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Showing posts from January, 2014

Kota Bharu and the Perhentian Islands

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Welcome to readers from Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica  At the end of a long European winter places like these islands begin to appeal. Chilling on this island brought a Ronny Jordan track to mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT0bdaYB2Ns Called ' The Jackal' But first you have to arrive at ... Kota Bharu When I arrived in Kota Bharu I was very hungry. The two fried eggs on a plate with Maggi chilli sauce were divine. I've never enjoyed eggs so much. Taken in a tent restaurant near the bus station. The Market At sundown the rats come shopping for left over produce. They seemed to come out in order of seniority with the larger ones emerging later. It was quite a sight as they jogged casually around the city centre. They were a pretty confident rat pack. This element of the city sent me inside McDonalds for a breather. Knee-cleaner Inside was this sign. Thing was I had

Planet of the Apes via New York City

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Life is short. When we travel we have never have enough time for gladdening the hearts of those we meet. We must make haste to be kinder. Henri Frederic Amiel The Osa Peninsula Costa Rica, Central America On the way to San Juan in Costa Rica I got to stop in the Big Apple. New York is a city I like immensely. The hit as you arrive from the airport is like no other. Something to do with the saturation of the mind by New York movies. I stayed in New Jersey which is pretty interesting in itself. Became one of the 'bridge and tunnel' crowd for a week. In late November NY is freezing and the contrast with Costa Rica was just funny. There they were in the hot, wet, green season. After a nerve-wracking TAP flight out of JFK the tropics was only five hours away. At San Juan airport a jeep awaited. Somewhere. After a cabal of chatter the keys arrived. Only later did it become clear that there was no suspension. Pity because a 4WD was quite important. It wa