By doth ith blocked...
The cold I picked up in Kukup persists. It goes away when I'm exerting myself, but if I should stop for awhile and it returns. Doesn't help that Batu Pahat is cool - literally. I tried to have an early night last night. Fortunately the Rest House has a very decent restaurant (I'm sure it wasn't just my hunger giving me that impression for I ate nowhere else during my two-night stay) and I had a hot dinner which was most agreeable.
I seem to remember that many rest houses were located on hills. I may be wrong but if so, the Batu Pahat one is no exception. The high elevation gave a very good vantage point of the hills in the distance and some gardens and a lake below.
Feeling extremely stuffed up I didn't venture out at all the first morning. I had a closer look at the 'Febs' cold medication I'd brought along, wondering why it wasn't working. The date at one end of the pack gave the game away. I'd grabbed it from my fridge and it was seriously out of date. I am too embarrassed to reveal how seriously...
The late morning brought rain which suited me fine as I took the opportunity to update the blog. This is turning out to be a task of some dimension indeed. It is eminently pleasurable as being on the saddle for hours at a time, and just being on my own has given me a more contemplative air. I'm enjoying writing and I hope you are enjoying the fruits of my creative labour.
One thing I wasn't enjoying at all was having just one functioning nostril at a time. The thin blanket didn't help at all. So when the rain cleared, I wandered off into town and was instantly glad I did.
I took the back way out of the Rest House and went down a hill behind the JKR building. I came out facing a couple of large padangs - fields. One was a hockey or football field with some spectator stands on one side. The other had a clock tower on one end and another, more decorative, grandstand on the other. Around this padang were dotted trees, shelters, lots of Malaysian flags and a lot of wooden swings. A wide sidewalk lined one side and I walked down this to a plaza which had a huge sculpture in the middle. Oh look at the pictures...
The part of Batu Pahat I was within walking distance of is for the most part quite pretty. Sure, modernity has reared its ugly, tasteless head, but nestled among the new are remnants of a bygone time. Although some of the old buildings are much tattier now than years ago, they still offered a pleasing contrast to glass and concrete.
Down a side street I found a Chinese medicine shop. They had the Vicks I needed, but not the cold medicine - the owner gave me a different brand instead, which he claimed did not cause drowsiness. I had no wish to fight the heat or the hills in a somnolent state.
Pleased that the end of the cold was apparently nigh, I returned to the Rest House for some tea and to pop a few capsules.
They didn't work. My nose was still stuffed after some hours. The afternoon rain forced me to stay in and do a bit more writing or reading. Also a lot of lying down on one side till the upper nostril cleared, then turning over to unblock the previously open but now stuffed one. Ad infinitum...
After dinner, thoroughly fed up, I wandered quickly into town again to the Guardian Pharmacy I'd spotted on my way back earlier. Armed with a box of Clarinase I was sure would do the trick, I rushed back, popped a pill and said goodbye to the nasal drip.
The Batu Pahat Rest House is owned by the government of course, and is run by Mr Teo, assisted by 2 general staff and one or two in the kitchen. Although the location is charming, rest houses were never about luxury and this one is no exception. The fittings are old (even broken), the bed was sagging in the middle and the blanket thin.
Having said that, the garden and patio are pretty, the people very attentive and friendly (even if Mr Teo seemed to enjoy his TV), the food was very nice indeed, and the location simply superb. Also, it was practically empty so quiet was assured - well until the night. More on that in awhile.
The laid back attitude was also very welcome - when I announced my intention to have an early start (they open the place at 7am and close up the lobby and kitchen at 11+pm), Mr Teo said to simply leave my room unlocked and the key inside. Now, my room is accessible by anyone wandering into the unfenced grounds so this seemed quite casual. Anyone wants a 14" TV, an old aircon with no controlling knobs or a sagging mattress?
My last night promised much better - the Clarinase helped, I dug out my sarong to help where the blanket was not particularly effective, and I tried to get to sleep.
Now I've thrown away the box so I cannot tell, but perhaps someone here can advise me if the 24-hour version of Clarinase has Caffeine in it? I could not sleep! I played Solitaire on my iPod for awhile, read for a bit, then lay back in the darkness for even longer getting worried I would be pushing myself too hard the next day.
When the couple in the next room began their bedroom aerobics, complete with sound effects audible through the thinnish walls, I knew it was a lost cause.
I eventually slept in short snatches through the night and got up just before 5 am for a leisurely start to the day.
So, what of Batu Pahat - at least the bits I saw? Well, it's certainly not a small town and these tend to be less personal. My own physical condition and the rain meant I explored little but liked what I did see. Would I come back? Yes, definitely. And to the Rest House.
But not for the reason you think - I left my Balinese Sarong on the bed when I left and Mr Teo promised to keep it for me. I bought it on my honeymoon and I'll be damned if I'm letting it go!
