Horizon Inn Pangkor

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 ...

Strange how things work out. Over the last couple of weeks I've decided to stop travelling. Not that I need to - I could afford to carry on for a little while yet, but I'm ready to stop. Ready for a change: ready for a bit of normality and routine, and relationships that last more than a few days; ready to stop moving around; ready to get my life going again. After the Highlands, my plan was to make my way to Bangkok. First I would go to Langkawi, off the north ...

... would sort us out after Sumatra, nice beaches, swimming in crystal clear waters, scuba diving - sounded great! The reality was different unfortunately, yes its a lovely island, but the sea was filthy, the beaches dirty, & the Dive Operators had closed down. This really ...

... quayside. Caught a taxi (expensive but no other option) through the island to Nipah bay - through the forest on winding roads we soon burst out onto the coast road on the west side - coral white sand down to the left, granite(?) boulders tumbling into the sea - surreal! Dropped off at Nipah - a shack lined beach, a few domestic tourists, muslim girls wearing head scarves. Tried three 'resorts' before finding one that wasn't full (it was the weekend) - Seagull Resort. Was ...

... one way or the other, so it hardly happens to me, if at all, but it still frustrates me. Not only do I have to go against my nature and approach the world with a thick layer of distrust, it is also the attitude of many people in the tourist industry that I am so disappointed at. True, I have to admit I observed quite some travellers don't treat local people with respect, and I truly regret ...

... stopped and had a look round a very small and unimpressive Dutch fort (storage place) that upon trying to start the thing we had no luck. Neale was pumping at the foot starting thing with not a spurt out of the bike when a kindly taxi driver showed him he had to pull out the choke, mildly embarassed we thanked the good chap and chugged off!! Without thinking we stopped again on another lap of the island to look out of a viewing point. This ...

... why sushi is so popular with the Japanese. He says that they eat raw chicken in Japan as well and the main reason for eating raw meat at all is to save time and preparation. When travelling abroad many Japanese people take their little bottles of spicy dip with them to accompany meals. The chef at the BBQ in the restaurant was just a little confused when he ordered his fish and asked for it not to be cooked and just put on a plate!!

... hanging out by our clothes, which made us uncomfortable. So we got out. We walked down the beach to try a restoran (where most of the other campers ate) but it was a big mistake. The service was slow, the servings were miniscule, and nothing was tasty. Ugh. We walked back along the road. The boys retired early, but Pat and I stayed out on the beach talking to Sandy and Kevin. To bed again after lights out.

... for the steps to fade away, but they didn't. Someone was circling our cabin! Was it one of those suspicious figures on the beach? "Hello!" said a voice -- it was Doug, one of the UCSC students. They had built a bonfire on the beach and invited Pat and I to join them. We decided it was worth a try. So we got dressed and went down to the sand. David -- who I didn't mention but it with the British High Commission -- had his guitar and was sort of playing, but no one was even sort ...

... 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 through. (Pat and I decided we felt like pigeons with the shutter doors ... then we decided we should poke out our heads every hour on the hour and say, "Cuck-oo, Cuck-oo!" Then we started laughing so hard the boys thought we had lost our senses.)