The Real Deal

After touching down in Singapore I headed straight for the train station, I had no real desire to stay in singapore for long. I hopped on a train and passed through the immigration and border checks into Malaysia without any problems and then it was just a matter of siting on a rickety old train for a couple of days through thick jungle until I got to Kota Bahru, the gateway town for the Perhentian Islands!

I was already enjoying the fact that everything was so cheap and then it got better. Before I left for the perhentions everyone i spoke to said not to go, they werent allowing boats over as the weather was too bad and sea was choppy. Also nothing was open as they were still repairing the damage caused by the monsoons.

This in mind, i hopped on a boat. It was possibly the scariest boat ride i wil ever have (Im sure it was going to snap in half more than once) but I made it and it was paradise. Fair enough, alot was still closed for repair and the island wasnt officially open yet but al this meant was that there were less tourists and all the prices were dropped. At first I though that I wouldnt be able to do my open water course here but luckily one dive school was open.

I spent mot days off on my dive course with Matt and Mary, a couple from the lake district, and Serene, an american girl. The evenings were spent on the other end of the beach sitting around the fire with the locals singing songs and drinking beers that they got from the mainland especially. (the rest of the island was dry).

This place realy was idilic and I was sad to leave, I stayed in the nicest resort on the island for a total of RM30 (5 pounds) a night. For this I got a chalet on the beach with air conditioning, a double bed, maid service and all the trimmings. By the end of my stay there I was a certified diver and a certified beach bum.

Well I had better head to the next beach.