrying heavy shopping or cumbersome boat equipment, but also when it’s hot and just looking at the steep hill drains your energy. I’d never been on one before so when one of the shops we found was closed, a nearby driver offered us a lift to another – quite a thrilling and exhilarating experience, (if lazy).  Went for our first drink in the bar afterwards and were pleasantly surprised to find it wasn’t as expensive as we’d feared.

On Monday, in between showers, we took the sails down in readiness for their trip to Rolly Tasker. There were a few local guys working on the boat opposite, one of whom couldn’t resist watching us quite blatantly.  He was very smiley but according to a chapter on Thai customs and etiquette, people are likely to smile when they’re embarrassed, annoyed or shy, as well as when amused. I think it was amusement in this guy’s case, and when I acknowledged him by smiling back he asked if we wanted some help.  I thought I was folding the huge, thick, stiff, awkward, frustrating sail fairly well and was definitely following Paul’s precise directions but if this guy could do it better I was willing to let him, but Paul replied that we were fine before I had a chance.  He asked if there was any other work he could do, such as varnishing or cleaning.  There have been quite a few guys enquiring if there’s any work going and although Paul prefers to do the jobs himself, he told him he might need someone for guardianage (that’s the correct term apparently) while we’re away in December. He introduced us to his Australian boss later who promised to return with a business card and discuss rates (still waiting four days later).

In the afternoon we went for a walk to nearby Ko-En Village, just to have a look around and to buy some bread and bananas if we found a shop.  All the rain, and the cool breeze meant the lush vegetation smelled like any country village in Autumn. If it hadn’t have been for all the scooters and motor bikes whizzing up and down the road (no helmets on any of the riders or passengers) it could have been part of the Wirral Way.

Virtually all of the riders shouted greetings to us and waved.  When we got nearer to the village itself, people outside their houses stared at us openly and it made me wonder if many of the other marina users ever passed through much. People here are genuinely friendly and delighted to see us, a few asked where we were from and if we had a boat. Again, the houses are charming and individual, and more than a few doubled as cafes and shops, with living quarters situated at the back.  The main street was busy with people chatting, eating and cooking, and noisy with the sound of all the bikes. Chickens of all colours, shapes and sizes were strutting along the roadside and we saw lots of domestic cats (and kittens) and dogs. Every shop we went in to enquire about bread caused the owner to look puzzled or bewildered, clearly having no idea what we meant and it wasn’t on display anywhere. In fact, most of the shops were reminiscent of the pretend ones you might have set up as a child in someone’s back garden shed: a few products on shelves arranged in a haphazard manner.  Giving up on the bread, we spotted some bananas at a roadside stall so Paul asked the lady if we could buy some and got a response that sounded like ‘no one really buys bananas here’ – she then made a vague gesture down the road and we left empty-handed.  Don’t worry, we did eventually find someone willing to sell us some of her bananas. There was a rather large bunch on display so Paul asked her (through hand gestures) to cut it in half. This she did, and promptly put both halves in the bag so that we ended up with the whole bunch anyway :).

We were warned about an imminent downpour by a lady at one of the stalls, which led us to take shelter in a cafe/shop across the road. This whole delightful experience was described by Paul in his blog post. It really felt like we’d dropped in on the family for an impromptu afternoon tea.  They were so welcoming and hospitable, urging us to sit and wait out the rain shower and even our request for bread culminated in our receiving a delicious banana pancake. The language barrier was got over with the use of smiles, gestures and facial expressions – even if some of the smiles could have been construed as shyness or embarrassment, I’m sure annoyance didn’t come into it :).

On our way back to the marina we spotted several banana trees bearing green fruit. Paul thinks it’s probably ok to pick them but I’m not so sure. It might explain what the lady meant by saying that no one buys them! Our big provision shop scheduled for the following day with the use of a hire car, we ate in The Deck Bar before returning to the boat (fish for Paul and a veggie sandwich for me with fries to share). The menu is similar to most pub fare and reasonably priced so doubtless we will sample a few more of the meals before we return home.

Kathy

 

 

 

 

After a short trip to Kuah to stock up with provisions for the trip to Thailand, we presented ourselves to the immigration office to check out, show passports and fill out the required forms.  In the afternoon while the rigging was being completed we found time to have a walk on the beach so that Paul could cool down with a swim (sharp rocks underfoot made for a painful walk into the water unfortunately).  The sandcrabs are fascinating to watch – they flee sideways into the sea or down little holes on the beach when anyone gets too near, and the patterns they make in the sand are quite beautiful.

 

We left Telaga early in the morning on Friday 14th. The forecast wasn’t great but we’d been used to frequent heavy rain showers and strong gusts of wind, had welcomed them in fact as a refreshing change from the heat and humidity.  The squalls started not long after we left, and the sea state was such that the boat was ‘pitching’ from bow to stern in the waves. This always make me slightly nauseous but I can stave off full-on seasickness as long as I stay up above and keep still.  We had to change our original destination from Koh Lipe and divert to Tarutao due to the current and wind. It took 7 hours to get there, during which time we only saw two other boats, and they were fishing vessels.  We found a nice spot to anchor and I was thrilled to spot dolphins’ fins slicing through the surface as we arrived – the first we’d seen in Asia. They moved a lot slower than the ones in Europe, and instead of leaping energetically out of the water they glided gracefully away before I had a chance to photograph them.

 

Our first night at anchor was very peaceful, and a lot cooler than the last time we slept at anchor. There were a few showers but they were unaccompanied by wind, and I woke fairly refreshed and looking forward to the next leg.  I’d noticed that at some point my phone had updated to Thailand time and we’d gained an hour.  Paul didn’t seem to think this was right, and one of our (admittedly out of date) guide books stated that Thailand was indeed on the same timezone as Malaysia, so for a while we weren’t entirely sure what the time was – not that it really mattered, and we forgot all about it until a few days later when the internet confirmed that my phone was correct.

It was a lovely sunny morning when we left Tarutao. Paul sat in the cockpit sewing the damaged staysail that had fallen down the previous day. He even managed to climb the mast to retrieve the staysail’s broken halyard, something he hadn’t been able to do on Lady Stardust during passage. I kept watch and read in the sunshine – all very relaxing and pleasant.  As the day wore on, the wind gradually strengthened and the waves increased in size, causing us to roll as the sea got more choppy. Soon, things down below began to fall and slide as the boat pitched and tossed and it became increasingly difficult to move around with ease. We began to see more fishing buoys, but again, very few other boats.  Huge, tall rocks appeared on the horizon and as we got nearer, some of them looked remarkably similar to the prehistoric standing stones at Avebury, while some of the islands we saw had interesting shapes.

