The Plantation - Di Morrissey [100]
‘Two big families can stay here and not have to meet unless they want to,’ added Martine. ‘We’ve had some fun family holidays here. Carl and Tina bring their kids, too.’
‘What’s with all the cats?’ Julie asked Nerida. ‘I saw lots of cats in Kuching, too. Where did yours come from?’
‘I’ve lived on Langkawi for nearly twenty years, although I go home to Australia to see my family every year,’ said Nerida. ‘And years ago I started taking in stray animals, trying to help the neglected dogs and cats. There were a lot of them, so I started an animal shelter and sanctuary to care for abused and needy animals. Now we also run an animal clinic, a charity project aimed at the sterilisation of the stray cat population. Both of these projects are non-profit making ventures, staffed by volunteers and aimed at improving the lives of unwanted animals. I’ve adopted a lot of cats, as you can see,’ she explained with passion.
‘And the crooked tails?’ asked Christopher.
‘It seems to be a genetic trait,’ said Nerida. ‘Ah, there’s Aidi. You’ll enjoy his company,’ she said to Julie. ‘He’s the island’s top naturalist and guide, and a good friend to me.’
Aidi wandered over to the house and Nerida introduced him to Julie. He seemed to know everyone else. Aidi was dressed in khaki shorts and shirt. His round, affable face, a mixture of Malay and Chinese, seemed to be constantly wreathed in smiles and Julie liked him immediately. He joked and laughed a lot, but she quickly found that a fascinating torrent of information poured out of him.
‘Aidi knows the island intimately and if he takes you on one of his tours, you’ll get a look at another world,’ said Nerida.
‘So Christopher mentioned,’ said Julie.
‘Could I come along with you?’ asked Christopher. ‘I haven’t been out with Aidi for ages.’
‘You’re always too busy fishing or lazing by the pool,’ said Peter.
‘I’d better get back to work and relieve Alice, she’s my business partner,’ said Nerida. ‘We’re opening some other residences in Penang, so we’re back and forth all the time. She’s heading over there tomorrow to see how the renovations of our old Chinese shophouses are going.’ Martine and Nerida walked to the entrance talking in low voices.
Aidi turned to Christopher and Julie. ‘You two want to meet me at six o’clock tomorrow morning? Spend a few hours discovering the secret parts of the island? Bring sunscreen, hats, cameras. I’ll bring cool drinks.’
‘Sounds good,’ said Christopher. ‘You okay with that?’ he asked Julie.
The start seemed very early to Julie, but she knew that they would have to head out before the sun got too hot. ‘Can’t wait.’
‘You could meet us for dinner tomorrow night, Aidi,’ suggested Christopher. ‘Bring your family along.’
‘How about you all come down to my neck of the woods? There’s a great local seafood place,’ Aidi replied.
‘Now don’t do too much planning,’ said Martine coming back into the room. ‘This is a place to relax.’
After enjoying a leisurely lunch, everyone did their own thing – reading, sleeping, swimming or taking a short walk. These people are so easy to be with, thought Julie. There seemed to be no pressure as there had been with David constantly at her elbow, though, to be fair, being in a longhouse in the jungle was a bit different from staying at a lovely resort like this.
At sunset they took two cars down into Telaga Harbour. This gave Julie a totally different view of the laidback island. Here, at the harbour, she felt as though she’d been dropped into Monte Carlo, or some other European coastal hotspot. The glamorous new marina was filled with millions of dollars worth of shiny white motor cruisers, sleek yachts and massive ships equipped for weeks at sea, fishing and adventuring. Reflections of the coloured lights that were strung along the promenade danced across the water. All along the waterfront was every kind of restaurant, cheek by jowl, interspersed with a few smart providores, catering to