Its been a while, a month!!!. I've forgotten most of whats happened between blog updates!! I am currently in Malaysia in the Cameron Highlands. But before I go into that.... I think my last update I was headed to Thailand. I spent two days in Bangkok, met up with some Scottish people I had met in Nha Trang (Vietnam) so had a big night out with them. Other than that did not do much as i have been there before. I jumped on an overnight bus to Chiang Mai. Stayed at a guest house run my an English guy who made real bacon and egg sandwiches (not had one since I left)...mmmhhh. I then went on a three day hike up Doin Intanon, this was an amazing experience. There were 7 in our group. We went into the jungle and had an elephant ride, swam in a waterfalls, bamboo rafting and of course hiking in remote jungle. First day we hiked up to the first village we would call home for the night. We arrived at the remote village and we made our beds (consisting mat, mosquito net and bag). It was getting dark so we hurried to get it done. There was an American lady in our group, overweight, opinionated etc!!!! She moaned about everything. She said she had been mis-sold the "3 day hiking in the jungle trip", nobody told her she would be walking so much in the middle of nowhere!!! Get a clue!!! She also asked where the local shop was (In a remote tribal village) as she needed to buy some new trousers as hers were dirty!!! then when we explained there is not one she asked "where the hell does the village buy its food from". Self sufficient seemed a new concept. She went to her hut to make her bed and (I would have paid for this) a 1.5m snake fell out of her blanket on to her legs and then slithered off!!! Brilliant. She screamed and continued her ranting. The next day at the next village she complained to the tribal man who was putting us up in his hut and feeding us that his dogs were too thin. She then gave her dinner to the dog saying she could not eat while a dog was hungry. This escalated into a crazy situation as the family eat our leftovers and she had fed a dog before they had eaten. The tribal guy kicked the dog harder than i have seen anyone kick anything then proceeded to beat it with a bamboo stick saying "I kill it, I kill it". Not sure we saw that dog again... he then walked around with a maschetti for a while which was a bit disconcerting. From there I flew down to Phuket and stayed in Patong... Very Lively beach resort with not much attraction other than the beach and beer. I caught a boat from there to Phi Phi which was a beautiful Island. They are still constructing some of the homes and businesses that got destroyed in the Tsunami. The only problem here was there is nothing to do if it rains which it did for 2 days, and I don't mean a little shower, it was like somebody was pouring a bucket of water on you. Then there was a Tsunami warning so I jumped on the next boat to Krabi and then cought the overnight bus to Bangkok... then on to Chiang Mai again. My reasons...well... 1) There is so much to do even if it is raining. I spent nearly 3 weeks doing nothing however. I chilled, read. I did manage to go to a buddhist temple for 2 days and stay overnight. I did everything a monk would... meditated, chanted, no talking and ate meals not for pleasure!!!! I also did a cookery course and went to the zoo.....other than that nothing!! 2) I needed to do nothing. NO travelling, no packing a bag every other day.. no trips etc, no waterfalls, hikes, jungle, tourist attractions..etc... Really I got fed up after 4 months of doing all these amazing things. Which got me to thinking about it very deeply. If it was a two week holiday to these places I would be well excited about it.. a break from work etc. However because this was becoming the norm, these amazing experiences were not having an impact on me at all. Infact I did not want to do them. The words of Neale Donald Walsch "In the absence of that which is not that which is, is not", without the bad experiences the good ones could not exist. Hell is hidden in paradise for a reason. For without the lows the highs cannot exist they just are events with no comparison to anything. I thought and thought and what I came away with. was this - Life has its ups and down, its good days and bad days, good experiences and bad - cherish the bad as much as the good for without them the good cannot exist. Anyway after my break from travelling I was refreshed and ready to go again!! I then flew down to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) for 3 days. I love this city, amazing architecture, diverse in its people and so friendly. I walked around the city all day seeing as much as I could like the mosque and the towers etc. I then caught a bus up to the Cameron Highlands. This place is warm in the day and freezing at night... Got my jumper out for the first time!!! Great. I arrived mid afternoon so quickly got my flip flops(!!!) on for a hike through the jungle to the next town. What started off as a nice walk in the jungle turned into a panicked run when a thunderstorn came in and I was about 1.5 hours into a walk, lost, down a trail that was not on the map and the light was fading. Do I continue into deeper forest and risk not coming out anywhere before dark or retrace my steps. I decided to retrace my steps walking very fast over slippery roots in flip flops!! I made it. I must have looked mental emerging onto the main road, soaking wet in flip flops and covered in mud. Next day I went on a guided tour. This consisted of hiking in the jungle to find a rare flower that only flowers every 4 years and then flowers for only for 6 days. Found that and had a swim in a nearby waterfall. Then went to a village and blew a dart in a blow pipe they use for hunting.. which was very accurate. Then went to a tea plantation which was amazing and a strawberry farm. Also went to a butterfly park where I had 5 large scorpions placed on me and a mad looking beetle. Great Day. Tomorrow I am off to Penang. From there I go to Singapore after another stop in KL. I am meeting James there as he has decided to join me to finish the trip we both started. Hopefully he lasts longer than 5 weeks this time. Laters all take care and be safe Antony x