It somehow took almost 24 hrs to get from Taman Negara to the Perhentian Islands - 2 trains, 4 buses and a boat to get somewhere maybe one hundred kms away (at least partially my fault) ... the effort, however, was worth it so I decided to extend my stay and learn to Scuba dive.The Islands are currently all that tropical islands should be ... including being laid back and low on development (the only way to turn off the light in my bungalow was to remove the 20W globe). Although the local government is doing something to maintain control (apparently taking to a couple of illegal stores with chainsaws), it looks as though the Islands will suffer the same fate as many others - the laid back appeal will strangle itself (there is currently a project that will double the accommodation on the quiet each on which i stayed).
One of the strange things i found here (and in other places since) is the inability to grasp niche markets or diversify - it seems each restaurant has exactly the same menu, like wise all the snorkeling trips run the same 5 reef deal ... kinda sucks... almost have to buy Malay food on the black market! (My camera broke while at the Perhentians, kinda liberating, so future photos will be of the Nokia variety)
2 comments:
hey matey!
hope all is well.
glad to see your above average organisational skills are coming to the fore!
I am in the process of writing you an email, so something to look forward too :)
Ah, got your email, interesting ... I ended up on a train in which the light and fan fittings were purely ornamental making for interesting travel through the tunnels, hope all works out at the glen. stay tender
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