Note: this is Day 4 of not wearing a watch. I’m starting to lose track of time and its relevance.
Public toilets cost 1 Ringgit to use here, and in return you receive a packet of tissues. Nice. I used the toilets and discovered a large roll in each of the toilets anyway. So why the packet of tissues? Maybe it’s a nice exchange – getting something for the small change. I wonder what they call a person’s role in toilet duties where a man or woman sit outside the toilets charging and handing out packets of tissues? Anyway…
This morning I was up earlier than the family again, setting out with my camera for some lone exploring on the quiet sleepy streets of Cenang Beach, Langkawi Island. It was a lovely way to commence my day and I really must do it more often. Steve went for a run when I got back and after he returned we all ventured out for some brunch at our favourite place to have brekkie – The Breakfast Bar. We enjoyed eggs on toast and pancakes accompanied by a soda and lime which was refreshing. I noticed the guy who served us was seated behind our table, an older Malaysian man with overgrown toe nails and hair, sketching something. I wondered who he was drawing.
We finished lunch had a quick chat about our different Christmas Day this year – breakfast or lunch or dinner? And where? We wanted something special and memorable. So as we drew out the scribbled on a piece of napkin KK names from Charlie’s cap for Kris Kringle 2016 (and redrew them three times because someone had picked their own name out), we realised the spirit of Christmas was very much with us all and we were all eager to remember this one Christmas time as a family on the backpacking trail. We then paid our brunch bill and the older man who was sketching came over with a piece of paper in a plastic sleeve saying, “This is for you to keep. On the house.” I opened it up and it was a sketch of me. A profile sketch with me wearing my sunglasses, headband and new earrings. “You can follow me – here’s my name Zu R…” I lost the rest of his last name as I stared at this artist’s quality piece of sketching paper with soft charcoal strokes that clearly resembled my face. I felt so lucky, so special. How amazing is that to have someone sketch you without you knowing. Well I love it anyway, I know many who would think it a bit creepy. But I saw it as a nice gesture and an early Christmas gift.
We had picked out a name and were on our way – KK shopping and then reconvening at 2pm back at Adina Motel. We are heading out this afternoon to the movies to see the latest in the Star Wars offering. Steve has organised a taxi to take us there – about a 25-minute drive from our motel.
What to do on the Langkawi Map:
- Langkawi Cable Car overlooking the Andaman Sea
- Bird Paradise
- Eagle Square
- Pulau Payar Marine Park
- Mahsuri Mausoleum
- Underwater World
- Summer Palace
- Oriental Village
- Seven Wells Waterfall
- Crocodile Farm
- Temurun Waterfall
We were also planning on how best to see some of the island (without motorbikes…shhhh) and what to go and see. At the kebab bar an American man from Virginia sat next to me and started a conversation about where we were from (do I sound English?) and his thoughts of where to go travelling around Langkawi. He was on break from law school and highly recommended that we head up to the hills and take in the sights of the cable car and suspension bridge and suggested going further up the island and visiting Black Sand beach.
So we planned on hiring a taxi that seated six for the day and touring around the island tomorrow morning.
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