DESARU BEACH

TO DESARU WITH DAIHATSU

My ever faithful and safe driver

Desaru las lost much of its charm and draw

The turqoise sky we saw

Me, mum and Tini

Tini takes care of mum well

Me and my menu planner and home director

I love you mum

We decided to come back to Desaru again

The open South China Sea in the background

Last weekend, we drove to Desaru since we had no planned destination. The rain had no mercy on us and throughout the journey we had to be extra cautious driving up the Kota Tinggi route. The Senai-Desaru Highway is under construction so we had to take the old route, deftly manouevering for two hours and cursing the lorries and busses infront of us for stalling our journey further. Once the highway is completed, it will slash travelling time from JB to Desaru. You just need to be behind the wheel for 45 mins to throw yourself into the sea.

We turned into the public carpark of Desaru at 5.00pm after stopping for some mee rebus and satay along the way. Streams of cars and visitors were heading for the carpark. The buntings along the road had alerted us of the Berita Harian fishing and a karoake competition for the folks there. Stalls selling Berita Harian merchandise, rinks, clothings and food populated the green patch opposite the carpark. The Joharians can nightingale their notes and pitch thorugh the microphones because our ear drums were entertained by some quality singing and rhythmn. No wonder Johor has produced top grossing singers. swingers and rockers like Amy Search and Mawi.

Desaru is still popular with the locals and is a top choice beach spot as a weekend escapade for the busy Yishunite, Woodlanders or Ang Mo Kians heartlanders. The hotels are pretty fully-booked by Singaporeans, judging by the number of Singapore-registered cars parked at the hotels and resorts lining the beach. I guess we need some peace and a slower pace of life once a while to keep our sanity and value add our life.

The greyish sandy beach stretches for about 25km and is under the constant lashing of the constructive swash and destructive backwash powers of the strong currents of the South China Sea. Casuarina trees swayed in the strong winds. My grievance is that more maintainance could take place here. A beach clean-up is necessary and more facilties could be provided for the beach-goers at the public beach area. I eyed the rundown water scooters at the water sports kiosk and shivered at their condition and safety they would offer to the aqua riders. Stringent measures on watersports safety can be looked into too.

No matter what I will still drive to Desaru.....just waiting for the highway to open up. My husband will be spared of the expletives I used against the big vehicles drivers who snailed our Kota Tinggi route then!