KL

We arrive back in KL and go straight to the bus ticket station. No buses for Melaka are available so we book ourselves on to an overnight bus to Singapore, dump our bags in the hostel we'd stayed in before and kill some time here til midnight, then our bus is an hour late arriving due to all the traffic with Chinese New Year. We get to Singapore with no hiccups though.

Taman Negara

Our bus to Taman Negara has loads of room for us to spread out and chill and drops us at Tembeling jetty for a boat ride which is beautiful, but longer than I expected (4 hours). It drops us at a floating resturant and we scramble up the muddy/sandy bank and find dorm beds complete with mosquito nets. We catch a boat across the river to flash our park permit and check out the tours the resort offers. We end up going on a night trek with one of the cheaper companies and its amazing! We see loads of animals. Stick insects, 3 types of deer (1 of those is the mouse deer and is tiny) 2 rare birds(1 of those is a kingfisher) , huntsman spider, hunting spider, malaysian tarantula, loads of ants (some of them really huge), termites (Mark and I wore sandals so we had to run), hear tree frogs singing like birds (and loads more but I'm writing this in Australia so I can't remember). No tigers though! We have a tough job on our hands that night trying to fit the mosquito nets, trying not to trap any of the huge beatles flying around screaming, crashing against everything trying to get at the light, urgh! And using the bathroom was a terrifying experience for the same reason. Note to self, go before sunset tomorrow.

We're up early the next day, cross to the resort to put our big bags in lockers, book a night in a hide and set off for the treetop walkway. Its Chinese New Year today so the park's busy with Malaysians too. Slightly disappointingly part of the walkway's blocked off so it might be the longest in the world, but we don't get to walk all of it. (Doesn't look like the "I'm a celebrity..." set either Innes) We go back to the resort for lunch which is a bit of a treat although 3pounds isn't a lot it is for Malasia......but it is scrummy and huge portions. Pasta too! Then set off for the hide with a packet of biscuits. Mark gets munched by leeches, and the path is fairly challenging (read muddy). We get to the hide around 4.30 just as its starting to get darker. (The rainforest is fairly dense). We're soon joined by a couple then wait for the animals. We see a few birds, including a woodpecker, and fireflies later on. The most impressive thing is the sound at night. As the dawn breaks and everything goes quiet you realise just how loud it was. (I have a lil vid on my camera, sounds really cool). I have a really good night's sleep despite the noise and wooden bunk (thats right no matress) oh and a lil mouse came to visit us in the room. Was v cute.

Around 9 mark and I set off back towards the resort for brunch, we're loads quicker going back, familiar path I suppose, and leech avoidance. We have to chill out for a bit reading as they're not serving lunch yet. We're both totally stinking too (yup same sweaty clothes as yesterday plus we slept in them too) and I'm a bit surprised they let us in (it is a bit posh) someone rushes in from outside and calls us to see a baby python while we're eating too, which was nice. We have a gentle stroll on familiar paths in the afternoon as we're both a bit knackered. Then check back into our dorm.

The next morning we're up ealy to catch a local bus to a nearby town- transport hub. We've been told we can get a bus or train from here to Melaka, which is a lot more direct than doing it from KL as we'd intended. We get to this town and eventually find the train station (tucked away, no signposts, locals don't speak much english) ask when the next train to Melaka is, not for 5 hours. So we walk back to the bus station, all buses to Melaka are sold out. So we go back to the train station (all of this with heavy bags) and ask for the train ticket. Sold out, when's the train after that? Midnight. I bag sit while Mark goes to quiz the bus ticket place about buses to KL, he comes back as its a no go. So I try to get tickets for the midnight train. Its full. "what about the next day? Is that full? The day after that?" They're all full for 4 days as its Chinese New Year. So we catch the same local bus back to Taman Negara and book ourselves on the boat/bus combo back to KL the next morning.

