I'm Mersing

Immersed. That's what it is. For the better part of yesterday, I was diving with turtles and Napoleon fish and angelfish and all the cast of characters from finding Nemo. Through walls of coral. Into caves. The sun shone right through the water, as if the giant ocean was just a windowpane. Pulau Tioman (set off from the South Pacific, as the tourist board likes to tout) is undoubtedly gorgeous, especially under water.

So why did I leave paradise? No accommodations. Everything booked for the weekend weeks in advance. Unbeknownst to me, these three-four days comprise one of the biggest Malaysia holidays – birthday of Raja something.. a proper buddha. Droves of Malays are heading to the beach, to their islands and jungles and big cities, in buses and trains and ferries and everything else they can muster...

And me, I'm immersed here in the tiny town (think two streets) of Mersing. I almost made it out. My ferry docked a little late, and I found out from a really nice fellow that there was one seat left on the bus heading to Kuantan tonight. With him in tow, I dragged my backpack from one ticket office to another, hoping to find the mysterious seat – hoping to find the even more mysterious vendor who had sold my new found friend his next-to-last ticket.  To no avail.. even calling the main bus company in Kuantan got empty rings in their empty office. The good folks of Junana Express Bus had gone home. Gone for the holidays.

I've dragged my backpack to two hostels before finding a last empty room at this (thankfully) clean place. The fan whirs at geological speed, and already I can see the mosquitoes congregating for tonight's feast. What can I do? Grind it out and have a great night on the town.  My one solace? It's a fishing town.. there must be cheap seafood here.

Back to Pulau Tioman. Aquamarine waters, white sands like those postcards and cute bungalows. Of course, being on budget, I had as bunk mates spiders, ants and mosquitoes, but after diving and snorkeling and swimming, I crashed for the two nights that I stayed. The sun, the ocean, the people, it really is a bit of paradise, to be trite. Great for honeymoons or the occasional getaway with the mistress.

So tomorrow. Head to Kuantan. Hope to catch a bus from there to Jerantut, then head upriver the next day to the jungle. I hope all stays according to plan, but I've learned to not expect much, and to find the interestingness in small uninteresting towns.

(Sorry if some of the above doesn't make sense, since I'm typing away as fast as I can as mosquitoes are eating through my bug spray, DEET and all. Little fucking fuckers have made my legs and arms dotted pink like the face of a 15 year old boy in the 'before' picture for a Clearasil commercial)