The latest update to let you know how we have been getting on since Malaka..

We arrived at Kuala Lumpur around 2pm on Monday. After a visit to the Author's choice of budget in the Lonely Planets guide, we decided that we didnt mind spending a couple more pounds to stay in a place where the walls werent made mostly out of cardboard so we kept on looking and found the lovely Pondok Lodge which was in a more central location and wouldnt blow down in a light breeze. We got settled into our room and met another travelling couple who gave us some advice on where to visit next (more on that later!).

That evening we went exploring for some tea and found ourselves at an outdoor food market sampling more South East Asian cuisine which filled our hungry tummys! Literally 20 meters up the road from tea was a market selling all types of counterfit goods - watches, trainers, handbags etc. With our bartering heads on, we managed to come away with some good bargains (though I wont go into any more depth since some may end up being christmas presents with vain attempts as passing them off for originals!)

The next day (Tuesday) after recovering from a couple of MSG headaches we went exploring around the city. I (alec) checked myself into a local hairdressers to get a touchup after the bowl-cut I had been given by a hairdressers in singapore (a bit vein I know but I did look like Johnny Briggs). After this excursion we headed for chinatown which offered more bargains and bartering opportunities and then little India. By the time we arrived at the latter, it was getting towards 7pm but the markets were still
thriving and we saw loads of familys and locals celebrating the impending Deepavali festival. After this, we decided that we should go and see the petronas towers in their night-time glory and so we went and took some photographs (they look a bit like something from Gotham
City, but without the association with R Kelly) On Wednesday after advice from some other travellers, we went to the national bus station and bought tickets to the Paranthian Islands which they had advised us were like paradise. Unfortunately the only bus we could get (due to the public holidays) was the 10pm night bus so we spent most of the day reading our Ian Rankin books and relaxing before our long journey (with the company of a strange religious american called Amber - plenty of awkward silences all round then!)

At around 6am on Thursday morning, us two weary travellers arrived in Kota Baru and persuaded a taxi driver to take us the 120km to Kuala Besut for RM40 (~5 pounds!) We then had to take a boat transfer to the islands. Of the two islands, we stayed on Long Beach on KIecil Island, it was very beautiful, and just like paradise. We ended up staying in a beach shack for rm20 (about 4 pounds a night). The first day was spent recovering from the long journey on the beach, having a snooze and catching up on our tan. Then heading to one of the nearby restaurants for a bbq for our tea.

Our Friday started with a bit of a tropical storm, ( a tad worrying as we were nearly in the Islands monsoon season). However, it calmed down after an hour or two and we joined a group to go snorkelling around the different Islands. On the tour we started at turtle point and swam with the turtles, then headed to the Malaysian barrier reef, and swam with the most beautiful multi coloured fish and reef sharks...who gladly were not as scary as the great whites! Our next stop was the sea garden, that held the most amazing coral. We then stopped at the small fishing village for lunch, where the local goats and cats held a fascination with us and unfortunetly Alec's crotch. After lunch, our group headed to Turtle Island where the turtles come and bury their eggs. Then, after some unwanted life coaching advice from a big gay canadian and his mum we headed back to our Island.

On Saturday our funds were running low, and as their are no ATM's on the Island our stay in Paradise was cut short. We left the Island that morning and headed to a nearby town, Koala Terranganu - a place we would both like to forget, with a narrow escape from a mugging. We no longer trust people who dont have any teeth! From here, we then caught the night bus back into Singapore.

Sunday morning - back in Singapore! This time staying in a hostel in Little India, we spent the day ( to Alec's delight) getting some electronic stuff from Sim lim. We then headed back towards the main shopping street of Orchard Road, and we were able to stock up on some second hand books for our long stay in Oz - and saw Nadia from Big Brother!? our first z-list celebrity spotting!

On Monday we headed to Sentosa Island, a man made entertainment resort of the South coast of Singapore - a bit like Milton Keynes for the modern Asian man. We saw a dolphin show, went to an aquarium, and waited with the locals for over an hour to enjoy the only free thing on the Island, the light and fountain show - it proved well worth waiting for.

On Tuesday - battling an air conditioning induced cold we spent the day in bed watching films, most of the films being chosen by Debbie - Alec loves his 'chick flicks' now.

Today - we are currently at Singapore airport waiting to board our flight to Melbourne, Australia. Alec isnt very happy as he's managed to last 2 weeks without using a squat toilet - until today!! Our flight is about 6 hours and we should be arriving at 7.30pm local time, with hopefully a bit less jet lag!

Thank you for all your messages, all our love, a very excited Alec and Debbie