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Maybe not Gordon's last trip
Arrived in the biggest shopping Mall in the world...........and me without an extra place in my bag to another thing.........and no, i am not to be persuaded by the inducements of the retailers who tell me that they can ship it for me.
Just going to window shop I think as there isn't much else to do here except eat....now that's a good idea.
Had a small adventure in Malacca where I took a ferry to a small island (4th in two weeks) and this time it didn't rain. What it did hold however was a strange experience. ON the island we were told (went with a fellow traveller) was a resort and sure enough, when we landed there we signs to such a place, which we followed. when we got there however it was the Marie Celeste of the resort industry. Everywhere were signs of expense..........chalets, swimming pools, banqueting halls, vast reception areas, villas filled with furniture...but no people. And to add to the mystery, signs that renovation had started (piles of bathroom fittings lying in a tennis court!) but that is must have been terminated almost without notice.
Surrounding the entensive grounds however, were manicured lawns with pathways which allowed us to meander between the villas. Suddenly I saw a 'familiar' concrete path and, on following it up a rise, found myself standing on the teeing ground of a fully fledged golf course. And bizarrely, the fairways were being maintained, albeit the greens had been allowed to 'die' in the heat. Whoever or whatever had created this place had spent a fortune, and as it was easily accessible from the mainland it was difficult to see why it had failed.
Having wandered around the golf course for some time, (more interest to me than my companion Juliet..........and please don't add the Romeo to that name as this lady was passing time in Melaka until her boyfriend arrived from Japan) we became quite disoriented (some of my golf playing friends would say that was my usual way on a golf course). In the end we found some of the mystery workers who care for the lawns etc and they took us to another, budget, resort also on the island where we spent the rest of the day, treating the bites we received while wandering and swimming in a beach edge pool.
No one seemed to have any answers as to why the resort was desolate until the taxi driver on the mainland explained that it had been a Government iniative which had been managed by Malay people and had consequently failed as they had no idea on how to run a business. (Should explain the cab driver was of Chinese origin). Apparently, the resort has been resurrected on two occasions and on each has failed to gain enough interest. Strange as it is a great location, with everything on site so............if anyone reading has access to some serious venture capital funds please let me know and I'll reveal the island!!
Signs seen: Aberdeen Fish Head Cafe (didn't try)
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