Missing the US Grand Prix

As many of you know, a few friends and I have attended the United States Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway each year since its inception in 2000. While marriage, parenthood, impending parenthood, budget constraints and the frustration of the 2005 race have resulted in some folks watching the race from home, my friend Brian and I have prided ourselves on attending every year. Given the big trip, this was the first year I didn't make it.

Thankfully, our hotel in KL had Star Sports/ESPN carried qualifying live at 1am local time (and of course, I stayed up for it!!!). But, we left for the Perhentian islands the next day. Much to my dismay, the resort doesn't have TVs in the room. In fact, the island doesn't have power; all electricity is produced by generators.

Getting from KL to the Perhentian Islands includes the following:
- 30 minute taxi ride from the hotel to KL Sentral transportation center
- 1 hour bus from KL Sentral to the KL Airport
- 55 minute flight from KL to Kota Bharu
- 1 hour taxi ride from Kota Bharu to Kuala Besat
- 40 minute boat ride in the South China Sea to the island.

While that is a pretty straight forward itinerary, we didn't anticipate my sprained ankle (see Marie's earlier post), losing our ticket at the Malaysia Airlines office, and our Air Asia flight arriving in Kota Bharu after the last boat left Kuala Besat (which the hotel kindly told at 8am the morning of our arrival, well after we booked our flight!!!). Thankfully, upon arriving at Kuala Besat, we learned the hotel arranged for a late boat. Oddly enough, our 10 person boat had 2 Honda 225 engines, which, if memory serves me correctly is the previous generation Honda Accord V6 or Acura TL engine. Translation: A lot of power for a little boat. We soon learned why.

Lets just say the South China Sea is far from billiard table smooth. You need all that engine to power through the violent waves. Marie, who has spent a lot of time in the water was simply laughing it up. I, on the other hand, not being accustomed to boats, the ocean, or rudimentary swimming, was not comfortable to say the least. So, when you add everything together (sprained ankle, frustration from Malaysian Airlines internal procedures and customer service, 40 minutes getting soaked during the roughest boat ride ever), there was a 10 minute stretch where all I could think of was Fosters beer, the sweet melody of a Formula 1 engine down the front stretch at Indy, and consuming tender, juicy BW3 chicken wings. This island had better be paradise!!!!!

Of course, we arrived at the Tuna Bay resort, and it really is wonderful. Words can't describe how clear the water is; lots of coral and multi-colored fish merely 10 feet from shore makes for excellent snorkling. The people are incredibly friendly -- turns out there is a police training facility next to our hotel, and we got some great travel tips from a couple of cops. Unrelated note: Whoever came up with the idea for a "1 month training program" on a paradise-like island should win an award.

For you divers (or aspiring divers), there is a PADI 5 certified dive shop next door, and a 4 day open water full certification course costs approx. $300 USD. So, its actually cheaper to fly out here and learn on a real coral reef instead of a tiny lake!!!!

Oh, and as for the race: Turns out they have satellite TV in the staff room, but I fell asleep before it started!!!! Eh, there are worse places to be and worse things to be doing ;-)