Hi Guys ie. Lily, Bira, Norlinda, Ah Nee, KC Lau & Tian Soo, am pleased that all of you had a nice time.
Probably when the "round island" road in Karimun is ready in a year’s time hopefully (you guys would have notice that from the incline of the hillside Hotel Gloria, the new road is less than 50metres ready) we shall make another trip to Karimun.
Meanwhile, as soon as the travelling logistics are correctly certain, Lily will assist in organising a ONE DAY/ONE NIGHT Free & Easy trip to Segamat town, central Johore state. Maximum pax is TWENTY persons including myself and with AT LEAST Seven males in the group for the purpose of "showing off muscle". This excursion is slated for mid or end July where we can savour seasonal fruits of durians and mangosteens.
Regards
Abel Tan
Found any interesting village/kelong to stay over the long week end or a 10 days break? Photographs with of the background habitat will be interesting and welcomed!
Was there in 1974 where the granite hills were being exploited and stayed in the camps for weeks on work assignment every time we went in. How is it like now? Good for retirees?
Anyone, Lily, care to comment?
Cheers……….Edwin
Abel
Sorry, forgot to thank you for showing us Karimun and being a very good companion.
Your life story is as interesting to me as the sightseeing.
I also learn so much about the people of SHC just sitting behind the 4 girls in the van.
KC, have you sort out the photos? Nor will kill you if her face is blur.
Thanks Abel for making my wish come true for another opportunity to do Karimun. A leave cover’s half day leave on Friday spoilt my doing the last trip. Anyway…..
If the “One day/One night” (and stay there for good is it cause, one day to travel there, stay there for one night and the next morning…?) trip to Segamat is over the weekend, I would like to register for it now i.e. going there and for the return trip too.
Ha ha ha… very kiasu leh cause if the post is put up during the day and for people like me who have no access to this site from the office, by the time we log-in in the evening, all the seats would have been taken up, sometimes or perhaps very often with names of members who cannot be accounted for having logged in to register themselves. Borrowing Norlinda’s favourite phrase… Apa Macam…..?
Recall a trip to Kluang a couple of years back and had simply wonderful durians, thick fleshed, creamy and fragrant and a lot cheaper too.
Abel, what about a trip to Tanjong Pinang? You must have been there too, I’m sure.
Appreciate the initiatives!
Daisy
Dear Abel
Thanks for having so much faith in me. If I am going, for sure, I will be glad to help in organising. If I’m not going, then let’s hope there is someone else willing to Co-EO with you. As discussed, July is still far off. There is time to decide on this closer to that time. Your enthusiasm to create activities and trip for the folks in SHC is certainly admirable, and I am sure Terence and Dolly (our new Club Manager) will be interested to hear more of it. Meanwhile, it’s good idea to see if there’s enough interest before pursuing further.
Hi Edwin
Long time no see (or hear from you)! I really can’t comment much on Karimun. Until this trip, I’ve never even heard of it. Abel is a better person to talk to as he seems to know the place like the back of his hands. All I can say is that : it’s quite laid-back, very affordable, and not too far from Singapore (1hr 35mins ferry ride).
Rgds / Lily
If this 1 Day Free & Easy trip to Segamat town, central Johore state materialise, I want to go. I love to eat Durian, but hardly have the opportunity to eat them be’cos my “1 old & 1 young” at home don’t like Durian. I heard Segamat Durian is better than Thai Durian. Hopefully Abel & Lily can make this trip happen. :)
Ah Nee
Hi Abel and Lily
I also want to go Segamat to eat durians so keep me in your list hor.
Yeap, Abel, I oso 1 2 Segamat but hor, best can stay 1 nite lor..Doly
HI Abel & Lily
I want to go also but then the date clashes with my trip to Oz. Will be away from 4 to 28 July. Apa macam.
Dont worry. I wont cry even if I dont get to go hahaha!
Cheers
Caroline Gee
Apology for the delay. Thank you to Abel & Lily for your help to make this trip happened.
Durian in JB, don’t leave me out.
