Tioman.
Ah, my trip to Tioman Island. I didn’t have much time there but every second spent was lovely. lol. I wanted to do a full elaborate review on where I stayed etc but I’ll keep this brief. You should all go and enjoy yourselves at Tioman instead of reading this silly little post!
So Mas and I took the Transnational bus to Mersing in the morning. The arduous journey was fraught with difficulties. Delays took the form of a flipped car, road constructions and heavy rains. The driver took this crazy trunk road through Kluang and it was quite a sight - plantations and cows. lol. I’m a city girl lah, I’m nature-deprived. I had my Ipod jammed in my ears throughout the trip while Mas slept. We got to the Mersing jetty and bought our ferry tickets. During this time Mas and I noted two grumpy looking Caucasian girls looking soooo miserable. Quite the contrast to us crazy Malaysians. Yes, we were even amused that they were grumpy. lol.
The Mersing jetty as we waited for the ferry. Nothing here is on time by the way. Ferries are always delayed.
From inside the ferry.
The ferry ride was tiring, we did not know it was two hours long until a ‘Pak Cik’ told us. Again, I zoned out to music while Mas slept. I envy her. I wish I could sleep in all these random places. lol. When we got to Air Batang stop, we got off the ferry and marvelled at the clear waters!! What a start but it was already evening so we quickly got to ABC (Air Batang Chalets) to check in our stuff. We were sooo hungry that I whipped out my emergency cup noodles as a snack before having dinner proper at the chalet’s restaurant. After a diet Coke and an omelette, Mas and I sat under the stars and talked. Then I had a shower and slept.
Woke up pretty early the next day and I was all ready to catch a tan! Put on my bikini and soaked up the sun. However, the clouds started billowing in so Mas and I had breakfast before hopping on a boat to Coral Island. The boat ride was lovely - I do love wind in my hair and the splashes of ocean water around me. We were in the same boat as Andre and Gronia - from Germany and Ireland respectively.
Welcome to ABC! lol.
We stayed in an air conditioned room for the first night. It faces the beach.
The other chalets located on the hill. What an awesome view for them!
I felt so bad for this four-legged grasshopper :( But as soon as I took this picture, it took a mighty hop and off it went on its merry way :)
Mmm. Tanning towards the direction of the sun and chalets. lol.
As the dark clouds appear …
Boats in sight.
Leaving ABC beach.
When we got to the island, we went swimming at the quiet end. After swimming, we were taken to a spot of rocks near Coral Island for them to snorkel. I did not snorkel cos I did not have powered goggles or contacts but I decided to take a dip anyway. It was not a good decision as I started to feel nauseated due to the bobbing up and down motion caused by waves created by the passing boats which splashed over the rocks etc. I clambered onto the boat and Joi, the boat driver, expressed regret that he did not have any nausea pills with him. Eventually, I puked a mouthful of Darwin knows what and I had a good laugh after as the fishes excitedly ate it all up. “What colourful fishes,” I thought! :) I’m glad the fishes benefitted from my sick. lol.
Gorgeousness!!!
I do love the waves.
What’s the story, morning glory? I really love the idea of plants growing on sand without the need for consistent earth etc.
An addition to my pictures of feet collection. lol.
Mas stepping in.
Joi then took us to Salang beach where I had lime juice to calm the stomach. I rested my head and let the warm breeze dry my wet, salty body. I felt better after a while and filled my stomach up with a cheese and tomato sandwich. It reminded me so much of Boop Cafe - this sandwich bar in Redland, Bristol - where I worked. I’ve almost forgotten this delightful combination for the perfect sandwich on a gorgeous sunny day. What was missing was a bottle of beer really. lol.
Volleyball at Salang beach, anyone?
Salang beach. Very popular with tourists.
Anyway, Andre wanted to go back to ABC in order to catch his flight back to KL on time. Mas and I concurred because both of us will not be able to take any more motion sickness-inducing activities. So we headed back to ABC and bid our adieus. Mas went to nap while I entertained myself by sleeping on the chalet’s verandah to soak up some pretty strong sun.
