I'm back, and have a lot to catch up on! I really mustn't leave such a long gap between blogs. As you can see I have back dated this blog, to end in Singapore as I want to start a new entry for Australia.

So last time I left you was back in Krabi, with the moonsoons! We had another eventful journey down to Malaysia, the usual disorganised Thai travel on a mini bus that stops every five minutes to try and sell you something that you have already brought, confusing you on which ticket you have - and in our case make us miss our adjoining bus!!! Once again the "7hr" journey we were promised turned into about 12hrs! We had to swap buses a few times, funny how we started off from the pay office with a decent van and then a few hours in they cunningly say we have to change buses - basically a huge downgrade from what we had paid for and it was full of locals who seemed to have been doing their equivilant of Xmas shopping and were hopping to fit 12 people and upteen bags into a mini van! The word mini van doesn't really do the space we were left with justice - try teeny, weeny, micro dot van!!!! Plus with all the bags pilled high, the inconsiderate driver decided he couldn't hear his speakers properly so turned the music up full volume - something along the lines of Thai Hip Hop for 7hrs, was enough to drive us insane, especially as Alex and I were sitting next to the speakers!!!!

We were making our way to the Perhentian Islands, which are just near the Thai/Malaysian border. The stop over town is Kota Bharu, and is certainly not a tourist area!! Very muslim orientated, and an uncomfortable feeling when you are the only white people walking through the local town and everyone is staring at you like your green with horns!! I have to say being a woman there, I did feel safe and consequently we secluded ourselves in our room for that night!

Making our way to the Perhentian Islands the next morning was a short bus and ferry ride. And on arrival, we suddenly felt like that last 24hrs had been well worth it. We had seen some amazing beaches and sea in Thailand, but this was something else. We stayed on Kecil island, which is the smaller and backpacker of the two. Where as the Thai islands, were more touristy and built up, this was very much live on the beach and nothing much more! You jump of the boat into the sea with your bag and walk up to the beach, with only a few places to stay on the island, and 2 bars/restaurants and a couple of beach hut shops - you get the picture. Basically everything was built on the sand, so it doesn't go that far back into the jungle. It was a backpacker paradise - and truly felt like something from "The Beach" as we were all like a small community. Coming together in the most popular restaurant at night to eat the lastest catch of the day, and watch a movie at 8pm every night!

By day everyone went out either snorkelling, sunbathing or exploring the island. The guys and I took a taxi boat out one afternoon for some snorkelling, and went swimming in turtle bay with ... you guessed it... a TURTLE!!! It was amazing, it came right to the surface and stuck it's head out, before going back down to the bottom where we snorkelled along with it. It was huge roughly about 1metre in length. Next we went to Shark Bay, and although a little apprehensive, we jumped out the boat and soon enough our guide found us a small shark that we tailed for a while. Then we went off to the corals and came across numerous amounts of fish!!

Of course laying by the beach, wasn't enough entertainment for the boys...... So one day whilst I was quietly laying in the sun I sat up to find Alex and Dan digging a flipping huge hole right in front of me!! Imagine a beach, no imagine a paradise beach and then imagine two englishmen with sticks digging a fricking great big hole in the middle of that paradise!!! Not content with the speed that the sticks were giving them, Alex went off in pursuit of a spade, god know what he said but a a few minutes later he proudly came back with none other than a shovel!!! This created much excitement for the boys, and more embarrassment for myself - as the hole had now spread in width so people were having to make an effort to walk around it. Women looking down their noses, and the odd English bloke jeering the boys along and stopping to take a look at the ever growing excuse for men being bored!! I tell you staring at them digging that hole, and seeing/hearing their exclamations of happiness as it got deeper and how proud they were every few minutes when one of them jumped in to check the height and to show me how well they were doing - it was a mixture between 5yr olds wanting a mothers attention and/or tarzan beating his chest as he proudly shows woman what man has made!!!!

Even when the dark clouds desended over us, and everyone, but us, had abandoned the beach in search of shelter for the impending storm - they still wouldn't leave, adamant that they wanted to see their hole filled with water. I went back to our hut, just as the rain came pelting down. Half an hour later, I was beginning to get a little worrried, the rain was still pelting but there was no sign of the boys and I had awful visions of them being trapped in their own man made hole full to the brim with water. I was just debating whether to go and find them, when they came round the corner, soaked - of course - but full spirited regailing the story of how their beloved hole was now full!!!!! I grabbed them some towels, and told them to take a shower so we could go and have dinner!

After the islands, we headed down to Kualar Lumpar, the capital, which was shoppers heaven! We were there for 5 days, and I don't think I've ever seen so many malls!! God knows why there are sooo many!!! It was Dan's birthday whilst we were there, so I tried to make the day a bit special for him. We went up the iconic Petronas Towers and looked out over the city, I brought us both birthday doughnuts to make up for the lack and cake and in the evening we went out for a birthday meal and drink.

Singapore was our next stop, we went to the famous Night Safari and Zoo which were both pretty spectacular. We found JD and Coke in a bottle - already mixed - a highlight for us, considering this was a cheaper option that buying the Whisky and then the mix, and something we don't have at home so was quirky!!!

Right that's bout it for now, will update the next bit prob tomorrow. When I'll write about Melbourne.

xxxx