Welcome to Dollar Academy

The Malaysian expedition leaves on Wednesday 6th July and returns on the 18th July. Mr M will attempt to write a daily blog - hope you enjoy. If you want to look at last year's, it's still available on the home page.

Hope you are all organised and ready for lift off! Make sure you have read all the information on the website, particularly the latest check list, kit list and notes.

Mums and Dads, note that we have a satellite phone with us and can be contacted at any time, especially on Aur Island where we may not have a mobile signal. Contact the school in emergency.

The forecast for tomorrow (Wed) is for very heavy rain in the Edinburgh area. So keep in mind there may be flooding problems on the way to the airport.

The weather in Singapore and Malaysia will be much better, but we do expect some very heavy showers from time to time.

Look forward to seeing you all at the airport!! This is our tenth trip, but I am still excited and looking forward to it very much.

Firstly, apologies to all for the serious lack of a daily diary. Two reasons: In the YMCA hotel I was given the access code, but my computer told me it was unable to gain access to the network. This has happened to me before, in the Caribbean, and someone fixed it for me, but I have long since forgotten what to do of course. Then on arrival in Tioman we found that the Internet had been down for two weeks and there was little hope of an early recovery. On Aur, there is no Internet, so there you have it – silence from the Far East.

However, I know that many would like to read about our trip, so I kept the diary up-to-date and now it is published for you to read, as a record of our expedition to Singapore and Malaysia.

I am happy to report that all is well and we are only bugged by a few of the regular minor problems such as sore ears, sunburn, cuts and bruises and the occasional tummy upset. Otherwise, all systems are go and everyone is having a wonderful time. It is always thus, and that’s why we are here for the tenth year. Sadly, our last, as most of you know. There are many reasons for ending this year, none of them sinister. Life moves on. We have had a great run, and around 250 pupils from Dollar Academy have enjoyed ‘fun in the sun’ on the South China Sea.

When we started in 2000, Mrs McD and I were not sure if it was going to be a success. So we paid our own way, brought two of our own children, and cautiously decided to try running the event every second year thereafter. This proved to be a serious underestimate of the popularity of the trip. Word spread like wildfire after our first trip and we had 57 wanting to sign on for the next one! So, from 2002 we ran the trip every year, missing only 2001. Each year, between 20 and 30 pupils joined us, with the maximum being 2010 when 32 signed on.

During that time, costs have risen on average by 5% per annum, which is not too bad, given that in recent years there has been a fuel surcharge on flights, and the exchange rate for the Singapore Dollar has dropped from close to 3 to 2 to the pound – so shopping in Singapore is no longer a snip.

No sooner had we said our farewells, we heard that our plane had been delayed by an hour. Our connection in Amsterdam allowed only 2 hours for transfer, so it started to look a bit tight for time. However, I was confident that all would be well because I discovered quite soon that there were more than 36 passengers on the Edinburgh plane booked for the Singapore connection. As both flights were KLM it seemed very likely they would hold the flight for us, which they did, and transfer the baggage too. Over the years we have tried Air France and Lufthansa, but found KLM to be the best for more than one reason. And, our luggage has never been lost.

The flight to Singapore was uneventful and we arrived on time, as the pilots are always able to fly a little faster if they wish. Perhaps a following wind too.

It’s now Thursday of course, and we have jumped forward 7 hours in time to 3.30pm. All the Eco-fieldtrip (EFT) stalwarts were there to meet us at the airport – Karen, Rich and Jack, and last, but certainly not least, Raj. Raj has been with us for most of our trips, and we were delighted he was going to join us for our last one.

The journey through Singapore by bus to our hotel did not take long and the troops were soon racing to their rooms, clutching their new black EFT T-shirts – this year’s logo being a kingfisher. Some made a beeline to the roof-top pool, but not for long because it was soon time for a bite to eat and a walk round the city to see Raffles and Chijmes and other places of interest.

We eat in Kopitiam, a cheap and cheerful place just down the road, which is very popular with the locals.

It’s all self-service and there are lots of different stalls serving a wide variety of food from the Far East. All are encouraged to experiment and share dishes. Fresh fruit can be selected and made into a cool refreshing drink with ice, but the puddings are disappointing – no one seems able to make decent chocolate here – you can’t have it all Mr M.

