Koh Tao and the island

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Travelled from Langkawi to Alor Setar and spent the night at the Sentosa Regency. No much in the city other than the Sultan of Kedah Museum which looked more like the palace had been cleared out and this place was where the junk ended up including golfing hats and his old mobile phones for the last 30 years. Went up the Alor Setor Tower which had more rules on what you could not do than do (no canoodling).

2 DNF

Up at 5:30am to catch the 7:00 am train to Hat Yai. The train arrived one hour late and then cleared customs on the Malaysian Border at Padang Besar. Then waited another hour for the train to Hat Yai. Got to spend 5 hours in Hat Yai, not much to see, so we had a foot massage. They called in the heavy hands to work Michael’s feet.

The train station at Hat Yai was a hoot with people and dogs wandering everywhere and occasionally getting out of the way of trains. It was hard to work out who was an official employee and who wanted to just play with the train equipment. Had purchased tickets on the second-class air conditioning carriage.  After seeing 2^nd class non air-conditioned and third class, glad we did. 

Train to Chumphon from Hat Yai was 2 hours late so have missed the ferry to Koh Tao and waiting at 2:00 am on the station platform for the ferry office to open at 5:00 am to move to Koh Tao to start doing some more diving and relaxing.



Party at Chumpon station with the station vendors

Got put on a cattle truck at 6:00 am to go to the ferry and then a 3 hour boat ride to Koh Tao. As usual, there were endless hawkers, cabbies and hangers on offering the best in Koh Tao services and accommodation. Finally got to the Taraporn Resort, which incorporates Alvaro dive school on the southern side of the Island which is a bit quieter. Should you worry when a cabbie walks you a mile down the street to his truck with seats on the back and asks 4 people where Taraporn Resort is? Well it is a small island so you will get there eventually.

The resort is on the water with our bungalow overlooking a little bay. A short walk , (50 m) to the dive school and 1km to the shops and restaurants. Council building codes do not apply here so any nook and cranny has a nice little bungalow and the resorts intertwine with one another.

View from the room



  The room has fans and a hot shower, not sure if we need that now as the weather is nice and warm. 
View to the bar and dive shop



There is a lovely bar that over looks the bay at night with fire juggling as part of the entertainment or was that the chef running from the kitchen?

Dogs and cats everywhere with most well cared for and had breakfast with a cat that was sleeping at the table. When we get to some other counties we may get to eat the cat.

Langkawi Legend Island - Home of the Eagle

Pictures added to last post.

We have spent the last few days relaxing.  Michael has been doing plenty of diving finally obtaining his Advanced Open Water Certificate which means he is now as qualified as our youngest son.  Peace returns to the Herring household.

I have spent my time wandering the shops, catching up on some reading and completing a few crosswords.

 

The night before last we decided to take a walk through the monsoonal rain and happened upon a deserted Hindu temple – well, deserted except for one rather strange looking bare chested priest.  The priest invited us in and then chanted before one of the altars.  He then passed his hand through a candle flame and then touched his hand to our foreheads, then passed his hand through the flame again, picked up some of the ash & anointed our foreheads.  A rather lovely and spiritual experience.

Plenty of good street food with Annette impressed by the Roti Tisu, with some recommendations from the locals to also assist with finding good spots.

Start of the blog Singapore and Malaysia

Apologies for the late start to our blog.  No excuse really, other than we have been enjoying our mid life crises!

Arrived in Singapore stayed at the Zenobia Hotel in Little India.  The building works which were under construction in the city when we were last here 3 years ago, have been completed with many more being undertaken.  No sign of the GFC here.

Our visit was coincidentally timed with three major events:

Hari Raya (End of Ramadan)

Muslim New Year

Feast of the Hungry Ghost

The first saw great celebrations with constant calls to prayer from the mosques and the Muslim men dressed in in their best traditional clothes in all the colours of the rainbow.  A beautiful sight to behold.

The start of the Muslim new year was heralded with fire works and pretty much the whole of Singapore thronging the streets.

The Feast of the Hungry Ghost is a Chinese celebration where food is laid out for the ghosts of the relatives to feast on.  There were whole pigs and various other foods laid out on tables which Michael kept eyeing off. The main party is yet to start so watch out pigs and ghosts.

2 DNF’s so not a good start on the Geocaching.

We travelled from Singapore to Butterworth via train number 2, a journey of 13 hours.  Train was comfortable however it was air conditioned to arctic temperatures because of the heat outside.  I was a rather fetching shade of blue by the time we arrived. I took about 30 seconds to defrost after alighting into the heat that is Malaysia.  A short ferry ride took us to Penang.

We stayed at the Mingood Hotel in Georgetown, a historic city with many, many old buildings.  Unfortunately so many of the buildings are beyond repair, and as they are UNESCO listed, they must be left there.  The result is rather sad although you can glimpse what life must have been like with an abundance of glorious mansions. Walking around the city was fine at night, sidewalks were deemed a luxury so competed with the bikes and cars to work our way through the area and the occasional trishaw.

Malaysia celebrates a two day public holiday for Hari Raya and it was school holidays as well, so most places were not open, but certainly a lot of people around.

Headed up the Penang Hill to escape some of the heat and noise by funicular. The sanctuary of the hill proved to be a great respite and a wonderful view of the city.

Then onto the biggest Buddhist Temple in South East Asia (they all say that though) plenty of stairs, but well worth it.

As usual found plenty to eat and try along the way even making friends with the fried chicken guy across the road from the Hotel.

1 DNF

Now in Langkawi , arriving by Ferry from Penang 3 hours. Staying at the Citin Hotel and getting ready to relax and start diving.

Preparation begins

The house has sold, the boys are out, work has finished and now the adventure begins.

Settlement to happen on the 17th August and flying out on that day to Singapore as 13:50.