Malaysia to Thailand
Koh Lipe, Thailand
I'm getting closer to getting caught up. I wish I could use the ferry travel time to write, but I'd be puking. I have to take something as it is.
We arrived in Penang from the ferry with plans to stay at a Homestay friend of Khalib's. I had memorized the route, but failed to notice One Way roads. Darn. That really messes me up and when cycling through a city, I hate to be messed up:).
But a quick look at a map and we're back on track. This guesthouse is on what appears to be a residential street. But perhaps it wasn't when two nights one of the houses appeared to be having a funeral service with tents off from the house, tables and covered chairs underneath, a small temple set up in the houses doorway and further back a coffin. Lots of chants and music too. At first glance we thought it was a wedding. They use a lot of color for both.
Penang was our city for collecting our visa for Thailand. While there we met the cutest young Dutch guy, Lukas, who has been bumming around the world for 1000 days. He recently bought a bicycle in Hobart, Australia and is cycling home to Holland. We had to apply in the morning, leaving our passports, and return in the pm to get them back. We hooked up in the pm with Lukas and went sightseeing through old Georgetown while Lukas experienced and photographed the "trike effect". He said it was fun to watch the reactions everyone had to us! It was fun hearing his interpretations on the fun and challenges of travel. Thanks, Lukas! It was fun sharing laughs with you. Safe and adventurous travels:))
We spent another day checking out ferry arrangements to Langkawi, an island to the north of Penang...and touring wealthy mansion museums and the historic architecture of Georgetown. Wish I'd had time to do som hiking but I'll have to save that for when I come back.
One of the different and interesting foods we had were apom...pancakes...actually crepes! The vendor had a cart with 6 pots of charcoal going and each had a crepe pan on it. He would cook 6 at once, like playing a musical instrument as he moved the lids from one to another, checked them and flipped them. Sold as a set of 6 served on a banana leaf for $1. Hard work!
The ferry was going to be a couple of hours so I took a Dramamine and after a short stint on deck, found a row of seats and crashed. I was really knocked for a loop.
Langkawi is quite a mountainous island and after landing we checked in the Information office to get the scoop. It was basically the town near this ferry terminal and the beaches on the west coast. I opted for the beach, but we decided to avoid the quieter coast road because it was hillier. Well, the drug was still in me and every time we stopped I struggled to stay awake. I was okay pedaling though. When we hit the beach strip we knew there were a lot of budget motels but the first 2 we stopped at we're full. And it was about 3 or 4 pm. I was getting concerned. This place was hopping! So when we found one with a room that could handle our bikes we took it. It was very industrial and basic. Not cheap either. $33 per night. But I needed sleep so as I crashed to sleep off that darn drug, Sylvia found a beach cafe with wifi.
Joining her later there for dinner was when I ate the salad. What was I thinking!!! I know better! Guess I was feeling invincible. Well about 4 hours later the problem began. That was Wed evening. Up most of the night in the bathroom or in bed barfing into a gallon ziplock. What a storm! And I'd gone to bed about 7:30. I didn't climb out of that bed until 12:30 the next afternoon.
By Friday I felt good enough to go with S to look for a new place to stay...and we found these cute bungalows for almost half the price...but with no A/C...just a fan. So now I'm sick and hot. Not a good combination. Using wet towels to try and cool my body down and a second, small fan that I brought I tried to sleep. This is just not a good place for a women with hot flashes. I'm trying to find ways to cope but it's not easy. And S hasn't really experienced this problem so I know she's having a hard time understanding how miserable I really am. I'm trying!
When I felt better we made plans to keep moving northward...by ferry. So the next stop was Koh Lipe, a tiny island in southern Thailand. The ferry guy actually drove us to the embassy office on Langkawi to get our passport stamped before hopping the afternoon ferry. We got to see a bit more if the island that way too!
This ferry was a speedboat for about 40 people but S and I and a young guy, Hus, from London were the only passengers. Our private yacht! The trikes were nestled in the bow and the stern. And we ride up on the now in the salty air! It was a beautiful day for an hour long cruise. Half tablet of D this time worked great and no sleepies.
That morning, since my little stomach issue was not going away, I started a course of Metronidazole. I had these tablets I'd ordered off the Internet last fall when I had that bout of Giardia. It was also the final antibiotic I used successfully in Nepal when I got the stomach bug there. So when this didn't clear up in a couple of days I decided to ATTACK!
So back to arriving in Thailand. As we're approaching we're not seeing a dock. Hmmm? How's this going to work? We have these bikes! Well, they back in almost to the beach and start hefting Myrtle over the stern with 2 guys carrying her to shore. Well that worked well, but Blaze is in the bow. They try to take her through the opening into the passenger area. Not gonna fit. So the next thing I see, they're carrying her around walking on the narrow gunnel to get her to the stern. After I gather my things and look up, Blaze is being carried to shore like royalty on this guy's shoulder!!
We're here! In Thailand! And it's beautiful!
After another immigration step done at the beach, with our passports being hustled off somewhere to be stamped again, we get the bikes and our gear off the beach and out of the blazing sun. By now, I'm dragging. I haven't eaten anything much in a couple of days and I'm thirsty and I'm coming apart at the seams. We have no Bhatt only Ringetts with us, but manage to get someone to sell me some water for a couple of ringett. We need to exchange some money to pay for a place to stay and we have to figure out where to go. There are no cars here, only scooters... some with sidecars. There's like a paved walkway across the island and sandy, ditched roads to other locations...like where we need to go. "Cheapest accommodations are in the middle...in the jungle." We look at the cheapest. One bed. Really primitive. Not doing it. The next jungle place is high-end and out of our budget. But we looked anyways. Very nice. Too steep for the bikes. So then we head to Sunrise Beach where we're told we should find something for around $20. Looking. Looking. Hard to figure out the funny map. We turn into Varin Village and the guy tells S there's one bungalow left. Lets look. Well we usually get 2 beds but had discussed we may need to share one sometime. Sometime is now. Cute bamboo bungalow one row back from the beach but there staggered so it works ...we have a view! Fan. Mosquito netting. $22.50. We'll take it!
BagLady
More pictures are posted at:
https://picasaweb.google.com/104890875270597877610
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