The autohelm, or Captain Mainwaring as we refer to it, performed well and Paul only took over the steering during the worst of the squalls so that it wasn’t put under any unnecessary strain. It was a relief to reach our destination of Koh Liang early in the evening.  The Liang Group consists of two tall limestone islands which our ‘Sail Thailand’ guidebook informed us, has a Sea Gypsy village on one of them where seafood and coconuts can be exchanged for money or barter. They both looked decidedly uninhabited, however and since the book was published in 2001, they may well have left.  It was very windy and the sea was still fairly choppy even though we were in the lee of the island, but we anchored with no problems. However, we were both unsure whether it was a good idea to stay where we were going to be ‘rocked and rolled’ throughout the night, especially as the squalls were set to continue.  It was a tough call because to move somewhere calmer would mean another hour or so at sea and we’d risk losing the light, and of course there was no guarantee that another place would be any calmer. We were both in need of a rest by then, as sleep tends to be interrupted on passages like this, so we elected to stay.  It wasn’t too bad actually. We both checked that the anchor was secure at various intervals during the night and there were only a few showers.  The island looked quite spooky in the moonlight; a solitary fishing boat showing a red light was moored right beside it and when the wind was howling the effect was beautifully eerie.

We woke early to a lovely clear, sunny Sunday morning and after coffee, prepared to leave for our next destination.  Just as Paul had got the anchor up, a squall hit us.  I was at the helm and was drenched within seconds.  It didn’t last long, but the wind direction and current caused us to make slow progress for most of the morning.  Gradually, conditions changed in our favour. The wind shifted, the sails were set, the engine was turned off and we began to make good speed. Apart from negotiating a ‘forest’ of fishing buoys in one area, we had a straightforward passage to Koh Po, an island just east of Koh Lanta, and anchored for the night at around 6pm. Dinner was pasta with a homemade, pre-prepared tomato and vegetable sauce, a quick and satisfying meal on passages, especially after not having eaten much else during the day, also a manageable one in the rolly conditions we were experiencing.  We both crashed out on the starboard sofa not long after that, only waking to deal with the night’s heavier rain showers (ok, to be honest, Paul was the one who woke to deal with them).

It rained all night. Things were beginning to feel (and smell) damp and musty. The hatch over the V berth had dripped rain over the covers despite my best efforts to prevent it.  Clothes and items that were hung up to dry in the cabin, had received fresh drips and dribbles overnight . We’d tried to balance it so that there was enough air coming in to keep us cool but not opened up enough to let too much rain in.  Anyone who’s been camping knows how quickly things get-and stay-wet in heavy downpours.  The forecast predicted rough conditions for the day ahead and Paul considered staying another night at anchor but we were both keen to get going, confident that we’d cope with whatever came our way. We set off at 8am and motored for about an hour with no wind. By 9 0’clock the wind had got up to 23 knots and from then on things went from bad to worse.  I jotted down things as I remembered them but at the time it was all I could do to stay in one place as we were tossed around. Drama Queen reflections follow ;):

The waves were huge and soaked me a few times, I felt nauseous and cold; visibility was bad; things were falling around down below; it was hard to move without falling over and the rain fell relentlessly…so much rain; strong winds forced us over at (to me) such a frightening angle the sea was rushing in to the cockpit, the guard rails were in the sea and I felt panic setting in.  Paul said this was how it often is for sailors who race and it was nothing to worry about. Then a squall hit us and he asked me to steer – I had to get it exactly on course while he dealt with the flapping sails, he instructed, or else we would capsize. That did it for me – I burst into tears as thoughts of being hurled into the water entered my mind, yet I still managed to take the helm and I kept us on course! I really did think we would tip right over though and it took me ages to stop shaking and sobbing.  It seems I need to learn more about how the wind direction and speed affect the sails, but I felt that it really wasn’t the ideal time to receive such a lesson.  It was dark by the time we reached Koh Phi Phi Don in torrential rain, and we had to take care while anchoring not to disturb any coral or get mooring ropes tangled in the propellor. The relief once we were secure was so tremendous, I just had to have another good cry to celebrate ;). I felt much better after that and a few glasses of wine!

 

We spent two days at Phi Phi Don, which Paul has described in his blog post. I don’t have too much to add to that apart from relating the fact that Paul had a mocktail when we went ashore that he is convinced was in fact a cocktail.  The ingredients listed on the menu didn’t include alcohol but when he got up from his seat he said he felt sloshed, to put it politely.  He went on to analyse the feeling as walked through the town, concluding that he had no wish to go back to drinking, and couldn’t understand what people got out of it.  Anyone seen the Father Ted episode where Mrs Doyle presses alcohol on a priest who’d not had a drink for years, rediscovers his taste for it, and goes on a drunken rampage?  I felt sure that wasn’t going to happen (!). Thankfully, the feeling had worn off by the time we had to get the dinghy for the ride back to the boat.  The dinghy journey is precarious enough, especially as Paul wasn’t convinced the outboard would last for the duration and we might have to row.  It’s a shame we couldn’t risk taking our phones ashore in case they got wet.  It’s a lovely island – but we’ll be returning to it for a longer stay in due course anyway. We arrived in Phuket on Thursday afternoon after a journey with only one dramatic episode, but I’ll save that for another time.

We’re in Yacht Haven Marina now and it’s great.  I can hardly wait to see The Soi Dog Foundation. Meanwhile, there’s a nice new marina to check out.

Kathy.

 

 

 

I love those two words together.  It sounds like a song or a story.  Anyway, we are here in Telaga after an unexpected extra couple of days in glorious Rebak. Due to our food supplies running so low we just ‘had’ to resort to eating in the restaurant for two nights.  It’s not often you get to eat in a place where the waiting staff are eager to lay the napkin on your lap as you sit down, and wait nearby to attend to your every need.  The food and the setting are sublime, too.

Sunday was quite a wet day. The showers are spectacularly heavy during monsoon season, and leave a shimmering plain of water on the stone pathways, which the sun deals with fairly quickly. Unfortunately the wetness brings out the caterpillars, too (or seems to).  I went for a walk to take some pictures and they were all around, wriggling across wherever I went to step. It made me realise how much I’ve been sheltered from my phobia of ‘wrigglies’ and that it has got worse instead of better.  My yelps of alarm drew some strange looks from other people and there was nothing else for it but to return to the sanctuary of the boat.  The internet was a bit haphazard in the marina but there was a good signal in the main part of the resort so we spent our final evening on Rebak at the beach bar so that Paul could catch up on emails and then walked back along the coast just as it was getting dark.

