Hanoi had been a great experience but we were looking forward to going back to the familiarity of Bangkok and also this time not to the backpacking haven of Koh San Road but actually into the centre of Bangkok and Siam Square – home to all the major shopping malls.
This was to be a bit of downfall in terms of sticking to our budget but great that we avoided being accosted at every possible moment by tuk-tuk drivers and other sales type who just want to make a quick buck off the dreadlocked 18 year olds.
To summarise the 4 days we had there we basically shopped – for warm clothes for Australia - saw Transformers and Harry Potter at the cinema – brilliant – and I got ill with some stomach bug – not so brilliant. Staying out of the backpacking area of Bangkok really gave us a much better feel for the city and we thoroughly enjoyed the time we had.
For our last week of relaxation prior to getting to Oz we decided to go to the Perhentian Islands partly because we could do our advanced diving course there quite cheaply and partly because some guys from Raleigh had highly recommended a visit. Unfortunately our trip there wasn’t the best. We’d booked to fly from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur and then arrive in time to catch the night train to the north eastern coast of the Malaysian Peninsula where the following morning we’d arrive and get the boat to Perhentian Kecil (Small Perhentian). For the first time our Air Asia flight was mightily delayed so we arrived too late to catch the train although there was a flight from the airport 45 mimutes after we arrived, to the town we needed to get to. So – throwing out the window our environmental conscience through tiredness and no desire from either of us to spend the night in KL we took the flight and got ourselves to Kota Bharu for about 10.30 pm. In time to find the dingiest hostel in town with a dodgy bathroom, no covers on the bed but a very helpful and friendly owner. He got us organised with transport the next morning to the harbour and we went out and had some fried rice for dinner.
The boat involved some general miscommunication with us being told to wait for one boat then being told we couldn’t take that boat and generally getting Simon into a rather irate mood before we even got there. I hate to say it's typical but we have come expect it and beng in Australia has in that respect been a lovely change. Eventually though we arrived on Long Beach – party central of the Perhentian Islands. The beach is as you might expect long and made up of beautiful white sand dotted with restaurants, huts and diving schools. We stayed at the cheap end of the island and by all accounts were lucky to get ourselves a hut. Later the same day and for days afterwards we’d see girls sat on piles of luggage on the beach obviously waiting for their blokes to find somewhere for them to stay.
The first place we looked at was the worst place I’d seen for the whole of our trip and that’s saying something, the second was a little better but joined to the next door hut with only a partition wall with a whole at the top – not ideal, the third though was just right – Lemon Grass Chalets. Hut was small but with a nice balcony, shared open air bathroom and a nice view from the café. This was the cheap seat end of the beach.
This was to be a bit of downfall in terms of sticking to our budget but great that we avoided being accosted at every possible moment by tuk-tuk drivers and other sales type who just want to make a quick buck off the dreadlocked 18 year olds.
To summarise the 4 days we had there we basically shopped – for warm clothes for Australia - saw Transformers and Harry Potter at the cinema – brilliant – and I got ill with some stomach bug – not so brilliant. Staying out of the backpacking area of Bangkok really gave us a much better feel for the city and we thoroughly enjoyed the time we had.
For our last week of relaxation prior to getting to Oz we decided to go to the Perhentian Islands partly because we could do our advanced diving course there quite cheaply and partly because some guys from Raleigh had highly recommended a visit. Unfortunately our trip there wasn’t the best. We’d booked to fly from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur and then arrive in time to catch the night train to the north eastern coast of the Malaysian Peninsula where the following morning we’d arrive and get the boat to Perhentian Kecil (Small Perhentian). For the first time our Air Asia flight was mightily delayed so we arrived too late to catch the train although there was a flight from the airport 45 mimutes after we arrived, to the town we needed to get to. So – throwing out the window our environmental conscience through tiredness and no desire from either of us to spend the night in KL we took the flight and got ourselves to Kota Bharu for about 10.30 pm. In time to find the dingiest hostel in town with a dodgy bathroom, no covers on the bed but a very helpful and friendly owner. He got us organised with transport the next morning to the harbour and we went out and had some fried rice for dinner.
The boat involved some general miscommunication with us being told to wait for one boat then being told we couldn’t take that boat and generally getting Simon into a rather irate mood before we even got there. I hate to say it's typical but we have come expect it and beng in Australia has in that respect been a lovely change. Eventually though we arrived on Long Beach – party central of the Perhentian Islands. The beach is as you might expect long and made up of beautiful white sand dotted with restaurants, huts and diving schools. We stayed at the cheap end of the island and by all accounts were lucky to get ourselves a hut. Later the same day and for days afterwards we’d see girls sat on piles of luggage on the beach obviously waiting for their blokes to find somewhere for them to stay.The first place we looked at was the worst place I’d seen for the whole of our trip and that’s saying something, the second was a little better but joined to the next door hut with only a partition wall with a whole at the top – not ideal, the third though was just right – Lemon Grass Chalets. Hut was small but with a nice balcony, shared open air bathroom and a nice view from the café. This was the cheap seat end of the beach.
So we spent the week chilling on the beach and topping up our tans, doing our advanced diving course – which wasn’t so chilled- drinking, eating and sleeping. We also met Matt and Carol who were our breath of fresh air in travellers. Si and Matt shared a few Steve Irwin moments including drunken crab chasing and innocent gecko catching. We’ll be a planning a stonking night out in Sydney for when they arrive in the autumn.
The advanced diving course was great (after I got over my initial freak our over leaking diving masks). Probably the best dive I’ve done was at Sugar Wreck an old container ship carrying sugar where we swam into the hold, saw some great fish – lion fish, scorpion fish, sharks, barracuda, a puffed up pufferfish – like the scene in Finding Nemo, other really big puffers, and the usual array of wrasse, parrotfish, sweetlips. Very enjoyable. Our instructor did appear to be signing "do you want to go through this doorway into a vertical black hole where we can't see where we're going and a sea monster might live"… but then didn’t take us. Apprently a more senior female diver had swum past and he thought better of it. Shame. 
(Apparently Michael Schummacher was in this boat behind me in the picture...)
After a great week in the sun we took an overnight train to KL (not a great night’s sleep) and then flew to KK.
A trip back to where the whole adventure started to see Yo and get ourselves a bit closer to Brunei where our flight to Sydney was going from.
On Sunday morning we took the most ridiculously shaped boat to Brunei and spent the afternoon lying in the airport awaiting our overnight flight to Sydney. It was a long and tiring trip particularly as we'd enjoyed a few beers over the first night of the Premiership football which we managed to catch in a pub in KK.
So, we’re pleased to say we are now safely in Sydney staying with Steve and Alex – who we can’t thank enough for their kind hospitality and nice flat. It’s bloody freezing after 6 months in Asia but we’re still enjoying the novelty of cups of tea in bed and getting to wear our beanies when we go out.
We’ll let you know how we go over the next month or so – we need to earn some cash soon.
Hoping everyone is well, with love Charlotte and Si x
