Greetings from the 'business centre' of the Hotel Miramar, where the swanky lady in the purple evening outfit has 25 minutes left for her $10. Jut back from the fabulous 'gala preview' of the 20WOC, Mike D you would like some of the masde's.
An arduous day, with a 12 minute turnaround from backpacker to lady, including a phonecall with the tour package rep.
Walking back to the hotel this morning from the CC I stopped by a shell station to buy my 100Plus rehydration drink, got chatting inside the station, ended up asking about thte 2005 tsunami - it had no effect in Pontian/ Melaka coast as sheltered by Indonesia.
The hotel manager in response to my traingular badge and words, had ,,,,, left for me a new mini apricot coloured phallies I'd admired yesterday.. I had to decline it as no way I could import it, but I have kept his kind words in writing.
I then asked for a taxi back to the local bus station, yesterday I'd paid 5, I said I'd pay no more than that. the hotel dude rang, and said 10. I declined but he was adamant, so I walked.
Its only about 1.5-2km and lets face it had been up that way twice already this morning. Cracking along with about 12kg aboard when shit! What the hell was that! I leapt out of my skin. I thought we'd been bombed. It was a terrible crack of a noise.
A couple were nearby and I said pretty much the above. So, a natural crack of thunder, like I've never heard before, bought us together. He's a lecturer and the visit NZ annually - I was in my 'Chch marathon' tshirt. They asked about the earthquake, naming Madras St, Colombo, Burnside, the river, punting, Brighton pier.
So we chatted a while which although good karma for not being ripped off by taxi,k pretty much caused the upset of the rest of the day till 7pm. I missed the bus. The next 15-minutes bus came over an hour later, I was standing, and it took 90 minutes.
Back at JB-Larkin busy buss station,80-100 buses parked.
Having been standing, at the rear, I stood back and let the others all get off first. BAD MOVE. I had only got my pack swung over my right arm before the next group started coming on. Stop!~ I said but they didn't. I'm trying to get off, a very narrow step, the pack is only over my righyt arm, and the crowd pushed my left arm up behind my back. STOP! I bellowed, and nothing changed they just kept pushing, my arm caught high on the inside of the door, I felt the shoulder and albow about to break simultaneously.
There was nothing to save myself, it was quite serious, all these people pushing against just me, with my arm caught, but to engage the momentum of gravity. I heaved round using the propulsion off the pack round to my right, I rammed it into people and of course pushed them down as I came down onto the ground with the pack now in front of me, I aimed for the left, I grabbed a mans' shoulders and he steadied me by pushing me into the side of the bus.
Thought I'd be in trouble for the people I'd rammed the pack into, so I stood there a moment, said to the girl beside the steadying man "I'm really scared', etc. But the tide of humanity swept onto the bus and I was no more than say a cat losing its tail. 7 mins left.
I was at a loss, none of the many ticket bays said 'Singapore'. I sat down and ordered a carrot juice and another saviour appeared - a grandfatherly type, I heard all the grandie news. He took me to the correct ticket booth, explained the system of getting on and off with crossing customs for both Malaysia and Sinapore. He explained if my bus doesn't wait for me, just find the right bay and take the next bus of that company. This was very useful to know, within the hour.
Arriving in Singapore, I was already late. I'd planned to ring your friend Len and get the outfit pressed and hopefully find a battery charger. Instead, after about 40 mins, the bus arrived at a station I'd never heard of 'Rocher Street' - have no idea where that is in relation to this hotel.
Cut short - taxi - lovely hotel - 12 mins - taxi to orchids - fabulous - ate lots of free nibbles - taxi home - tired. Have used halof my Singapore money on taxis but thyat's qhy you have cash on arrival and hey from now its a package shuttle and everything included.
Had a great day in POntian.
Love to all and best of luck Kathie for your first exam.xxxxxxxxxx M
