{"id":3146,"date":"2014-08-02T19:20:48","date_gmt":"2014-08-02T11:20:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/?page_id=3146"},"modified":"2017-08-17T22:06:48","modified_gmt":"2017-08-17T14:06:48","slug":"malaysia-2014","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/?page_id=3146","title":{"rendered":"Malaysia 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thursday 3rd to Friday 4th July<\/p>\n

At the beginning of every travel tale I sit at the keyboard and wonder \u2018What kind of a story will this one be?\u2019 And this time I\u2019m wondering even more than usual. So let\u2019s begin the adventure and see if our activities turn out to be entertaining. I do hope so \u2013 and even if I can\u2019t do much with words, then I hope you will enjoy the photos. There will be photos, I promise. It\u2019s just that the story has to begin before we get to anything photographable \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

Our flight was to be at 1:30am on Friday 4th, so of course that really means Thursday 3rd as far as \u2018real life\u2019 is concerned. We left packing our cases as late as possible so as not to concern our poor little dog, but she actually seemed to take it well in her stride, which pleased us all. She just lay resignedly on the bed watching and, perhaps, wondering who was going to take care of her this time. Our handy little packing list was easy to follow, as always \u2013 although since returning home I have added something that could possibly have made a big, and positive difference, but we will get to that shortly.<\/p>\n

Our son, Dan, arrived at 7pm to settle in and then to take us to the airport. We left home around 9:30 and just as well too as it turned out the main highway was completely closed off and we had to take a pretty large detour! That would have added a great deal to a taxi fare so we were extra pleased that Dan had been able to take us. Once we got to the airport we had him just kick us out of the car, exchanged quick hugs and then he went off home, back into the cold, dark, winter\u2019s night.<\/p>\n

Inside the airport was the biggest queue for any flight that we\u2019ve ever seen! There were 2 sports teams amongst the hundreds of people so we joined up at the end \u2013 once we eventually found where \u2018the end\u2019 was. We slowly, slowly moved forward and after 5 or 10 minutes of not getting far, David noticed a sign that he could only partially see but it looked as if it said \u2018web check-in\u2019 so he left me with the cases, and fear in my heart as to how on earth I was going to move 2 large suitcases and 3 cabin bags forward if the queue moved. But thankfully he came back just as I was trying to achieve this impossible task \u2013 for the entire 2 feet that was required \u2013 with a big grin on his face. \u201cYes\u201d he said \u201cWe can go over there!\u201d The people behind us said \u201cReally? Web check-in?\u201d and when David agreed we all raced off with a spring in our step and a smile on our faces that we\u2019d had the foresight to check-in online. We waited for one person to be seen to and then we were next!<\/p>\n

The check-in guy was really friendly and helpful and, when I was making noises about checking the weight of our cabin luggage before we let our cases go, and David was making noises about me just making a fuss, the guy smiled and almost winked at the pair of us and said \u201cYou\u2019ll be fine!\u201d David asked \u201cReally?\u201d and he gave an even bigger smile and assured us thoroughly. Even I was now relaxed and happy about it! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Scanning was, as scanning is, though David was pinged for something apparently metallic showing around his right knee. He *always* gets picked on and had had to go through a posh, fully enclosed scanner, whereas I\u2019d only been asked to go through the usual grey archway. The guy asked permission to grope at David\u2019s leg and was granted a yes. Can hardly say no, can you? We\u2019ve no idea what had caused the detector to go off, there was no pocket at that level of his trousers and his pockets were empty anyway. But other than that we got through with no issue, and the same for filling in the \u2018I\u2019m leaving Australia\u2019 forms and passport check.<\/p>\n

And so to the cattle-chutes-and-fodder-sales-room which was absolutely *crammed* past capacity. Considering it was now around midnight I\u2019ve never seen it anywhere near this busy! We went and chose some awful food for extortionate prices, though the service was friendly so that made it all OK. While David waited for the food to be ready I looked around at the full tables. Even the bar stools along the hard, narrow benches were all taken, but there was one guy alone at a nearby table so I smiled hopefully at him and asked if he would mind if I share. We ended up having a lovely chat, which David joined in once he arrived. And soon afterwards our new friend was called for his flight. Obviously it was a very large plane because the room thinned out fairly considerably and we became aware of some welcome fresh air circulating.<\/p>\n

