The final post from the 'Pearl of the Orient'! Well, it is time to return to Europe after a fantastic year in the Far East. We shall miss our life here but happy to be nearer family and friends and feel ready to move onto the next stage of our lives. Would recommend an adult gap year to you all. It is rejuvenating and fun and can be done on all budgets. We booked most trips ourselves using Lonely Planet, Trip advisor and personal recommendations as our guides. W...

Indolent in Indonesia after Singapore Slings and Supertrees!! Our last trip of the year kicked off in Singapore. It is several years since either of us has visited this city and boy, has it changed. We stayed at Goodwood Park Hotel off Orchard Rd. This was the Japanese HQ during the occupation and where we ate teppanyaki (repeated the experience this time but sadly our chef had little repartee and limited showmanship with his knives!) and had drinks around the ...

The Mr and Mrs Kenny Tour x 2 followed by a Miss Kenny one!!!! Have had a great road trip around Malaysia with Kevin's brother, Dermot and his wife, Brigid. They arrived in Penang the night of a massive storm so we sat on the balcony of the E and O Hotel's Planter Lounge catching up and watching the skies lit up by the strikes of lightening. The weather is pretty unsettled at present so we dodged a few downpours during the next 2 weeks on both the west and east ...

Looking for Nemo in the Perhentians! To while away a few free days, we took an hour's flight to Kota Bharu, a taxi to Besut and then a speedboat ferry to the island of Kecil on the Perhentians. This is one of 2 islands on the north east coast of Malaysia famed for their fantastic snorkelling and diving as they are surrounded by coral. We chose the less developed of the 2 islands with plenty of backpackers and simple accommodation. Initial impressions weren't gre...

A whirlwind trip to London and back taking in Istanbul, Loughborough, Tewkesbury, London and West Wittering!!! Am now back in Penang recovering from jet lag after a rushed but great visit to the UK. We have arrived back to dramatic thunder and lightening storms, the end of Ramadan festival of Hari Raya and the start of the Chinese Hungry Ghost festival. Apparently, all the dead return for a month and roam around and have to be appeased with food offerings, the b...