No sooner said than done, I pack my bag and leave to try my luck on the east coast of the Malaysian peninsular. According to the weather forecasts, it should be fine – or not rain at least. The choice of the islands is quite large and I opt for Pulau Redang, not really an island for backpackers since to get there we must book a package in advance which includes nights and submarine activities. The harbour is rather chaotic. Each resort has its own boat or subcontracts this part to another resort and without a guide it would have been hard to find my way by myself. The journey lasts one hour when I swap the shuttle-boat for a small one, about a hundred meters from the shore.
I take off my shoes and land on a barren beach. A strip of sand a series of bungalows are laid on and surrounded by a thick forest of coconut trees. It's off-season which accentuates the Robinson Crusoe of my arrival. This narrow strand of sand gathers everything I like, walking alone one a remote beach, scaling on the rocks where monkeys took up residence, sitting down and listening to the rumble of the water or turning over the sand to look for shells. I entertain a certain conception of happiness.
To complete this peaceful life, the day is made up of 2 or 3 dives to enjoy the pleasure of the underwater landscapes. And the most difficult thing when I flounder into the water is to see my pressure gauge invariably going down and realize kicking up is inevitable because I don't have air in the tank any more.
Keyword - freedom -
Saturday 13 September 2008
A certain conception of the happiness
By dorian on Saturday 13 September 2008, 11:01 - RTW2-Malaysia
Sunday 7 September 2008
the Langkawi island in the rain
By dorian on Sunday 7 September 2008, 10:44 - RTW2-Malaysia
On the west coast, not far from the Thai border, the favourite holiday spot for Malaysians and Singaporeans is called Langkawi. An island described as a heaven.
Malaysia possesses the special feature to have two monsoon periods. When this one stops on the west coast, it moves towards the east side. I'm sorry not to give the lie to weather forecasts which are similar for decades not to say centuries and foresee the rain in this part of the world in September! I won't see the sun throughout my short sojourn on the island. I can't unfortunately make do with diving since the underwater visibility is disastrous. This assessment will be the main reason of my early departure; I will try my luck on the islands of the east coast.
The next day of my arrival, I rent a scooter and set out on a trip around the island. Its corners are empty of tourists and its lovely beaches desperately dark. The sun doesn't definitely break through this thick layer of inhospitable clouds. I thread my way inland, its undulating relief is covered by a lush vegetation. A cable-car propels me at the top of one of these peaks to enjoy the view. A little bit further, a waterfall makes its way down the hill. This scooter ride invigorates me. Despite the dull colours of the landscapes and the water, I like this feeling of freedom in such an island and wandering about the beaches as a castaway. So, even during the monsoon, it's worth the trip.
Sunday 31 August 2008
the smokes of mounts Bromo and Semeru
By dorian on Sunday 31 August 2008, 09:24 - RTW2-Indonesia
Since I landed in Bali, a postcard-like picture constantly comes back to the point of haunting my curiosity. A curiosity that changed into an obsessional desire which would be defined as following: it it would appear to be a chaotic piling up of several perfectly-proportioned volcanoes set down an imposing caldeira. The ground of this caldeira would be covered by a sea of sand and fumaroles would rend its airs. To round off the dream, an ocean of clouds would encircle this cauldron the rising sun would stroke with its benevolent rays. I lived this dream.
The caldeira is called Tengger and the volcanic protagonists, Bromo, Batok, Kursi and Semeru. The nature within its complete and utter splendour. Departure from the village of Semero Lewang, we get up at 4 o'clock and walk down the caldeira. We tread on the sea of sand in the misty night up to the base of the Bromo. 253 steps complete this short stroll and hurl us onto the ridge of the crater. The dawn clears up the dark haze and the first shapes loom. We have left the Earth for an express journey to the moon. We walk around the crater which continually ejects its noxious fumes. In the distance, the Semeru splutters at regular intervals. A cotton-wool-like cloud which leaks from the tormented bowels of the Earth. Our loop ends in front of the staircase. Unique human-print appearance in a land that is not dedicated to him.
After experiencing the volcanic activity from inside, it's this postcard-like panorama described and admired so many times we want to reach. A very goal as soon as we wake up it summarizes with this short sentence: « be at the sunrise from the Penanjakan ». From the top of this hill, the nature gives us a good surprise modeling a new form of magic. Visual perfection which overshadows all the other senses. For a few hours, our eyes soak in everything. Attempting to describe something indescribable. Engraving something impalpable. The mounts of the last day didn't move, just the view angle changed. And what we lived? A sensory blaze of glory.
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