Day 1 - Twin Beach Resort, Pulau Sibu

I had driven a long way on 29th March 1996 up to the point that I thought I was heading on the wrong track to reach Tanjung Leman in Johor. The road to the coast is snaked by long aimless looking roads that wind uphill and downhill through oil palm plantations and forests of monkeys. One driving for the first time would definitely think that one was heading the wrong way, for no way would one assume that an idyllic island resort lay off the coast at the end of those endless roads.

Finally, a sign showed that Tanjung Leman had been reached, the road that leads into it is terrible unless one drives a four-wheel drive, upon parking my car under a tree on the open space, I obtain a boat to get me to one of the resorts on the distant island. I board the boat alone, as it seems I am late by 2 hours and all other guests have gone on ahead of me; the sky looks threatening. The boatman offers to carry my knapsack but I decline as it was so light but contained everything I needed for the 3 days and 2 nights of my stay on the island. The sea is choppy and the ride awfully bumpy and it rains. I let my hair down and let it be blown by the wind and rain. By the time we reach the resort, I am truly wet.

My chalet looks dinghy and not at all comfortable. I tried to switch on the light for the bathroom and realised that the generator for the electricity supply is only on from 7pm to 7am. I bathe, change and head back to the reception for my late lunch while reading facing the wide beach, sea and another distant island, Pulau Tinggi. I then go for a walk to the jetty and to a path that leads to other resorts. The resort staff informs me that if I want to swim, I am not to swim too far out from shore as it is open sea and there is a drop in the sea-bed about 30feet from shore. The beach is a lovely stretch of soft white sand with emerald waters accompanied by bunches of soft foamy waves breaking up on the sandy beach.

I am truly in love with the jetty as I was to find at the end of my stay. It is serene, quiet and peaceful compared to the other side of the resort where the waves are big and noisy due to its opening to the South China Sea. The jetty is the arrival point where the water is calm and clear with a hue of deep green rather than the blue of the open sea. I spent the evening smoking, reading and just staring into the water observing the jumping fish, watching the sun set, thinking of absolutely nothing but then thinking as well.

After dinner, the guests head towards the reception, to my horror, for karaoke! We smoke, talk some more then they get up to leave and I head again to the jetty. It was a windy night and cold, and with the mosquitoes making a meal of me, I head back totmy chalet to sleep for the first night at 1.30am.