I sipped a little on my orange juice, though mostly it was to be saved ready to take my travel meds 90 minutes before flight time. In the meantime I enjoyed a hot chocolate while David had a coffee and a toasted chicken focaccia bread but I didn\u2019t feel like food. I had a tiny nibble of his because I felt I should.<\/p>\n

When it came time to take my tablets I just really didn\u2019t want to! I can\u2019t describe the feeling except to equate it to some form of dread. On *one* occasion, taking the tablets had made me feel quite sick so I suppose I was thinking of that for some reason; who knows. But there\u2019s no choice in the matter. I feel dizzy and disoriented in a lift so I have to take them to fly (or sail), so down they went.<\/p>\n

After 20 minutes, as usual, I felt the first effect; a little tired and fuzzy-headed. After 60 minutes I felt rather sick and a lot panicky, it was horrible! I tried to walk around but I felt worse so I sat, and began to shake, visibly. Then my mouth went dry the way it does just before you humiliate yourself in public. I couldn\u2019t go to the bathroom because it was too close to boarding time. Eyeing up the closest bin I prayed I wouldn\u2019t have to use that with everyone watching, and that made me panic and shake more.<\/p>\n

David noticed and tried holding my knees between his to hold them still, but it didn\u2019t help a lot and I just sat there feeling miserable, and like a public spectacle. I kept my eyes down because I didn\u2019t want to know if anyone was noticing my condition. I did ask David to go and buy some butterscotch lollies to moisten my mouth though, in the hope that would help. He came back with barley sugar which was all they had. I\u2019m really not so keen on those but it would have to do, and it did help a little. Like about 5% little. So in future I will be buying butterscotch for my handbag as a priority item and have added it to the packing\/essentials list! If I could have prevented the dry-mouth-syndrome I think I\u2019d have been doing fine.<\/p>\n

David didn\u2019t dare ask me what I was panicking about for fear of making it worse, and he thought I was worrying because of the Malaysian Airlines flight that had gone missing recently. The thought had sailed through my head at some point but certainly hadn\u2019t stayed or made an impact, even though I can be that way inclined and we were flying the same airline.<\/p>\n

Knowing me well though, David asked if I would be OK once I was aboard. I think he was praying hard by that stage, but I said yes. So he kindly went and asked the boarding staff if he could get me on quickly because I was feeling rather unwell with nerves, and they told him to bring me to the side and they\u2019d do what they could. We went. Standing there was even worse, but fairly quickly they\u2019d seen the business class passengers through and then turned to us. Once we were walking down the ramp and there was some cold, fresh air I felt normal again. Or maybe it was the fact of walking out at a good pace. But regardless\u2026 thank heavens!!!<\/p>\n

Then came the usual\u2026 settling everyone in; disaster plan; clunk of the tractor attaching; and the plane being pushed backwards as we both looked at each other in happy anticipation of the take-off. We both totally love take-offs and landings, there is nothing else that we\u2019ve ever experienced with such an incredible feeling of power. We taxied along, wondering if the staff would manage to be seated in time, but of course they did. And we held hands, with excitement filling our hearts, as we turned the final corner and the plane seemed to paw the ground like a stallion about to bolt. Then we were off, hurtling and thundering down the runway as I looked out of the window to my left, and David looked up the gangway at the ridiculously steep angle of the floor as the wheels lifted and the plane climbed rapidly.<\/p>\n

We were in the 2 absolute last seats, which don\u2019t recline quite as much as any of the others on the plane but it\u2019s worth it not to have some little (or large) brat kicking the back of your seat for 5 hours non-stop. The staff threw us a miniscule bag of burnt peanuts each and then the lights were turned out. We did our best with the little pillows and blankets, but our sleep was fitful at best. It had been 1.40am when we took off. At one point I awoke (which more truthfully means gave up trying and opened my eyes) and saw the stars. I have never seen so many stars, or each of them so bright, and it totally took my breath away with awe. I turned to see if David was awake and showed him, though of course he couldn\u2019t quite see as well, even with leaning into my lap.<\/p>\n

