Party Time in Tioman

For those of you who have never done it, travelling alone has definite advantages! 

When you travel with someone, you tend to spend time talking with your companion and less time talking to complete strangers. 

You may also feel the need to include your companion in what you are doing and therefore don't do as much crazy spontaneous stuff.

Having arrived in Tioman technically alone, Rafa having left the after the third day, I was free do do what I wished, when I wished, with whom I wished, as much as I wished!

Following a day of quiet rest and contemplation I would have a dive day that would invariably end at the bar!! 

Random strangers, by the way, have no age limit!!

By the second night of drinking I was introduced to a superb drinking game by my fellow bar friends and divers.

The rules are quite simple and as the week went by I wrote them into a poem …...

'Out side the dive shop, as the sun goes down

People gather at the bar, to have some fun.

Red or Black? The card is turned,

Get it wrong and a sip you've earned.

High or Low? The question is asked,

Get it right and your sip is passed.

Inside or outside? You look at your cards.

You give a sip or take one, when you get this far.

Choose a suit? Well, that's a dangerous one

Get it wrong and it's FOUR sips of rum!

Eight card in the middle and if it is in your hand

You nominate the drinker or you share the sips around

When your glass is empty you can just fill it again

With Duty Free Rum and Coke, to enjoy Tioman's Drinking Game!'

(Feel free to ask in the comments box for a more detailed written explanation of the rules and I'll be sure to send them to you!!)

Tioman is a Duty Free Island with a large Duty Free shop in Tekek. 

Having been introduced to the Tioman Drinking game and having survived it,  I felt it was only fair to repay the favour by picking up the next nights supplies. 

For an amazing £10 you can get a large bottle of rum and for less that £1 you can compliment it with a large bottle of coke.

Drinking is accepted for the tourists and even some of the locals but a large majority of the community is of Muslim decent where drinking is taboo. 

This sign as you arrive from the jetty says it all!!

As the week passed I was reminded of my time in Fiji when Taki time with friends also involved copious amounts of rum and coke. 

Tioman was soon running a close second to the amount of rum strangers, who become friends, can consumed around a beach bar table!

When our bar ran dry, we headed up to Helo Bar at the far end of the beach, hitching rides back when they too had run out of rum!

On recovery days I walked the length of ABC beach wandering in and out of the beach fronted restaurants to enjoy the cooling breeze as I ate lunch.

Eating on Tioman is wonderful but simple. Toasted sandwiches, noodles and rice are the norm with an amazing array of sea food to complement it.

As a vegetarian you get curries, soups, and steamed veg with noodles. If you want a treat or simply a good pizza, you can head up to the end of the bay to eat at one of the more upmarket resorts.

To the left of the jetty three places have really gone to town in making their grounds inviting. 

Shells hang from every available piece of wood, lights curl their way through the trees. Wooden drift wood sculptures nestle between the tables and the large wire can collection baskets.

Waste disposal has improved on Tioman since my last visit. Recycling is now common with all cans and glass being collected in huge wire containers to be shipped to the mainland. 

There is still a rubbish area to the right of the jetty and at about mid day the local monkeys arrive to check out any boxes and bags.

I quickly learnt that if the monkeys were there, one should either go back and wait until they had finished their scavenge or one should give them a really wide berth by heading INTO the lapping waves to pass by on the beach side. 

Even if you walk on the sand and they will try to chase you away!!

Each night I joined newly made drinking friends or dive buddies for an evening meal, sharing stories, a beer and ideas as we ate.

Occasionally I borrowed a bicycle to head over to Tekek for supplies. 

There is not a great deal in Tekek bar the closed airport, an ATM, the duty free shop and lots of food places. 

Prices for accommodation tend to be higher than ABC beach but you do get a great Roti Chang there!!

After my horrific Sand fly attack on the second day, I now walked the beach with a constant awareness of danger.

I collected coral to make mobiles for my balcony.

I waded around the mangroves that had been tiny saplings on my last visit.

I ate mangoes straight from the trees,

I watched amazing sun sets night after night and when darkness fell I watched lightening streak across the horizon, striking the water in the distance, soon to be followed by the low rumble of the far away thunder.

But mainly I dived!!

Every day Ray would load the boat ready for the days diving.

Every other day I would join them!

While low cloud and mist hung over Tioman we would head out to distant islands where the sun shone bright and visibility was amazing.

Between dives we would eat Roti Chang in quiet coves, rocking too and fro with the gentle movement of the waves.

All the dives were quiet dives and on each dive I made new friends.

Some were new to diving, enjoying the first rush of excitement, practising and perfecting their skills.

Others were professionals who were so relaxed in the water it put me to shame.

I was having such an amazing time, I extended my stay by three days to fit in a few more dives.

Camille and Omlete were also leaving the same day as me, or rather I decided to leave the same day as them so we could all have one last HUGE party to mark the beginnings of friendships as well as the end of the season in Tioman!

Food was prepared for the BBQ,

The band set up in the bar ......

..... although in true Island style, the line up changed constantly through the night!

People gathered from far and wide for a final story,

a final drink,

a final smile.

As the night progressed we played drinking games until some of us couldn't play any longer, then those that could danced.

Then those who couldn't danced until the floor shook!!

Nobody did anything the next day, OK Daniel and Emma went diving but the rest of us slept!!

Bags were packed, a final quiet beer was had at the bar.

At 7am the following morning, fourteen days after I had arrived, I walked the short distance to the jetty.

They say that if you visit a place twice it is never the same. I had come to Tioman nine years previously with Peter. 

Our time there together had been a magical one.

This trip had been something else entirely but as I boarded the bus to come back to Singapore I knew I would never forget it!!

See you all next season guys ...

....... I WILL be BACK!!!x x x