The Unthinkable

I have done the unimaginable. 
Six months ago, while I toiled over hostel bookings online, preparing for our trip with details, receipts, directions...I could have never in my wildest daydreams have believed this moment would come.  The moment that I, Jennifer Neves made Nathan Shenk-Boright uncomfortable with my total lack of planning.  Nathan is a man who I would describe not so much as an adventure seeker but as an adventure target.  He once explained his methodology thus:  Planning is an adventure-potential succubus.  The more you do, the less likely you are to stumble into something absolutely amazing, the less likely it is that you will learn something unexpected or be pushed to practice flexibility.  I think I probably scoffed at this explanation, assuming it was a clever excuse to justify missing plane flights, disregarding schedules, and having to make any sort of plan. 
I have changed.

Two days ago I suggested we go to the East coast of Malaysia based on some intel from my incredibly informed cousins (Thanks Simon, Niza and Adam!).  Nathan let me take the lead.  He falsely assumed I did my research before waking him at 0715 for a 0900 bus heading towards Mersing.  He accepted the 'plan' willingly, without asking any questions.  We got to the bus station, purchased our tickets and sat for an hour and a half waiting for a bus that showed on the computer screen as "on time" until 10 AM..at which point it finally rolled up.  We learned after boarding that we had purchased the last two seats on the only bus leaving for another 12 hours.  Flawless.

We arrived in Mersing six hours later and shuffled across the street to a shop selling ferry tickets to Tioman Island.  (The extent of my 'research' was that I knew an island by this name existed) We bought tickets.  The woman selling them asked where we wanted to be dropped off on the island.  I replied that we could get dropped off anywhere because we could always rent a motorcycle..at which point she rolled her eyes and told us there were no roads. 
"I see you have come here with bad information." she mocked. 
I think I caught her a bit off guard when I replied.  "No.  We came here with NO information.  Not bad."
I saw the map she was holding out and pointed at the Northern tip of the island where it said 'Salang Beach' and told her that's where we would go.
We got in line at the ferry terminal with the rest of the mob, then got herded into a boat.  Someone asked me where we were going and I replied confidently "Salang" (a word that Nathan apparently was hearing for the first time) One of the boat workers told us to get our bags and get off the boat.  This confused both Nathan and myself..Nathan, because he was certain I just made our destination up, and me because we had just been loaded onto a ferry with a ticket that did not specify which destinations were acceptable and which weren't.  Nathan started to argue with the ferry employee.
"Where is this boat going?  We'll go there." Nathan pushed. 
The guy replied "Sir, where are YOU going?" They exchanged these exact words back and forth about three times before the man grabbed onto his own hair, pulled it, and walked away groaning. 
Behind Nathan, a know-it-all tourist decided we needed a translator.  He tapped Nathan's shoulder and said "I think you're on the wrong boat man."
Nathan replied testily,  "How can I be on the wrong boat when I don't even know where my destination is?"
"Your girlfriend said 'Salang' "
"She was just making up words!"
Finally, Nathan looked over at me, flustered.  I explained that Salang was a beach in the North.  We disembarked and were sent to time-out for being poor planners (I suspect).  We sat on the pier, segregated from all of the other passengers who had not gotten on the wrong, totally unmarked boat.  When the other ferry showed up we were kicked to the back of the line.  Ferry number two seemed much more promising.  When a man asked Nathan where we were going, Nathan turned to me and shouted across isles "Hey Jenny, what was that word you used to get us kicked off the last ferry?"
"Salang."
"Right.  We're going to Salang." He said to the crew member.  The man nodded.  Things were looking up.
It took almost three hours and just before reaching 'Salang' everyone else on the boat got off.  We were tempted to follow, thinking they might all know something that we didn't..but, instead we decided to stick it out and wait for Salang.  After all, it was the reason we had endured a 45 minute time-out. 
Adventure!
We had no idea whether accommodation existed, or how much it would cost.  Nathan was brainstorming his Robinson Crusoe survival techniques as we pulled up to a dock.  Something seemed funny to the crew as we waved our goodbyes and trudged onto shore.  It all became clear when we checked in to the only hotel complex in miles.  On the reception counter there was a picture of Salang beach.  A place that we were very clearly NOT.  Nathan casually asked the guy behind the counter.."So, how far to Salang beach?" 
Twenty minutes by boat. 
In hindsight,  the ferry was likely trying to get rid of its last idiot passengers, so that it could turn around...and so it dropped us at the next available dock along the coast. 

Flawless indeed.