Pinang, Malaysia
As my visa is due to expire, this time I will go back to Sumatra. I've booked my flight and arranged to be in Penang around 5 days beforehand to get my Indonesian visa. Drew's visa expires the same day and his plan in to head into Thailand and try and get to Myanmar.
After saying farewell's to friend's around Langkawi, Drew saw me down to the ferry terminal and I set off once again. On arrival in Penang I checked into my usual guest house and applied for for Indonesian visa next morning. I feel really sad now that I'm here, Sumatra isn't sitting well with me, it was the most dangerous roads that I had cycled plus I'm missing Drew.
I've a few days to wait around for my visa and flight but after day two of being in Penang I changed my mind to continue cycling through Indonesia and talked to Drew about bringing the bike back from Sumatra, meeting him in Thailand and continuing up to Myanmar on the boat. Not only that, instead of hanging around in Penang, I jumped a bus and ferry and went straight back to Langkawi, Drew by this point was anchored off Cenang beach so on arrival I got a taxi and met him there.
Eejit...most people will call me but for me I had made the right decision, I met him in Rafii's Bar on the beach and was delighted to see him, we enjoyed a catch up, a few beers then went back out to the boat. As we're short on time we sailed round to Telaga the next day to fuel up, fill the water etc. and prepare the boat for Thailand with the first being Koh Lipe, and prepare me for Sumatra.
It was an early start as I left Langkawi the day of my flight in Penang, caught a taxi from Telaga, ferry to Penang, taxi out to the Indonesian Embassy to collect my passport and back to the guest house to pack my belongings I had left behind. Bus to the airport at the south of the island and thankfully get checked in. When it was time to go through Immigration I was told I had overstayed by one day which they weren't pleased about. I was then held and questioned why I had been in and out of Malaysia for so long and I nearly missed my flight.
I was told they wouldn't let me back into Malaysia via Penang and gave me a warning, I
explained that my flight was leaving and thankfully they let me through but the gate was now shut... I was running and shouting at them to let me through and onto the plane and thankfully they did, they had even began pulling the steps away from the aircraft and I was running up themas they were putting them back for me, you've no idea how stressed out I was and never more relieved when I actually sat down on the plane!
Phew... if nothing else I'm on my way, it was a real period of delema in my travels and I'm glad I changed my mind although now I don't know if they'll let me back into Malaysia when I return with my bike!
Fingers crossed...
On yer bike 'Newlaaaannds...
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Pinang, Malaysia
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