Had a quiet start to the day starting to prepare for going home. Walked to the marina and met In Transit there and had a drink with them. People have big snakes everywhere thinking silly tourists would want to put them round their necks and have photos taken - why would you!!!! Makes walking down the street a challenge sometimes. Checked out the shopping centre then went to the night markets and bought lots of food to take home for dinner.
DAY 228 - Sunday 6 December - Kuah, Langkawi
Walked to the end of town and back and found another shopping centre and then ran into Braveheart. Did some shopping and then back to the boat. Sounds boring hey but its really not when you are in different exotic places!!
DAY 229 - Monday 7 December - Kuah - Telaga Harbour
06°21.723N 99°40.813E
Went to town and got Peter some shirts - ran into Braveheart and had lunch. Upanchored at 1.30pm to head around the corner but the beach looked very busy so we kept going to Telaga Harbour arriving at 4.50pm. We anchored in only 3.7m of water with a heap of other yachts and had a very comfortable night.
Miles: 16 Total: 5,430
DAY 230 - Tuesday 8 December - Telaga Harbour
Sat on the boat watching the tide go down to 1.7m (0.3m under the keel) then went into the marina and had a look around. We walked up to the cable car, avoided a tourist snake and fed the deer and thought we could walk back quicker via the beach so got a lift in one of the resort buses and walked through the resort and down the beach. But there was a river which we could not get across so had to walk all the way back - couldn't get on the resort bus as you needed a resort room key!! When we got back we noticed an old boat on the beach which appeared to be a bar. Cilantro and Kristie came in and we had sundowners on the beach.
DAY 231 - Wednesday 9 December - Telaga Harbour
We got picked up in buses at 9.30 and were taken on a tour starting with a museum and grave of a beautiful young girl named Mahsuri. She was put to death in the 1800s when falsely accused of adultery and she put a curse on the island for seven generations and for that length of time Langkawi had a hard time but is now thriving. We then went to a batik factory and then lunch at the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club and then down town Kuah for a quick shop. We were going to meet a few people on the beach for sundowners but decided to go and check out the local makan places to see if we could get takeaway and decided to have a beer at the old boat bar. It was run by a lovely fellow named Faizel who is an absolute delight and the only patron was a pom named Colin who spent a lot of time there over the years so we had a Collin promotion (2 beers for the price of one - a suggestion by Colin put on the menu). We were so impressed we wacked around to all the boats with whom we were going to have sundowners and told them to go to the pirate bar. We had a fantastic night and ended up at the local restaurant for dinner.
DAY 232 - Thursday 10 December - Telaga Harbour
Happy Birthday Peter
Had a quiet morning and then went with Cilantro and Kristie up in the cable car - I believe it is the steepest in the world. Margaret was conquering her fears and Peter managed to also walk across the curved footbridge suspended at the top. I don't think any of us were going to do it so we all did very well!!! Then we had to rustle up a crew as Faizel at the pirate bar was beside himself with excitement as he had a surprise for Mr Peter!!! We got there at 6pm and Faizel brings out a beautiful chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Peter written on it and a great big pirate sword. So we had cake with Faizel and Colin, Kristie and Cilantro and Braveheart but by the time Bill off Liaison came in we had finished the cake. We then went to the local restaurant next door for dinner. Peter had a wonderful birthday.
DAY 233 - Friday 11 December - Telaga Harbour, Langkawi, Malaysia
Quiet boat day. Met at the pirate bar at 5.30pm and so many cruisers turned up we needed another boat!! Someone put it out over the radio so the secret was out!!! Then we walked around to the resort for the final Sail Malaysia 2009 dinner. The food was fabulous and there was so much of it and the setting was gorgeous and the people great. Had the best time, said a few farewells and a few see you next years and it was a marvellous end to the rally. Faizel came down to say goodbye as well but hey we will see him again next year too!!!
This is the last blog for 2009. We fly out to Adelaide arriving on 15 December and will arrive Brisbane around the 17/18th. As you know our house is rented out so we will be staying with some dear friends in Albany Creek (thanks Linda and Brian!!!).
It has been an amazing year and we have done and seen some absolutely amazing things. It has been a year of ups and downs, the worst thing being losing our little Jack when we weren't there but we have met and travelled with some truly amazing people. The cruising community really is something else and a lot of them have become something of a travelling family for us all. We will return to the boat which will remain in Rebak Marina in Langkawi in January/February hopefully after catching up with all our loved ones. Next year will be an exciting one and I will commence the blog when we return to the boat but will keep it much shorter than it has been but this year we wanted you all to share with us what we were doing, step by step!! Next year will be cruising year - no rallies - but hanging around Thailand a lot, maybe some land travel and perhaps some much needed work on the boat. And maybe it would be nice to have some visitors from home!! We have to say that Indonesia and Malaysia have been very economic places to spend time and we look forward to also being able to afford to enjoy life in Thailand! Rallies also definitely have their place and I would recommend the Sail Indonesia rally as a starting point to your overseas travels and friendships.
So till we meet again we wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year and don't just dream your dreams - go out and live them.
Much love
Fair Winds and Calm Seas
Dell and Peter
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