Regards
Bira
Hi Abel,
Looks like I missed a great trip to this Karimum island. You got everybody impressed with your travel type and style, simple and nostalgic. When you have the time, I encourage you to bring SHCians to join you on your short trips to nearby places.
I heard you have been very friendly, helpful and genuine in sharing this private joy of yours, something many of us yearn to enjoy too. Thank you.
Terence Seah
Hi Abel
May I have your email address or mobile number? If its ok with you, you could send it to my email address Caroline.Gee23@gmail.com
Thanks very much.
Cheers
Caroline Gee
Hi Edwin
Sorry for this belated reply
The granite quarries were quite depleted by the late 90s but heard the stoppage of supplies in 2002/03 was due to “bureaucratic problems”
Karimun is a RETIREMENT place but one has to be conversant in bahasa Indonesia to feel comfortable and not live in “isolation with the Chinese Indonesian teochews” only. More than 90% Chinese Indonesians are Teowchews.
A rental apartment in Tanjung Balai, the town proper itself, say a two bedroom unit will cost more than 1.5million rupiahs a month and requiring a 6months advance payment. Purchasing a similar unit costs more than 200million rupiahs. Exchange rate throughout 2008 till now
averages $100 = 750,000rupiahs.
Have never done kelong trip but there are more than ten kelongs surrounding the island.
My take is non-Malay conversant Chinese Sporeans will be more comfortable in Thailand’s Chiangmai, Hua Hin or Hatyai.
Once the Malaysian authorities “re-invent” Penang, it would be more palatable for Sporeans.
In fact outside of KL, JB & Ipoh, smaller Malaysian towns like in Johore state, Keluang, Segamat, Muar, Batu Pahat and Mersing, Seremban(Negri Sembilan), Segambut & Rawang(Selangor), Taiping, Sitiawan, Teluk Anson(Perak) and Bentong(Pahang) 1.5hours away from Genting Highlands, all these towns have at least half a Chinese Malaysian population.
For my money is BETONG, south peninsular Thailand, a hilly town(less than 1,500ft elevation) just across the north-east Perak state border and being isolated by mountains, is immumne from the on-off sporadic confrontation between Thai Muslims/Bhuddists. More than a third of the less than 50,000 residents are Chinese Thais and less than ten % are Muslims. Temperatures are a cool 22/23 C after 8pm.
From Betong is 3hours to Hatyai. It is quite a hassle crossing to Malaysia due to the hilly winding road arriving at Pengkalen Hulu after 1.5hours and chartering a taxi costing more than 100ringgit for a 4.5hour journey to Ipoh or a usual wait of more than 2hours to gather four passengers each paying 35ringgit. My last visit to Betong was in 2000.
Regards
Abel Tan
94316275
Hi Daisy Yeo
Apologise for this belated reply.
Since the late 90s increasingly more Sporeans have made short visits to the Bintan resorts, one hour away from the Tanah Merah ferry terminal as the resorts are situated on the norther part of Bintan(star) Island.
To Tanjung Pinang(the town) is nearly 2hours away. More Malay Sporeans visit Bintan Island due to its rich historical heritage. The island or rather the Ubin-sized Penyenget opposite and 20mins away from Tg Pinang housed the palaces and burial grounds of the decendents of the Malacca Sultanate or by the 18th century the last sultans of the Riau archipelago. When Raffles arrived, the throne was disputed by two young-teens,sons & half brothers of the late sultan, one Hussein based in Johor under the temmengong’s influence and the other Rahman, based in a suppossedly more secure and grander Penyenget.
Only the food, Chinese seafood and Indon nasi padang and karaoke hostesses will attract Sporeans whom are mostly in their 50s and older as younger Sporeans do not speak even passably the Malay language.
The 2,000ft plus Gunong Bintan with gentle slopes southwards and the Trikora beach could have attract some tourist attention but my personal opinion is Indonesia just prefer to confine tourism to Bali only. The more than 30km length/15-20km width gulf which bisects the eastern-center of the island just after Tanjung Uban(second biggest town) could have been developed into a leisure-boating/yatching playground.
