Originally posted on THE LOLA BOYS ABROAD !:
I intended to stop blogging it up when I signed off on ‘The Lola Boys Out East’. At the end of our recent Oriental adventure I was clear it was time to hang up the lap-top – the story had come to a natural conclusion. However, I have since changed my mind – or should I say, had it changed for me. I was flattered when my writer’s ego was massaged by several readers of the previous blog who let me know, in…
I intended to stop blogging it up when I signed off on ‘The Lola Boys Out East’. At the end of our recent Oriental adventure I was clear it was time to hang up the lap-top – the story had come to a natural conclusion. However, I have since changed my mind – or should I say, had it changed for me. I was flattered when my writer’s ego was massaged by several readers of the previous blog who let me know, in person, and electronically, that they would miss news […]
And finally …….. The East, the final frontier. These were the voyages of the The Lola Boys’ Enterprise. Our three month mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new guest houses, to boldly go where no poof has gone before. Captain’s blog – Stardate 11/3/15 – The final one tear….. At times we could have done with ‘Lieutenant Uhura’. After all, she was always William Shatner’s right hand in times of need! But we have coped, without her and any of the other crew on ‘Kirk’s’ ship – we have done it alone. Or should I say – together. We have reached the end of our adventure and are on the home straight, or rather, strait, as we are making our way via Singapore and the ‘Straits Of Malacca’. I cannot help but shed a tear. Although we are both looking forward to returning to normal ( if that’s the right word!) life – I know we shall both mourn our wonderful walkabout. It has become almost like a friend. The only certainty we have had for the past three months has been the necessity to move on – to journey forward. And so we have. ‘Homo’s Odyssey!’ Although I doubt whether Odysseus laughed quite as much on his famous exploration. We’ve encountered beauty, drama, kindness, cruelty and everything in between. Not to mention a few bouts of diarrhoea, vomiting and man flu along the […]
I’ve known for years that it’s a jungle out there, but here, it really is! In Borneo we have encountered more wildlife than in Duquesa Port on a Friday night. Admittedly, far less dangerous! Our morning meeting with a group of Orangutans was the undoubted highlight. We had been advised by our guide to refrain from using flash photography and to be very quiet so as not to offend, in any way, this rather, theatrical primate household. He also informed us that, ‘Ritchie’, the head honcho of this particular group, had been known to attack visitors – ingesting, at least, three human fingers in recent memory! So what happens, as the gargantuan fellow ambles majestically into view? FLASH. CLICK. PUSH. SHOVE. LAUGH. SCREAM. SURGE ! It’s a times like these, I am quite certain, the most daft family in the order of primates must be the homo sapien! Ignorant, or just plain ‘mutton Jeff’, the small crowd of assembled spectators took absolutely no notice of our trusty guides’ advice. No. Instead – these wannabe ‘Attenboroughs’. Packing more sensitivity in their obscenely, pornographic cameras – clamoured and clashed for the perfect pitch. It was akin to the opening of The ‘Harrod’s’ Sale – only with no bargain to be snatched! I, by this point, had left the melee. I was sure ‘Ritchie’ had shot me a look, not dissimilar to one I had once received, from a swarthy, bent copper – […]
I, inadvertently, made a reservation for two nights at a nudist guest house called ‘The Secret Sanctuary – perhaps that was the secret! After a well needed sleep and a morning tour around the grounds, we found ourselves enchanted and have decided to throw our caution and attire to the wind and extend here ….. By that, I mean our stay! Cyril, the creator of this fascinating abode, takes great pride in ensuring each of his guests is treated like a friend. That is, if one is allowed through the […]
I thought I should end the shaggy dog story – it only seems fair. Loula is good, she is a strong girl with genuinely caring owners – though sadly, there is a twist! When we first encountered Clarence, her master, and his gorgeous family – we explained all – one of his first questions was, what colour was the man on the bike? This seemed odd to me, but he went on to elucidate…. There are four main ethnic groups living side by side here in Malaysia. The Malay, who seem to run things; the Chinese; the Indians; and the Orang Asli – the indigenous people, who, ironically, as the name suggests, were here first: a tribal group, much like the ‘Aborigines’, where many are struggling with drug and alcohol dependency. I explained that the guy who was thrown from his bike was very brown – the blood that was pumping from his foot and his knee was was almost imperceptible. It was only when it spilled over me that the claret was obvious! From this information, Clarence discerned that the bloke must be from the Orang Asli. He thought this a good thing, as he imagined he would just need to pay for the damage to the victim’s bike. Apparently the other ethnic groups thought of Clarence and his family as just ‘Chinese’ and would treat them accordingly – i.e. Come down on them like a ton of yellow […]
Our lowest point in The Cameron Highlands came yesterday, when Andrew and I witnessed a terrible collision between a beautiful, gentle honey-coloured dog and a motorcyclist! As with all accidents with which I have had the misfortune to be connected, everything occurred in slow motion. We both watched as this gentle creature decided to cross the road at entirely the wrong moment and inevitably disaster struck. The poor guy on the bike was as oblivious as they both came together in the most hideous of manners. It is a sight and sound that I’m sure will never leave either of us. We both froze for what seemed like an age as the flip-flop clad rider flew over his machine and landed directly on his head ten feet further down the road. The motorbike came to a halt immediately on impact with the animal’s rib cage . After what seemed like an age, which in reality must have been just several seconds, we both ran to the scene. Andrew took care of the dog and me, the man. How typical! The poor animal was writhing on her back in agony and the man silent and shaken. I pulled him to the grassy bank at the side of the road. He was visibly shocked and bleeding profusely from his foot and leg. I tried to recall my days with the scouts and manouvered him into a position I thought was helpful. It […]