We were up early on Monday morning to prepare the boat and check conditions for a departure.  We’d more or less decided we’d just go for it whatever the weather since it is only a short passage and we were keen to move on – Thailand is beckoning.  It was overcast and humid when we left at midday.  We had one very heavy squall about 30 minutes after leaving but apart from that the journey went well. I was able to see how the route I had created panned out. This was useful because it turned out I had plotted us a bit too close to the land, and when the wind is strong and blowing onshore it’s necessary to give it a wider berth to avoid being blown on to it.  When I do the next route I will take that into account, but the finished ‘lines’ on the navionics didn’t differentiate too greatly.  The ‘kink’ near the number 2 at the bottom is where we discovered the autohelm wasn’t working.

I’m becoming more proficient and confident with the steering but sadly,  it seems I still have a way to go with the cleating and line-throwing.  The cleats on the fuel pontoon were double bollard type ones – I wasn’t sure which part of them I had to cleat on to and my hesitation meant they came undone (not a disaster as we were secure by then but frustrating for me).  Once we’d filled up with fuel we headed to our berth where two guys were waiting on the pontoon to help us in. As we drew closer I threw the stern line to one of them and I was so pleased that it didn’t drop in the water and that he caught it, I didn’t notice that (as Paul told me later) I almost knocked the poor guy over by throwing it straight at him instead of to the side of him! Well I’ve always thought it’s good to learn from mistakes.  Hopefully none of the above blunders will occur again ;).

Paul went off to check us in once we were tied up and I set about getting the boat shipshape.  Sitting on the end of the pontoon, waiting to be encouraged nearer was a lovely-looking cat, so encourage it I did. He or she (I’m inclined to think female) was very friendly and as curious as cats are supposed to be. She came onboard and sniffed around every bit of the boat, including an open drawer in the quarter berth where I was worried she’d trapped herself for a few moments.  She allowed me to fuss her for a while and then decided she’d seen enough and off she went. I haven’t seen her since, although there are quite a few ‘boat’ cats in this marina – and dogs, too.  Paul’s still not keen on the idea, though.

We had a walk around the marina late in the afternoon.  Lots of boats here, but the area around it is fairly deserted and some of the shops and outlets are closed or never opened in the first place.  Still it’s peaceful and pleasant enough, and we’re only here a few days while the new rigging is fitted. There is still nowhere to buy fresh produce, however so it looks as though we will have to get a taxi or hire a car to stock up on provisions for our next leg of the journey.  We will probably be at anchor for several nights so it will be a ‘big’ shop.  Until then, it was time for another meal out. There are restaurants all around the harbour but we chose one nearest to the boat.  Another Indian one – definitely my favourite food.

 

It really would be rude not to rest and relax here. The whole resort is created exclusively for comfort and the promotion of that ‘away from it all’ feeling.  On our first evening here, we had a delicious meal in the restaurant that overlooks the pool, with palm trees and a fairy-lit terrace. We made the most of the lavish, all you can eat hot and cold buffet which consisted of soups, noodles, sauces, curries, rice, pizzas, salads meats, vegetables, breads and an array of desserts, all laid out in an elegant restaurant.  One of several chefs was quick to point out all the vegan dishes on offer when I enquired, and it was all very tasty ( so much so, we went back for seconds and a dessert, most unusual for us).  As marina guests we get to use all the facilities in the resort, and also get a 25% discount on food and drink bills. The photos attest to the stunning beauty of the place, and it’s very peaceful. Several of the guests are clearly on honeymoon (it’s an ideal resort for one), and the rest consist of other ‘yachties’, and a few family groups from Australia, Malaysia, China and America. The staff are mostly Indian or Malay, Taj being an Indian company. The holiday lodges are in the form of attractive, dark wooden chalets complete with balconies and gardens – some of which are right next to the beach. I really can’t fault the place (apart from the frequency with which Ed Sheeran is played on the sound system by the pool, but I can block him out with my iPod ;)).

 

 

Most afternoons have been spent on sun loungers by the pool. It’s so pleasant to lie there with a book, doze, ‘people watch’ (and ‘listen’) and have an occasional swim to cool off.  One afternoon while Paul worked on the boat I went to the loungers on the beach instead where it was quieter, and lay on one under a canopy to shelter from a gentle rain shower. There were sand crabs all around me, scurrying in and out of their holes – too quick for me to capture them on film.  Near the marina is a swampy area called Mangrove Pavilion. The viewing place looks a bit like a bird hide with no walls, with seats set out to look at the trees and muddy ground unseen by birds or creatures within. We haven’t seen any exotic wildlife there yet though.

On Monday afternoon we hopped on the free ferry to a place called Cenang. Paul had been there before and described it as the Asian equivalent of Blackpool or Rhyl. I was intrigued!  It was a fast and exhilarating five-minute trip across the water to Langkawi where a taxi took us from the jetty into Cenang Town.  The main street is indeed lined with gift and souvenir shops, beachware stalls, fast food cafes and restaurants, and duty free shops with a wealth of chocolate and booze on offer.  The street itself was in serious need of repair: paving stones were being pushed out and up by tree roots, and in some places there were deep holes leading down to foul-smelling drains, creating tripping and falling hazards that would horrify health and safety officials. To be fair, there is a lot of work going on to improve the area and it’s a month before the official holiday season starts here.  After a bit of a browse, we headed for the beach. A short walk down a hill and the sea was before us and a long stretch of clean, sandy beach. It was a glorious contrast after the dusty, rubble of the hot street. We sat at a cafe and had a drink looking out at Rebak and other islands enjoying the sea breeze.  Before going back we had a walk on the beach and a paddle in the warm water.  The sand was full of pretty shells, and one of the cleanest I’ve been on. More luxury holiday homes are adjacent to the beach, and in one spot a wedding had just taken place (see pic below).

I was expecting to have to leave early in the week but Paul discovered that his plans had gone slightly awry by the rigging delivery being delayed.  It came as a welcome surprise to be told we’d ‘have’ to stay here a bit longer. Since we had more time we thought it would be good to follow the ‘Nature Trail’ we’d seen on a signpost. The path led us past the marina and out by the sea, with thick forest on our left.  Paul was keen to venture into it but my fear of leeches and other wriggly things falling on me rather put me off ;).

The following evening, we did the other recommended walk, thinking the exercise would be good after so much lounging by the pool. I was a bit braver this time – I even left off my elasticated-bottomed trousers and socks! Paul wanted to check out a dilapidated building just off the beaten track and I thought ‘why not’. We hadn’t gone far in, however before my eye caught movement on the ground; this turned out to be huge brown millipedes! They seemed to be all around me and I felt panic threatening to overwhelm me.  There was nothing else for it but to run in a rather ungainly manner (with accompanying hysterical squeals) back to the safety of the wider path. It was a great walk actually, and we ended up on a beach typical of the traditional image of a desert island.  It was fantastic, and amazing to see shells walking along the sand. Paul’s video in his post shows them perfectly. We spent ages looking at the debris that had been washed up-sadly there were a lot of plastic bottles and drink cans amongst it all.  Naturally I was reluctant to return through the forested area and wondered if we could follow the coastal route. Paul wasn’t altogether certain but we gave it a go anyway. We had to pick our way over prickly shells and steep and slippery rocks crawling with crabs -it was great fun, real Swallows and Amazons stuff!

