Lumut

There cannot be a crisis next week.My schedule is already full - Henry A. Kissinger

Lumut is one of the most beautiful coastal towns in Malaysia. The Royal Malaysian Navy base is here; said to be one of the most modern anywhere, and as we motored along the Dinging River, we kept a keen eye out for a submarine. The Lumut Waterfront Promenade is a spectacular parade of sculptures, shell-encrusted arches and maritime relics.

 

As we headed for the Lumut International Yacht Club, we passed the striking sail training tall ship, Puteri Mahsuri. 

Puteri Mahsuri

We were the only yacht at the 'yacht club' and for a very minimal fee also used the pool. Paying in advance probably allowed our rapid departure later.

Lumut International Yacht Club

The only yacht, international or otherwise, 'Tientos'

Power boat at the end got the rat!

We took the dinghy upriver to see the old 70s yacht club and the biggest naval shipbuilder in Malaysia (Boustead Naval Shipyard).

Think this yacht was here in the 70s too

Boustead Naval Shipyard

Lumut has night markets (Pasar Malam) regularly and was a foodies paradise.  We discovered the ABC Dessert of Malaysia which fast became Keith's favourite. Despite ingredients such as red beans and creamed corn, it is a divine concoction.

A cacophony of tastes but divine

There were also lots of hardware stores. This was important as we had discovered both the source of the smell and the stowaway. We had a RAT aboard! We keep our cartons of long-life milk in a specific locker in the saloon and this rat had chewed the tops of all the cartons; needless to say the milk had gone off. Luckily our pantry is sealed and he was limited in his foraging.  (I am using the generic 'he' for the rat). After trying mats, and normal traps to no avail, a lovely Chinese proprietor stated we needed a 'kill-em' trap. The trap being the same dimensions as a possum trap, we were beginning to wonder about the size of rats in Malaysia, as we had not yet seen it. Still didn't as the bugger kept setting off the trap in the middle of the night and absconding with another treat! 
On the 28th as I sat watching the sunrise, a very large shadow popped over the bulwark and ran along the dock to a power boat. It was the size of a small dog! 

Keith's last peaceful evening in Lumut

As Keith woke to the sound of the motor asking what was happening, I explained we were outta there - the rat had gone and so were we.

May all your bars be wooden and well-stocked!