Malazier - Day 5
Part of the trip -
Malazier
One man, a backpack and a lazy stroll through Malaysia
It looks like I spoke too soon. It would appear that, like an Essex girl, last night’s dinner was determined to give me problems, not just in the morning, but also through the night. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated the high standard of the Royale Chulan Hotel’s porcelain today. I had been very much looking forward to the amazing breakfast, but could only handle a bread roll. They certainly got value for money out of me.
I finally decided that I had to head to the railway station to begin the long trek out to the airport. I would just have to risk it and hope for the best. Kuala Lumpur International Airport is named that way only because it is in the same state as the capital. It is 45km south of the city and pretty easy to get to by the fast train. Unfortunately, I was flying from the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) and that is a different story altogether. That involves a slow train and then a bus which appeared to take me most of the way back to Melaca.
I managed to check in and get through security easily enough just in time to be able to test out the quality of the facilities at the airport. There was one cubicle left and it was empty for a very good reason. But, like the last drunk people at the pub at 2am, I had to go with what was left. This involved wading in there and wiping the foot marks from the seat. It really did look like someone had had a shower not too long before me. But it did the trick and I was soon back in the departures lounge fishing through my bag and wondering how security missed the pocketknife at the bottom of my hand
luggage.
Having spent a year or two in the airline trade, I am always a little sceptical of Low Cost Carriers. But, I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by Air Asia. The ground staff were professional and courteous. Upon boarding, the crews uniforms looked to be made of natural materials and the crew themselves were over the age of eighteen and looked like people you could trust in an emergency. The soft red furnishings certainly made a nice change from being screamed at by Oranges and Yellows. I would love to tell you more about the flight but I slept for most of it and hoped that if I spent most of the flight in the toilet, that there might at least be a window. The one
thing that did intrigue me was that you can buy QPR shirts on board. This place sure is a far cry from West London, but the world is definitely getting
smaller.
Sandanak is a very much different place from the Malaysian mainland. Upon arrival, I had to show my passport and they gave me a nice new stamp. The pace of life is very much slower and after picking up my bags, I expected to have to go through another battle of wills with the taxi drivers. They showed very little interest in me and I finally made myself understood as to where I wanted to go. He agreed the expected price immediately and we set off. I was almost a little bit disappointed.
The ride itself was a good twenty kilometres and cost me all of seven pounds. Much to my relief, the driver spoke very little English and was intent on playing his cheesy local music instead. Given the day I had had, I really was not in the mood for small talk, or any talk for that matter. The drive accentuated the lack of infrastructure here compared to the mainland. Roads were narrower and had more divots than my golf game. It also became clear
that there is a great deal of pressure on land here. There were countless areas next to the road where the forest was being cleared and every second vehicle was a digger. I guess most people don’t make much money out of forests.
I am now safely in place at Paganakan Dii Retreat and to say it is a little basic is like saying Boris Johnson is slightly odd. My room looks over a forested valley and the bathroom is outside. I am not sure if it will be me or the wildlife that will get the bigger shock when I am showering in the morning. There is no glass and the walls are wooden sliders that open up to the world. I think I am going to be happy here for the next three nights.
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