At 5:30 we were awoken by the captain for breakfast but, after we\u2019d eaten, they turned the lights off again. That seemed rather strange, but what would we know? After this the staff were asked to be seated and we hadn\u2019t started to descend yet. I really don\u2019t like this command one bit because you never know just how rough a ride you\u2019re in for, but it really wasn\u2019t too bad and the descent and landing into Kuala Lumpur were works of aeronautical art!<\/p>\n

Fortunately we didn\u2019t have to collect our cases so we walked, caught the little terminal transfer train, and then walked again to find B9, our next departure gate. That little train is absolutely brilliant. It stops, opens the far doors and people pour out, then it opens the near doors and people pour in \u2013 everyone heading in the same direction. Why aren\u2019t all trains like that?<\/p>\n

It turned out that B9 did not have a caf\u00e9 for us to buy some OJ for my third dose of tablets so we walked back towards the train looking for one. And further and further and further. We could have bought all sorts of duty free clothes, perfumes or shoes, but nothing to drink. There was a water fountain but those tiny tablets are the most bitter things on earth and if I can avoid taking them with water I\u2019ll go to great lengths to do so. Finally we found a fast food outlet but for a moment it looked as if fizzy soft drinks were all they sold until we noticed a plastic vat of OJ and gratefully purchased a cup full. As I took the tablets I reread the directions to find that it said to take a maximum of 4 tablets in 24 hours. I\u2019d already taken 4! Two at midnight and 2 at 4am. I needed to take the next 2 to get through our next flight! If I wasn\u2019t so exhausted and drugged-up I\u2019d have thought it through and only taken 1 tablet but we had to walk fast to get back to our departure gate so there was no time for slow brain processing. I never, ever *ever* would have taken more than the packet said on purpose \u2013 they\u2019re the only medications I ever take. I\u2019ve read that packet a million times and I\u2019m sure it used to be 6 tablets in 24 hours! (Or was it 8? LOL)<\/p>\n

Anyway, we boarded our half empty plane bound for Kuantan on the east coast of Malaysia and found ourselves directly above the wing and in the emergency exit seats. Which led to a wonderful photo by David. I didn\u2019t even get my camera out until we\u2019d arrived at the resort.<\/p>\n

\"Interesting

Interesting View, Malaysian Airlines<\/p><\/div>\n

We endured the safety demonstration in both Malay and English. Am I the only one that hates listening to and watching those? But yet again we relished the take-off. Squeeeeeeeeeee!<\/p>\n

The staff gave us yet another bag of burnt-flavoured peanuts each and an orange juice to wash them down with, and they just managed to collect the rubbish before it was time to land. I really could have done without those last 2 tablets but I wasn\u2019t to know ahead of time. I kept falling asleep as I sat there; just for a moment at a time. We\u2019d been awake for 24 hours by now and suddenly there was a huge jolt and I gasped aloud as we really *hit* the runway. I\u2019d remembered watching gleefully as we got lower and lower, but must have fallen briefly asleep. It sure as heck frightened the life out of me!<\/p>\n

\"Disembarking,

Disembarking, Kuantan Airport, Malaysia<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Kuantan

Kuantan Airport, Malaysia<\/p><\/div>\n

Customs requirements were just putting our forefingers on a glass box and showing our passports to a lovely lady who was patient with David\u2019s lack of understanding as to what she wanted. I managed to remember the drill from when we\u2019d gone to Kuala Lumpur 2\u00bd years ago. It\u2019s the only place we\u2019ve ever been fingerprinted.<\/p>\n

We gathered our cases easily enough and went out into the beautifully warm tropical air where we were welcomed almost without giving our names by the Club Med \u2018G.O.\u2019 She tied the blue fabric identity bracelets around our wrists and loaded us onto a bus with the other guests and we were each given a small bottle of (unfortunately warm) drinking water. It should have been labelled \u2018Get Used To It\u2019 because it turned out that either Club Med, Malaysians, or both, don\u2019t know what cold means when it comes to drinks \u2013 but I\u2019m getting ahead of myself.<\/p>\n

