The island is called Pangkor Laut and the resort owns the whole island although only a fraction of it is used. The rest is beaches, steep hills and jungles, of which more later. The accomodation is out of this world and included a marble bath outside the suite about 7 ft square and 4 foot deep. Only Chris, my grandson, used it and he turned on the taps got fed-up waiting, went and had a meal and, when he got back, it was deep enough to use!!
This is one of the public spaces.
There are some private villas on the island and a helicopter pad. Pavarotti was very fond of the island and had one of the private villas. The resort is very proud that.
And there are lots of these. The terracotta pot is fitted with a shallow glass dish in which flowers are floated in water. Every design is different and the flowers are replaced every day. They are placed besides the paths and, at night, there is a light switched on in the base of pot.
There are lots of hornbills. These ones are about 20 inches high and there was a flock of 15 or so living in the gardens. Not at all frightened of humans and very interested in food. Cherry tomatoes and bananas.
There are reputedly even bigger ones living on the other side of the island but they live in the tree tops of the jungle and are very shy of humans.
On Wednesday I opted for the 'Nature Walk'. This turned out to be an energetic trek through a very hilly jungle with a lot of other people. So many people that any wildlife kept well out of sight - except for beautiful red butterflies in the clearings where a tree had fallen down. It was very hot - about 30 degrees and airless in the jungle and a major exercise in climbing. When we reached the top, there was a rest house and some poor member of staff had brought up bottles of water plus ice. Going down the other side was even worse, like going down face outwards on a very steep ladder. When we reached the end, on the other side of the island, the family were all there drinking in the bar and I was drinking iced Tiger beer in seconds!! The beach there was wonderful. No-one lives over there. There is a bay with fine white sand and shells. The trees (some stewartias) grow right down to the beach and all the loungers were in the shade. There was a nice breeze. This beach faces away out to sea, away from the main land.
On Thursday most of us went to spa where we had a Japanese bath-house experience and a Malay massage.
This is a banana boat which will take six people, in order from the left, Chris, Robin, Charlotte, Ruth, Laura and Tom. Apart from there not being room for seven, I refused to go and was appointed official photographer. So I got to go in the speed boat. Above we are just setting out from the island.
Leaving them all in the water.
Some people were better at getting back on to the banana boat than others. I haven't laughed so much for ages. Because their boat was going up and down and the speedboat was going down and up, I just kept taking pictures. Only two photos were hopeless.
Seen on the way back to KL. You just can't get away from them.
Friday was spent packing and not getting everything in. I have bought too many books. I ended up borrowing a small case from Ruth. Air Asia has a baggage weight limit but no limit on the number of suitcases. Got into Stansted at 0915 pm and was in a taxi going home by 1015. I slept well once home. But did not sleep well last night, and only got four hours sleep. But I reorganised the photos, wrote this blog, watched one of Design Matters TV programs and am about to go and finish off the weaving of the last shibori piece.
It was a good holiday and I don't know which bit I enjoyed most.
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