It is five in the morning. This early there is no traffic in Hanoi. I don't think I have ever seen a city so empty. Like a post-nuclear apocalypse. Totally unlike Asia. Fifteen minutes later the roads are alive again with motos, cars. That's better.

Ever since the 27th of August the weather has been so-so. Some days are better than others, but pretty much overcast. The same on the Monday we left for the airport. b*****. The three-hour flight goes by in a flash as I am kept busy by the girl sitting next to me. She wanted to sleep, I wanted to write; none of this happened.

The moment we land in Kuala Lumpur, I know. I just know. The sun's out. Shining. The skies are clear. This is Malaysia. I love. All through the next 30-minute flight back north to Kota Bahru, the one-hour cab drive to Kuala Besut and the water-taxi to the Perhentian islands I feel happiness just flowing back. I missed Malaysia. Perhaps because it was my first stop in Asia, but I love it. The waters are crystal clear, light blue, translucent, the beaches white, fringed with palm trees. Aaaaah; blissful. Everything feels so familiar. It's good to be back.

It is already well after six when we arrive, and find a place to sleep. Pulau Perhentian is not the real Malaysia though. Not only more expensive than normal - ok, it is an island - but the people are pretty unfriendly. Knowing there is only limited choice, there is no bargaining possible. And I've tried. God, I've tried. For over an hour I tried to get something off of a 50 ringgit bungalow, but to no avail. I wasn't even able to get the safety box for free. It was a nice conversation though, I think we both liked it. But both parties should yield. I got so used to bargaining about everything that this just feels bizarre. Even when I "threatened' him to go somewhere cheaper, he just shrugged and said "ok". Come on! Yesterday I tried to hire a kayak which I've heard should cost RM 20, asked around and heard someone have rented on for 30 on the other side of this tiny island. The shop owner says 50, and when I inform him it is 30 somewhere else, he just goes "this is not other side of island. Go there for 30. Here you pay 50. Go there". WTF? Stupid a******!

The first day we just hang around, tan on the beach, splatter in the clear waters. There is absolutely no rush. Our trip is 'over', we have seen everything we have planned to see. These last few days have been planned for sunbathing and diving. We could've seen more. We have wasted several days in Hong Kong, Bangkok, spent more time in Laos than we expected. Others were rushed. But alas. Better next time. It's good to just chill now. We explore the northern tip of our island - Pulau Perhentian Kecil. Walk up to the windmills that supply electricity. Sweat to death in the early afternoon sun, but once up are treated to a gorgeous view of the jungle, the sea. A long leg of stairs lead down to a jetty by the sea. I have to go there. Jump into the turquoise waters right there. Brilliant. We are the only people here. Even when going back up, and down the other side through the jungle, to the sunset side, there is nobody. Love this island.

We go diving on the first of September. It actually goes really, really well. Ever since Australia I'm afraid of my ear, afraid that it'll hurt again, that I'll not be able to equalise, that I'll have trouble for the next couple of months after a single dive. But nothing happens. Even though the site - Lagoon (Batu Layar) - wasn't that spectacular, just fish, lots of small and medium fish, my ears made it all worth The aftermath couldn't be worse though. I feel all warm, tired, sick. All next day I feel horrible. No dives. By the late afternoon I seriously start considering that I might've gotten malaria. It's been three weeks since I stopped taking Malarone, and even though Vietnam isn't supposed to have these deadly mosquitoes it's not a guarantee of safety. I read up on the symptoms: fever, coughs, headaches, diarrhea, cold chills. I have the fever, the headaches. When I go to bed, I even get a cold chill. Pondering if the doctor on the island can test for malaria, or whether I'll have to go the mainland. Kuala Lumpur even. The rest of my trip? I don't have time to work out the situation perfectly as I fall asleep.

The next morning I feel perfect. All better! Can't be happier!

We do two dives today, at nine in the morning and at noon. Tanjung Butong and Tiger Rock. Especially Turtle Rock - T3 - is brilliant. Three rocks stuck together, riddled with short tunnels. And the turtle! I see a turtle! Moving! The one I saw before at the Great Barrier Reef was - although gigantic - not moving at all. This one was eating, swimming around. So gracious, so beautiful. The constant up and down along the bottom necks me though. When we come up my left ear hurts again. I think I'm a one-dive-a-day diver.