We drove northwards in the little bus for about 45 to 50 minutes. The journey was on a good road with lots of greenery by the sides and we went through a small town, more greenery and another even smaller town but obviously I wasn\u2019t \u2018with it\u2019 enough to remember more. Then we turned right into a driveway that sloped and turned down a steep hill and stopped at a white boom gate, where we waited a very long time for the security guard to decide to open it for us. The next short drive had a very high, fern-covered cliff face on our right before pulling up in the circular driveway with 6 or so G.O.s waving a welcome. So was a very large lizard just off to the side on the lawn. Eeeeekkkk!!!<\/p>\n

We were all ushered up some steps and given seats in front of reception, given a nice cool drink with a cherry on the side of the glass and cooling face cloths while we listened (OK, I didn\u2019t really, they\u2019d also asked us to fill in some forms!) to a talk, and then we were assigned a G.O. to take us to our rooms. Our girl had us, and a family with 3 children, and she strode ahead talking to the other couple and we couldn\u2019t hear a single word she said. She never once turned to check on us, see if we were still there, or to see if we needed any of the information she was giving. We turned this way and that, went up stairs, turned this way and that, climbed more stairs and then she opened a door and waved us into it without another word and left, still chatting to the other family. If we\u2019d never been to a Club Med before we\u2019d have been rather bewildered but, as it happens, this was our fourth so we knew the drill \u2013 thankfully!<\/p>\n

Our suitcases were very quickly delivered and we did a bit of settling in, but soon decided to walk back and see the main entertainment and meal areas. Half way there we saw a snake. Having described it to a couple of the G.O.s during the week it seems they weren\u2019t familiar with this \u2018brand\u2019 so we\u2019re rather mystified as to what it was. It was about 6 inches long, very thin and pale coloured but with a dark-coloured bulbous head. Great \u2013 snakes and lizards and we\u2019d only been there 5 minutes! From the moment we\u2019d booked this holiday I\u2019d seen an article talking about snakes in the Malaysian jungle (our exact current location!) and had been seeing pictures of snakes everywhere I looked. I mean *everywhere*, even the most unexpected of places, and it had been freaking me out rather. In fact I think it had contributed to the panic attack just before we flew. I had determined that I would ask David to very carefully (for his safety!) look in all the cupboards and under the bed when we got to the room. Well, the fact that our room was 3 floors up had helped to ease my misgivings. The fact that the room was absolutely spotlessly clean and uncluttered had completely and utterly, 100% put my mind at rest. And now, to mess it up, we\u2019d seen this dangerous-looking snake \ud83d\ude41<\/p>\n

By this point it had been nearly 6 hours since the 5:30 am breakfast and we were both absolutely starving! Fortunately we knew that there were usually snacks near the main bar and we were in luck. There was a beautifully flavoured iced tea that actually did have some ice in the big glass dispenser and we grabbed a couple of little sandwiches and room-temperature baby sausage rolls that were all very welcome indeed.<\/p>\n

For our next move we decided to go and find where the little \u2018train\u2019 left from to explore the Adult (or Zen) Pool. We found that it was rather cute and had 2 open-sided carriages that everyone just bundled into and sat on hard benches. It was fairly necessary to catch the train because it was quite a way through the jungle to get to the pool and sailing area, with just a narrow, roughly asphalted roadway between the lush jungle on either side.<\/p>\n

\"Club

Club Med Cherating Beach Train<\/p><\/div>\n

Most of the day beds or sun loungers were exposed to the sun, and the very few with shade were already taken, so we took ourselves to the far side, across the wooden decking, to a grassed area and lay on a sun lounger snuggled privately amongst greenery there. The sun, the warmth, and the view were all totally heaven; if a little warm after mid-winter Perth. But we weren\u2019t complaining. I didn\u2019t realise until David showed me his photos just now (22nd July as I write this!) that I must have nodded off at this point. But he can prove it ROFL<\/p>\n

\"Crashed!\"

Crashed!<\/p><\/div>\n

I can\u2019t have been there long because I started to get bitten by finely striped black and white mosquitoes. I am the tastiest thing on the planet to mosquitoes, or so it seems! We\u2019d been taking Vitamin B tablets, admittedly only for a week, but also indulging in an almost zero-sugar diet since Christmas. Yet still, it seemed, my blood screamed loud and clear \u201cHere I am! Come and nom on me!\u201d<\/p>\n