Breakfast over, we had a couple of hours to shop and pack before leaving for the airport again. The major problem with the flight to Tioman is the weight restriction. All kinds of penalties are promised at the airport for over-weight luggage, but we always wangled dispensation at Selatar. However, this year we were to fly from Changi which sounded a much more serious proposition. So every attempt was made to get weight down to 10kg and fill hand luggage with all the heaviest items. Oops! - when we arrived at check-in we discovered that hand luggage was restricted to 7kg, and many were over the limit. However, as so often happens, no one bothered and everyone was waved through with no fuss at all. Raj arrived with two huge bags and coupled with his own great bulk, must have weighed half a ton – waved through no bother!

Lunch in the airport was fine, with plenty of choice, then take-off for Tioman in the Berjaya airways airliner. Well, not quite – a four-prop machine of advancing years, which spews clouds of steam from the air-con as we rise into the skies.

Raj suggested that the fuselage was not quite airtight, and this was the clouds coming into the plane as we passed through them on ascent. Raj has a great deal of credibility in such matters and is very much a legend at Dollar, as brothers and sisters pass on pictures and anecdotes of the great man. So his commentary was taken very seriously, by some. J

The flight only takes 45 minutes, and soon we were swooping down to the tiny strip of concrete in the jungle, our wheels skimming the treetops, to a perfect landing. Terminal 1 is a small wooden building with a lone customs official stamping the entry forms. It’s easy to miss this stage if you are not careful, and someone did!

Transfer to ‘bumboats’ (yes, that’s what they are called) was quick and efficient, as the jetty is only 100 metres from the terminal. The boat ride is the first surprise of many in this wonderful trip. There’s no road to our resort, so travel by boat is the only alternative.

On arrival we were delighted to find that all our chalets had been booked beside the little fish-filled lake in the middle of the resort. It’s a very pretty spot as you can see from the pictures.

Time was 4.30, but the activities for the day, were far from over. After a quick unpack, and collection of gear, we were off on a mini-jungle trek to whet the appetite for the big trek on Sunday. Paya Beach is surrounded by mangrove and jungle and the first trip into the jungle is always exciting, with the possibility of seeing monkeys, and perhaps even a monitor lizard, some of which can grow up to 2 metres long. We disturbed two of these on the walk, but saw no monkeys. Raj, Rich and Jack took three groups round, and that was to be the pattern for our days at Tioman.

When we got back to camp, snorkel gear was issued and everyone took to the water as the sun set in the west.

This was followed by a quick swim in the pool, then an evening meal of chicken, rice and vegetables. After the meal, the troops were bundled into the mini-cinema for a slide presentation on the dangerous creatures of the coral reefs, and how to recognise those to avoid!

There is never a dull moment on the Malaysian expedition, that’s why we call it an expedition and not a holiday. So, after the slide show, we finished off with an octopus hunt on the shore, late at night, in the dark. With the tide out, torches in hand, we explored the coral pools for the elusive creatures. They are well camouflaged and usually hide under coral, so they are not at all easy to find. However, we have never failed in all the ten years, and tonight was no exception – we found four. They swim away rapidly when discovered, often giving a squirt of black ink in the process. Handling them is possible, but they are not at all easy to lift out of the water, so we rarely do. Pictures taken, we moved further along the shore, where there is a small fresh-water creek. There we came across a dog-nosed water snake, about two feet long. They are easy to handle, but to our surprise, three more turned up right under our feet, causing great consternation of course – snakes are fine when you are looking for them in the distance, but not when they turn up unexpectedly under your feet!

The sun rises quickly at around 7am and when I popped my head out of my door, I found two boys and four girls clearly intending to go for a run along the beach. So I suggested I join them and take them a run along the coastal path to Melina. Melina is a little EFT resort 1km to the south of Paya. We have used it in the past, but prefer Aur to Melina. The run involves plenty of minor obstacles and steep inclines. Rich runs there and back in 12 minutes; we only managed 16 mins, but it’s a great way to start the day, when the temperature is still relatively low. ‘Relatively’ is the key word here; it’s still very warm at around 27 degrees, coupled with high humidity – not much fun for training on a regular basis – I much prefer the rigours of the Scottish climate for this activity.