Kuala Lumpur

The bus to KL is fairly uneventful as I kip all the way. Some disorientation when we get off as all the street signs seem to be hiding, but we soon find our way towards chinatown/Petaling street and the hostel we're staying at. Mark and I are in the same dorm and Innes is in the room just off, our room is like a cave as there are no windows and someone's always sleeping so the light stays off. We head off towards the CBD to take in the Petronas twin towers, check out the shopping centre at the bottom, spend an eternity in a bookshop and get some more piccies in the dark.

Next day we visit the KL communications tower for a view over the city, walking through the park to get to it. We also go to the indoor market near Chinatown for some essential shopping. Eating at foodcourts where curries come on the bone- for the first time since we arrived in SE Asia. We spend some time in the afternoon in the Times Square Mall, the biggest in KL and go bowling! Yey! The market in Chinatown so Innes can do some shoe shopping and Mark can buy a rugby top. Then we're all toasting Innes' departure with a tiger beer.


Mark and I wake early to beat the crowds queing for tickets to Petronas, we buy some yummy fruit on the way and breakfast standing in line. As a result we're in the second party of the day to tour. Go us! Got some wicky pics from the skybridge then did a bit more shopping. Taking in a film that evening in Times Square "meet the spartans" which seemed heavily edited. We also visit the post office to send parcels home. Bit of a farce.

Cameron Highlands

The bus ride's not so great as the road's immensely winding as it climbs the mountains/hills? Lush scenery though. We stumble off and head for some lunch while looking for a hostel. Indian, which I'm not completely in the mood for after the stomach churning bus ride. I opt for the mushroom soup, which though out of place on the menu, is welcome.....Until it arrives and tastes like dishwater. Yuk! My fault for trying to eat western though.

We get a 4 bed dorm room at the Cameronian Inn all to ourselves, which is very nice. Guided walks daily too. We head out to explore the town and get some internet time, it starts pouring with rain and our waterproofs are very much required. The next day we head out for a half-day landrover tour. Taking in the tea plantation, Boh tea making factory, mountaintop viewpoint, ancient (5?million years old?) moss forest and butterfly/insect deathtrap. Mark gets to hold a beatle (I think it was Ringo) and Innes gets a scorpion. Totally loved the tea plantation and even enjoyed the cup of tea (how posh were we with those little sieves) and the moss forest was amazing. We head to a really cute lil cafe and treat ourselves to scones!

When we get back to the hostel after our evening meal the couple we met yesterday Tom and Charlotte are watching Casper in the tv room. We join them and after a bit of a chat agree to go on the guided walk the next day with Charlotte while Tom was more adventurous. It wasn't to be though and the guide sneakily gave us the slip and we didn't catch him before he disappeared into the trees. We returned to the hostel, had a bit of a moan about him, picked up some maps and headed out on our own. It must've been the steepest trail on the maps, felt like I was about to collapse for most of it, and it was a relief when it started to rain. We made it to the top though and going down was easy, and fast. We helped ourselves to a sample from the strawberry farm the path ran through and fully deserved the scrummy strawberry freeze pops when we were back in the town. Lunch in the same cute cafe (or pud in my case as I'd already scoffed crisps on the top of the mountain mm cheesecake). More internet and Innes gets a haircut.

