Bangkok tommorow

So we've been in Thailand nearly a week - it seems like longer for some reason. We landed in phuket without ahitch and snuck upstairs in the airport avoiding the touts and jumped onto the bus into town...very handy...then found out after a long hot walk into oldtown (not that long but feels like it in the heat with your backpack on) our guesthouse hopeful was fully booked - so we nipped round the corner to the hotel where they filmed the 'boudoir' scene in that appauling film "the beach" ... so my bottom may well have brushed the same spot as leonardo de caprio..and if it is the same room - leo you left some ...echem..."mens" magazines behind

We then got a boat straight to Kho Phi Phi the next day...so nice we kinda got stuck...would still be there now if we didnt have to get to Bangkok to meet mels friend and sort our visas for vietnam and laos and of cause the dreaded japanese rail pass (its going to basically skint us but never mind).... I've worked out that 15 days travel on the train in japan is the equivalent to over 1000 beers in Thailand maybe more..shocking...

Kho Phi Phi is a crazy tourist trap with everything focused on taking you cash..the rooms are overpriced...as is the beer but... its still bloody lovely...so many nice little hideaways - great view - lovely beach - nice folk all in all just what we needed to recharge the batteries superb...however the scale of the devistation from the tsunami there is still very apparent (which is also why you dont mind parting with a little extra cash) theres so many places still being rebuilt - its odd to see all the big hotels up and running but all the people still struggling to build their own houses but I suppose thats tourism for you...the memorials scattered around the island along with all the pictures displayed are pretty moving but its also nice to see everyone just getting on with life.

anyhoo the next installment will come I'm sure after we have negotiated the kho san road and are probably well away from the chaos that awaits us!

Thailand Tommorow

Sooo back from malaysia and what a fun time was had...but seriously in need of some pretty beaches after all this smoggy town life. We went from the Cameron Highlands to Penang a little island that once again the British used to call home, jesus, we get everywhere dont we. Anyway penang was odd...not really my favourite place but it grows on you a little. Glad to be back in singapore so you can make your own mind up if you know what I mean. We did travel to an amazing temple and up the penang hill (seeing some sleeping vipers in the trellis was my highlight) but watching the sun set over the town and the lights turn on was quite fun. Anyway I cant wait for the upcoming travels although its all happening a little too quick as we've only got about 97 days left...which considering the amount of time we had at the beggining sounds like peanuts....Japan jaunts are now being reduced to a rush around in 2 weeks due to the fact that we intend drinking at least a weeks worth of the Japan budget on some beatiful white sandy beach (if we havent drunk it already by the time we get there). So speak again from some crazy place in the middle of thailand I suspect....oh and will put photos up shortly when I find a machine whos CD drive works!

We saw it

After a 4.5 hour treck through the jungle we saw em...massive things - will post a photo when we have more bandwidth - dont smell as bad though as our guide cleaned em up before hand as they attract snakes, and they have black spitting cobras here - we went and saw 2 males which dont smell then 1ish female (it was already dying back) and some younglings....great fun...anyway off to collapse now byeeee

and here it is....

;)

Cameron Highlands

Hello from Malaysia....so what have i been up to well...first up was the sailing boat trip in Sydney harbour....it was supposed to be a really beautiful romantic jaunt - but infact although really fun and tricky (sailing is harder than it looks - allot harder) mel was so ill (vomitus maximus) that I ended up having to eat most of the seafood platter (as Mels seefood wasnt nice) it was lovely sat on deck though if it wasnt so windy it gave you sea sickness with the rocking. But anyhoo it was fun and a niceish end to adventures in OZ.



The flight to Singapore with singapore air was interesting; I think that they are staffed with war painted proffesional feeders - I've never eaten so much food on a plane ever. Singapores nice a bit dull and certainly is the nanny state - the monsoon season there didn't help us enjoy it much as we spent most of the time hiding from rain. Malaysia is much cooler we started off with an easy border crossing on the coach from singapore up to Melaka. Its a real nice small town with an amazing Chinatown - walking around at night made us feel like we were on holiday all over again - met some nice people and found a fave little spot in a cafe down by the river. Have now taken to napping in the afternoon though as the humidity gets overwhelming and really havent acclimatised yet.

We then moved on to KL aka Kuala Lumpur - this place is a real big city - smoke galore and giant high rises everywhere. Its a bit claustrophobic. We did go up the telecom tower (to the top) and the petronas twin towers bridge walk which is an odd experience in itself. It lasts for about 2 mins and you cant go all the way accoss just up 1 tower to the middle back and back down... but its the super complex queueing and waiting system that gets me - must have got it from the british empire along the way somewhere as its totally bonkers.


Anyway sitting in chinatown watching all the illegal hawkers avoid the police was the best bit really. We arrived up in the much cooler much more pleasant Cameron Highlands today and are off on a landrover tommorow in an attempt to see the biggest flower in the world (that stinks like rotting flesh allegedly!) anyhoo if i survive i'll write again...byeee for now

Singapore here we come

So just recovered from the 3 day india pacific trip on the train; pheeewie thats a seriously long amount of time to spend on a train. Plus the staff this time were useless...played the same night movie almost every night can you beleive that...shocking. Anyway not a very good journey and to be back in Sydney again is a big shame considering all the other places we have stayed in Oz...I swear the hostels here are worse than anywhere else in the world...(or just the ones we've stayed in anyway). Cant wait for south east asia now as we leave on Wednesday...should be great especially as our roomie is a guy from Malaysia he's been giving us the lowdown on KL and the like; so getting us even more excited...this might be the last major blog for a while as the travelling is going to pick up pace quite drastically...so speak again when I'm able..byyeeeee

Back to sydney tommorrow

Well with any luck as long as our train hasnt been cancelled due to floods...in bloody summer I don't know...anyway; Christmas and new year have been an absolute hoot with Simon and Loz (and Helen and Dave) however maybe there was TOO MUCH DRINKING!!! There I said it thought I never would but my kidneys are hurting heheheee....so a few piccies to tell you what we've been up to:
First up Christmas sunshiiine:

at cottesloe...body surfing in nice big waves is a greeeat thing to do after a couple of drinks... then DINNER!
on Simon and Lozzes balcony.

Then boxing day we went to stay with Lozzes freinds down at margaret river where we did some amazing things including attempting to wakeboard?!?!? oohh errr never made it up but did manage to strain every muscle in my entire body!

Then after much mooching and wine tasting (including us chipping in for a $55 bottle...but tasting it now and it is that good) and general hob nobbing in the lovely town of margaret river we made our way to pemberton..home of big karri tree's which you can climb...of course never one to deny fate a chance to kill me off up I went....twice...first up the Glousescter tree clocking in at 61 meters high...

and then the diamond one at 54 meters...oh by the way no safety ropes just steel reinforcing poles hammered into the side of each tree with a bit of wire mesh to the side of it...excillerating stuff....especially when people are trying to get past!Heres a couple of views on the way up...



And so to new year

Stereo Mc's at New Years Eve

Us a little innebriated clockwise from me: Me Helen Dave Simon and Mel!

The last attempt at being a civilised human being before bed....hmmm not working me thinks...

Anyhoo I think thats enough for now sl8rs