Chapter Eight: Tioman Islands, the place where time doesn't exist

Tioman Island, the place where time doesn't exist.

After the race I  went to the hotel. I missed the concert of Usher, I can live with that. Packing and than the nightbus to Mersing, it is a 6 hour ride. The ferries leave in the morning, so therefor the nightbus. 
Fun thing about travelling to new parts of a country that you don't know, is that you need to improvise. You hope that you have booked the right ticket, you hope that you can buy a ticket for the ferry (couldn't book them online), you hope that you return on the day you want to (due to the tides) you hope that your plan works as you planned, you hope...

I arrived at 05.00 in mersing, pitch black, everything closed. There you are standing with some other travellers at the bus station. What to do? I wish I could have said that I slept in the bus, but no. So I am awake for almost 24 hours and with at least 8 / 10 hours in front of me. I use my sleeping back, which I never used, as a pillow. These are the moments that you are glad that you didn't throw that thing away. Surprisingly the town comes to life at 06.00, restaurants open and it is getting lighter and around 07.00 I knew that a ticket for Ferry wasn't an issue. There were 4 ladies, who arrived at 03.00!! and we hooked up, lucky me. Also travelling on their one, backpackers, one from Malaysia, the philipines, Spain and of course the Netherlands. After a delicious roti sipang for 3 ringgit, 0.60 euro, we learned that the ferry was leaving around 10.30. 
We all stayed on different parts of the island. You need to take a water taxi to reach the all the parts of the island, almost than, I stay at a remote place but a car took me to the other site of the island. The road was over a mountain and in some places the road was 45% steep, you have the feeling that the car will tip over. The best way to describe this island is that it is a rock, 1.200 meters high, covered with rainforest, here and there a waterfall, little ones and than on the edge of the island places with marvelous beaches.

The beaches, the water crystal clear, the weather, everything is perfectly situated to do relax things and most important; chill. Yep I can stay here for a week, that won't be a problem.
After Arrival and check in, sleeping in the hammock. I stay in beach shack chalet. It is a simpel place made from wood, but that is all I need, directly on the beach. No hot water, not a problem it is warm anyway, no airco, no problem now I can hear the sea, no wifi, the birds and bats will sing to me. I just adapt so quickly to the lifestyle and adopt the habits that are common here. Don't worry, be happy. From 14.00 till 18.00 everything is closed near and around the chalet, most of the employees are sleeping.

Snorkling is superb, many fish who are swimming curious around you and even sharks, blacktip sharks, tiny, but nevertheless great to see. Snorkling, hiking, visiting waterfall, it was all on the menu. But to see a bit more from the island, I took the watercap to get around, and that was a good decision...

The best way to describe my mood is as follows; I am liying in my hammock, I hear something drop from a tree, I wonder what it is, a banana, a cocosnut. I try to open the lid of my eye...mhh, that is an achievement on its own. I still lie in my hammock, I think for a couple of minutes if I want to check out the sound....after ten minutes I wake up, still didn't made a decision, I don't want to think anymore, let it go...the sound of the sea takes it over..

My neighbour is an academic from sweden, extremely boring stories about everything I don't want to hear, a good excuse to visit the ladies. I stayed 2 days in salang, this part can only be reached by a water taxi. I became very good friends with Ilyiana, I learned more about the local rituals and behaviors. Like all the travelers I have met, everybody got his / hers own story. Some to personal to describe or to mention, eye-openers at the least. It makes my problems extremely tiny. I thought I needed some time on my own to figure things out, but it seems that getting around with others is the best remedy. Perhaps I will write something down when I have found the right words. On the other hand you should realize this is my public diary. As always, the devil is in the upmost and personal details...
We meet again when I am in KL, she has 23 cats, unbelievable but cool. Do I like cats, definitely! Bizar thing about the cats in this part of malaysia is that many have a tail that has been cut. A lot of Chinese believe that cats with long and original tails give bad luck.  

The weather Gods are on my side. I burned my back, and the next day it was clouded, nice! I walked to a waterfall, just hearing how the water fell. Yes Tioman is one of the treasures that is not yet been flushed with tourists. Most likely in 20 years it is, as of most other places. But if you are up to for something different, chill, but still taste the local atmosphere, Tioman is place to be.

After 5 days going back to KL, due to the low tides there are no ferries going back to Mersing. The ferry will drop us off at another place and there we need to find a buss stop, not a station, but stop (a sign on the road). The bus would leave around 17.30, so if the ferry leaves at 13.00, 17.30 shouldn't be a problem. Right, 13.00 became 15.30, a close call. I won't describe the drama at the pier, but the locals take their time. Finally when the ferry arrived in jantung gemok, I ran to the bus stop. On my way I asked the locals or cap drivers. Where is the bus stop? "No bus stop sir, only in Mersing, one hour drive, I'll take you". After 5 of these fruitless conversations, I just started running with my backpack of 17 kilo's, 33 degrees....I talked earlier about the city of smells....things are becoming clearer now..
Spoke to some other locals and I finally received the bus stop. They said it was 700 meters, but after every 50 meters you ask someone else. Didn't want to make a mistake, the next bus would leave at 22.00.

It is a journey full of contrasts, after 5 days without hot water, it is nice to experience the other site, and what a site it was. I have never been in a infinity pool before. After a twelve hour journey I was happy that I had found a massive deal online, Airbnb, nice apartment, really cool pool. I got a little fear of heights and the pool creeps me out a bit. There's no railing and you have the feeling that you could be flushed over the edge. 
This pool is located on the 51st floor, with a view....just see the pictures. An impressive place to invite some people.

Next stop Bali, visiting an old Spanish friend.