~ overland east ~
May 06. Kuala Lumpur. I head off to KL Sentral to catch the Butterworth train. It's RM34 and leaves at 2:30pm. This journey's incident free. Arriving mid-evening I know this routine and catch the ferry across to Georgetown. Coincidentally room #66 at the Noble's vacant and waiting for me. It's still RM20 or 24 with power and Wifi. Room #66. It's the same room I had just 10 weeks ago. Now I just wish that I was starting out...not finishing what's been a great and memorable 2010 journey. There's really not much money to spend and accordingly this Penang visit is for only a reflective, thoughtful few days. Two acquaintances are nowhere to be found. I have little distraction. I even do some crystal ball gazing after the navel variety. And what do you see, culture man?
Well, it occurs to me that I travel around on the bones of my arse for 3 months and call it 'a holiday'. But hey...that's the way it's always been. I've run completely out of cash at the end of “holidays” on four or five occasions in New Guinea and S.E.Asia before. Something always turns up. But until it does I've even had to 'borrow' from my son to stay alive. Normally, it's the other way round. Kids borrowing from parents when some financial mishap overseas occurs!
Yeah, about these journeys...maybe next time do it differently, OK! Like decide on a place, an itinerary and book flights there and back. Plan! The time period away from 'work' is supposed to depend on how much you can afford. Have 'a holiday' like a non-misfit does! I'll bet it could be interesting too. Double or triple the daily budget...and give yourself the chance of having a holiday when you're not working. And, leave enough money for the end-game...re-establishing yourself...probably about US$1500, in 2010 terms, eh. Forget about going to India to buy an Enfield bike...although it's not a bad idea...come to think of it. Haven't been back there since '75. Still interesting and cheap. Not a bad idea at all! On the other hand, check out retiring to the Cooks, or Samoa or Tonga or somewhere...but on what?
But for the immediate future...maybe try living in Vung Tau and just working up in Saigon weekends. The fast ferry takes just over an hour between these two. Saigon. VungTau's on the coast, invaded by swarms of escapees from the city in the weekends. You could be up there working. Not a bad time to be off the beach.
May 12. I stay three nights in Trat. I'm pretty tired after the train and bus journey. I need time to catch my traveling breath. For the next couple of days...when I should have been on my way, I decide to stay another day! Trat's very pleasant. It's familiar. I lived here for three years when I first came back to South-East Asia in 2003. I catch up with a couple of old friends. I don't really want to live and work here again though!
May 13. After dallying away yet another day, I come to my senses. I buy a tourist bus ticket for tomorrow from Sunny at Pop's through to Sihanhoukville...or S'ville, where the S stands for silly. I need to get a Vietnamese visa. The ticket costs B600 or about US$19. It means I should get to Sihanoukville without hassle. It's probably about B100 more expensive than free-lancing it.
May 14. Coincidentally, Hans whom I meet at the NP guest house where I stay for B120, is also on the bus. He kindly gives me some Chinese sweet sausages that he thought might be like German ones...all I ate for the next 2 days! I have an argument about the bullshit health quarantine charge of B20 with the Cambodian 'official' at the border. I don't have my yellow health book. The visa's obtained straightforwardly enough for a photograph and B1200. It's thirteen hundred without photo. The ticket includes the ten or so kilometres on the right side of the road by tuk-tuk to a Koh Kong "bus stop". The driver angles most rudely for tips. Welcome to Cambodia. And Vietscam's next! Once again a share-taxi ride down to Sihanoukville has been arranged...part of the ticket price. We have a thirty minute 'recreation' stop at the Sre Ambel bridge on the way.
After we arrive Hans and I walk the several kilometres from downtown to the Golden Lion circle near Occheuteal and Serendipity Beaches. It's eight thirty pm. I check out the new Ana Travel office about obtaining a necessary Vietnam visa by tomorrow morning so that I can catch the morning bus on to Saigon. I must move on as quickly as possible. I've got a total of US$66 cash! I'm in luck. No problem. My passport with visa'll be here at eight in the morning. I have one American dollar left after I pay $48 for the visa, $15 for the bus. It cost me $2 for bunk in the party-people'; dorm at Utopia. I have some Cambodian friends at Seahorse across the road but don't feel like walking into their restaurant with my hand out! I used to have a good very cheap room with them a couple of years back. In those hard times I chalked up a three-month bill amounting to $600. When I returned after my first working stint in Saigon, about 18 months ago now, I gladly repaid them!
May 15. My passport's ready! I catch the Saigon coach. It's all so familiar being in Cambodia again. I feel at home but I can't help thinking: "Hey man, don't you do these journeys to get out of your comfort zone...away from the homely feeling?".