Day 146-7 - "The problem with doing nothing, is that it's hard to tell when you are done"

Day 146 (Sunday 9th) - Not a lot

I spent far too long last night reading, in fact I finished my book at about 2am. I wandered down the beach and found David and Mathilda sunbathing, so I joined them and promptly dozed off for a while - when I awoke they had gone. I went to the minimart which rents books, and got out The Stranger At The Pallazzo D'Oro by Paul Theroux, who I have been wanting to read since finishing Call Of The Wierd. It's really good, although I was led to believe he was a travel writer, whereas this is a (fairly explicit) tale set in Sicily about a strange relationship between a young student and a Countess, as well as a few short memoirs (fictional, I think) and other stories. Eva went diving and surfing today - the former was a bit rubbish due to poor visibility, and I hadn't realised that the latter was really an option here, so I might have a go tomorrow. While she was surfing she met a Malay guy who invited her (and her friends) to a party of sorts over on Long Beach. After dinner and some cards we headed over, but completely failed to find them, so we just had one (rather unpleasant tasting) beer and headed back over to this side, where we sat around a bonfire listening to the guy from Fatimah Chalets (who has a very grumpy and unfriendly looking english wife/girlfriend) playing Guitar. Eva, David and Mathilda are all leaving tomorrow, for Kuala Lumpur and a surfing town down the coast which I forget the name of. I think I'm going to head off on Tuesday, to Cameron Highlands or the Taman Negara. Some research is necessary...

Day 147 (Monday 10th) - Research

I'm fairly sure I have decided to go to the Taman Negara, however due to my limited time I don't think I can take the Jungle Railway, which is a big disappointment. If I take it I have to spend the night before in Kota Bharu, then a night in Jerantut as the last boat for the park leaves at 2 pm, and the train doesn't arrive until half three, assuming it's on time (which it won't be). Instead I think I'll get the 8 am ferry tomorrow morning, then the 10:00 am bus straight down to Kuala Tahan, which is the base camp for the park, or so I've been told. I'll stay there one or two nights, before getting the night train to Kuala Lumpur for a day or two, then on to Singapore before flying to Bali. I think I can always change my flight from the 18th to the 22nd if I find either city particularly engaging. Yes, that's what I'll do, and this afternoon I think I'll try some surfing.