Trikora Beach

Posted by Brian

Posted on September 12, 2007

Hello... just so you know I am still alive and finally in Oz. The first thing you notice is the temperature here. Its cold. Maybe 19 degrees. I have no jumper either so need to get one quick. Since the last post though I did find a little piece of heaven on earth. After our night in Batam, the worst place in possibly the world (well not really but it was horrible), we went to the internet and came across a place called Trikora beach. So we got a boat to Bintan 2 hours later. Trikora beach is on the east side of teh island. The only thing we knew about it was the name of a place called Shady Shacks.

We set off looking for this place and on the road in a taxi/hi-ace with our lunatic driver (he talked to himself the whole time) we drove past some bungalows which Ian mistook for Shady Shacks. We got out anyway and had a look at the rooms and prices. For the whole time I have been travelling I have wanted a hut on the beach. This wasn't quite on the beach though. This was more... in the Ocean. For about 12 euro the 2 of us stayed in this amazing place. Pretty much, it was just us there. We got to know the staff, one of the guys was teaching us how to count and important things like ordering beer. We stayed there then for 6 nights. It was amazing. We did pretty much nothing. Just chilled out, relaxed, played 25 and chess, ate and drank. We'd sit out at night, eat the most amazing prawns and fish (well I did, Ian is a vegetarian for a while) and chat. It was perfect way to end the traveling.

One of the days we went fish. Not a sign of a fish anywhere near us but still we struggled on standing in water up to our waste with fishing rods. When I say fishing rods, I mean bamboo sticks with fishing line tied to the top. We used bait of squid which probably wouldn't help either. Still it was good fun. On the last day we went to white sand island. That was great until we realised that we were really close to the equator in the mid-day sun and not much shade. I got a little burnt but not too bad. Not sure about Ian.

Leaving that place was rock hard to do. Could have stayed for ages more. Everything about the place is amazing. Hopefully at some point I'll have time to sort out pictures to give people an idea but anyone who is traveling go to Bintan and stay in Nostalgia Yasin Bungalows. Its two hours on a boat from Singapore to get there and then 45 minutes to the bungalows.

If you are in Singapore though, don't bother trying to head out. I payed 7 euro for a whisky. I couldn't believe it. Especially sine in the Duty Free I got a bottle of 12 year Jameson for 20 euro. Singapore is a nice city though but after everywhere else it seems soooo expensive. Mad westernised too.

Anyway, it was a long flight and I've been awake 25 hours now so its off to bed for me.

Adios

Brian