Lomkbok - Malaysia

After much thought we decided a bottle of wine, a rarity on Lombok, and some Swiss chocolate would make a suitable gift for all the hospitality we have been shown and turned up at Sukini’s with a card and the gifts which I think went down well. Sukini was really upset that she hadn’t managed to find good fish that day but what she had prepared was lovely, a vegetable dish, mie goring (noodles and vegetables) and a shrimp chilli dish. To make up for the disappointment we were invited back next day for fish! Turns out the funeral last week was for Sukini’s Grandmother who was – wait for it – 124!!! So, another fantastic meal, grilled fish, fish in sauce and a vegetable and tofu dish. It was a really great evening and then Sukini surprised us with gifts, a beautiful hand-woven sari with matching scarf for me and a batak for Brian, a piece of lovely material in greens and gold – whatever we did to deserve such generosity I don’t know. An emotional farewell with promises to keep in touch and to return for Yeni and Agus’ wedding later in the year.

Whoever invented early morning flights wants shooting. Up at 4 to go to the airport, Agus loved showing off and driving really fast as there was very little traffic and Brian trying not to show his white knuckles. Two flights and a coach journey later we arrive in Melaka to be met by Johari, the owner of the flat we are renting. The flat is spacious and reasonably clean with a lovely big swimming pool but I’m glad now we couldn’t book it for a month as it seems to be quite a way out of central Melaka with a two bus journey to take us there. However, only one bus ride away is a giant …….  TESCO – can’t quite believe my eyes! Too tired to go out and eat we go to bed at nine and sleeeeeep.

We had arranged for Johari, the owner of the apartment to pick us up at 11 and show us around a bit. The bus station is quite amazing but it is good to learn that we can get a bus to the Genting Highlands, 4 hours away for £8 each! We also find out which bus will take us back to the apartment at Cheng Heights and then Johari drops us off in the heart of Melaka for an explore. Plenty to see and do so we wander for a few hours then bus back to Tesco, do some shopping and catch the bus back to the apartment. Too tired to go out we have cheese rolls and beer!

We seem to spend most of our time waiting for buses – they are very random and we have waited nearly an hour on more than one occasion! We’ve also had one drive straight past and one express coach pick us up and give us a free ride, oh and twice given up altogether and got a taxi. That’s the worst thing about the apartment, it’s way too far out of the city, we’ve remedied that now though and booked a hotel in the heart of Melaka for a couple of weeks, we should be able to explore a lot more from there. We’ll also have more choice of food. There is an outdoor restaurant (like most in Malaysia) opposite the apartment block and we ate there for just under £2 including two bottles of water and a Chinese, twice as expensive and not as good (also gave Brian a bad stomach!) but nothing else. Looking forward to a bit of variety.

We also spotted an HSBC bank from the bus so decided it was worth another try to get a card. Thanks to the buses we arrived at 4.10 to discover it shut at 4! Try again next week. 

China Town

Melaka River

Melaka River

Melaka centre

Brian's new friends

Potato twist - yummy!

Trishaws in Melaka

A Day Out

Again, a misunderstanding, we were thinking we might be going out on Monday with Agus, , had a text from Yeni saying did we want to go out with Agus, text back yes please, when and heard nothing else, then today another text asking if we were available today and Agus came and picked us up just after 1pm. We had a great afternoon, saw some of the better parts of Mataram, a temple and Namardah Gardens, had a really authentic lunch out in the country somewhere north of Mataram, a vegetable satay mix called pacel which was really nice followed by dodols, a sort of fruit roll in a toffe looking package and then the piece de resistance – a Peresean Tournament! We were escorted to our VIP seats (the only seats) in a cordoned off area to one side of the stage. Peresean is a kind of martial art with long sticks and rectangular shields where the contestants proceed to try and hit each other with the sticks. However, they make it really theatrical with music, a very enthusiastic commentator. The ref, the seconds and the contestants all assume poses, posture and dance as well as try and knock 6 bells out of each other. It was fun to watch and certainly nothing we would ever have found on our own despite the 2000+ people who did find it. I mean, who has even heard of Peresean?

We are now going to a Gili tomorrow and hopefully snorkel then dinner with Sukini on Saturday, plus Agus has said he will take us to the airport on Monday at 4 in the morning! How lucky can you get?

The start of the journey

Tuesday, April 10th 2012
Dan's idea - why don't you create a blog? So here goes - probably be high-jacked by Brian who has taken to getting up and writing his own version of War and Peace each morning which he has just distributed to a 'chosen' few but for now he's reading so it's all mine!
Assuming you have all read my emails to date I am going to start with our dinner invitation to Sukini's.

The confirmation of the dinner invitation came late – 6.15, just as we were thinking about preparing our salad – with Yeni saying she would pick us up in an hour. Dinner was an experience – 4 different types of fish, two in banana leaves, one in a very chilli sauce and one, my favourite, basted and barbecued in a soya marinade. We ate outside sitting on the gazebo, Brian and I with forks, everyone else with fingers, delicious. Later we went to the shop where it was Sherly’s turn to work and were driven home after closing by Agust with Sukini and Dad in the car while Yeni and Sherly drove the bikes home, Sherly with a 5 year old girl on the back, Dad’s niece who appeared to have been farmed out due to a new baby! Arrangements have been made for a cooking lesson with Sukini and a visit to some of the beautiful and less touristy parts of Lombok with Agust. 

However, the cookery class didn’t happen, Sukini’s step-mother died in Central Lombok and I had a touch of ‘Bali belly’ – except it’s Lombok! Don’t know what it was but I don’t want it again thank you very much! Then today had a text from Yeni saying Agus was asking about the 'tour program', I replied asking when he wanted to go and have heard nothing since.

Meantime, Brian has broken the shower head so we are showering with what resembles a hose and the roof leaked when it rained yesterday so we are expecting a visit from the owner tomorrow.

A typical day - wake up around 8/8.30, Brian gets up to check sports results and update his diary and I read in bed for an hour. Game of scrabble followed by a late breakfast or brunch of fruit and eggs (not together!). Another game of scrabble, I'll do the washing - every other day - walk into Senggigi, shop around, have a drink, coffee or lemon juice, walk back, have a shower, play scrabble, cook dinner, watch a pirated DVD or play scrabble, bed. We would have played cards sometimes but they went astray when Brian lost his bag and we haven't managed a replacement yet.