Very quickly everyone became familiar with the brightly coloured fish, invertebrates and corals which abound: parrot fish, rabbit fish, demoiselles, wrasse, butterfly fish, Christmas-tree worms, and anemones with their attendant ‘Nemos’. Some were lucky enough to see squid, and a turtle, and one group saw a small reef shark in the distance. We had our packed lunch on the beach at Tulai, in the heat of the mid-day sun – a lovely spot.

This was rather a disappointing day, I have to say, in that our boat transport did not arrive till well after lunch, and we lost some valuable time in Aur Island to get the dive training started. EFT had suggested a lunch-time pick-up, but we could have left at 9am. As it happened we had a super trip in the boat, but arrived as the sun set over Aur Island – a magical place. The boat trip is across the open ocean. Last year was calm, but this year we had a stiff headwind and fairly substantial waves to crash through – great fun, and, surprisingly perhaps, no one was sick!

Alex is the boss of the Planet Scuba dive outfit; a charming young man who runs a good show for the troops. Interestingly, he has now developed more lucrative interests in the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and only came over from the Maldives specially to organise the Dollar week. We have booked him for the past three years and I know he and his dive instructors have always enjoyed our visits. On our first trip to Atlantis Bay, one of them, Rory, (Mr Grumpy), claimed he did not like ‘kids’. However, he has joined us every year since then, and I know he was won over by the Dollar kids, because of their good natured banter and love of life on Aur.

Alex’s brother runs the show at present, so, when Alex is away on the Indian Ocean, all is under good management. Alex’s other enterprise deserves some mention at this point, as there’s just a possibility a new expedition might be organised next year – watch this space. If you want a little peep into the possible future of the “Malaysian Expedition”, Google MV Orion and MV Aquarius. (MV = Motor Vessel)

We woke to a very wet and stormy start this morning. I could hardly believe it – it was actually cold. Rory had a jumper on, and others were wearing anoraks – am I dreaming, or are we back in Scotland? Fortunately, the storm passed and the clouds soon disappeared, and we were bathed in the warm Aur sunshine again.

At this point, I have to admit to taking a small digital thermometer with me on my visits abroad, as the temperature interests me – I’m a Scientist, but, yes, that’s taking it a bit far, I agree. Anyway, for the record, the temp on Aur and Tioman is normally a degree or two above 30 and the water temp is 28 degrees C.

Good news: Mobiles work on Aur for the first time in ten years, but still no Internet connection.

Today is Mrs McD’s birthday. Her age is not disclosed of course, it’s more than my life’s worth...

The troops gave her an appropriate card, with tropical fish, and Alex arranged for more than fifty balloons to be hung round the diner. The statutory birthday cake appeared with a few candles – it would have been unable to bear the weight of the correct number! I must add, for my own safety, Mrs McD is much younger than I. J

After the celebrations the pupils sat their PADI theory exam. This takes the form of multi-choice questions which are easy enough to do, so long as you can ask teacher or neighbour for help if required. Not surprisingly, almost all passed, and anyone failing was given a second chance the following evening. I can’t say I’m wildly impressed with the PADI outfit, which is the biggest in the world. Of course, everyone knows, PADI stands for ‘Pay And Dive Immediately’. Fortunately, Planet Scuba and Forth Valley adopt a much more rigorous approach and the pupils are well trained in the skills before being awarded a pass, or allowed to go on leisure dives.

Everyone is diving, which is most unusual. We have always had a number of pupils for whom diving didn’t suit, but this year, all are more or less happy with the experience. We have had the inevitable ear problems, and some had a nail-biting experience in a strong tidal current on Wednesday. However, by the end of Thursday, all had passed their PADI Open Water qualification with flying colours.

We had some advanced divers with us too, and Rich and Mrs McD were able to take them on a separate boat to a wide variety of dive sites. Our favourite was Pulau Lang, a tiny island situated just at the end of the channel between Aur and Dayang. There, coloured fish of all shapes and sizes abound. It’s like swimming in a giant tropical fish tank and I always enjoy snorkelling there.