This lizard was attracted to Mas. lol.
We stayed in a cheaper, non-air conditioned room for the second night. It’s the first time ever that I’ve slept in a ‘kelambu’ (big mosquito netting draped over the bed). lol.
I woke up fairly toasted. lol. Just the way I like myself. I then had a shower and went for a walk with Mas to the nearby kampungs at Air Batang. I snapped some pictures of course. Mas was amused at my delight when I see Barisan Nasional or Umno flags around. It was weird. At that point in time I was trying to feel what it is like to be a ‘grassroot’ Umno supporter. What are the issues? What are their lives like? I write about grassroots so often that it was refreshing to be put in their shoes, well, sort of :)
Blue skies.
Nature and concrete.
Burger Slrrp. I thought this was so cute.
Primitive graffiti.
Air Batang jetty.
Vista.
Glisten. Like dancing lights in a distance.
Fastest vehicle here are motorcycles. So yes, kasi slow sikit.
I was not longer in Pakatan land. So I sang ‘Inilah Barisan kita’ secretly :)
The sun was beaming throughout, we both had a popsicle and picked up some snacks from a few small tuck shops that line the little paveway between the houses and beach. Mas decided to go to the beach to sleep while I caught up on my reading. I think I nodded off a little bit later, the calming sounds of waves crashing ashore did the trick for me :)
Sunset!
We had dinner a bit later. It was BBQ chicken and squid, some rice and chips and stir fried vegetables. Gronia joined us later and we shared some stories. It was great fun, lots of stories and exchanges. Soon after I went to rest my head while Mas and Gronia carried on with their misadventures late into the night. lol.
We woke up pretty early the next day to catch the ferry back to Mersing. Mas got sick. Well, me too, sort of but nothing came out. Sorry fishes! lol. Again I stuffed the two little white Ipod headphones into my ears and psyched myself to think I was on a plane going through some turbulence. Hahaha. It worked a charm and I made it back to land perfectly fine. Phew.
From the jetty.
Bye Tioman!
Turquoiseness.
As we had a about 1.5 hours to kill, we had brunch. Since I was in Johor, I had to eat lontong. I love lontong. I really don’t know why. Must be the vegeliciousness of it and the play of sambal with yummy sayur lodeh stew. Mmmm. It was also interesting to note that I bumped into Alicia, a former colleague from Starbucks from way back when. I haven’t seen her for about 5 years now, it was amazing! We actually started working at the same time and we were pretty close then.
Lontong. Must learn how to make this. Who knows good lontong in PJ?
The bus was punctual and I was very pleased with that. The journey back was a little more interesting. The driver actually took town and trunk roads all the way to the Seremban exit into the North-South Expressway. We were going through Kuala Pilah where we stopped at this restaurant in the middle of nowhere where it cost 20 sen to use the washroom. We thought the driver most probably gets a free meal from the owner for bringing a bus load of visitors there!! We also passed a Python Park and a siew pau empire and a Senawang Giant. lol. Random, I know.
Pay 20 sen or you shall not pass (motion). lol.
Just to illustrate how in the middle-of-nowhere we were at the ‘restoran yang tak ada nama’. lol.
We eventually reached Puduraya by 7pm or so and we made our way to Pasar Seni LRT where I boarded the train back to home :) That was my trip. I didn’t do much but that was the point - to just get away and do nothing but soak up the sun, sea, sand and self :) I’m planning my next holiday. Will share those thoughts sometime later!
Hope you enjoyed the pictures! x
Contacts:
- Transnational: (603) 2031 1430, (607) 799 3155. KL to Mersing is RM23 one way. Call to check for schedule. Tickets must be purchased from counters.
- Air Batang Chalets: Hafaz (013 739 2200, 013 922 0263, 013 715 7798, 09-419 1154) Rates available in website.
AC rooms are RM150 a night complete with hot shower and tea/coffee making facilities.
Non-AC rooms are RM50 a night with a kelambu :)
- Bluewater Express Ferry services: (607) 799 4811, (607) 799 8518. Mersing to Tioman is RM35 one way. Never on time by the way and watch out for touts.