Kulang!

That final night in Taman Negara was nice. The weather didn’t turn to torrential rain like it had most nights and we had new visitors come to stay in our room. One was a short haired German guy who first walked into the room covered from head to toes, a ten day old stubble and a stench that could could only be possible if you lived in a universe where soap and water didn't exist. I soon found out that he had in fact not showered for nearly eight days as he had been out hiking in the jungle on one of the more expensive expeditions to the highest point in Taman Negara. From his photos it looked like awesome fun and I wish I had seen some of the sights he had, but at the same time I was glad I didn't smell like Oscar the Grouch.



He went about cleaning himself up and showering, and as he did so two new girls walked into the room. This time they were French Swedish girls. They were pleasant on the eyes; both being about 28 years old and I immediately started talking to them in English. One was more fluent and did most of the talking. Similar to me she had worked in Japan for the past 2 – 3 years as a graphic designer. We joked around in Japanese, talked about how much we missed the language, teh culture, eating Japanese food and the country in general. The two girls were using the savings they had made over the passed years to do one final trip around the world before settling down in their home country for good.



We all left for dinner separately, and didn’t have much else to do with each other… Or so I thought at the time. I slept well that night and don’t remember waking once during the course of the night. It was possibly the best I had had in the past few weeks. However when I woke up the next morning to leave I was met by Matt who looked tired, niggly and red eyed. I asked him if had a good sleep and he thought I was trying to take the piss out of him.



Turns out while I had slept, the German guy from the night before, and the less fluent English speaking girs had been bumping uglies in the bunk above me. I’m not sure but while it may have kept Matt awake, I’m persuaded that the gentle rocking was reason I slept like a baby that night.



We took a three hour boat ride down the river back to Geruntut. It was pleasant and there was more to see then when we had caught the bus. When we arrived back in the town I wanted to get out of there quickly, so after a brief stop off at KFC for some deep friend chicken and a side of rice we walked to the station. I booked tickets to a town called Kulang to meet my friend Clayrene who lived in Malaysia, and while I invited Matt he was suspicious and booked tickets all the way to Singapore. Finally after four weeks we would go out separate ways and I would have to continue exploring alone… Yay!



After a long and tedious train ride I arrived in Kulang to be greeted by Clayrene and her friend. The town wasn’t very big, and from what I was told there was very little to do, but I think I had more fun there then anyone else. Originally I was only going to stay three days, but I ended up staying for five days in a hotel with air conditioning, a television, working toilets AND showers, and a comfortable double bed. It's amazing how after being with the same person for so long finally having time to yourself feels like an intensely satisfying freedom.




Clayrene drove me to places in her town. We went out to dinner and ate a lot of local food with her friends. She even took me to the cinemas where I saw “Angels and Demons” one night, then the next we watched “Night at the Museum 2.” I have to admit the '300' take off tickled my fancy, I couldn't stop laughing. I met a lot of new friends, and we went to karaoke and to Kulang’s only night club together for a bit of dancing to the live music. When Clayrene was busy I would walk to the local shopping centre myself, or go to pig out of good old reliable McDonalds which was open 24 hours just near my hotel. I was possibly the only white person in that town at the time, and on one occasion actually got politely asked to stop in the shopping centre by two girls so they could take a photo with me. I’m sure when I’m rich and famous I’ll get sick and tired of girls swooning towards me… But right now I’ll take what I can.



On my final day I woke up with my infamous rash covering my entire body, but even with that turn of events I had more fun in Kulang with Clayrene in those five days then I had in three weeks with my previous travel companion. I’m really grateful for her helping me out, taking me to so many places and letting me meet her friends. She is studying in Singapore now, and I'm dying to go back there, so maybe I'll be able to see her again soon.