Singapore/Malaysia causeway in rush hour. But for others life is never rushed.
Malaysia continues to shower us with amazing hospitality. Melaka Marina staff welcomed us back like long lost friends. When Daryl asked them about where to go to hire a bike their reply is “Where you want to go? I take you. When you want to go?” It’s as easy as that. However finding the marine parts he needed was another story. Way up the coast he went without avail but did end up having a beer with the store owner and a promise of a dinner out at his wife’s restaurant.
Traditional dancers at Melaka reception.........................Daryl doing the thank you on behalf of the cruisers.
Looking across Melaka city
Maritime museum replica ship..............................Cool Bananas in Melaka marina.
Kite flying a daily activity in the park beside the marina.
We know we risk life and limb to stay in the Melaka Marina with it’s ineffective sea walls and it’s flimsy docks but we love Melaka. Each time we come we visit a few more museums and discover treasures down different backstreets. Melaka Tourism put us on a fuss giving us a reception of food and cultural dancing, organised a tour and treated us to a seafood meal in an outlying fishing village.
The popular river cruise..
Daryl had the last of his dentistry done and after a few days of feeling he had too many teeth in his mouth is now comfortable with the new bridges. The dentists parting words were “now you are all fixed, unlike your wife…..” Another time maybe I’ll pluck up courage to let her loose in my mouth.
The fan is a pactical cooling device..........Daryl and Chris trying to fathom the magic tricks in Chinatown
Next stop Danga Bay, Johor Bahru. I still can’t work out why we yachties are so special that it warrants the marina being free and us paying only a nominal amount for power and water. Danga Bay is a touristy part of Johor Bahru so we were treated to restaurants and shops at our fingertips, where the locals and tourists wandered on the balmy evenings. The majority of the tourists are made up of local Malaysians holidaying and Singaporians that come across to take advantage of cheaper prices.
Johor Bahru at night.......................................................Early morning view from the boat
We realise how quiet and calm the teenagers are, with an absence of general ‘hooning ‘and attention seeking behaviour. There’s no bad language to be heard, no promiscuous behaviour, no influence of alcohol and no graffiti. But they are here in their droves socializing ‘til the early hours. The waterfront has an amusement park and it was lovely to watch the families and young people out for some ‘simple fun’. Due to the heat during the day it seems that even young children stay up late to enjoy the coolness of the evenings. For us, if we are honest, it is another big Malaysian city and not our favourite destination for any length of time. But it is not without the typical Malaysian hospitality and Sazli (the rally organizer) said to us ‘this is not a rally for those that want to diet!!’ The rally dinner was seven courses and fit for a wedding banquet. Such hospitality.
We joined the camaraderie of the rally by organizing a photo competition with the purpose of getting to see the best of what others have taken during the rally and it also gives Sail Malaysia (the sponsor) some good promotional material. So we need to keep clicking!!!
I then duck off the rally scene and wing my way back to NZ for a whirlwind trip to celebrate my Mum’s 80th birthday and to meet the latest addition to the family, Mason.
Daryl solo sails his way, in day hops, around Singapore and up the east coast stopping at Desaru for a few days and then on up to Tioman Island. Daryl’s phone calls to me take a turn and now include phrases like- crystal clear water, swimming, diving, snorkeling, colourful coral and masses of fish, beach bbqs and beach bars. Now that is sounding like our sort of place and makes the pull away from NZ a little easier.
Straits between Singapore and Malaysia.................Homestay village in Desaru
My sister Rachel and I fly together to Melbourne and it is lovely to spend a night with her and gaining a small insight into her life in Melbourne city. Rachel lives in a quaint 1860’s terrace house in the Coberg district, probably built to house the families of the nearby Coberg prison inmates!! I borrow a woolen singlet and a scarf and battle the chilling winds with her down to the local shops to get the groceries (and some Greek bakery treats). Later we caught the tram into Brunswick to meet up with our niece Kimberley and partner Andrew for dinner.
What a week –Sunday in Hamilton NZ, Monday in Auckland, Tuesday in Melbourne, Wednesday in Singapore and then ahhhhhh Thursday in Tioman Island. Now I too can enjoy the blue waters, swimming and snorkeling. Sazli has warned us that every year they lose a few rally participants to this place and that we must be strong and move on when the time comes….we will try to keep this in mind even though it is 6 months or more since we have seen water this clear.
Mum with her four daughters ..................................... Cooper with his favourite cousin Ashlee
Mum with her grandchildren.......................................Our two gorgeous daughters
Matt and Jason.............................................Kelly with 8 wk old Mason
Daryl is keen to show me around as he ‘knows the ropes’ having been here for a few days already. The Chinese restaurant owner greets Daryl with ‘how many of you tonight?’ Impian food store has the best vegetables but its pot luck when they get the fresh arrivals. Daryl has had a recommendation for pizza from the little bakery so he makes a special trip in on Friday lunchtime only to be told “sorry no pizza today, baker at the mosque praying”. It pays to be flexible in this lifestyle. We just get to know a place and then we are moving on. We are now anchored in an idyllic bay, Daryl’s gone for a dive with Fi, snorkelling this afternoon and we’re having sundowner drinks on the beach again tonight. What more could you want?
Ahhhhhh first morning back on the boat.....................Its great to be back in the water
Sea urchins with fluro blue features.............................Yellow nemos for a change