My take is Chinese Sporeans are more comfortable visiting Medan(Sumatera) or Semarang (norther coast Java) both being large population centres of more than 3million with nearly half of Chinese Indonesians or Singkawang (less than 300,000), two hours away from Pontianak,(west coast Kalimantan) or nearly 6hours south-west from Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Yes, a trip to Tanjung Pinang can be considered but probably next year, as currently my “hands are full”.
Regards and do have a pleasant weekend ahead
Abel Tan
Hi Abel,
Appreciate your #12 contribution.
It is nice talking to you and finding a “kawan” & “kaki” to go hitch hiking.
Cheers – :>) Edwin (XXXX XXXX)
Note : For security reason, mobile number has been deleted by Admin.
Wow Wow Wow, Abel. I’m impressed!
History and geography lessons in 5 paragraphs.
Well, I didn’t think the karaoke hostesses attract female tourists like me though.
Whenever I’m there, I enjoy the slow pace, the food, the market, shopping, the Trikora beach and on an occasion during a trip in June, the excitment of a dragon boat festival. It was fun!
Appreciate your sharing.
Cheers
Daisy
Hi Abel,
I am impressed with your knowledge of Indonesia of this island. May I also what are all the islands or places that you know in Indonesia. I think we can make you an advisor of these places for short-term retirement living.
Terence Seah
Terence, buay koon ah? Writing post at 2:06am.
By the way have you thought of Bali? Feedback from an Indonesian that the natives in Bali are a much better lot than their brothers in the other parts of Indonesia, the former being Hindus.
Daisy
Hi Daisy,
Actually, I have been looking for someone to champion Indonesia or the nearby Indonesian islands as a place for 3-months short-term retirement living. We dont have anyone who had raised their hands so far. When Abel came up to organise the Karimum trip, we can see he has good knowledge of Indonesia, its culture and its language. Sure, Indonesia is a large country; I hope Abel will agree, then he can be our country advisor.
Terence Seah
Hi Edwin
Apologise for mistakenly erasing your contact no.from my hp.
Now I need a “kaki”, cause I do not speak Mandarin nor the dialects, to reconnoitre this similar trek made in 1996 with another friend, so as to ascertain the travelling logistics are less troublesome.
This recconaisence is slated in early September and as follows:-
Day One 4.00pm depart Spore
5.00pm arrive Johor Baru
6.55pm depart JB by TRAIN
Day Two 7.20am arrive Tanah Merah, Kelantan
9.00am depart Jeli by TAXI
10.00am arrive Jeli
10.15am depart Jeli by TAXI(another vehicle,
unless the first taxi willing
to make 5hours trip)
3.00pm arrive Banting Island, Temenggor Lake
(north-east Perak state)
Beleive, facilities in this island resort in a lake, have been further developed, after my ’96 visit less than
two years of its opening, a result of ex-premier Mahathir’s
drive to “touristisised” Malaysia from the early 90s.
DAY THREE 10.00am depart Banting Island
11.30am arrive Gerik (Perak)
11.45am depart Gerik, by another taxi, same
reason as departing Jeli
5.30pm arrive Ipoh
DAY FOUR 10.50am depart Ipoh by TRAIN
9.35pm arrive Spore
O R – alternative route
DAY ONE 9.00pm depart Spore
11.10pm depart Johor Baru by TRAIN
DAY TWO 10.00am arrive Ipoh
10.30am depart Ipoh by TAXI
3.30pm arrive Gerik
3.45pm depart Gerik
5.15pm arrive Banting Island Resort
DAY THREE 10.00am depart Banting Is
3.30pm arrive Jeli
3.45pm depart Jeli
5.00pm arrive Tanah Merah
9.05pm depart Tanah Merah by TRAIN
DAY FOUR 10.15am arrive Spore
My contact no. XXXXXXXX (For security reason, h/p number been deleted by Admin)
Regards
Abel Tan
Hi Abel, your thread #19.
Am interested. Please give me time till 31 July 2009 to heal my knee joint to make a final decision.
Thanks for remembering me Buddy…………………..~:>) Edwin