We, my colleague and I, traveled by express bus from Putra Station on 11 August 2002, Sunday night at 10.00pm. About 7 hours later, we reached Kuala Terengganu Express Bus Station (Tanjung Station) where the sky was still dark. Luckily we bought business class ticket for the bus journey, otherwise that would be a nightmare traveling such a long journey. We had to wait till 6.30am to meet our driver. While waiting for the transfer, I was enjoying the sea breeze.
We were transferred to their restaurant for breakfast / rest before depart to Merang Jetty at 8.00am. The design of the restaurant was rather simple but comfortable to suit Asian taste. We had set breakfast at the restaurant and at the same time, I learnt what are those local foods i.e. nasi dagang, nasi kunyik and nasi kuning. I even learnt how to differential them thru how the way the banana leaves fold and how to open the leaves to serve. The fish paste served with the rice was really fresh and taste marvelous! I had a simple but yet wonderful breakfast!
After about one hour drive from Kuala Terengganu, we reached Merang Jetty. A simple wooden jetty surrounded by souvenirs, food stalls and resort representatives. There was a car park charged at RM5.00/day and a public toilet (looked like a bungalow) charged at 30 cents for toilet or changing clothes and 50 cents for bathing.
The speedboat left jetty at 9.45am and reached Redang Island after about one hour. The boat journey was quite comfortable. Upon arrival, all passengers had to step on water before reaching the beach cause the boat could not be landed on the sands. Therefore, we had to change our long pants to shorts before onboard.
We were then given a room at their new chalet which is a concrete double-storey building consists of 8 rooms in each units. Our room number was B13, second block on ground floor. After unpacked, we quickly proceeded to see other resorts before the lunch time at 1.00pm. We managed to inspect Coral Redang Island Resort that has the potential for our overseas market.
The buffet lunch at Redang Beach Resort was rather simple and very Chinese style cooking. I felt like it was feeding time for animals, and we, the tourist were the animals lining up for foods. Very funny! After finishing the foods, we have to bring our plates and whatever foods uneaten to respective containers for the staff to collect them for washing or disposal. I felt myself like a kindergarten student rather than a guest in their resort.
At 2.00pm, we inspected Redang Beach Resort's old chalet rooms, which will be demolished end of this year. They were currently building the new restaurant, reception, dive center and bungalows. By next year, the whole resort will have a new look for visitors.
At 2.45pm, we gathered in front of the snorkeling equipment rental counter for our first afternoon snorkeling trip. There was a briefing for new comers about the snorkeling trip. Then, we had to walk into the water all the way to the boat. The water level can be above chest level. It was the first challenge for me, as I don’t know swimming and I afraid of water too.
The first snorkeling trip was at the coral area near Pulau Lima, an island not far from Redang Island. The boat stopped at a depth of about 4 meters. All passengers had to go down to the water for snorkeling at this depth. I was the last person leaving the boat. I had fastened the life jacket but yet I was too afraid to let go the ladder. The boatman gave me a tube. I was on double protection but yet I was still fear cause my feet could not touch the land! I was thinking whether to go down to the water or climb up back to boat. Luckily, my colleague really took good care of me. He encouraged and dragged me all the way to see the coral and fish in the water and back to boat.
There were people asking me how many times that I swallowed the salt water, I answered back that I did not swallowed the water but I did drink the water thru my nose. It was due to the leaking in my mask had caused the water went into my nose without knowing.
At about 5.30pm, we returned to the resort for tea break. Later, we proceeded to the shore near the resort for snorkeling. I was only at the shallow water where I can stand up if I need to. Whereas, my colleague went farther to see the baby sharks. There were 3 baby sharks there, about 2 feet in length each.
At night, we had dinner with the General Manager of Redang Beach Resort. During the dinner, suddenly came the strong wind and right after we finished our meals, heavy rain fallen. We were stranded and together with other travel agents representatives at the restaurant enjoying our coffee/tea. There was free flow of coffee/tea for the guests almost 24 hours but you have to do it yourself. The rain didn't stop till midnight.
Actually I planned to wake up earlier to see the sunrise, but unfortunately I could not wake up on time. Anyway, I did not missed anything cause that morning the sky was very cloudy. I was than standing in front of the beach, enjoying the sea breeze and fresh cool air. It would be a wonderful place for a holiday, and I were sure that it would be great if I do not have the assignment but just a holiday here!
The breakfast served at 7.30am and the morning snorkeling trip to Redang Marine Park would start at 10.00am. Visitors have to pay RM5.00 for the Marine Park Conservation Fee. The first impression that I had when I saw the snorkeling area at the jetty of the Marine Park was a huge swimming pool with lots of people in it. I wondered the people there would more than the fish in the water. Again, my colleague had to dragged me to the deep water to see the fish and coral. Sad to say the coral was not so interesting but the amount of the fish was great! We went to feed those fish with bread and it seemed that the fish was not afraid of people and rushed for the bread holding in your hands. It was really fun to see these fish right in front of your eyes! It was so many of them! Some even as big as 1 feet in length!
At one time, I was floating on the shallow water alone. There was a big group of smaller fish about 4-5 inches in length, near to hundreds of them; they surrounded me. All their eyes were looking at me, friendly but from a distance. I really enjoy that moment, like looking at the stars on the sky in the night.