Our extended stay meant we were beginning to run low on supplies, especially fresh items like bananas and salad ingredients. The shop on the resort doesn’t have a wide range of choice so we decided to visit Cenang again yesterday to stock up from one of the larger supermarkets there. We asked the taxi driver to drop us at one just out of town, thinking we’d go there, have a quick drink at the beach and then get back in time for an afternoon at the pool. On the way, the driver came to an abrupt halt as a huge creature lumbered across the road. It looked like a crocodile and when I asked him what it was, he said crocodile but I’m still not convinced: Komodo dragons look very similar. It was still thrilling to see anyway. No fruit or veg to be had in the big supermarket, so we walked on into town.  On the way we passed a paddy field, the first one we’ve seen here so stopped to have a look.  Some of the workers were resting on the platforms in the middle of the fields, and each field was in a different stage of growth. In season, it’s possible to do a tour to see how the rice is produced but this one was closed until November. We stood watching a cow and its accompanying bird which was relieving the cow of the insects flying around its head, when I noticed movement to my right and saw another ‘crocodile-like’ animal slithering down a slope into a murky drainage ditch next to the field.  It swam towards us at quite a rate but was unfortunately too submerged and fast-moving to study it or film it.

Our search for fresh produce in Cenang proved fruitless (pardon the pun). When we asked an Indian lady in one of the small shops where we could buy some bananas and tomatoes, her reply was long and convoluted enough (in terms of directions and reasons for the lack of) for us to realise we weren’t going to find any within walking distance, so went for a drink instead.  It was 3 o’clock by then and ‘The Yellow Cafe’ we’d been to before was just opening up. We were both hot and ready for a drink and a rest so it was nice when a gentle and cooling shower of rain began to fall as we sat watching the jet skiers and swimmers in the big waves.

Back on Rebak later that evening we went to the seafront bar on the sand to make use of the wifi. The pictures I took don’t do justice to how pretty and atmospheric it was. It’s still a novelty to me to be sitting outside in the dark at 9pm in a flimsy vest and shorts without feeling in the least bit cold.  One more day here, then it’s on to Telaga.

Kathy

 

 

We enjoyed a fairly leisurely final week at Langkawi’s Royal Yacht Club. Paul concentrated on engine and mast work while my days were mainly spent practising route-plotting on the Navionics app, looking up places to visit in Thailand; daily trips to the shop for dinner ingredients; creating my own vegan meals, and reading while listening to music or radio programmes – not a bad way to pass a week :). Below are a few pics of food items I’ve discovered and grown fond of here, either as snacks or in recipes.

Learning the Navionics app presented a few frustrating challenges for me.  The first and foremost one being that I couldn’t distinguish between zooming in and zooming out!  Whenever Paul told me to zoom out, I spread my fingers out, which created far less detail than intended, while zooming in had me drawing my fingers together, thus honing in on a place instead of looking at the wider perspective.  Another problem was that I found the iPad to be hypersensitive to touch: an inadvertent brush with my fingers on the screen might transport me from the map’s fine detail of a marina berth to a vague spot somewhere in Southeast Asia. Once I’d conquered those challenges, I had the task of remembering the sequence of commands necessary to create waypoints, check water depth, any hazards in the area, location of buoys etc.  As with most things technical, I’ll get the hang of it eventually and it will be a useful contribution to plot future passages, and rewarding to steer a course that I’ve plotted myself. This time, with Paul’s help, I created a route from Kuah to Rebak and I went to bed on Thursday night looking forward to following those waypoints from start to finish on the iPad in its stand in the cockpit, for the two and a half hour journey to Rebak.

Since it was only to be a short journey, and we had to arrive at the marina before 3pm (all the staff finish early on a Friday to prepare for prayers), we weren’t in too much of a rush to get away. It was about 10 15 by the time we were ready to depart, which would get us there around lunchtime.  It was quite windy and I knew from past experience that this can cause problems when steering slowly away from pontoons but Paul said it would ‘be a doddle’ when I expressed concern.  I turned the bow thruster on and waited at the helm while Paul cast off the stern line. In the short space of time he was walking to untie the bow line, the wind was blowing the stern away from the pontoon – creating a wide gap. I yelled at Paul to get on the boat but it was too wide by then and the boat began drifting further away with only me on board.  My cries of alarm (which Paul says sounded hysterical and he was probably right, to my shame) must have alerted a guy from a nearby yacht because he appeared on the pontoon and proceeded to stop the bow hitting the power sockets.  I was worried about the stern hitting the edge of the opposite pontoon but Paul told me to get to the bow and get a line to take back to the stern to attach to the cleat so he could narrow the gap and get on.  I was struggling to cleat it properly, my head bowed in concentration and Paul was telling me it would be fine as long as it was attached when I heard a loud splash that could only be a person hitting the water.  My first thought before looking up was that I must have really fouled up if he’d had to resort to jumping in.  For a few seconds I didn’t know what had happened and all I could see was Paul’s cap floating away on the surface and then his head came up and after taking a breath, he quipped ‘who shortened the length of the pontoon!’  I knew then that he’d fallen in and he was having a bit of a struggle to get out (it’s really tricky to get out of the water at a marina because the pontoons are high, move a lot, and have sharp shells attached). He ended up having to stand on the line I’d attached to the cleat to heave himself up but my hand was in-between the rope and the cleat, causing me to yelp a bit as it was momentarily crushed. My main concern was obviously that Paul was ok and when I saw him standing on the pontoon, dripping wet but engaged in polite sailing chat with our neighbour I knew he was alright. With grateful thanks to the guy, we managed to manoeuvre the boat out of her berth and achieve a smooth departure.

