Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia
On our last night in Penang it's just as well we packed up before we headed out for a drink. We only intended popping out for a few, but after meeting up with a few locals and other travelers that we had met over the past few nights it turned in to quite the late and messy night. Good times though and I wouldn't have it any other way.
The following morning we were up at about 6:30 am and at the ferry terminal in plenty of time to catch our 3 hour ferry ride to Langkawi.
I'm usually fine when it comes to all things nautical. Never been seasick or any of that shenanigans but most likely due to the drink, lack of sleep and rough seas I was certainly feeling a bit green around the gills and thankful when the ferry finally docked at Kuah.
From Kuah we sorted out a "Grab" to get us to Bon Ton resort where the animal shelter is and our digs for the next few weeks. The "Grab" app is great if your in Asia. No worries about haggling or being ripped off with taxis. Simply tap in where you are, where you are headed, get the price and wait a matter of minutes for your ride to pick you up. You can pay with cash or card, it's really nice to not have the hassle of haggling or being charged too much 'tourist tax' everywhere you go.
Half an hour later we pulled up at Bon Ton and Temple Tree resorts and sure enough the manager was expecting us and had the key ready for our room.
When we emailed Narelle in Thailand about coming back to Malaysia we had already spoken with people at the shelter and were told that the volunteer accommodation was full and there would be no space for us. That was fine and we had told Narelle that we were coming anyway as we desperately wanted to see the dogs again. We explained that we would find our own accommodation on the island and come in most days anyway to see the dogs and help out. Narelle was very kind and offered to host us in some staff quarters that were empty behind the Temple Tree reception. Again, this was great hospitality and we are very grateful for being looked after in this way.
Once there it was so nice to see the dogs again at the shelter and I'm sure quite a few of them remembered us from other times we have volunteered here. We have probably spent at least 9 months over the last 5-6 years helping out at LASSie and as you would imagine you do get very attached to the dogs. Sadly though not all the dogs that were here last time are still alive. Some older dogs have passed away in the 3 years since our last visit. Pepsi, one of my favorites (and I believe I was the only person that he didn't bite!) had cancer and passed away quite suddenly. Arthur the stubborn old loud mouthed whinger is no longer with us. Nemo, LASSie's poster girl who always sat at the front of the clinic sadly passed, as did Berjaya bless her, the feisty girl who enjoyed running about in her wheelchair as she was hit by car. Very sad indeed, but it's still nice to be back and to meet a few new faces that have arrived in their place.
It was also nice to catch up with the humans that we know in Langkawi as well as the dogs. Dorothy who is a local girl and pretty much a full time volunteer. She comes in most mornings to walk the dogs and is a great help to the shelter. Narelle, who as I've mentioned is the owner of the two resorts and shelter. Frankie the local guy who runs Lepak bar. He's a great character and it's always nice to catch up with him at his bar. Jane a Philippine girl who has worked full time at the shelter for Narelle for many years now and is a great drinking partner at the end of a hot, dirty and sweaty days work!
Then there is the expat crowd. Daniel the English lad who owns Bam-Boo-Ba. Billy and his lovely wife Jane. Colin the bearded magician from Lincolnshire and Jean a lovely lady who helped out at the shelter most weeks the last time we were here.
There are also quite a few of the staff at both the resorts that we know as well who still work here. It's nice to come back to a place where you know plenty of people. Like a home away from home, it makes it easy to settle back in.
It was also nice to meet some new volunteers as well. Hannah and Rob from England who were really nice. We didn't get to know them too well as they were headed off to Vietnam a week after we arrived but they seemed really nice and were great with the dogs. Last but not least are Hayley and Sander. Hayley, originally from the UK and Sander her Dutch husband were great company for most of the time we were there. At times keeping us sane in the hot sweaty canine world that is LASSie.
Along with Jane we spent a few nights out along at Bamboo Bar and Lepak with the expat crowd. We didn't go out as much as we have the other times we have been here as we are trying to keep the cost down, but when we did head out I would like to think we more than made up for it! A few messy but enjoyable nights were had. Jane was really cool with us as well and had us round a couple of nights for food and drinks as well. It was all just rather pleasant really and certainly keeps your spirits up after you've done a hard days work.