Post to del.icio.us
The cold I picked up in Kukup persists. It goes away when I'm exerting myself, but if I should stop for awhile and it returns. Doesn't help that Batu Pahat is cool - literally. I tried to have an early night last night. Fortunately the Rest House has a very decent restaurant (I'm sure it wasn't just my hunger giving me that impression for I ate nowhere else during my two-night stay) and I had a hot dinner which was most agreeable.
I seem to remember that many rest houses were located on hills. I may be wrong but if so, the Batu Pahat one is no exception. The high elevation gave a very good vantage point of the hills in the distance and some gardens and a lake below.
Feeling extremely stuffed up I didn't venture out at all the first morning. I had a closer look at the 'Febs' cold medication I'd brought along, wondering why it wasn't working. The date at one end of the pack gave the game away. I'd grabbed it from my fridge and it was seriously out of date. I am too embarrassed to reveal how seriously...
The late morning brought rain which suited me fine as I took the opportunity to update the blog. This is turning out to be a task of some dimension indeed. It is eminently pleasurable as being on the saddle for hours at a time, and just being on my own has given me a more contemplative air. I'm enjoying writing and I hope you are enjoying the fruits of my creative labour.
One thing I wasn't enjoying at all was having just one functioning nostril at a time. The thin blanket didn't help at all. So when the rain cleared, I wandered off into town and was instantly glad I did.
I took the back way out of the Rest House and went down a hill behind the JKR building. I came out facing a couple of large padangs - fields. One was a hockey or football field with some spectator stands on one side. The other had a clock tower on one end and another, more decorative, grandstand on the other. Around this padang were dotted trees, shelters, lots of Malaysian flags and a lot of wooden swings. A wide sidewalk lined one side and I walked down this to a plaza which had a huge sculpture in the middle. Oh look at the pictures...
Down a side street I found a Chinese medicine shop. They had the Vicks I needed, but not the cold medicine - the owner gave me a different brand instead, which he claimed did not cause drowsiness. I had no wish to fight the heat or the hills in a somnolent state.
Pleased that the end of the cold was apparently nigh, I returned to the Rest House for some tea and to pop a few capsules.
They didn't work. My nose was still stuffed after some hours. The afternoon rain forced me to stay in and do a bit more writing or reading. Also a lot of lying down on one side till the upper nostril cleared, then turning over to unblock the previously open but now stuffed one. Ad infinitum...
After dinner, thoroughly fed up, I wandered quickly into town again to the Guardian Pharmacy I'd spotted on my way back earlier. Armed with a box of Clarinase I was sure would do the trick, I rushed back, popped a pill and said goodbye to the nasal drip.
The Batu Pahat Rest House is owned by the government of course, and is run by Mr Teo, assisted by 2 general staff and one or two in the kitchen. Although the location is charming, rest houses were never about luxury and this one is no exception. The fittings are old (even broken), the bed was sagging in the middle and the blanket thin.
Having said that, the garden and patio are pretty, the people very attentive and friendly (even if Mr Teo seemed to enjoy his TV), the food was very nice indeed, and the location simply superb. Also, it was practically empty so quiet was assured - well until the night. More on that in awhile.
The laid back attitude was also very welcome - when I announced my intention to have an early start (they open the place at 7am and close up the lobby and kitchen at 11+pm), Mr Teo said to simply leave my room unlocked and the key inside. Now, my room is accessible by anyone wandering into the unfenced grounds so this seemed quite casual. Anyone wants a 14" TV, an old aircon with no controlling knobs or a sagging mattress?
My last night promised much better - the Clarinase helped, I dug out my sarong to help where the blanket was not particularly effective, and I tried to get to sleep.
Now I've thrown away the box so I cannot tell, but perhaps someone here can advise me if the 24-hour version of Clarinase has Caffeine in it? I could not sleep! I played Solitaire on my iPod for awhile, read for a bit, then lay back in the darkness for even longer getting worried I would be pushing myself too hard the next day.
When the couple in the next room began their bedroom aerobics, complete with sound effects audible through the thinnish walls, I knew it was a lost cause.
I eventually slept in short snatches through the night and got up just before 5 am for a leisurely start to the day.
So, what of Batu Pahat - at least the bits I saw? Well, it's certainly not a small town and these tend to be less personal. My own physical condition and the rain meant I explored little but liked what I did see. Would I come back? Yes, definitely. And to the Rest House.
But not for the reason you think - I left my Balinese Sarong on the bed when I left and Mr Teo promised to keep it for me. I bought it on my honeymoon and I'll be damned if I'm letting it go!
Post to del.icio.us
2 comments:
Little Brother
It appears that Clarinase has a very strong insomnaic effect on all Cheongs. I coudl have told you that...
Ha ha that explains it. Still, no regrets - it did the trick, at least as far as the nasal drip was concerned. Next time I'll check the expiry dates of the medicines I store in my fridge.
Well, staying up gave my voyeuristic side a workout...
Post a Comment