Once we were out in the bay, and the fenders and lines were in, Paul was able to get out of his wet clothes and assess his water-damaged items. The table was soon strewn with notes of various currencies, credit cards, receipts, and more worryingly, his sodden passport.  Meanwhile, in the cockpit, I was a bit concerned about the amount of traffic around us and discovered that the iPad was difficult to see without reading glasses and I found I couldn’t steer and keep us on the course at the same time. Once we’d got all that sorted and it looked as though we were finally on our way, Paul noticed that that the engine temperature gauge was showing it was in danger of overheating and we’d have to do without the engine.  This meant Paul having to put the headsail up to give us some steerage, all of which took another hour and we were still in sight of the yacht club at 12pm.  I wondered if we’d have to go back there but Paul was keen to do the journey to Rebak under sail even if we might be cutting it fine to arrive by 3pm.  The next couple of hours were spent ‘tacking’ our way along because the wind was head on and as you can’t sail into the wind you have to ‘zigzag’ your way around it.  It’s crucial to get the steering right while the other person adjusts the sail and all Paul’s instructions about wind direction, angles and judging the correct time to change course just wouldn’t go ‘in’ my head.  I floundered, fouled up, panicked and felt so useless I burst into tears of frustration, too upset to even take in the beauty of the islands we were sailing past.  Amazingly, after a few more attempts and a concerted effort to understand the basics, something clicked and I finally grasped what I needed to do (a lightbulb moment indeed :)). Nevertheless it was a relief to learn that the marina was near (also a relief to learn that the gauge was wrong about the engine overheating so we would be able to motor in after all).  The waves were strong and high and it was still very windy right up until we were in the shelter of Rebak’s marina. I felt I could finally relax a bit then and in blazing hot sun we followed a member of staff’s signals to guide us in to our berth.  When I looked around me and saw all the palm trees, the lush rainforest opposite and ‘heard’ the silence around us I realised just how beautiful a setting it was. A can of Tiger beer and a glass of wine later and the trauma of the journey began to fade. As Rafiki in ‘The Lion King’ famously said ‘it doesn’t matter; it’s in the past’.  I’m still eager for the next trip (I just hope Paul is) 😉

Paul’s passport dried out and is fine, as is all his money. I wish I had thought to photograph of some of the day’s events – the wet money being laid out carefully on the table to dry was a sight to behold. We couldn’t stop laughing later that evening at the thought of Paul walking off the pontoon – it would have been exactly the sort of thing Harry Hill’s funny video programme showed.  Anyway Rebak’s delights have been well worth the trials of the journey. We’re here for a few days and I intend to make the most of it.

Kathy

Not quite the same as the events in Willy Russell’s tale, but it would have been nice to take a monkey from the park if they’d only been more friendly ;).

We hired a car last Thursday so that we could explore more inland places of Langkawi.  The process of hiring a car turned out to be a lot less of a hassle here than in any other country.  Apparently the lady on the desk just took a cursory glance at Paul’s driving licence, charged him the equivalent of £12 for 24 hours, asked for a £10 deposit, and asked if he’d return it with the same amount of petrol. There was no inspection of the car’s condition; in fact she merely pointed to one, seemingly at random, gave him the keys and said ‘there you go, take that one’.  It was small, automatic, air-conditioned and comfortable, even if it did struggle to work out which gear it should be in sometimes. Our first stop was to get some petrol so we stopped at the first one we saw in Kuah Town.  Paul couldn’t work out how the petrol cap came off and was trying various buttons and levers while I searched compartments for a helpful manual or leaflet until an attendant with a world-weary expression came over, reached inside and pulled a lever near the handbrake (I have a feeling he might have had to do this before). Petrol is a lot cheaper here (the equivalent of 40p a litre). Paul put £4’s worth in and could have got away with a lot less for the day’s use.

We’d worked out a rough itinerary of where we wanted to go.  We were heading to the western side of the island, where the Machinchang Cambrian Geoforest Park is located, taking in a few other places on the way.  There is a road that cuts through the island’s rural middle and we drove along that after leaving Kuah’s busy centre.  Soon, lush rainforest was on either side of us, and as we climbed higher, there were steep rock faces (no protective netting or warnings of loose rocks here).  There was hardly any other traffic so we could slow down to look at anything interesting.  The houses in the tiny villages we passed looked just like Swiss chalets or the more ornate sheds and cabins found in garden centres. Other places were made up of ramshackle buildings that looked as if they might fall in strong winds. On the roadsides we saw several stray dogs, beautiful red roosters and chickens, cows and the ubiquitous monkeys, which I’ve since found out are mainly Dusky Leaf or Macaque. On one stop, quite high up, we stopped to look out at the Andaman Sea and on the beach below I was most excited to spot what looked like a crocodile or alligator but it could well have been a Komodo Dragon.  You can just about see it in the picture below in the middle of the beach.

There are adverts everywhere for ‘Crocodile Adventureland’, the pictures on the banners show people variously prising open the mouths of the crocodiles (to place a head or an arm inside), riding on their backs and possibly getting them to perform tricks ‘seaworld’ fashion, and as neither of us are in favour of that form of entertainment, we passed that one by and instead headed for the nearby Handicraft and Art Village.  As well as the usual hand made souvenirs and other unique items, this complex contained a couple of museums about Langkawi’s heritage and culture.

Our next destination on the map was the attractive-sounding Seven Wells Waterfall.  It was a picturesque journey through more thick woodland where all the luxury tourist villas are located.  It was still a surprise, however to come upon an exclusive golf course and resort as we rounded a corner. Suddenly all the jungle-like vegetation had disappeared and it was like we were in the middle of the rural Surrey.  The waterfall was a little way after the golf club according to the map.  Thinking we’d missed it, we had to double back and check the location again and discovered from a roadside plaque that it was still being built! Once finished it will be the biggest man made waterfall in Malaysia apparently.  The climb to its source was open though so we decided to do it. A group of workers on the opposite side (in the pictures behind us) cheered us on when they shouted to check we were climbing to the top and watched us all the way. The pictures don’t show the steepness of the steps – some of the were so steep I nearly had to pull myself up with my hands.  The view from the top was stunning though.

Refreshment was in order after all that exertion so we drove to Telaga Harbour for a late lunch.  We’ll be coming back to this place before going to Thailand and Paul’s getting the rigging done here by a guy he knows.  It’s a modern-looking marina with classy restaurants, cafes and bars around it and although it’s not Paul’s ideal place, I was too hungry to search around so we settled on an Italian restaurant with a view over the marina where we had a very nice pizza (for Paul) and fries for me.

Finally we visited The Oriental Village in the heart of the Geoforest Park. This is laid out very much in the style of theme parks such as Alton Towers, but without the rides: lots of handicraft and souvenir shops, a ‘feed the bunnies’ area, cafes, play areas, a huge lake with a wobbly bridge over it, pretty gardens, oh and a plastic, roaring dinosaur which had people queueing to be photographed next to it.  The Oriental Village is also the gateway to the cable car ride which takes you to the peak of Langkawi’s second highest mountain, and the hugely popular Langkawi Sky Bridge attraction, but we decided to save those treats for when we return to the area.

