My return to Kuala Lumpur was made far more fun by the companionship of Christian, who after the nightmare speed boat journey kindly lent me some money when we discovered we were both getting the same bus back to KL and my card wouldn't let me withdraw any money. This journey to KL was somewhat smoother than the first one from Thailand; though the driver wouldn't win any awards, it beat a thirty hour journey any day. A note on the previous journey - the boat from...

All of my pre-travelling research revealed the Perhenthian islands off of the coast of north eastern Malaysia to be your typical paradise: untouched desert island beaches, crystal clear water, palms trees just about everywhere and a few wooden shacks dotted along the sand serving as accommodation. The recommendations I'd had from friends who had the fortune to make it to these shores only backed up this description with enthusiasm and a touch of jealousy at heari...