6Y7M 4Y10M Summer Holiday - Brunei ブルネイ

Jasonがアジアで働いている一番の欠点は休みが少ないこと。個人的にはたった５泊で旅行はしたくない。その上、ペナンは常夏、我が家のフラットはシービュー。

だから、近隣諸国どこへ行っても代わり映えがしない。アジアは20代の時に一通り周っているから、わざわざ子供を連れて疲れに行きたくもない。私がこういい続けるのでどこへもホリデーに行けない私達。

唯一行ってみたかったのがブルネイの6（7？）スターホテル、エンパイア。念願かないました。

確かにあちこち金ぴかで、部屋のドアも重厚。ゲストルームにあるカトラリーも銀、トイレットペーパーホルダーも金銀きらきら。掃除も丁寧だから埃もなくとても気持ちが良かった。

が、5つのプールを誇るホテルで使えたのはたったの2つ。改装中の施設が多すぎな上、街へ出るタクシーもバカ高く、初日からテンションが上がらない。特にJasonはご機嫌ナナメ。

私も、ほぼ全食ホテルのブッフェで、楽しみにしていたサラワクラクサにもありつけない。ラマダン中だからブレックファースト（私達にとっての夕食）は、はマレー料理ばかり。嫌いではないが、羊の油で胃がもたれた～。

ホテルからバンダルスリブガワン（BSB）はバスで30分、1ドル（2.5リンギ）だが、タクシーだと30ドル。その上ホテルへ寄るバスは一日に数本のみ。

もちろんケチってBSBまでバスで出てみたが、帰りのバスが全然来ない。30倍払う気にはならないのでうろうろしていると、違う路線のバスがホテルまで寄ってくれた。こういうマレー系のゆるさは心地よい。

バスターミナルで私が東奔西走している間に、Jasonは無許可タクシー運転手、フランシスに話しかけられた。彼に頼めばBSBからホテルまで半額の15ドルだという。一乗車で40リンギ違う事になる。彼のタクシーに何度かお世話になった。

さて、アラタカラにはタイヤ付きの鞄を持たせた。おもちゃやシュノーケル、着替えを入れて一人前の旅行者気分でどこへ行くにも引っ張って行っていた。

The problem that Jason is working in Asia, is he has no long holiday. I personally need 2 weeks, or at least 1 week, to wind down. I'm not particularly interested in the nearby countries, they are more or less the same as here, after all we live in a flat with a sea view!.

Well, that's why we can't go anywhere. But I'd had one place in my mind. It's the 6 (&?) star hotel, the Empire, in Brunei.

Yes, the hotel is grand. Every single corner is designed with marble, gold and silver. Even the cutlery in the hotel room is silverware. Doors to the rooms are so huge and heavy. They maintenance the rooms well, you can't find any signs of the former guests.

It was nice but the problem was, most of the 5 swimming pools, and some facilities, were under renovation. Going to Bander Seri Begawan (BSB) is only half an hour but it costs 30B$, equivalent of 80RM! There are some local buses, which cost only 1 B$ to the city centre, but there are only a couple of buses which stop at the hotel.

Of course, we tried the local bus to go to BSB. But when we were waiting for a bus to return, no buses were coming. One of the other buses decided to take us to the hotel, which was off his route. This kind of flexibility was comfortable. Malay type of hospitality.

Well, while I was running around the bus terminal to find out how to go back to the hotel, because I didn't pay a taxi 30 times more fare, Jason was approached by an unlicensed taxi driver Frances. He offered him to take us to the hotel for half the fare of 15B$, which is the equivalent of 40RM. We used Frances' taxi after that for a couple of occasions.

I wanted to have Sarawak laksa, but because it was difficult to get out of the hotel, we more or less had all the meals at hotel. As it's in the middle of Ramadan, our dinner is their breakfast and most of the buffet dishes are Malay. I didn't mind, but probably it was too much...

Aratakara were happily carrying their new bags with wheels. They packed their snorkels, clothes and a couple of toys. They took the bags everywhere we went.