I must write all these down before I really forget...
So 20th and 21st June 2008 was spent on Labuan, The Pearl of the 'Orient'
Fi and I got up pretty early today (20th) and took a short walk(10 minutes) from our place (Jalan Dewan) to the Jetty (Jesselton Point). Since the Sun rises an hour earlier here, everything is bright by 6.00am.
At Jesselton Point Jesselton Point
Unassumingly we took the 2nd Class ticket (economy) on the Ekspres Kinabalu to Labuan which was a whopping 3 hour high speed ride away! We were basing our purchase on memories of past experiences on Langkawi's 45 minute ferry rides... Please remember, and remember, and remember, whenever you HAVE TO get on a high-speed ferry for 3 Hours to anywhere at all, always, and always, and always, and always buy 1st Class Tickets!
<---Someone is about to Puke (from diesel fumes trapped in 2nd class chamber)... We met up with Chong at the Labuan Ferry Terminal (he flew in from KL and walked to the ferry terminal cos 1. He is kiamsiap 2. He had time to walk or 3. He is just plain macho) We decided to not hunt for a car first, and went food-hunting...Honestly, there is absolutely nothing nice to eat on Labuan Island, so don't bother looking, just eat! We got a cute quite ok new kancil for RM60/day which is ok byLabuan stds...there aren't many car rental service providers, unlike Langkawi...
Driving around the 'tiny' island in the Kancil Chong and 'his' tree
Labuan, The 'Pearl' of the Orient where 'business' and 'Leisure' meets.
What a corny tagline, but I wouldn't say this lil tiny baby is the 'Pearl' of the Orient in terms of Leisure... not sure about business though.
It was drizzling the whole day, we parked the kancil at the above spot facing the sea and sat 'in' the storm... I seriously didn't want anymore alcohol after the 'PADI' celebration night, but a can of Hein was RM2 and our trusty coke was RM1.60? I felt stupid.....so yea I bought the Hein and a RM10 plastic mat.
When the rain ceased, we got out to sit on the RM10 mat. That was the best part of Labuan I think, to sit facing a 'teluk' where the wind blows in the strongest while sipping on some cold beer.....saying nothing...just taking in the breathtaking sight and enjoying the gushing wind thrusting and sweeping past your face.
Nightime in Labuan (especially Saturday night) is very very different from its Day. The scene on the left is a typical hawker stall on the street just like how you would find all over KL/PJ or for that matter, Malaysia.For some reason, most of the time, ppl drank beer whilst consuming their food. Hardly ever you see 'teh ais' or some 'normal' drinks on the table.
3 Brunei Chinese guys were sitting at the next table. One came over when we were convincing Chong that the 'iphone' is heaven... The dude asked us where to get the iphone around here? We told him we ain't local, so we dunno...
We chatted for a while, he invited us to a 'club' after dinner...told us to come pop by 'pop in' if we're free... we said sure...we'll see....
Of course, there is nothing we can do in Labuan at night even with a car and a room at a pretty rundown Inn (Melati Inn) but hey its RM55 a night for a queen bed and aircon. Chong read good reviews of the Inn online, and he wonders why....
After some lazying around the room and some toilet activity, we went around searching for the 'pop in'... I think Labuan Town roads are really idiotic, the way they are built and designed, we went round and round in circles for at least 1/2 hour before we finally 'pop in'... To our surprise, we saw bouncers at the door with a desk..Shits! got cover charge... we went check it out anyways...RM5!! hahaha
The place was not bad at all.. live phillipino band (of cos not as good as the one at Shenaningans), flat screen TVs showing football, nice bar, nice music. I noticed many girls dressed really skankily, (me, not a clubber) but Fi said, nola in KL the girls also dress liek dat one...some even more keng chau... I was like oh..ok.
Boy was I right, these ain't those 'hot' KL type clubbing chicks, they are real chicks... I saw their big mama hen doing her rounds in her Mama Coat...discussing 'business' with her 'clients'..
OMG, we are in a whorehouse!!!
Chong got some...or was offered some...I dunno about him, cos I'm a girl...I'll puke if I had to do any of them...Fi and I agreed, bad-shape....
After a couple of free beers (courtesy of Brunei) we left around 1am, the time when ppl were leaving the club because the clients are on their way to performing their 'transactions'....
We left right after brunch (briyani) the next day.. Bought some duty free and ciao-ed...1st Class!
P/S : Melati Inn is good because it is in the no-whore side of town...
