Perhentian part 2 - Blogabond

I met some really interesting people on the island:
- one guy had spent the last 15 months travelling to this point from England overland. The southern route too - which took him through Iran and Pakistan, and along the Afghanistan border. He reckoned Iran was the most friendly place he's been to.
- another had been travelling for a year and plans to for another 4 or 5. He saved up this money by working as an environmental spy on an oil rig. To do this he had to have a legitimate job on the rig, and got paid shit loads for both. After 4 years of doing this (2 weeks on the rig, 2 weeks off), he'd managed to save 40,000 pounds.
- bizzarely, 2 guys, travelling completely separately, who'd both been in the British under 18 gymnastics squad, and lived at Lilleshall for a few years. Queue drunken acrobatics on the beach at night.
- a Canadian guy who was a pilot in the Yukon (in the North of Canada). He had to fly supplies to various scientific and explorative camps, and absolutely loved his job as he got to spend all day with birds' eye views of the deserted wilderness.

The damage caused by a locked out Ollie

The doors to our chalets were locked by just a small padlock, with a tiny key that i was inevitably going to lose. When this did finally happen, in my attempt to break back into my room, I managed to put my foot through the wall. I eventually found the key underneath the chalet. I tried to hide the damage by pushing the broken plank back into place. It seemed to work.

Richard Keys and Brian Clough.

I also managed to spot a fair amount of nature in my time on the island. I had 2 ghekos; Richard Keys and Brian Clough, guarding my room each night, and they stayed in exactly the same place. I liked them. There were also more monkeys, monitor lizzards, and what I swear were pygmi squirrels. I need someone to check that last one out for me though.

I'm now back in Kota Bharu, and will be heading off to the national park in the middle of Malaysia; Teman Nagara, tomorrow, for more animal fun. The 'Jungle railway' to the park leaves the station near Kota Bharu at 6am. It's going to be an early night.

written by

olliejohnson on September 25, 2006 from Kota Baharu, Malaysia

from the travel blog: A man from Cockshutt.

Send a Compliment

Hi Ollie!

I am mates with your big sis, i'm Alex. She sent me the link for your blog so i couldnt resist a gander as i did a simular trip a few years ago. I agree with your appreciation of the bread in Laos and the pastries too!! Heads up, if you get to Cambodia the french did a bit of invading there too so all its all good for bread and fancies there, oh yes! :)

Zoe said you were going to Perth at some point, My girlfriend (who is ozzie) and me are moving there in Feb so give us a shout if you want a friendly, if not too familiar face to Hook up with! There no monkeys to harrass but plenty of roos to go after!

written by Alex Hughes on October 4, 2006

Wow- what amazing photo's! Certainly livens up a dull grey day here in England. I see that Mr Squirrel (who i cunningly despatched to keep an eye on you on your travels) didn't fool you with his pygmi disguise. I shall tell him that he has to be more inventive next-time in his costumes, although quite understandably he didn't want to go for the monkey disguise- due to your intense- albeit fair- dislike of them.
Al- you do realise that if you invite one of the clan, before you know it you'll have the whole johnson/ manley brood on your doorstep!!

written by Zoe of Briz on October 5, 2006

Mr Squirrel had better keep clear of spider disguises too as our inveterate itinerant is none too keen on them either! Watch out Australia!!

written by Old man of Cockshutt on October 12, 2006

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