Page 165 - Exile-ebook

164 AN EXILE OF THE MIND THE HIPPIE TRAIL 165

Nicole cooking fish on a Penang beach, Malaysia.

A bowl of rice was served three my locks trimmed in advance we
times a day, and a bunch of bananas tentatively approached the border of
swung from the yardarm for our Singapore where long-haired males
dessert. The only fare on the ship’s were fined or refused entry. ‘Barbers’
menu. Nine bowls of rice later our waited at the ready for a quick make-
cruise ended with the urgent need to over of short back and sides. Hippies
find a restaurant and a shower. We were regarded as a danger to repub-
camped on the beaches of Penang lic’s youth, ready to corrupt their
and ate food freshly caught from the minds and pollute its society.
ocean by local fishermen. A passenger ship was about to set

The train chugged south through sail from Singapore to Fremantle in
Malaysia where we could see ele- Western Australia and we hopped
phants labouring in the jungle. With aboard. I was seasick most of the
way and thought longingly about
Wash day in a Malaysian river. Spike Milligan’s advice.