Back To The Mainland

My stay at Riverview Lodge was drawing to an end - seemed like I had been there for a long time, and at the same time it seemed like I just got there! Funny how that often is when you travel!
It was a beautiful morning and I went for a paddle up the river one last time - and then took a quick swim, before I packed up my stuff, so I could be ready to take the 4-wheeler back over to Tekek with the Swiss couple, Barbara and Lukas, who were on a flight a couple of hours before me. We had talked about sharing the ride at dinner the night before, and after checking with Richard - the manager at Riverview - we made the final plans. It would give me an opportunity to check out Tekek, before leaving, so I thought that would be a good opportunity, not to mention saving some money for all of us.

I had a nice chat with Richard about his organisation Little Planet - www.ourlittleplanet.org and we discussed possibly adding an art workshop of some sort to his array of customized outdoor education programs for international schools throughout South East Asia. Food for thought for sure!

We said Goodbye to Richard and set out with the same driver I drove over with - and Barbara and Lucas opted to sit with the luggage in the back of the pickup, so they could enjoy the ride in the open air - I opted for the more comfy front seat! It was the same routine - changing vehicle at the top where they were still working on repairing the road, and soon we were at the Tekek airport, we said "Auf Wiedersehen" and "Safe Travels" - we had already exchanged emails - and I set out on foot along the shore toward ABC beach which I was told was about 1/2 hours walk. There was construction going on of a big, very fancy-looking new promenade and pier - looked to me like they had just ruined a nice long stretch of beach!
It was pretty hot walking mid-day, so when I reached the beach on the other side of a rocky outcropping I stopped and had a nice, cold mango smoothie, before heading back. When I got to the new pier I got a ride in a rickety old van with a chinese couple, and I was dropped off at the airport. The airport is tiny, no services, so I just walked around a bit, checked on my backpack which I had dropped off earlier at one of the offices - it had company of a few more backpacks, but was safe and sound.
In general it seemed like theft was not something one had to worry about much at all on Tioman Island - that's what Richard had told me previously, when I inquired as to the safety of leaving things.

Finally it was time to check in, and soon I was on my way back to Kuala Lumpur, and I was excited to see Annabelle, Marianne and John again and hear what they had been up to while I was gone and tell them about my Tioman adventures!

Up The River By Kayak Take Two

The next morning I awoke to the choir of birds and critters of the jungle - it was a beautiful morning, and I decided to explore the possibilities for kayaking and snorkeling. I walked along the beautiful and litter-free beach! What a nice change from Bali where litter was abundant!
I didn't see anyone next door where the ocean kayaks were lined up, so I continued down the beach to the pier and talked with the guys there - among them my driver from the day before. One of the guys said he was in charge of the sea kayaks, and suggested I meet him at 2 PM - it would be better kayaking then? Why - the tide would be up, well, not one to argue with local knowledge, I agreed to 2 PM. I spent the rest of the morning painting, and then went over to the kayaks at 2 PM. A couple of guys were there, and I was soon set up with a kayak, paddle and spray skirt, and one of them said he would be my guide, ok! I didn't mind, and said that was fine, so we set out. (The tide was not up, and it was a bit windy, which is typical of the afternoon, but as I said earlier, I didn't want to argue with local knowledge!) My guy was but a young kid, teenager, and he set out with a vengeance - urging me "faster, faster"!! I told him I was not up for a race, I wanted to watch for birds and wildlife and enjoy the scenery - to no avail - he kept paddling like mad! I took my camera and binoculars out, and pretty much ignored him. When I spotted an eagle or osprey - and looked in my binoculars to see if I could identify it, he paddled over to me and wanted to know what I was looking at - I tried to explain. Then he started up with his "faster, left, right, left right" again - I must admit I was getting just a tiny annoyed! He stopped again, and when I got closer he said" Me very very tired!" I just smiled and shook my head at him.
As he started up again paddling around the outcropping at the end of the bay, I lost sight of him for a moment, but knew it would be even windier out there, so I was careful, as I had my camera out. As I came around what do I see but my "expert" paddler capsized! I could see he was fine, close to the shore, so I headed over to the lee side, to get my camera and binoculars back in the dry bag, and then headed over to him. By then he had finally managed to get back in the kayak, and said "I just went for a little swim!" Yeah, right - and now I want to paddle the river I told him, it's too windy here to take photos. So he said to me: "You paddle river, I go home study English!" I thought that was a good idea, and off he went, and up the river I went!