After lunch, we went to another resort for inspection, i.e. Redang Holiday Beach Villa, which is situated on the rocks at the end of the beach. From there, they have a beautiful view of the beachfront. People enjoys sunrise from here.
Afternoon, we did not join the snorkeling trip to Pulau Paku as the corals and fish would not much different from those in Pulau Lima, as according to the person-in-charge of our trip. We decided to go back to the shore nearby the resort to feed the fish. The ware was strong and the water was not so clear. I was a little bored and tired, I then return to the beach and enjoyed the sunshine. My colleague later joined me after finishing the bread feeding the fish, both of us lying on the beach under the sun till tea break.
My colleague was really tired and took a nap after the shower. Whereas, I just did not like to waste the beautiful time passed sleeping on the bed. I took my book and went out to the beach, found a sundeck underneath the tree, started my reading. It was a wonderful time where you could enjoy the sea breeze and the music from the sea at this peaceful late afternoon. I did later walk alone along the beach to see how people spent their time. It was a wonderful feeling where one hand holding a book, another holding the sandals and walked on the water barefooted. I could see little fish swimming at the shallow water of about 2 inches in depth.
That night, the resort served BBQ dinner. We hanged around at the pub area having a can of beer, enjoying the music from the pub and a relaxing evening. At night, we walked around the beach to look at the nightlife of other resorts. Besides the open-air disco at Redang Beach Resort, there was another one at Redang Pelangi Resort. The later has a powerful sound effect. I wondered visitors who stayed at that resort or near to it could have a sweet dream that night. The disco would operate till midnight.
That night, I did not tell my colleague who sharing the same room with me. While I was brushing my teeth, I had a very strange feeling and it was very scary that I felt something was in the bathroom and it was around me somewhere but I could not see. I was trying very hard that not to think of it and rushed to finish my washing up. I even did chanting in my heart (Buddhism practice) in order to calm me down. I could feel the pressure from somewhere in the air. It made me felt very uncomfortable. I walked to my bed and covered myself with the blanket and tried to chat with my colleague in order to chase away the fear. I still felt there was something in the air; the pressure was still around. Luckily, it was not a harmful one but very soon I fallen asleep, like I was injected some kind of medicine. I really wondered as how could I fall asleep that fast under that kind of pressure. I could not explain it.
Next morning, after breakfast, we walked around the beach to shoot some personal photos. The check-out time at 9.30am. We had to wait for the boat leaving for Merang Jetty at 11.00am. While waiting, we just did not like to waste the treasure moment, both of us lying on the sundecks to enjoy the sunshine. It was really a sunny day, cause for the passed two days it was quite cloudy and hardly see the sun. Time passed very fast. It comes and goes without our control; I wish I could stay longer or if there was no assignment. But, sometime things came not in the form that we wanted it to be, we just have to accept it and appreciate it.
Both of us were slept on the boat journey to Merang Jetty and the bus journey to Kuala Terengganu cause we were too tired. Upon arriving at Kuala Terengganu, we had our lunch at the restaurant where we were there for our breakfast the first day in Kuala Terengganu. The restaurant situated above the resort office at mezzanine floor. We had arranged with the driver of the resort to send us to the State Museum for a visit. Of course, it was on our own account.
The State Museum was really huge. I was not surprised that it was called the largest museum in Malaysia. It was a palace long time ago. I really enjoyed the walk inside the museum cause outside was very hot and sunny, inside was cooling and the lights were dim, very comfortable. It would be a romantic moment if you walk with your love one here. I like this place. In order to cover the whole place, I'm afraid one has to spend more than two hours or even half a day here. Unfortunately, we did not have the time and we had to rush.
We were back to the resort office after the short visit at State Museum cause I had to drop by Ping Anchorage, which is just next-door to play a visit to their Managing Director. It was really a nice experience to meet this young and enthusiastic entrepreneur.
After a long talk, we then proceeded to Chinatown for our dinner. We had a simple dinner at a hawker center next to Chinatown. It was about 8.00pm at night, most of the shops at that area were closed; there was nothing much to see. We then decided to go back to the resort office and had a snack nearby. I wondered where would all the people gone at night, as there was nowhere to go. Maybe just stay at home watching TV programs, I presumed. The whole city turned quiet at night.
We were then transferred to the express bus station to catch our bus back to Kuala Lumpur. Upon arrival at the bus station, I was shocked that there was crowded with people; the bus station had the most people in the city compared to elsewhere. We were wondering during weekdays there were still so many people traveling outstation; don't they need to work or something like that?
The bus departed at about 10.00pm and the journey was rather tiring. We reached Putra Bus Station Kuala Lumpur at about 6.15am. Later in the morning, we had to go back to our office and work. What a nightmare!
I regret that I did not buy any souvenir, not even a postcard! But, I brought back a very tiny small seashell found on the beach. I was attracted by its colour and pattern. It was a very normal one with orange and cream-colour. I just like it even though my colleague said it looked like a "gigi palsu" (denture).
Here, I really want to thank my colleague for thousand times, thank for his helps during the snorkeling trips. Without him, I would not be able to enjoy the treasure moments with the corals and fish at Redang Island. He was also a very good travel partner to me. Thank you, CK! I hope I can travel with you some other time. Thanks again!
That's all to share with you for the time being. I wish I really could have a real vacation on an island without the hassle of any site inspection and report writing back to office. Bye!
Yoke Ming
18 Aug 2002
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