Penang (Georgetown), Malaysia

We arrive at Penang fairly late (don't we always) and are lucky to get a room straight off at the Olive Spring hotel (although a few eyebrows are raised at me sharing with the boys as its a Muslim area) a dubious dinner at the cafe across the road followed. The next day we do a bit of a walking tour from afar- where we're too hot to actually go in anywhere but content ourselves to walk past. Mark's feeling unwell with a cold so heads back for a nap while Innes and I explore the streets of Chinatown, then get a few cold drinks in cafes, the delights of "jolly shandy" being sampled for the first time. We head for an Indian meal that night which is nice although not as cheap as the guidebook suggests. We stroll the streets, past the clubs and posh hotels and call in for a drink at Soho, which is like being back in a pub in Britain when you step through the doors, I even have a Guinness. The next day we catch a bus to Penang Hill, then a furnicular railway to the top. We're all squashed in, as many people as they can fit. At the top a (possibly Russian) male tourist tries to tease a monkey with a rolled up piece of paper but the monkey's not falling for that one and goes for him- never seen anyone move so fast! We grab some lunch then go for a little walk, passing an old British post box til we get to the treetop walkway, which is good fun apart from the point when I realised what I was actually walking on was old ladders with mdf on top (and a net) some of which were a bit rusty Argh! We meander back towards the railway and stop to read our books for a while. That night we eat the best tandoori chicken/naan/curry sauces in the world ever (have to use your fingers). The next morning we ask the overnight guy at our hostel to book us a taxi to the main bus station, he tells us we can get to it on a bus and points the way, pushes us out the door, and locks it after us. We speak to the first driver of the first bus that comes along and he says we need the next bus stop down, busses aren't that frequent and we're quickly running out of time to get to the bus when Innes spots a stray taxi and manages to flag it down. Phew!

Koh Phi Phi (pronounced peepee!)

We catch a bus/boat combo to Phi Phi, then catch a taxiboat straight to a different (nicer) beach. We have big problems with accommodation though, all the nice budget options have already gone and we're faced with a choice of 2 shabby bamboo huts for 1400baht or a jumbo kingsize bed in a huge a/c room for 2000. Mark and I are swayed by the luxury option, especially as its just 1 night, we've decided to head to Penang the next day, as we're simply outpriced. Scouring the beach to find this out means Innes and I have lost half our weight by sweating. We sling our bags in the room and spend the rest of the day sweating on the beach/cooling off in the sea. Our beach is packed with like-minded people and has a nice view of its sister island, the place where the film "the beach" was shot. The sea is so warm its like a bath. When we venture out to enquire about tickets to Penang, half the relevant staff aren't on hand so we have to get up super early the next day, unsure we can get an afternoon bus from Krabi. Lucky we did as we can't, we gobble our free breakfast and head for the boat. Its chaos on the jetty in the main port, boats going to all sorts of places are moored next to each other, there's no organisation either so a massive crowd of backpackers and 2 weekers with their huge wheelie suitcases are surging forwards towards the boats, not helped by the fact they're boarding "Krabi only" but there's too many people &cases in the way to get through. We do board eventually and are lucky enough not to have to sit on the floor. Our bus to Penang is actually a minibus, and our driver a mentallist, overtaking everything he sees and forever gunning the engine. We screech to a halt in Hat Yai outside a travel agents which is having the pavement re-concreted and our driver shouts "Get out now" we scramble to do as he says and 5 minutes later are being shoved into a second minibus which takes us over the border into Malaysia, bizzarely cabbages and colour photocopiers are not allowed over the border.

