If you are reading this and the title really appeals to your sense of imagination then this will disappoint. I say disappoint in the sense that I really hope you don't read on as if too many people do then decide to go to this magical place then it will no longer be as magical and we all need to work out how to keep it so.
It was a late get up as the ferry did not depart til 11am, so i wandered into Mersing town to buy breakfast supplies and we lazed and packed up ready to join the fray at the port. Purchasing our tickets the night before seemed to have paid off and once we had then purchased our national park ticket to get onto the island we sat and waited til the movements of the masses indicated that the ferry would soon be loading. Omar was around again and after a look out to sea told me that the crossing would be ok....
We paid the inevitable fee for us loading our bikes on to the ferry and we headed out to sea through swells of 3-4ft and spray which I knew would test my brooks saddle. G nodded off to the movement of the boat and I watched the world go by including a barge of sand which towered at least 2 stories high headed down to Singapore, destined to reinforce another 'natural beach' or by sent on further around the globe.
The ferry arrived at the first drop off then made its way up the island, first impressions were awesome, a steep green spine of mountains running north to south with isolated villages clinging to the west coast only accessible by boat and some by foot. Our stop we had decided on the night before after much thinking was to be the main town of Teket. Now there is much out there on the interweb about this town and what we saw was extremely derogatory which actually is ok in that it means a few less people will come here and it will remain as unspoilt and as natural as it can in the 21st Century.
The island has a fascinating history, it is nearer Indonesia than Malaysia, founded a while back by 4 main families after a royal decree granted tracts of land to the first settlers and we met at least one of their descendants. Teket is the main town and on the left of the main jetty is what remains of the last attempt by the government to modernise the island, a promenade which is in part tiled and in part patched by concrete. The main port and jetty are new and still being finished along with a smart but questionably needed marina. There is a runway which provides flights for those in Singapore and KL who want a weekend away.
We off loaded our bikes, re packed and set off. Turning right at the end of the port road we headed down the concrete road past shops, restaurants (many closed for the refurbishment of the winter season), duty free stores and accommodation of every type and to suit most budgets. We were headed to Swiss Cottage, primarily because of the reviews and wanting our mini break and chill before the last leg of the journey and then home, to be as memorable as we possibly could make it.
We arrived amongst the palm trees to be greeted by a group of munchkins before we were able to check in to our beach side home for the next couple of days. I will leave the photos to do justice of where we found ourselves
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| The view to the left |
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| the view to the right |
Dinner at the chinese restaurant down the road was good and then it was back to base. Uninterrupted sleep was not for long as the heaving ocean outside the room was a sound to get used to.
24th January - Teket to Juara - 8km trek
Today we woke early to get out and up over the island via the jungle trek, a path that was originally cut by the Japanese during WW2 when Juara was the only inhabitable place on the island, and they were searching for places to store munitions. The path is a size 8 shoe wide and winds up the mountain through rainforest, it is a steep, in places stepped path that follows the route of the water feed to the island and the power cables, which in places are your only guide as to heading in the right direction.
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Boy was it hot and humid, we had taken 3 litres of water each and by the time we reached the intersection with the one road that goes over the island we were down to our last 1/4 each. The road down into Juara was passable by 4x4 only primarily due to the steepness and it tested ones ability to walk in a manner that did leave you with balloon bruised knees.
Juara was sleepy but we settled down to a hearty brunch and watched the waves rolling in across the almost deserted beach
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| The view from our brunch table |
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| now that is a beach |
25th January 2011
Lazy day started with breakfast and a long conversation with a Scottish couple and Peter, the intrepid Dutchman now residing in Chile on his way to see his sister in Bali for her 80th birthday. Peter is a retired professor of psychology who has a view on many things and enjoys sharing it. We also found out that staying in the next resort to ours was a world renowned forensic entomologist! Blog update writing and playing in the massive waves now rolling in filled the afternoon before dinner...at the same place as the nights before.
26th January 2011 - The aftermath
Last night Tioman was hit by the worst storm in 3 years, we heard a lot of it but strangely slept through. we opened the door this morning to see the beach covered in debris and one of the bungalows behind us having been the resting place for a large tree. Islanders were everywhere clearing up and we did our bit by heading along the beach with a rubbish bag and filling it with all things man made washed up and out by the wind and waves. We were watched by a family of monkeys
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| Diving instructors, fire dancing trainers, all round musicians and surfers |
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| as happy as a |
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