Now for the 2nd part of our trip to Asia......

Malayisa Part 1 ..... Beth left a few says ahead of J to meet her folks (Mike & Lynda) in Kuala Lumpur and spent a few days wandering the city taking in the sights. J stayed behind in Perth to settle some unfinished business with the Jameson, Toohey and Hardy families.. details of which can not be published!

J arrived on the Sunday and the whole crew went to the Grand Prix which was great until a monsoon came in and the race was stopped... first time in 18 years it had happened!

From KL to Penang island which was great.. amazing food for half nothing. Plenty of chilling, drinking and eating! Then onto Langkawi, another island north towards Thailand. Great place to relax.. which we all managed to do very well. Rented a car for 2 days and did a loop of the island taking in some great sights, waterfalls, beaches, crocodile farm (not only native to oz!) and the place is full of monkeys - they're everywhere. Malaysian people are ace and the island was true bliss. After a lovely 2 weeks we said farewell to Mike & Lynda and headed for Bali.

Bali .......Arrived there not really knowing what to expect, didn't have a guide book so we spent the first night in Kuta which could be called many things .. most appropriately would be Hell on Earth! Full of aussie chavs on cheap package holidays all wearing the same Bintang wife beater shirts. (Bintang is the local beer in Bali and it's awesome) it was Easter hols so it was the same as arriving in Benidorm. Together with that and the hassle from the beach and street hawkers would drive anyone insane. "Transport u want transport"

So from there went to Ubud and got cultural.. amazing place. We did a 25km bike ride down from a mountain through loads of villages. Amazing people and the kids were brilliant. B even managed to join some locals in harvesting rice in the padi fields. The ride was all down hill except for the last 30m which was over a bridge and Beth managed to fall off her bike and get her leg stuck in a hole! J was too busy taking snaps to notice but luckily the guide saved her from breaking a leg! Up to north coast to lovina - quiet, then east coast to a small town called Amed. Very nice spot. From here we paid a fisherman to take us to the gili islands. The standard route takes 12 hours via Lombok. This took us 3hrs for same price although we got soaked - bags were fine though considering the size of the boat!

Spent a week on the Gili Islands and did our open water diving courses. It was great although not without some drama. B wouldn't get into the water on second dive, shed some tears and quit! After some persuasion from the instructor and J she picked it back up again and now can't get enough of it! Will def return to the gili islands.. great place.

Singapore......to meet Kathryn and Kimbo who are moving back to Oz from London taking in a 4 month trip of Asia. Loads to catch up during a bottle of rum followed by a mad night on the town in Singapore. Ended up getting a lock in where J and Kathryn fought over the microphone to entertain a luckily drunken crowd! Of course "where's me jumper" got an airing! That session knocked us all out - lightweights. Spent a day walking in circles around Singapore and blowing the budget (so expenisve there) and the next day we went in opposite directions. We headed for the perhinitian islands and they went back to oz :-(

Malaysia Part 2... After a 14 hour overnight train followed by 2 hour bus and 40 min speed boat we got to the Perhintian islands AKA paradise! Spent a week doing some amazing dives and just lazing on the beach. We had a booze ban as well which was needed. 3 weeks of the lovely Bintang does take its toll. If only there was a cash machine on the islands we would have spent more time here.

We weren't far from the Thai border so we got a taxi there and walked into Thailand. All seemed fine (read load of stuff about terrisom attacks there but it was ok) until they only gave us a 2 week visa! If u fly u get 30 days if u come overland u get 14days. We planned a 5 week stay in the country. Again no guide book so kinda realising that they're handy so we bought one! Lonely planet doesn't mention the visa thing anyway. All the immigration office can give is a 7 day extension so we find ourselves having to book a return flight back into Malaysia to get visa.. nuts.

Thailand .... We went to Ko phi phi for 5 nights. A stunning place but full of trust fund English backpackers - all the lads seem to have long bleached blond hair - weird. One thing we're finding about Asia is that it's much harder to meet people than oz mainly cos you're in hotel like accommodation all the time and not the communal hostel scene. luckily we have met some great friends here all the same But Phi Phi was goregous (if a little busy, but we found some paradise beaches to chill on) and it seems to be completly re built following the tsunami which is good.

From phi phi to phuket which isn't much to shout about... we just had to go there to get that freicken flight! Onwards to Ko Yao which is a great island off the beaten track. the owner of the bungalow gave us their boat to go around the islands for a day. Took Jon awhile to get to grips with the long tail engine but it was great fun.

From there we went to Railey which again was stunning but a bit too busy with tourists. Over to the other side of the country to Ko Phangan. Great fun there the fiirst night on whiskey buckets... both of us ended up with some bizarre injuries! Hung out with some grt people from Cananda and Ireland. Did some more diving and spent a few days in the north on bottle beach.. amazing place.

On to Ko Samui (yes another island!) where Jo hooked up with us. took a speed boat to the full moon party back in ko phangan one night. that was mayham.. partying with 20,000 people on the beach until sunrise. more buckets consumed then.. dangerous things! Beth had to look after Jon and Jo which wasn't easy!

From there to Ko tao.. the final island! Nice but busy from the partygoers at the full moon. A few final days of beach time and then the trip to Bangkok.

Bangkok for 3 days was great. Its a crazy place but has to seen. Have since done a night train to the north and currently in Chang Mai. From here it's Laos Cambodia and Vietnam for the next 6 weeks and we'll hope to update the blog then