The best part was the monkeys. There were scores of Dusky Leaf Monkeys there, and we sat and watched their antics for ages. They run wild and free within the park, jumping on fences and climbing the trees to feed in large groups.  Some of them had tiny babies clinging to their tummies and they’re not in the least bit bothered by hordes of people photographing and staring at them as they go about their business. Obviously I took loads of pictures in an attempt to capture their cheekiness/cuteness but Paul’s video just about sums them up.  Watch how one of them knocks another off the fence 🙂

 

 

 

 

Most of the ‘big’ jobs have been ticked off Paul’s list now, so we’ve been concentrating on the smaller tasks this week (ok, Paul has done most of those, I admit it ;)).  The first couple of days after we arrived in Langkawi, both of us took it fairly easy.  Even the trip to the supermarket is quicker and easier as it’s a lot closer than the ones in Penang.  There was a lot of heavy rain during the first few days, especially at night.  In the daytime, Paul worked on the engine, trying to find  and fix the location and cause of the oil leak. My part was to hand various tools and things in the fashion of hospital theatre assistant (‘screwdriver’, ‘kitchen roll’, ‘hammer’ etc’) while Paul contorted his body to access the intricate inner parts of the engine.  The same procedure took place when he worked in the cockpit locker to fix the bilge pump, with the added complication of my not being able to hear him very well from my position at the electrical control panel in the cabin when he was shouting instructions while squeezed inside the locker itself.

I’ve taken to going to the local shopping mall daily here as it’s only a ten-minute walk, and the roads to get there aren’t as hazardous to cross as those in Penang.  The walk is pleasant and it’s always a joy to see the monkeys in the trees opposite the marina. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of watching them. They stare if you get close to them, and when one yawned I saw just how long and sharp its teeth were, but they run off when you get too close.  They tend to pick up discarded crisp/food bags in their search for food, and I often see them scampering over a roadside cafe’s tables when it’s empty.

It was Paul’s birthday on the 18th.  We had our usual leisurely Sunday breakfast after he’d opened his presents (and like me, his one and only card) and then it was work as normal for him for the best part of the day. In the evening we walked into Kuah (about 30 minutes’ walk), to revisit the Chinese restaurant we went to the first time I was here.  It was just beginning to get dark as we walked through the park. Twilight is lovely here: the smaller trees are lit up like Christmas trees and there are stalls selling drinks to the families who come to visit the kids’ play area in the cooler evenings.  As we got nearer to the town, I noticed that more construction is taking place here too. The buildings aren’t as high or extensive as the ones in Penang – Langkawi is more of a holiday resort.  Billboards portray what the finished complexes will look like; modern, elegant holiday apartments and retail arenas, all opposite old ruined hotels and restaurants, their facades are full of character but sadly they seem set for demolition.

The meal was excellent. It’s testament to the success of the restaurant that it alone was busy and lively amid several others that were virtually empty. On learning that I was vegan, the waiter went through all the dishes that could be adapted for me, and he even sorted it so that the sauce that came with Paul’s meal could be shared with me.  You can see all the food being cooked to order in the nearby kitchen.  I enjoyed it all much more than the first time, now that I’m more used to the Malaysian way of dining.

It’s Autumn here now and we’re experiencing the south-west monsoon as it blows over the western coast.  This means heavy thunderstorms, windy days and nights and choppy seas.  The average temperature is still 30 degrees, however and this is probably the coolest we’ll get because it will get slowly hotter from now on.  The choppy seas and wind are certainly making the boat rock at times but that is pleasant, as it’s like being rocked gently which is great when you’re feeling lazy and drowsy, especially when accompanied by the sound of heavy rain on the coach roof.  The rain rarely lasts for longer than an hour, though and during one of these rainy afternoons we sorted out all the folders and files on the boat that were crammed with things like charts,  old equipment manuals, yacht rally programmes, receipts and much more.  I’ve also had lessons on chart plotting (using the navionics app on the ipad) so that I can – hopefully – take on the task of planning the itinerary for Thailand next month.  Another benefit of being here is the proximity of Charlie’s Place, the marina bar. It’s nice to sit there after a swim, or a walk and watch the sun sink below the island.

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, Paul concentrated on jobs that needed doing on the boat’s mast.  There was a fair bit of preparation involved in this.  On Lady Stardust he had to hoist himself up in a bosun’s chair, but this boat has rungs to climb up, so Paul had to ensure he had all the necessary tools and fittings for the job in a bucket attached to his safety rope.  He’s related the details of what needed doing in his post. I felt that I should be outside while he was up there in case he needed me to do anything (although I would have stopped short of going up there to take something to him). I took pictures instead, from as many angles as I could. It wasn’t easy because it was hard to focus for long with the sun in my eyes, and also, it made me feel decidedly dizzy looking up at him that high up. I can only imagine what it must be like looking down! I refused his kind offer of ‘having a go’ at getting to the top myself when he came down. 😉 Some pics of the day are below. Next post will be about our trip around the island in a car yesterday.

On Sunday afternoon (11th September) after we finished work for the day, we ordered a taxi via Uber to take us to Straits Quay Marina. Paul asked him to drop us a little way from the marina itself so that we could walk to it.  There were so many high rise buildings surrounding us that it was hard to believe we were anywhere near water. More of these towering apartment buildings are being constructed constantly – all over Penang. So many homes are contained in each of those huge complexes, it really creates a sense of how many people live there.  I keep wondering where they all lived before they began to build them. Straits Quay is another smart shopping and dining hub, and it’s only when you walk through the ornate entrance with its cafes, shops and restaurants that you spot the masts of boats in the marina and beyond, the channel of water between the island and the mainland. It was a hot, sunny day and the smart bars along the waterside were too tempting to resist (for me anyway), so we sat at one of them and people-watched for a while, enjoying the view over to the mainland.

Walking further along from here, we passed ‘Uncle Albert’s Fish and Chip Restaurant’, English-style pubs and tearooms, and a lively Irish Pub packed with people in green T shirts watching a rugby match. Time to move on! We ambled slowly and leisurely along a path by the coast watching the boats out on the water until it began to get darker, then went for a drink in Gurney Plaza before heading on to Hawker Food Market for dinner.

The following day we took the boat out for a spin to check the sails and to practise a few boat manoeuvres. It felt great to be out on the water, making the most of the sea breeze – a respite from another sweltering day. It was hard work keeping the boat on course while Paul tacked and gybed but I felt that I learned a lot in the few hours we were out there, and certainly feel more comfortable with the steering now.  When we got back, Paul taught me the correct way to cleat off on the pontoon, and the art of throwing and catching ropes (this time with no spectators to put me off :)).  However, when we moved the boat onto the emergency pontoon ready for the morning departure, I didn’t throw the line far enough for the guy to catch it so he had to retrieve it from the water, and then when Paul threw a line to me, I dropped that in the water so it seems I need a lot more practise yet.

