Z is for Zebrule

Zebrule is a cross between a male zebra and a female horse. I think maybe we can called the ah gua (transvestite for you international readers) that.

Since using the animal to represent something else is so common among peers nowadays. Looking at those animal theme disco and pub on this little island, i think they shld have one called teh Zebrule Disco. The neverland of the ah gua. All kind of services provided be widely available in the disco. Great idea? No? Ok, back to my creative thinking again.

So waking up after working half day before going to the sunny island of the "land of smiles". Feel refreshed, and its been a long time since I recall waking up early to eat breakfast. Working not counted hor. That one is boh pian.

Being so-very-singaporean, whatever is included in the package must TAKE lor. Dun take lugi liao. What to do? Breed and educated in Singapore. So itineraries for the day will be checking out the beach after breakfast, take a look at the lotsa-water-rush-in-to-flood-and-destroy beach, followed by the free city tour, and then own-time-own-target.

The beach do look great from far, but when u walk up to it, aint as beautiful as it seems, especially those near to the shore. It was quite empty, probably cause we are there early, something like 9am. Gotta make it early cause our city tour is at 10am. So walking along the beach, you still get hustle non-stop by people asking if you wanna do water sports or hair braiding. I guess there is just too few people around, so anyone who dun look local kena hoot.

First stop for our city tour is the hilltop view of seashore of the island. Nice view but isn't as beautiful as those I have seen elsewhere but... still nice (must compliment abit lah else like my trip boh hwa). After that they bring to another location that makes it look like countryside for some activities like elephant trekking, live gun firing, ATV (All Terrain Vehicle).

It sure looks too hot to sit atop the elephant for some sun-tanning, so we skip on it. Live gun firing sure is exciting for a female friend. First time shooting. So scared and excited. Me? Mai lai. Not so interested in shooting. Pay money to waste bullet. Dowan. But ATV looks exciting and it does. Love it. Really shiok shiok when u riding on those 4-wheeler-motorbike-lookalike vehicle. Cheong up and down the slope, trying to do bend on the corner. Shiok. My only complaint is like we are going through a sand storm. The amount of sand and soil flying up from all the biking is enough to make my midnight black single looks like a single of black with tint of brown. Damn.

After that is lunch. Nothing eventful but its a very nice, scenic and serene restaurant by the beach. So lomantica to lunch by the sea, under the shade of the tree. And luckier to have something drop on you from the top of the tree. Not me. And pricing is cheap too, cheaper than those in the used-to-be-crowded-but-not-so-crowded Patong beach area. Then there is this dunno-wat-you-called-bridge-thing that stretch out to the sea for a good 100 metres from the shore. Something similar to what we have at the Bedok Jetty at East Coast Beach, except ours is concrete and their is wood. Damn, now I recall missing a photo, and I still called myself a photographer! Damn. Hungry man cannot think. Must be. We wanted to walk it but our guide come to take us off for some shopping. Too bad.

So we went to do some shopping on local products, ie cashew nuts. I never know cashew nuts is a local product on this island. First time seeing the fruit of cashew nut tree. Very nice. This time I remember to take a picture.

Next is some jewellery place. It looks really grand and we looks really sloppy. But who cares? They look at your moolah, not your dressing. We actually resist going there, with no intention of buying anything. so there's a guide that show us the workshop where their craftsmen are working on the jewellery. its really huge place. And we are the only group of tourists there. So its kind of uncomfortable to have too many sales person attending to you as you try to finish the tour and get the hell out of the place. Those gems and diamonds are too glittering for my moolah.

When we got the last section, where its mostly the pearl and stone products, we have this very attentive guide explaining a lot of things to us. and it start from telling us how to differentiate the difference between real and fake pearl jewellery. I tell you, its a good trick. That prompt us to check out the pricing and we are a little surprise to find it so cheap, or well, cheaper than we expected. Afterall, I have no experiences shopping for PEARL jewellery. Its not glittering but it can give the lady a classy and elegant look with the right design. So ended up one of us bought a couple of pieces for the girlfriend is who trying out. Me too. I got no girl with me but bought a piece for a long time friend. I swear in the name of whatever-god-your-believe-in that is just a girl _space_space_space friend.

And come to an end of our city tour. Haha, and we din even visit the city! So just do some leisure walk around, getting to the tailor shop for my friends fitting of his suit and the manager finally manage to get one more deal for the friend's girl is doing a suit as well. As we make our way back to the hotel, walking along another stretch of of shops facing the beach, we realise that most of them are in ruins, destroyed by the tsunami. Then there is this huge jewellery store. So I wonder how much gems did that store lost? A lot of people went to the beach to do picking the following day is what the guide told us.

Then rested a while before heading for the beach from the hotel. Did a little swim in the. Ok, its not as nice as the one I have enjoyed in Nice but at least I can see almost the whole body under the water when the water is reaching to my chin. Walking almost 50 metres out into the sea, I still can walk on. Never exactly did any water-trapping. So I wonder if the shoreline been changed by the tsunami. Was it like this in the past as well?

Seafood is on everyone's mind for dinner. Walk around, look around. Found one that looks ok. Ordered from clams and lobster. Too bad dun have Sri Lanka crab. Those crab they have are those flower crab which I never feel the meat good. Some vegetables. Maybe its the cooking. Makes its the style. I don't find the food that wonderful. They have no intention to serve us the food till we asked them about it. Hungry man want food fast. They serve all at one go after done with cooking ALL the food you have ordered. No wonder some of the dishes are no longer hot when served.

Night is nothing much eventful. Usual walk around the shops to look for bargain. Maybe its the aftermath of the tsunami. Bargain aint't the fun thing anymore. Most of the shops are having bad attitude when you try to bargain with them. And worst, they start the price at a super exorbitant price. Imagine you can cut down the price by more than 2/3 and you still dun like the price! I paid abit more for my buy, but at least the price does not start from exorbitant range. I tell you I ain't good at lower price. I never is, I never was, I never exactly will be. Maybe.