Pulau Perhentian Holiday in 2009

Pulau Perhentian was aget away which I have long to go since Jason Lim have blogged about it. I remeber when he blogged about Pulau Perhentian, I was still at Leeds reading it with great envy.

This Pulau Perhentian trip was planned way early in January 2009. Early practising Lawyers don't get much holidays. that's why if I do have one, I'm gonna make sure it would be the best one and the following year will have to top it off.

The first started off really tiring cos of travelling from Penang to Kl to Terengganu. The van ride to Kuala Besut was scary, the whole route was a one way street but treated like a double lane street.The journey there was hot hot hot. Sun scorhing like no one's business. The scenery around was away from civilization. Kids running around with Kerbaus at the padi fields. Fisherman with broken teeth smoking.

At least our we have reached to Kuala Busut Port. there we met our tour guide, Din. Hardcore muscle (not the buffy kind) malay dude smoking away and drinking a can of beer on Hari Raya month.

From the Port, we took a boat to Pulau Perhentian, the whole journey was all just blue sea. So much different from the sea water whenever I'm on the ferry from penang to Butterworth. I heard that sometimes we can spot dolphins during the journey. But we didnt get to see any this trip. Just lotsa fish jumping around from time to time.

Upon arrival of Pulau Perhentian, we check into the chalet. Very nice chalet on stilts,And its air conditioning. Thank God. I also brought mosquito coil the electric one cos I heard there's lotsa mozzies at night.

After checking in, Din took us to a water fall in Pulau Perhentian. I was a very long hike there. Din trail through the jungle on bear foot and one can of beer in his hand. While the rest of us were in sport shoes and trying hard to keep up with his pace. When we reached the waterfall sport. waa, it was the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen (thus far).We swam below the waterfall, it was kinda creepy at first cause we do not what we would be under the water. The water was call and damn refreshing. the best part was standing directly the fall of the waterfall and allow it to give you free massages on your back. The waterfall was really really high.

The Waterfall

After the fun time at the waterfall, we just rest and relax the whole day till evening.


The restaraunts there are your typical malay restaraunts but the setting is great cause they set up tables on the beach and the food is good. I love their kampung style fried rice. Had fried rice for most of the four days in Pulau Perhentian. Oh the restaraunt owners are all super friendly. Really feel like we are a part of their family. They invite us to their homes, ask their kids to come out play, tell us stories of pirates that sometimes come to Pulau Perhentian and they will loath whatever they can find in the island. So to protect themselves the villages just cooperate by giving those pirates some exotic stuff like "biawak"/"monitor lizards"and free beer.

One day first day of Hari Raya there on Pulau Perhentian, the villages invited us to their homes and we have so many meals that morning. I have first ever Terrengganu Laksa, its non asam. It so-so only. what I like most is their rendangs.

They let us sit right in the middle of their living room area while they celebrate Hari Raya. It was a beautiful experience for me. It reminds me that we should love one another regardless of what race we are. That experience was a little spiritual awakening for me.God has thought me how to love and be loved by malays.

A picture of one of the malay homes on the Island

Besides eating lots during the first two days of hari raya, Din was really nice to sacrifice and take us snorkeling. the whole day. We snorkeled from like 10am to 3-4pm everyday.thats a lot of swiming when i think of it. We went to so many snorkelling spots.

Din and his friends amaze us with their skill of catching fish with just a small piece of bread and their bare hands in the water. The fish is damn colorful wei. Its even more colorful when they show it to us under sunlight. At first we were already super amazed of their skill in catching fish with their bare hands.

They later use those fish which caught (still alive) to lure the sea eels out of their hiding place in the water. It was super scary dude to see them face to face. They are huge.

We went to Pulau Redang for a short trip and tze wei found this vehicle to help carry her shopping bags.

Din also took us to the turtle sanctuary. well can't say its a sanctuary cos what they have there is a pale of water and no facilities. But there are people there that make sure that the turle eggs are hatched well and release well in the sea before any birds eat them from the sky.

When night falls, there's fireworks everynight. Its the Hari Raya holidays what to expect. the completely pitch black sky at night makes the fireworks look much more visible than how we usually sea them back in Penang.

A picture of one of the restaraunt during night

I really love this kind of holidays. The peace, the sand, the sound of the waves bashing the shores.Ahh... Pulau Perhentian. Lawyer in profession, beach boy at heart.

We got an underwater camera.It was really worth it. I didnt get to practise it much though, no time or even place to so in back in Penang. As result of that we got many crappy pictures of the underwater. Some are nice.

Thats a starfish I'm holding when doesn't open up.

There star Fish!

Many pictures taken under the sea.

This is by far my most favourite picture, the sea turtle. Never before in my life I get to be upclose and personally with a live sea turtle in its natural habitat swiming with it.

Sea Urchins are scary stuff dude. There was time, I was swimming around when suddenly I saw so many sea urchins under me. Super scary man. i didnt dare stand at all and kept swimming.

Nemos

We met a lot of sharks under water. I wasted many shots trying my best to take a picture of them. But they swim just too fast.

The island is really beautiful, so peaceful and quiet. Did my devotion at the early morning there. It was surreal.

As you can tell, I'm getting lazy in writting, I shall leave the pictures to tell more of the experience. I shall blog about this beautiful holiday again

As i reahc the port on my last day, I can't help but think of when will I go there again. What a wonderful holiday God has blessed me with.

The Lord had laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Good Morning,

Just thought of sharing this short wonderful story of a person's dream (whether fictional or not, I'm not sure) which I receive this morning's quiet time.

"The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah liii.

Let me tell a dream which was given by night to one of my dearest friends. He beheld a stupendous range of glorious sun-lit mountains, with their lower slopes enfolded in white mist. "Lord," he cried, "I pray that I may dwell upon those heights!" "Thou must first descend into the vale," a voice replied.

Into the vale he went. And down there he found himself surrounded with all manner of fierce, ugly, loathsome things. As he looked upon them he saw that they were the incarnations of his own sins! There they were, sins long ago committed, showing their threatening teeth before him!

Then he heard some One approaching, and instinctively he knew it was the Lord! And he felt so ashamed that he drew a cloak over his face, and stood in silence. And the Presence came nearer and nearer, until He, too, stood silent. After a while my friend mastered sufficient courage to lift the corner of his cloak and look out upon the Presence: and lo! All the loathsome things were on Him!

"The Lord had laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

Thank You Holy Spirit for reminding us the beauty of our Lord Jesus sacrifice this Easter.

Let's remember this Easter, the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus who died for our sins. That "The Lord had laid on Him the iniquity of us all."