Having a great time in Thailand still - quick update from our travels and hope you are all well! Since we last wrote we have been to the Cameron Highlands. Went with some friends we met from Cork, and stayed in a really great place. Took a tour around the area - seeing the masses of tea plantations which were just stunning, and some interesting creatures along the way (giant beatles, scorpions and snakes which they liked to take out of cages and throw on you!). We also went on a trek with Harte and Esme (friends we met) through the jungle to a waterfall, gorgeous but a hard trek -about 4 hours and was almost climbing the mountain! After chilling out watching the rugby (oh dear for Wales...at last for England!) moved onto Langkawi island - our last stop in Malaysia.

Finally - beer is cheap for Sean!! (Although it is a duty free island so we're planning on stocking up! 16p a can!) Island is pretty gorgeous althoug hard to compare when we have been to stunning Perhentian Islands. Its massive and we hired a car today to drive around the island and see the sights.. Ironically - it was very stormy so when we paid to go up the cable car adn view the whole marine park (99 islands) it wasn't as great as had planned.. but was still really nice day. Stopped off at a few more beaches around the island, picked up some duty free alcohol to take to our next stop (which is minus electricity, shop...everything, basically tents and one bar!) and had some good food!

We then left Malaysia and entered Thailand by ferry from Langkawi Island to Ko Adang. Ko Adang is in Turatao Ntnl Marine park and is GORGEOUS! The marine park consists of 99 islands, all of which are protected (except one - Ko Lipe which the King gave to the Sea Gypsies, so thats built up - but now all the native people do is run the long tail boats as Thais came over from the mainland to take over all the business - bit sad). But we stayed at Ko Adang island - its protected so you can stay in tents, and there is one retaurant....and thats it! Its fantastic - so peaceful and quiet and literally nothing to do, but that is such a freeing feeling! The beach was gorgeous and in my sunrise morning swims I saw fish of all sizes, sword fish, jumping fish, shoals of millions of tiny ones. So relaxing! The island attracted the 'modern-day' hippy type as I called them! Couples that stayed for months at a time, and spent the day in their (male!!) thongs and bikinis, fishing, swinging on hammocks and making necklaces out of shells - it was that kind of place! We ate some amazing local fish, and just totally relaxed (until nighttime - when you have to find your way to your tent in pitch black, sleep on a solid floor and fend off the thousands of red ants!). But to make up for that the skies opened up and we have never seen lightning shows like it - you could watch it for hours!

We then headed from there to where we are now in Ko Lanta. This island seems so touristy compared to our last stop, and is a little expensive and dirty, But maybe we've turned into beach snobs by now! The beach is still over 2km long, and white sand and we're staying in a great little place and found a little local place to eat -so we're happy! Its storming AGAIN today (literally - every one day of blistering heat you get at least 2 days of storms and rain!) so we're going to try and catch up on some photos and improve our card playing skills!! We had a beautful sunset last night with a beer on the beach (I had my first beer in over 3 years and my stomach wasn't too bad!! Good times) so we can't complain!

Plan on hiring a kayak and kayaking around the island tomorrow to see the Mangrove forest - as its dry season (although the weather defies us to believe it!) the mangrove trees are so exposed you can see their roots - its nuts, like trees standing on tip toes, so we fancy going around there and seeing the local village! Off to Ko Phi Phi in a couple of days and then onto the Thai mainland for the first time! Looking forward to it!