Bay View Pangkor Resort

I would give Pangkor Island an A+ for sunbathing and swimming and beach bumming qualities...but a C- on all the rest, unfortunately. My plan was to just hang out on the beach for about a week, because hanging out on the beach doesn't cost anything...but I should have picked my beach more wisely, instead of just going to the nearest one. Well, I was aware that this isnt the best beach in Malaysia, but I thought that a less-popular beach ...

... locals. It is the school holidays so the place was packed out, there is only one bar on the whole island and we were gutted because the lengendary TJ's (a restaurant that serves indonesian food that every packpacker had raved about that we had met) had shut down. So as you can guess we got to know the bar staff at the only bar quite well. On Christmas eve we went in there and had a traditional Christmas dinner with all the ...

... that can only be described as rampant. From my travel guidebook I had formed an impression that I could take my bike on a bus or train into KL. But this was not the case. I had tried many other avenues and thought of alternatives. But I ended up using a cab. It cost me a fortune, but it was a good lesson. At a hostel in KL I hooked up with Franz, of Baden-Baden, Germany. We took a bus up to the Cameron Highlands and did a few walks in ...

... July '06 (Diary) '...Happy Brithday Dad! Got bitten big style in the night - up and out soon after 9am to a grey day - damn I had planned to take a few snaps of the island - oh well will have to recall the place from memory. Got taxi to the port, jumped on a ferry and before I knew it I was back in Lumut. My plan was to get to Langkawi - I had originally thought about Penang but had decided against it as I thought it might be too commercial these days and the fact that I ...

Off to Muslim homestay.Its been so long I think Ill like it. I used to love it!! Except I have to do a walk where theres leeches!!!!! I HATE leeches & have avoided them nicely so far. Oh well I suppose sooner or later!! Ive got out of the wlk each time but I have to go this time-damn!!!! Then to Penang which I detest!!!!! But, then back to Thailand-yeh!!!!! Alls fine ...

... tarpaulins and fluorescent strip lights, oil lamps and cooking equipment and pets and passengers disembark from every conceivable exit of the bus. Within 10 minutes I would estimate that twice the legal maximum weight limit for the bus has been removed from it - where we come from at least anyway. We are on our way again shortly on what appears to be a bus intended only for very short trips. There is no padding on the wooden benches and the metal frames serve only to ...

... and several times I nearly flew out of my seat. But we arrived in Lumut safely and just in time for the ferry out to the island. We stayed at a place called "mini-camp" -- only M$4.20 per night per person. The huts were A-frame -- just wide enough for two people and their stuff to fit comfortably. Ours was two-story: Pat and I took the loft and the boys had the lower half. We could even stand up in the center of ours. When we opened the shutter doors, we got quite a nice breeze flowing ...

It was raining in the morning, so we didn't go to Emerald Bay as originally planned. Instead, we played cards all morning, and Pat told our fortunes. Ate at the camp canteen for lunch. Did very little between lunch and dinner. Pat and I jogged/walked down the beach to the government camp, then came back. We went for a swim, but it was very painful -- we kept being stung by something. Besides, there were two ...

... camp -- we had a good chortle about that one. There was another Slug, Kevin, who had lived in KL from the time he was nine years old (so for about eight years). His father was principal of the International School. When he (Kevin) graduated, he went to UCSC to major in psychology and Asian Studies. He plans to teach English to Indonesians for the Rest of His Life. Finally, there was Sandy -- a Vermonter -- and the most sane of the troupe. He wasn't especially thrilled to be ...

... travels. He's been over a lot of Europe, to Israel, and also lived in Brazil for six months. Once we reached Ipoh, we caught another bus to the otwn of Lumut. This ride was really bumpy and several times I nearly flew out of my seat. But we arrived in Lumut safely and just in time for the ferry out to the island. We stayed at a place called "mini-camp" -- only M$4.20 per night per person. The huts were A-frame -- just wide enough for two people and their ...