I say it's hard work but it's enjoyable and rewarding as well. Compared to other jobs I've done, walking dogs, playing with them, stroking the occasional kitten is a breeze. That said it can grind you down at times probably more than you would think. Trying to break up dog fights, playing with puppies for a few days only to find out they are being put to sleep as there isn't a home for them is a tough gig at times. Picking off ticks from dogs that really don't want you to be picking their ticks off isn't a great task either, nor is picking up shit from the 30 dogs you've just walked in the baking hot sun when your still pulling your head together from drinking the night before. It's good but hard work.
I'll give you a little run down of what a day as a volunteer at LASSie is like for us, in case you ever come here:
10 am-1 pm
10 am: Start walking the dogs at 10 am (quite often still feeling a little rough, this bit is your own personal choice!) Pick up shit, this is done on a rotation basis, so you don't do it every day depending on how many volunteers are there. Check dogs for ticks and any ailments/injuries and deal with accordingly. Play with some cats and kittens in the clinic (I know it's a really hard life we live!) Feed the dogs. This takes you up to lunch time.
1 pm-3 pm
Lunch is great when you work at the shelter. You get 2 staff meals a day along with the rest of the resort and shelter staff up at Bon Ton resort. It's pretty decent fare as well. Anything from tasty juicy lamb (not always, but nice when it is) Beef Rendang, green curries, noodles. A whole host of things with good variety. No two days are the same.
After lunch we generally just chill out in our room under the air-con to cool off. Maybe a quick shower to clean up a bit and a coffee to perk us up.
3 pm-5:30 pm
Dog rotation. The shelter is kind of split into two halves. There are dogs in and around the clinic side of the site and most of these have a bit more room in their pens to play in or get a second walk to stretch their legs a bit more.
In the main shelter there are 10 separate pens with up to 4 dogs per pen. On an afternoon we get them out into a main yard group by group to play with them, give them some love, brush them. Just general care really based upon each dogs character. Again, I know it's a really tough gig this volunteer lark! Some dogs such as Jack are absolutely crackers and love to throw themselves at you, nibble you, lick you everywhere. Others such as Pippin like to just sit next to you and be cuddled and stroked. It's just horses for courses, or dogs for that matter.
And that's about it really. There are other random tasks thrown in now and then depending on what needs doing but that's the main basics. All wrapped up by about 5:45 pm and then back to our room for a shower and along to Bon Ton for our second meal at about 6:30 pm.
You cant really complain and it's very rewarding to know that you've made some dogs day a little bit better. We do find it hard working there at times. Hot, sweaty, dogs trying to dislocate your shoulder when your walking them as they are so excited. The emotional stuff, dogs and cats being put to sleep. Animals coming into the clinic in some terribly bad ways and a whole host of other things that I won't go into make it tough now and then. But we love coming here, hence how many times we have helped out so far.
Our 3 1/2 weeks there felt like months, at the same time it was over before we knew it. We generally went out for drinks the night before our day off. The one time we didn't we slept in a wee bit and were late! The other nights, well, when Jim Beam is about £7 a litre at the duty free shops and a 9% 500 ml can of beer is about 70p you can imagine how we spent our nights.
Jane, Hayley and Sander were all great company and I'm sure we will meet up with them again. That reminds me, Hayley has a really great blog herself. Check it out, there are some great articles on it here. In particular she has penned an informative in-depth review of LASSie. I was going to do one myself but hey, there is a great one out there on the old tinternet already so I'll just point you in the right direction.... here!
And that is that. Another stint of volunteer work over in Langkawi. Next stop now is Bali and Indonesia for two months. We plan to return to Langkawi after our Indo adventures but we are looking forward to heading off to pastures new and exploring some of Indo that we haven't visited before.
We have a 5:30 am start in the morning to catch our 7:30 am flight to KL. For once we are skipping the compulsory night before drinks and getting our heads down early. Langkawi has already done enough damage to my liver this time around. I think it's time for some Balinese detox!