Luckily, the 10am morning departure on Tuesday went without a hitch and soon we were watching Penang’s skyline fade into the distance. The conditions for sailing weren’t quite as good as Paul had hoped but we got some sailing in and the six-hour passage to our anchorage was squall and storm-free. Paul let me choose the place to drop anchor and it was Pulau Bidan that took my fancy – not because Song Song was further away but because it looked so intriguing.  The island was bigger than Song Song and we could see people moving around near huts by the beach and it was very peaceful and serene-looking. I thought it a nice spot to watch and listen to the birds and to spot any other creatures that might inhabit the place.  As we were anchoring I saw a fish (looked a bit like a swordfish) leap out of the water and it went higher than I would have ever thought possible – a real ‘wow’ moment.  Despite its being a rich fishing area, Paul has yet to catch one, even after putting two lines out over the stern ;).  Once we were secure, we went for a quick swim round the boat to cool off.

Paul looked up some information on the island and my guess that it looked like a place for volunteers interested in nature-watch projects turned out to be on the right track. It’s an ecotourist destination, host to a range of wildlife and natural biodiversity and the aim of the organisation running it is to build up a community dedicated to preserving and protecting the island’s ecology. We spotted some geese marching up and down the beach and heard a cockerel crowing regularly, so I guess there are hens there too. The living conditions looked fairly rudimentary but I thought what an amazing and worthwhile experience it would be – it beats what Bear Grylls has people doing on the islands in his TV series’ anyway.  While we ate dinner in the cockpit, the shore of the beach was lit up with a line of subtle ‘street lights’, creating a wonderfully atmospheric picture for us to look at.

The night we spent there turned out to be the hottest and stickiest night I think I have ever had! Paul slept in the cockpit and I thought I’d try the V berth as it had been fine at Song Song but it was too hot in there so I moved to the port side sofa and that was no better.  I didn’t fancy the cockpit because mosquitoes feast on me, so I put the boat fan on and lay as still as possible until I dozed off.  I woke three hours later, soaked in sweat and itching with bites so I gave up and read for a few hours which was pleasant enough. As the boat shifted with the tide, a breeze came through the hatch and window in the V berth, and I was finally able to get more sleep in there until Paul woke me at 8 with a Happy Birthday coffee and said we’d need to get moving soon. I opened my one and only card and the thoughtful presents he’d got me (see below), and then we set off for Langkawi.

The journey was very relaxing. I tried to get some more sleep but it was still very humid, even up above so I lounged below, reading (currently reading Dickens’s Little Dorrit, The Long Day Wanes by Anthony Burgess, White Jazz by James Ellroy, The Enemy by Lee Child, Far Eastern Tales by Somerset Maugham, and four mystery/thrillers on my kindle phone app, so no shortage of material to get through).  Not a bad way to spend my 56th birthday all in all.

We arrived at the marina at 5pm and the cleating lessons paid off because I was able to jump ashore with a line and tie us to the cleat with no difficulty. It was very hot and humid and by the time we’d got secure and the boat shipshape we had to use the hose on the pontoon to cool ourselves down.  My unusual and enjoyable birthday ended with a drink and a meal at Charlie’s Place. It’s great to be back in Langkawi 🙂

Kathy

 

 

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As Paul has related in his post, the past week has been quite a slog to get assorted jobs and cleaning completed and fine-tuned.  For me, this has involved:

• polishing steel parts with cleaning paste and brasso
• cleaning the guard rails
• helping with the anchor locker and air conditioning unit (ie locating and handing various tools and parts as needed, and holding nuts and bolts in place so Paul could secure them)
• rearranging the books, manuals and charts and scrubbing the lockers they are contained in
• swabbing the foredeck with acid using a toothbrush (!)

All this on top of my regular duties, such as cleaning the cabin, washing, cooking, filling the water tanks and doing the dishes etc ;).  Actually, it’s been fine and I’ve felt that I’ve been learning things while carrying them out regarding what’s involved in maintaining a boat. In previous years, just as things were beginning to sink in, it was time to return home and any knowledge I’d gained faded away as I settled back in to the routine of work and home life.  Now that we’re going to be sailing around for years it’s crucial that I know such things as how to secure fenders with clove hitches, and how to cleat off ropes properly when we tie up at berths.  Tying knots has always been a tricky area for me – the phrase ‘all fingers and thumbs’ comes to mind and several times in the past I’ve thrown the ropes to the ground in a display of petulance.  This week we’ve concentrated on the practising of tying, loosening and tightening fenders and I’m resolved to do it at frequent intervals until it sinks in. Apart from one incident when I took exception to two guys staring at my attempts, it’s going well. My next tasks to master will be cleating off and tying reef knots. I don’t think my excuse about being left-handed will cut much ice with Paul if I don’t come up to scratch ;). 

It’s been very wet and rainy for most of the week, with thunder, lightning and very heavy downpours.  The positive outcome from all the rain has been to confirm that Sister Midnight is completely leak-proof. It’s also meant cooler temperatures to work in.  We took a break from chores on Tuesday evening and went for dinner with Erik, Paul’s friend from the boat behind us. He drove us to a place called Supertanker. I’m used to these dining places now; they are lively, noisy and crowded environments, very much like the old-style large indoor markets found in some towns and cities. The smells from the stalls lining the hall are gorgeous, even to a veggie.  When you sit at a table here (if there is one free), no waiter will come with menus – it’s a case of wandering around to see what takes your fancy and giving the table number to the vendor when you’ve made your choice.  People from a separate drinks stall (they own the whole hall and rent spaces to the food hawkers) will come over to take a drinks order which you pay for when they bring them over.  Paul and Erik went off to look while I got into conversation with a lovely Indian family at the stall next to our table who were very keen to compile a vegan platter of Indian fare for me.  I ordered a Tiger Beer while Paul and Erik opted for Coke and Lemon Tea which caused the guy who brought them over some amusement. The beer turned out to cost more than the meals! Each generous portion of food we had came to less than £2, and the Indian food was wonderful. The older lady who cooked it was keen to know where we were all from.  This happens quite a lot, people are curious about us and it’s great to talk with them.

 

On Thursday the task of cleaning the foredeck began in earnest. We got up early in order to beat the midday peak of heat but it turned out to be hot and humid all day after the relative coolness earlier in the week.  Even with a canopy shielding me from the sun, and a bit of a breeze, it was still very hot under there when Paul explained to me what needed to be done. Basically, all the stains, varnish drips, dirt and spills had to be completely removed from the white deck and sides so that it would end up pristine clean and gleaming. In order to achieve this I had to scrape all the varnish off very carefully with a blade (being wary of gouging the surface), make up a solution of oxalic acid (exact formula only), paint it all over, rub the stains with various cleaning products until I found one that worked, (but it mustn’t bleach the delicate fibreglass), use a toothbrush on the more stubborn bits etc, etc, etc.  My spirits were sinking with each new instruction and caution, and I felt convinced that I’d cause irreparable damage. Not the best enhancement to an already hot and bothered state of mind. It was akin to being told to push a pea up Everest, but I thought I might as well give it my best shot. Once I got going it wasn’t as bad as I expected, and Paul reassured me that any damage wouldn’t be irreparable. It was quite satisfying seeing it come clean(er) – there was no way it would be completely spotless and I think Paul knew that all along.

