Bye Bye Indonesia hello Malaysia

Bye Bye Indonesia.


Firstly it’s been a wonderful year, many good memories, I hope to explore more of this wonderful country in the future.


So after shelling out 2 million Rupiah to the thieves at Nongsa Point Marina (Batam), due to them finding my Medical chest certificate had expired no less (I didn’t know I had a medical chest, and I'm still looking for it), Anyway I cut my losses and ran for the Amanda’s Islands (still Indonesia) with all my stamps.


Shook out the Main sail which hadn’t seen the light of day for a while, straight into the shipping lane between Singapore an China, like a freeway on the sea, except I’m only doing 30 kmh, I slipped into the gravel, then managed to catch my first fish in Indonesia (Spanish Mackerel), not counting the one that flew in the hatch above the sink one night, now thats a sound you don't need to wake up too, sailed on a broad reach for most of the trip and made a little harbour called Letung about 28 hrs later.


Three weeks later I checked out of Terempa for Malaysia, many thanks to Imah & Rio for making me feel so welcome at Terempa. There was the usual problems with the bureaucrats, but the Harbour Master as usual was a breeze, paid my port fees of $2 and off I go with all my ‘stamps’, seven hours later.


Roughly four days later I arrived at Miri, Malaysia, checking in was a breeze and free, now the difference between ‘checking into’ Indonesia and Malaysia with a yacht is like the difference between an Android phone (Indo) and an iPhone (Malaysia). 


Now I can hear all you Android idiots Tut Tuting but I’ve tried it both ways baby, and I can tell you for nothing if your life is a mess and you think a mental breakdown is imminent, well look no further than the destroyer of sanity, the Android Phone!, Open Source is like free speech, the people shouting the loudest are usually fucking crazy or really pissed off, either way their Android phones probably drove them there, and yes I have tried it, I’d had to buy my first Android phone in Indonesia six months ago, after passing their limit on SIM cards, WTF, and now I can happily say the said Phone will be swimming with the fishes very soon, once again I can hear the Android faithful Tut Tuting, well crazies I’m not enough of a Sadist to give this thing away or put it in the rubbish in-case some other poor fool finds it and uses it.


So I’m now tucked up in a little Marina at Miri, Borneo, Malaysia, Cel phones are the least of my worries here, they have Crocodiles, yet this place is so relaxed compared to any Marina I've ever been in, remember the good old days before Heath & Safety, when we used to ride our bikes everywhere, get home just on dark, that’s the Vibe here, plus Rum is under $10 a bottle, on Wednesday nights the Cruisers here all go into town for dinner together, new place every week, Friday night is pot luck here at the marina, I may never leave alive.

                                




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