Standing On Kuala Besut, Terengganu...

We reached at 11 a.m. thinking that we could hop onto the speedboat and rush off to Perhentian Besar Island. Instead, we had a quicky lunch in one of the Chinese restaurants as there's no more local Malay food. They seem to close rather early or maybe they prepared for heavy breakfast. I prefer trying out the local food wherever I go.

I found both the offices. One for the place where we would be staying, the Coral View Island Resort and also found our tour agent, Lovely Travels and Tours, owned by Mr. Ong. According to Judz, he played badminton with us once but I have no recollection of such event happening. One of his boatmen told me that Mr. Ong used to be a principal in one of the schools in Penang and he stays in Penang when the eastern monsoon hits the South China Sea.

I'm a last minute person but the worst person in our 'Siao Char Bor' group will be my cousin-in-law, Juju. I made a statement that I have a new hobby... snorkeling. The next moment she suggested that we should go to the East Coast. When we were in Kuala Sepetang, she mentioned that one day, she would take me to Perhentian islands. I didn't know that 'one day' would be just after one week. Then Judz was saying that the four of us has never been to a trip together. And my big mouth says that I would plan for one in future. I didn't know that the future could be so near. Suddenly I was checking out websites for snorkeling packages in Perhentian island. Then because I can't seem to find one, suddenly Judz was the one making phone calls after phone calls. 

Mind you, it's the peak season and we already have our dates set. It's the 4th of June until the 7th of June. And we only started making phone calls 5 days before. Since Mr. Ong was such a busy man and we couldn't get a room or two with air-conditioning system, I took matters into my own hands. I started calling directly to the office of the Coral View Island Resort. We're very adamant people but we never forget God. We prayed through, pushing in prayers. I'm not saying we should do that all the time but we're His children so He would give us what we asked for. I called until I think whoever picked up the call could recognize my voice. I was stressed out from this end and they were fed up from the other end. In the end, we got an air-conditioned room. Fussy you say? Of course we are... how could you live in a fan room with such humidity and mosquito-infested island? We've been pampered with air-cond blowing at the temperature of 16-degree Celsius every night in our own rooms. 

So, it was another long wait when Mr. Ong wanted to reconfirm that we got our room right. The 5 of us fitting into one room. Hohohoho~! Actually Judz wanted two rooms but I'm not bothered at all... as long as there's a room, I can sleep anywhere... be it on a bed or on the floor with just a pillow or whatever. 

Finally, we're off to Perhentian Besar island. The clear blue sky and the clear blue sea water... wow... and the wind that blows when the speedboat was taking us away from the jetty in Kuala Besut. I was thinking about having a jet-ski with me then it would be the best ride ever across the South China Sea. Aaahhh... I was like a child feeling really excited. I'm very sure all of us were excited in some ways. 

We got the car parked in a safe place. Had our simple lunch. Got our bags loaded onto the trolley. Snap some photos... we're always snapping photos... we love having photos... loads and loads of them...

The Siao Char Bors' first trip ever