Changing States

Kuala Lumpur is nice, but few cities deserve more than a few days to themselves. I would’ve liked to visit more around KL—and all over Malaysia, for that matter—but I didn’t want to have to run, so settled for a single destination: Pulau Perhentian, the Perhentian Islands.

I woke up early because I had to pack my bag. I had also been criticized my “beard”, the result of not standing shaving and having forgotten the machine I use to keep it short in Paris. I didn’t really mind the beard; after all, it’s not much like me to try to please people with my appearance, but I did realise something: if I went to the beach and tanned, I’d have a horrible mark when I shaved again! The beard had to go!

I didn’t want to buy a razor and shaving cream because I knew I wouldn’t be allowed with them on the plane, but unfortunately the barber from the nearby alley refused to shave me. So I ended up buying what I needed plus, very important, sun lotion, in a nearby store. After having made myself handsome again, sent out a few e-mails to tell people that I’d be completely offline for a few days and finally checked out, it was off to the airport.

There was a very short, 10-minute, delay, but I still belive that Air Asia is one of the best airlines I’ve flown with, considering it’s low-budget and all. As usual, I slept the whole flight and by early afternoon I was in Kota Bharu; in the state of Kelantan. There, the hotel I’m staying in arranged a taxi to take me to Kuala Besut, in the state of Terangganu, where I could catch a boat to Pulau Perhentian Besar (Big Perhentian Island, if I understood well).

Mama’s Chalet deserves a whole post to themselves, so I won’t go into details here. I don’t know the exact time I got to the island—I know it was between 6 and 7 p.m. since the electrictiy was not back on—but it was still light enough outside to take a few pictures. Sea, sand and sun would have to wait until the next day, though.