Anyway, it was now time that lunch would be served up at the main restaurant and, glancing at our phones for the time, we saw that we must now run to catch the little train. And we did. But it didn\u2019t. The driver had the bonnet up and told us it was over-heating and that we could walk. You\u2019re joking right? We\u2019ve been awake for around 28 hours, the journey back to the resort was uphill, we were starving hungry (yes, again \ud83d\ude42 ). And, not least, the route was through pure untouched raw jungle with, presumably, yet more snakes, lizards, legendarily hostile monkeys (we\u2019d been warned!) and\u2026 mosquitoes by the million, all, as we spoke, winging their way towards the juicy, fresh, May-Banquet.<\/p>\n

Before we even walked 2 steps we saw another sizeable lizard!<\/p>\n

Off we trudged, taking a few photos along the way to keep our minds from our mind- and body-numbing tiredness, and the now increasing number of bites I was getting. We could hear monkeys but were relieved not to see any. We\u2019d been told that they had no fear of humans at all and, in fact, enjoyed trapping people in their rooms. Thankfully, after about 10 minutes, along came the train and he kept his promise by waving cheerfully and stopping to pick us up. Oh Thank You!!!<\/p>\n

Once the train dropped us off, despite being really hungry, I just had to return to our room to treat my mosquito bites. I tried the lavender oil that someone had recommended and it worked a treat. Such a relief for body and soul.<\/p>\n

On the way back to the restaurant David found a group of about 8 gorgeous, tiny little bats hanging outside another room on the verandah\/walkway. My first instinct was to be repulsed, but that lasted all of 2 seconds as I saw how very cute they were! It took us about 5 photo sessions to get decent pictures of these little guys because, needless to say, where they were hanging had very poor light and we certainly weren\u2019t going to use a flash and blind them or upset them! But here\u2019s the best photo that I managed to get overall.<\/p>\n

\"Dear

Dear Little Bat Family<\/p><\/div>\n

How do they park themselves upside down anyway?<\/p>\n

As we were reaching the main area I glanced at David\u2019s neck and saw that he had a leech! Once I\u2019d finished shuddering and gained the bravery to look, it turned out that his camera strap is disintegrating and had left a calling card. So funny!!! But we\u2019d had enough animal interactions in these very few hours that I\u2019d have believed anything by now.<\/p>\n

The restaurant and buffet was the usual fare for Club Med. A very large room with separate food stations allocated roughly by ethnicity for the main courses, and separate places for the breads, cheeses and desserts. I seemed to prefer the Chinese section for lunches and dinners, though we both indulged in foods from various locations over the 8 days. Except for the Korean. For some reason that section just made our eyes big and our feet scuttle hastily in the other direction. It\u2019s nice to have such a varied buffet, to be able to choose from so many different things. Though food temperature was a big problem and everything the whole week long was at best luke warm.<\/p>\n

The restaurant manager, Rishard and his second-in-charge, Manu, were such gorgeous guys \u2013 so cheery, friendly and helpful and we fell in love with them both straight away. They couldn\u2019t have been any more charming or obliging and were total sweethearts!<\/p>\n

\"Rishard,

Rishard, David, Manu and (ashamed!) I Don’t Know<\/p><\/div>\n

It felt very good to now have a proper meal inside us and we went back to our room (a 5 minute walk if we got it right and found it first time!) to write story notes, shower and have a nap. I got an hour and David didn\u2019t lay down so, by the evening he was bragging to everyone that *he* had been awake for 37 hours. Other than my body shutting itself down for a few minutes here and there, and this hour with my eyes shut, so had I!<\/p>\n

We decided on a walk along the beach near our room, though we kept clear of the water because there had been a warning sign about stone fish, jelly fish, and I think something else that was potentially lethal in the shallows. Nice!<\/p>\n

\"Seashells

Seashells on the Sea Shore<\/p><\/div>\n

Next page\/…<\/a><\/p>\n

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Thursday 3rd to Friday 4th July At the beginning of every travel tale I sit at the keyboard and wonder \u2018What kind of a story will this one be?\u2019 And this time I\u2019m wondering even more than usual. So let\u2019s … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":16,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3146","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3146","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3146"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3146\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3941,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3146\/revisions\/3941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3146"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}