对许多人来说，中东是个充满危险，政治不安的地方。大多数的新加坡女生都会选择到繁疆 喧哗的国家， 例如香港、 台湾 、 日本去旅游等旅游。中东大概不会是她们旅游的第一选择。
但对爱背包旅行看世界的我，中东却有一种莫明的魅力，深深的吸引我，对她有一百零 一个问题，一千 零一个好奇。 越是看到报纸刊登关于伊朗恐怖分子及核武器的新闻，越是让我更想到神秘的中东去， 看看这所谓充满着战乱的地方到底跟媒体呈现的有多大的差异。
今年的四月初，我终于实现了我的愿望。我与两位死档，微珍和亚丽娜结伴到这似曾相识 即神秘又陌生的中东去看个究竟。在一个月里，我们走遍了伊朗，土耳其及叙利亚。在中东的一个月里 ，我们不仅结识了许多当地朋友，还看了无数的清真寺和历史景点，吃了许多的烤腌肉串。
这次的行程也让我们有机会地体会到当地老百姓的生活，遇到了非常好客、友善的中东人。虽然途中，我们也曾遭受了一些奇怪的骚扰与惊吓，冒了好几次险， 庆幸的是，我们都能化险为夷，相安无事。这些小插曲确让我们这次的背包之旅，增添了一些“艳色” 和“戏剧性。
I had initially "chio-chioed" Arlina and Christine to go Pulau Ubin on Saturday for cycling. Arlina called to ask if I wanted to go Perangang instead? We had always wanted to go to Pengarang but never got around to put our act together. Just then, Christine called to say that she couldn't go Pulau Ubin as she had to work overtime. No excuse not to go to Perangang then, I thought and called to meet Arlina at Changi jetty at 3pm.
For those who are keen to make a day trip to Perangang, the "registration" is made on the left of the Changi Jetty facing the staircase. The queue line for Pulau Ubin is on the right, nearer to the provision shop.
Stacks of passports were bundled and placed on the "registration" table who was unmanned. We asked around, and found out from the other Singaporeans and Malaysians who were in the queue that there were no boats at the jetty yet. Each bumboat can take up to 12 people. There were two other stacks of passports on the table, before ours. Arlina had placed her passport onto a new stack of passports and I followed suit.
We were happily munching chips and eating ice-cream when our tranquil peace was interrupted by an ang-mo "housefly", as I've coined him. He's about 60-70 years old, sporting a wig. Accompanying him were two Filippinas, one looked very fair-skinned and gentle, like a Vietnamese, and the other resembled a typical Thai or Indonesian prostitute, both barely reaching the man's armpit.
Prostitution and sex trade is not foreign to me. Having travelled and stayed in the red-light district in Thailand where sex-trade is the one of the key economy drivers, and sat amongst the prostitutes, seeing old ang-mos with young Asian girls is a common sight. Sometimes, I still wonder...maybe the ang-mo's wives have passed away and they are just in search of partners to keep them company during their lonesome days, maybe they think that this is their last chance to "enjoy" themselves, or maybe cheap sex is just too available to resist in Asia.
I could "smell" the cheekopeh from miles away. The two tiny women struggled to carry their luggages nearer to the "registration" counter.
The housefly began his rounds,
"Are you going to Perangang", he asked.
"Yes, Arlina and I chorused.
"Is this the boat to Perangang? Can we get to Perangang?", he asked again.
"Yes, we are also waiting for the boat to go to Perangang and there are others in the queue for the boats," we replied.
"Why are the passports lying on the table like that?, he pursued.
We got a little irritated, after his numerous rounds of asking, but still maintained our cool, "These people came before us, we are waiting to form a third group for the next boat."
"You think we can get to Perangang?", he asked.
"We are also waiting. We are not sure, but yes, we do want to get to Perangang too."
"You think we can get to Perangang? You know whether the boat is coming. How do you know if there is any boat coming. You sure we can get a boat there?", the "loh-soh" ang-mo persisted.
"We're not sure. I don't know. I'm also a tourist. I Why don't you ask the custom officers over there? Maybe they will know," Arlina pointed to the custom officer in uniform, showing her irritation by then.
I couldn't help but observed the behaviour of this ang-mo cheekopeh. The Thai-looking Filippino lady had some reservations, i think she was worried that the custom officers would question her identity. The ang-mo wrapped his arms around her, and reassured,
"No problem, you are my girlfriend, and she (the other girl) is your sister.
During the one-hour wait at the jetty, the ang-mo was as irritating as a housefly. He kept buzzing around the registration table, repeatedly asking the same questions,
"Are you the boatman?", "Is this the bus?", "Can we get to Perangang? ", to every person that he chanced upon.
The cheeko ang mo was supposed to go to Desaru tomorrow and really wanted to go there. When told about the $8 boat fare, the cheapskate ang-mo told the two girls to pay the fare themselves. He claimed that he had very little Singapore money, and most of his money were in Malaysia ringgit. The two Filippinas looked hesitant before asking, "how much?" , "Eight dollars each person,"the ang-mo said, and triumphantly added, "When we go to Malaysia, I have lots of money, and smiled.
Yucks, I was disgusted.
The fare for the one-hour boat ride to Pengerang is S$8. There is no definite schedule for the boat. Arlina chatted with a young Malay lady who was also in the queue. She suggested that we should go to Sungei Ringgit, which is about 18-20 km away from the jetty. The standard taxi fare from the jetty to Sungei Ringgit is $8.00 per person and takes about 10-15 minutes.
Many Singaporeans go to Pengarang on weekends for seafood or cycling expeditions. Some people say that Pengarang is somewhat similar Pulau Ubin and has a rustic charm.
We soon checked into a cheap hotel and soon roamed the streets, in search of lunch.Arlina had Marybrown chicken and coke for a late lunch. We strolled around the little town. A Ramly beef burger at $2 ringgit and 10 sticks of satay (chicken and beef)plus the rice cake, for $5, that's what I had for dinner. The satay stall was a make-shift one along main street.
After dinner, we strolled around the little town, saw barbers busy at work in their little salons, children running around. Arlina calls Pengarang a "cowboy" town. I prefer it to be called a quaint rustic little town though.
We checked ourselves into Let Seng Hotel,which cost 35 ringgit per night. The room was basic but clean. This was the third hotel we enquired, all the rest were all full. According to the hotel owner, there was a wedding in town and many of the relatives from Singapore came into Malaysia and booked many of the hotel rooms.
Though we did not manage to cycle or eat seafood, like what most Singaporeans usually do, it was still an interesting trip. All three batteries that I've brought were flat and I couldn't take any pictures. I willl definitely be back to take photographs of this little fishing town and have a big seafod feast!
:)
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