January 02, 2006
Pangkor and more
The year 2005 ended on a wonderful note, personally. With a couple of friends, I visited the famed Pangkor island over the Christmas weekend. It was an amazing experience and a first on an island for me.
Inspite of being quite close to the mainland, the island is a true getaway -- unspoiled beaches, thick dense rain forest, a small fishing village, and wonderful vistas. We did a small exploratory trip around on bike (yes, you get mountain bikes for hire). Initially I was dissappointed by the cloudy skies but realised that they were actually a boon in disguise for us. We did not fall dead from the heat of the Malaysian sun. The undulating roads, take you hundreds of feet up a slope into the rain forest and drop down sharply to pristine beaches and clear waters.
It was like childhood all over again -- short expeditions through the shallow waters to small untouched beaches, disregarding the sharp corals cutting your feet; trying to repair one of the bikes when it broke down, only to discover that the axle bearings have been crushed; sitting on the sand and looking into the horizon till dark and realise only when you start feeling hungry. I can go on. The only things we did not do were snorkelling, diving and kayaking. We left these for the next trip. :-)
The drive back from and to KL was wonderful too. The countryside evokes memories of South India, only more greener and more denser. The expressways are smooth as silk and pass through some gorgeous rain forests, probably the best preserved that I have seen.
Back in KL, the new year was celebrated at the KLCC (Petronas Towers) with a countdown and wonderful fireworks. The photos from the Pangkor trip will be posted in a few days on Shutterbug. Watch out. The next holiday destination - Taman Negara.