Krabi

Urgh, just about back to normal after the full moon we set off for Krabi. A songathew comes to pick us up but theres no way we're able to squash in with all the people and bags already in there. The driver sees this straight away fortunately and tells us to wait for 10 minutes, another will be along in a bit. We think our luck's in when an airconditioned minibus arrives. The journey back to the port is not made any better by being able to see where we're going though, possibly worse if anything. We pass a truck that's overturned on a steep hill, the cabin is completely crushed. The boat takes us across to the mainland then there's a couple of hours to wait before the bus picks us up to take us to Krabi. When it does arrive the bus station is out of town and its late evening, touts press accomodation on you and too weary to trudge the streets we settle on a place called Hollywood, because its cheap. Obviously a Thai architect, there's no sinks in the shared bathroom and we have to brush our teeth using water from the shower. The lady who owns the place is very helpful though, eager for us to book trips. We just head out for dinner straight off though, and everything is shut up when we get back. We set our alarms super early to try and get on a kayaking trip the next day. No luck though, although the staff did try for us so instead we spend the day exploring Krabi, checking out second hand book shops and the internet. Eating our evening meal in the night market, which was very nice. There was some sort of ceremony going on nearby. We think either a wedding or wake. There was lots of music, burning things, flying a kite and firecrackers. The next day is our kayaking day trip. They try to pick us up 20 minutes early, cue some frantic knocking on our door, but they've no chance so they come back for us. We arrive at our starting point and are handed dry bags and a paddle. We're in tandem sea kayaks so I'm with a random guy who seems a bit annoyed to have me with him. We set off around a sandbank for a sea gypsy burial site where several bones are passed around, then we paddle through a canyon (the 3rd longest/tallest in the world??) and into a lagoon, we have a bit of a fruit party, paddle a bit further then are descended on by a pack of monkeys. They ignore us apart from sitting on our boats and paddles and climbling over us to get to the leftover pieces of fruit. Obviously they're fed every day but it makes a nice picture opportunity. We paddle out of the lagoon and back towards our starting point, as we get out of our boats we see Rach who is doing the halfday trip, Emma has headed for Singapore. We have some lunch with the rest of our group then most of then go for an elephant ride while we and the strange man who paddled with me go swimming. Our guide comes with us too and gets chatting to the guys about British football. The river's lovely and cool, I'm freaked out by the fish trying to eat me (specifically my peeling skin after getting a touch sunburned) so have to keep moving to scare them off. This is followed by a nice cool coconut while drying off. I can't get over my surprise at what a coconut actually looks like when its just come off the tree, and how nice the juice inside tastes when its fresh. Here was me thinking they always look like they do in Tesco. That evening we bump into Rach at the night market and all go off for a sneaky drink and to watch football after.

Koh Pha Ngan, full moon party

After arriving & walking down the jetty we manage to locate a songathew going to the beach we want to stay at (somewhere far enough away from Hat Rin to not be broken into on the night of the full moon by people looking for beds) We climb in next to a couple of families & I desparately attempt sleep on the attrocious, windy, unpaved roads. It takes quite a long time too. We pile out and I babysit the bags while Innes & Mark set off in opposite directions down the beach. Mark soon comes back with promising news and we trundle along to starlight bungalows. The room is nice although that first night I see a solitary cockroach coming out of the bathroom, it didn't come back or bring any friends though, so we'll let it off. A couple of days spent chilling on the beach to prepare us for the full moon then follow. The easiest way to get to Hat Rin is by boat, so we book a taxi boat which picks us and a few other partygoers up at 7. We're soon a bit damp from the spray being thrown up and are given a tarpolin to hide under, this soon proves to have been pointless when we arrive at Hat Rin as the beach is steeper so the boat can't get as close. We stop just where the surf is breaking and are told to get off. The boys jump off first and are soaked to their waist, I decide to take my dress off and wrap it around my neck (I'm wearing a bikini underneath) but fall over 3 times while doing this and making my way to the front of the boat as the waves crash against it. We all eventually stumble to the beach and the first people we see, sipping buckets of booze, are Rach & Emma. Who sensibly got land based taxis. We wander off to locate some chairs, buckets of our own and bbq beach food. Innes tanks a couple of buckets fairly quickly and wanders off pursuing some Thai lady, he's pretty spaced out when we locate him later. An easy drunk to look after though, and he's hardly sick at all...when he comes back to reality at about 4 am I run off into the sea (probably for a pee, the loos were disgusting). Losing the guys and finding some French friends instead. At 8.30 after a couple of laps of the beach looking for the guys and my flip flops amongst all the bottles I decide to meet them back at the guesthouse. I have to pay an extortionate 1000baht (around 15 quid) for the (land based) taxi back but have no other choice but to pay it. Arriving back on the beach at the same time as the guys, luckily. They'd walked part of the way then got a taxi for 300baht each. We snaffled another room, only a/c left, then slept for the rest of the day, waking to force down some mushroom soup with my hangover at 8.