The fourth dive is Temple of the Sea in the morning. The best site around. The sea is choppy, cold, and a twenty minute boat ride away. As we jump into the water the current immediately takes a hold and pulls you away. The dive master can yell all he wants, but if the waves push you the other way, it's not easy to get to where he is pointing. Going down is horrible. You need to grab the buoy-line with both hands, pull yourself against the current, aware of the boat above as it bumps into you, hitting your head, other divers' flippers almost knocking off the regulator. Horrible. Below five metres the chaos of the surface dissipates. The sea is calm and scores of fish are all around. We turn round a big rock, the current is back, we just drift with it, saving precious air. Look around in awe. This is almost as beautiful as the Great Barrier Reef! Under one of the rocks, just visible, is the snout of a bamboo shark. At the southern tip, sheltering from the current is a MASSIVE wall of yellow snapper fish. At least ten metres high, god knows how long. Gorgeous. We swim a bit more, suddenly we're just surrounded by barracudas, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. I love this site. We see small yellow boxfish, porcupine-fish - the one that blows itself up - and scores and scores of little tropical fishies. I love this place! And so cheap, 70-80 ringgit per dive!

I've done four dives. Survived all four of them. But... more, always more. And as 'Redang Dive Trip' goes up on the dive board I don't have to hesitate whether to go or not to go. Only the steeper price of 280 ringgit is questionable. I do know that I am here now and I will kick myself in the balls later if I decide against it. I am soo glad I did go! Well, not at that exact moment. The sky is grey, a cold wind is blowing and the choppy sea thrashes our small boat around as it see fits. For more than an hour. By the end I'm just glad I haven't thrown up, but my butt is definitely bruised & blue. The dive however is magnificent. We have 25-30 metres of visibility and an incredible amount of diverse fish. Another turtle :) After the first dive we pull up to the shores of Redang Island to rest and have lunch. I think this island is even more beautiful than the Perhentians. But only because luxurious accommodation is the norm here and everything is kept in top condition. But why pay so much? Hell, on our island you can even camp right on the beach for ten ringgit. How awesome is that?

The sixth, and final dive is simply icing on the cake. Under one of the rocks we spot the protruding body of a muray (my first!), its mouth opening and closing, slowly coming out of its hole. Yaay! In the corals a tiny yellow boxfish scurries back and forth. And then... and then... more turtles! Two of them, just metres away. As we look on, one of them gracefully takes off of the seabed and not more than 40 centimetres in front of me swims slowly away. Or floats away, so gracious and effortless it looks. I've never seen one up so close, one so clear. Just this one minute was worth the whole trip! It was worth extending my planned stay on the Perhentians by one day. Six dives in total to be added to my dive log. Not bad. Not bad at all.

The next afternoon I catch the 4 o'clock water taxi back to the mainland. The sun's out, scorching, the waters crystal clear and not a single cloud in the sky. I will miss you! The boat picks up some more people and we circle around the island. The skies are dark to the east, dark-grey clouds gather on the horizon, threatening the serene ride back. The wind picks up, waves grow in size and our boat becomes nothing more than a toy in a giant bathtub at the mercy of elements. Finally, after having been thrashed around for the better part of the hour we arrive in Kuala Besut, soaked. The windshields sheltered us from most of the rain. Others were not so lucky though. Locals were apparently quite worried about the storm and the water-taxis set out in groups of two... in case one of them sinks. The smaller boats - without windshields - were simply flying around, its passangers soaked from head to toe. Terrified, without life vests. Must've been great fun!

I share a taxi with three girls I've met earlier today, back towards Kota Bahru. From there I will go up north to Thailand. We stop along the way to get food. This is Ramadan month. Everything shuts down between 6 and 8 in the evening, only road-side stalls are open which sell food to the hungry devotees after sunset. I just love having real local food, all packed in banana leaves! The cabdriver drops us off at the airport, and right there and then, sitting outside the departure hall, on the floor, we eat the meal. With our hands. Like in Laos. Something the locals have not seen before in these parts. Hehe...