On Thursday evening a bonfire was lit and marshmallows consumed. Earlier, durians were on offer, and quite a few of the troops were tempted. Strangely, none came for second-helpings. Joanne was made of sterner stuff – that’s why she’s head girl of course – and consumed an entire fruit. But don’t be too impressed, there was an award of a box of chocolates from Alex if she completed the challenge.

What’s a durian I hear you ask? It’s a local fruit with a very strong flavour, matched by an equally strong smell, so strong in fact that they are banned from a variety of places in Singapore, including the Underground. Describe it? Bit like sweet, sickly onion, but quite unique. You have to smell one to know one!

After farewells to the Malay folks, who had looked after us, we set off in the dive boat for Mersing. The journey takes around 4 hours, and fortunately, the sea was fairly calm for most of the journey. However, as we approached Mersing, it clouded over, the wind changed direction and intensity, and it poured with rain; all within about fifteen minutes. Before that, our pupils were being deep-fried on the decks of the boat – in truth, some suffered badly from falling asleep – not a smart thing to do, under the equatorial sun.

The drive down the east coast of Malaysia was straightforward until we reached emigration. There we discovered that one of our party had “never been in Malaysia” - so how could she leave? This caused a ten minute delay while the problem was resolved. How had this happened? Dead easy: our innocent young girl had missed the immigration man at Tioman airport when we flew in, so her card had not been stamped.

Raj had arranged to meet us at 8am. Everyone was ready on time, as always, and we set off for Pulau Uben by Underground and bus. The trip was rather long, but everyone was very patient and good humoured. Then a short boat ride across to the island, hire of bikes and off for a conducted cycle run round the island with stops at points of interest. Raj is a great source of information, and we learned much, as always. The island represents the country as it used to be, before the skyscrapers and all else were built - we saw how the native villagers lived, many years ago. Lunch was arranged in a busy local restaurant with a wide variety of local food on offer, then back to the hotel via boat, bus and Underground. We had the walking wounded with us by this time, as one of the boys could not resist some trick cycling, which ended in catastrophe of course (name withheld!).

The evening was spent at Clarke Quay. Everyone dressed up for the occasion and, I have to say, looked absolutely fabulous. At the waterfront, the first port of call is the ‘reverse bungee’ – a terrifying experience awaiting those with ‘bottle’, and a deep wallet. The entertainment value is enormous, and soon a crowd gathered to witness the Dollar brave-hearts do what had to be done. For the past two years there has been a choice of torture, and it was not long before we had groups of pupils opting for both the ‘big swing’ and the ‘catapult’. Tension and considerable apprehension is followed by screams, and then much laughter from all concerned - an experience never to be forgotten, and recorded for posterity on film, of course.

It’s always sad to reach this point in the trip, particularly so on this last expedition. This is a ‘free’ day – sometimes referred to as ‘shop-2u-drop’. Basically, the troops can get up when they like, chill out beside the pool, or set off whenever, to shop and sightsee in Singapore city. We book a number of rooms in the hotel right through to Monday so that everyone has a base to come back to, to rest or shower.

There is much to do and see in Singapore, and one day is not nearly enough time to sample everything of interest. I would suggest five days at least to see Sentosa Island, Little India, China town, Raffles, Orchard Road and the new Marina Bay Sands development. To those of you who have never been, it’s not the most charismatic of the world’s great cities, but well worth a week’s visit.

In the evening, all returned to the hotel, tired, but exited at the prospect of returning home to family and friends, after an exceptional ‘holiday’ which will never be forgotten. We said our goodbyes at Changi Airport. Raj and his family, Alex, Richard and Jack were all there to see us off, and their presence was much appreciated. Presents were exchanged, photos taken, along with a fair share of hugs, and then we were off through customs, for the last time.

Our journey home was uneventful, apart from some of our group cutting it a bit fine to board the final flight from Amsterdam to Scotland! A friendly passenger asked me what I would do if they missed the flight? “Not a lot” said I. They are big enough and old enough to look after themselves now, and that’s what it’s all about really.

Memories of all the previous trips come flooding back. What a wonderful experience it has been for me and for Mrs McDonald, to share the fun and excitement of the Malaysian Expedition with so many charming, friendly, happy, appreciative pupils of Dollar Academy. A long chapter comes to an end, and to all involved, in whatever way, heartfelt thanks are due.