By Friday afternoon, with both of us scraping, scrubbing and washing, the deck looked as good as it was going to and Paul wanted to get on with other things in order for us to be able leave on Tuesday.  I decided to venture out on my own for the first time since we got here. We’d done a ‘big shop’ the evening before but I hadn’t been able to get any wine because that area had closed at 9pm.  Leaving at 5pm so that I’d be back before dark, I set off for Queensbay.  It was nice to walk along the coast road listening to music on my ipod and take a few pictures on the way.

I spent a lot longer inside than I meant to. It was nice to walk around at leisure alone, knowing I wasn’t going to be hurried along and I browsed in the bookshop for a while too. Anyway by the time I had bought my wine and a few other bits I knew I wouldn’t get back before it got dark. I didn’t mind however. I’ve never felt it to be risky here – in fact the most scared I’ve been in Malaysia is whenever we have to cross busy roads.  I set off with my music playing as the sun began to set, planning to return via the coast road and country lane. I hadn’t got halfway when Paul texted to check all was well.  I guess he has reason to worry, having been mugged previously, and it was good that he came to meet me – carried the shopping bag the rest of the way back.

Yesterday (Saturday) was a more leisurely day for me, mostly spent editing pictures, reading and catching up on emails. Paul worked on the engine and then the bilge pump in the cockpit locker for most of the day so that we could take some time on Sunday to go out. So hopefully we’ll be revisiting the Gurney Drive area later.

Kathy

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 31st August was Malaysia’s Independence Day, known as Merdeka Day, when Malaysia gained independence from British colonisation in 1957.  The whole of August builds up to this day, with the Malaysian flag proudly displayed in shops, in windows and on balconies, and celebratory processions and performances are advertised on billboards for the day itself. It’s a national holiday, but not for shops, supermarkets and restaurants where it’s business as usual only busier.  In the spirit of joining in with the holiday, we took things a bit easier for most of the day (me a little more than Paul if I’m honest), and headed to the Queensbay Mall early in the evening. It had rained for most of the day and was still falling when we left but it was warm and not unpleasant to walk in for half an hour, though our friendly gate guard produced an umbrella when he spotted us leaving and insisted that Paul take it.  It kept collapsing on him all the way there and he pondered on how to fix it for most of the way.  We heard music coming from the entrance as we got near the mall and discovered a keep fit dance event taking place in the foyer in celebration of Merdeka Day. It was really entertaining to watch – Paul filmed a bit of it and will hopefully put it on his blog at some point.

Each time we’ve visited the mall in the three weeks we’ve been here we have looked with interest at the stalls selling moon cakes.  They look delicious and it was clear that they were food linked to a sense of occasion, like mince pies or easter eggs.  It was also clear they were very popular. I’d read it was a Chinese tradition to do with the Mid-Autumn festival but from the queues at the stalls, and the amount of money changing hands we wondered if there was a connection to Merdeka Day.  Deciding it was time to see what the fuss was all about we chose a stall and agreed to buy a tin with four moon cakes.  There are lots of different flavoured-fillings which turned out to be quite glutinous in texture, and are encased in a thick pastry (they look a little like pork pies).  We spent some time choosing four flavours for 50 ringitt (£10), (durian, fruit and nut, pumpkin, and red bean paste).  All I can say is, they look a lot better than they taste, we have three going spare if anyone’s interested – nice tin though!

On Thursday, Paul was out most of the morning sorting out parts for the bowsprit, so later on, when it was time to go to Batu Maung to collect the frame from the welder I went with him. This small town is quite a run-down looking place, a dusty industrial area with the main street creating the impression of streets seen in Western movies.  Once we’d collected the frame from the industrial estate, we went for a drink in one of the roadside cafes.  We got more outright stares in this town than anywhere else we’ve been, but we must have looked odd – a Western couple walking around with a cumbersome metal frame…and then we sat right next to the smouldering giant joss sticks that had been part of the recent ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’ so the wind blew thick smoke into our eyes and throats.

Friday, and a good deal of Saturday were spent doing the final bits of work on getting the bowsprit polished, cleaned and put back together, as well as ticking off other jobs from the large ‘to do’ list.  Early in the evening on Saturday we took a taxi to George Town to eat out, having looked up some vegetarian places beforehand.  We had a look around The Times Square Mall when we arrived. It was one of the few places Paul hadn’t been to before. The Chinese design and decoration of the place was spectacular! Artificial, but elegant and stylish trees adorned the floors, with flowers and bridges in the middle. Most of the lavish, ‘airport style’ shops were empty, some not even open, yet quite a few were advertising for staff.  It’s hard to see how they make any money, but again, building was going on to create more shops.

It was twilight when we came out of the mall and such a lovely, atmospheric light. This, and the breeze coming off the sea made ideal walking conditions so we took the long way round to the restaurant area, taking in George Town’s back streets.  The quiet, residential streets have a unique charm in that there is no uniformity in the architecture of the small shops and houses.  Places we’d walked before in the searing heat of day looked entirely different in the evening.  Little India was our destination, but not for Indian food this time. We’d picked out half a dozen options from a google search and the one I favoured was the second one we came upon (the first being closed), called The Leaf Healthy Recipes.  Inside, it looked like an English tea room but the smells were mouthwateringly Asian.  The waiter left us a couple of menus with pictures and descriptions of the dishes, and a pad to fill out our choices on (a great way to get over communication difficulties). I loved the fact that the drinks menu boasted no added sugar or ice – my main problem with most non-alcoholic drinks on offer has been their sickly sweetness and the fact they contain enough ice to make it a sweet ‘slush’. We opted for a tapas-like array of different dishes to try and share as many as possible of the delicious range. The Tom Yam soup was a bit spicy but the Pumpkin Mee and the side orders were wonderful.

We intended to go straight back afterwards but as we approached the promenade to find a taxi, we noticed the park lit up, with clusters of people gathered to look at something, so crossed over to take a look.  It turned out to be the Buddy Bear Tour (details in a pic below).  149 bear statues arranged in a circle, standing shoulder to shoulder, arms up, representing various countries of the world to promote world peace and harmony. Each bear is decorated with a different design and in the middle of them all stands a huge wire bear lit up with light that changes colour. It was a lovely atmosphere: lots of families, vendors selling night toys for the children, food and drink but no alcohol, so no loud, drunk people and hardly anyone smokes outdoors in Malaysia. I found it to be so much more enjoyable than some of the crowded events and festivals I’ve attended in other places. A great way to end a night out, and I had a glass of wine or two to look forward to when we got back to the boat 🙂

Kathy