I had a lovely paddle on the river, going up as far as I could, before turning around. I saw several birds - among them the beautiful blue and turquoise belted kingfisher, and an iguana swimming ashore - I had seen it swim the day before, but wasn't sure what it was, because I had only seen it in the water with the head sticking up. Now there was no doubt as I saw it get up the riverbank flicking it's long tongue!
Soon after I look up in one of the big trees overhanging the river - and spot something! Could it be a snake? I find it in my binoculars, and sure enough a rather big python coiled up taking a nap between two branches! When you see a python in a tree, you know you're in the jungle! I got some good photos of it - too bad I couldn't see the head, but admired the pattern on the body, which really blended with the colors of the tree - I was quite proud to have spotted it! I met a girl in a kayak as she was heading back on the river also, so of course I had to point out the snake to her (after I had assured her it was absolutely safe!) She was from Holland, and was volunteering at the local turtle hatchery. I made a note of it, as I wanted to stop by to see it the following day.

When I got back in from my paddle the Swiss couple that had just checked in were sitting and enjoying the evening and we chatted a bit. As I went in to my room to drop off my binoculars I spot a band of monkeys just across on the opposite bank of the river! Grabbing my camera I stop by the front porch to tell Lukas and Barbara, so they could see the monkeys too! What a great day it had been!

During the night we had a huge thunderstorm that woke me up, and it continued into the morning hours - so I knew my plans of a snorkeling trip out to Coral Island probably wouldn't be a good idea - I checked with the boat driver - when he finally showed up - and he confirmed that it would probably not be a good day for snorkeling, so I decided to explore the village instead.

Up The River By Kayak Take One

I decided there was no time like the present to explore the river, so after a quick swim in the crystal clear waters just outside the Lodge I dragged one of the small sit-on-top kayaks that Richard had told me were available for Riverview guests, and soon I paddled up the river, slowly, trying to keep my camera out of the water and looking around in amazement at the jungle that unfolded complete with the jungle chorus at full blast in the late afternoon!
I decided to rent one of the "real" ocean kayaks the next day to explore both ocean and river in a kayak where I could more easily maneuver and keep my camera out of harms way.
As the night fell clouds started to accumulate and I could hear and see a thunderstorm approaching, so I went down the beach to the closest restaurant to get some dinner before the rain started. It was a chinese place, and I had a nice simple meal with rice and spicy chicken - and soon I headed back to my cottage, to make an early night. I was tired from the trip, and the night before we had been out to a delicious dinner downtown Kuala Lumpur, with lovely views of the Petronas Towers and the water fountain - and plenty of wine!
Even though Marianne and John had been sure to sent me off with a great bottle of wine, I thought it would be nice to give my liver a chance to recuperate, so I stayed with the mineral water offered at the chinese restaurant!
I soon fell asleep to the pitter-patter of the rain on the roof and the thunder rumbling in the distance!

Getting To The Other Side

I was brought to the airport in style by John's driver, and soon boarded the 4-propeller flight bound for Pulau Tioman on the East Coast of Malaysia. It was discovered by Hollywood back in the 1950-ties and was used for filming the movie "South Pacific". Luckily this beautiful island in the South China Sea is still fairly unspoiled and is beautiful as ever. The sea around Tioman Island is a marine park much like the Monterey Bay, and it is home to both the green turtles and the hawksbill turtles.

The flight took about an hour, and soon we were landing on the little landing strip by the palm studded beach of Tekek.

Of course, I wanted it as remote and un-touristy as possible, so I had arranged to be driven by 4-wheel drive over the mountainous jungle to the other side of the island to stay at the tiny village on the Juara Lagoon. My driver was easy to spot with his homemade cardboard sign with my name on - he looked to be around 14! However, he was a very capable driver as he navigated the pickup up the very narrow, windy road. About halfway up there were about half a dozen men working on the road where it had been washed out by the rains earlier in the year, so I was told to get out and walk a couple hundred yards to another pickup parked on the other end of the repair zone. Soon we were headed down the mountain on a dirt road through thick jungle - the jungle sounds were amazing! If you closed your eyes you would know you were in the jungle listening to the exotic choir and feeling the hot, humid air! We reached the village of Juara and took a left turn at the only street in town, and at the end was the entrance to Riverview Lodge, where I was going to spend the next 3 nights!

I met Richard who showed me my little cottage sitting right on the shore of the river mouth, he gave me a towel and a sheet, filled up the little round foot bath at the entrance to wash off the sand before entering, and I was set! Keys? No, don't use keys here!
I got myself settled, got the fan going, and went about exploring the area. It truly was a stunning setting, the water crystal clear and warm and there was no doubt, it was remote and low key! Best of all - kayaks! I knew I would like it here!