Hello

Just a quick one. Not too much to say. Am back in KL having spent the last few days in Melaka. It was a bit nicer than KL but still not great. Am covered in mosqito bites even though I layered myself in Jungle Formula bug spray! There's even one on my hand and one on my toe! Really irritating. Luckily I don't seem to have dengue fever as yet but will keep you posted! Touch wood I'm ok! Melaka was a really historic town and I was staying in a little guesthouse with just three private rooms and the 16 bed dorm which was ok as no bunk beds but it was just so hot with only fans to cool the room. 25 degrees at night and still about 85% humidity does not make for an easy night's sleep! The first day I got there was Wednesday and I arrived around 3pm. I got into my room and then went to have a wonder around the town. I ate some rice balls which apparently are a local speciality. Certainly cheap so not complaining! I was staying in the Chinatown area. That evening I went to go and get some dinner in the Geographer Cafe which was less than 5 mins walk from my hostel. It was quite busy and I went for dinner late - about 9 o'clock. While I was eating my veggie ramen I was joined at my table by three germans who were also staying in my hostel. It was a couple and their friend. I got chatting to them and they were on the beer! I was only on water at it was much cheaper! We were soon joined by an American guy who was definately up for a sess and keep filling everyone's glasses with beer from the jugs he kept buying! At this stage I was still on the water not wanting to be subed beer! Plus I don't like beer! Plus I had only brought RM20 out with me as I was intending to eat dinner and go to bed. As the night went on it got rowdier and we joined up with some Aussie's who were on a uni trip. Eventually they talked me in to having some beer which I accepted as it was so hot and actually cold Carlsberg went down very easily! So eventually I got into my bed at 3am having had the cafe close around us and there being nowhere else to go! Interesting first night!!

The next day I stayed in bed til really late and then found the mall! Via MacDonalds! Yay! They serve Ribena in Macca's here! Very large pulling factor for me! Had a wonder round and later went back to the Geographer for some dinner. This time was a very quiet night for me and I went to bed around 11 o'clock.

Yesterday - I again stayed in bed til late and then wondered round the old part of the town which was the Dutch settlement. It was so hot though and I had to climb lots of stairs! I went back to the mall and went to the cinema to see The Other Boleyn Girl which has only just come out here! Think they were deciding whether they could allow it in a Muslim country! It had a U rating and I think had been censored i.e. bits were missing as there was no sex! And sometimes it skipped bits which didn't seem right. I'm sure elewhere it was a 15. Still it only cost me RM7 which is about GBP1.20! It was so cold in the cinema as usual and of course I was only wearing a sleeveless top and a miniskirt! I got a bit chilly!! Ate Japenese food at the mall for dinner after the movie and then went to bed quite early again.

Today I had to get the bus back to KL. Got here ok and then had to get to my hotel. Yes HOTEL! Have been bad and booked myself in to the Renaissance for a couple of nights as I am so hating this place and its like a little Western haven in a mad crazy dirty smelly city. I don't need to check under the loo seat for geckos and the toilet doesn't stink like drains. Also it's costing about GBP40 a night so it's quite an affordable luxury to keep me sane while I try unsuccessfully at the moment to change my flights again. The dates it seems I can easily change but apparently I can't reroute my ticket so am trying to find a way out of having to get to Bangkok to catch my flight home. Especially since the damn thing goes via Singapore anyway and I'm much closer to Singapore here than Bangkok. As its two separate flights I'm trying to see if I can just change the date on my Singapore - Heathrow filght and not use the Bangkok-Singapore flight. Was trying to fly home this week but not sure if thats going to happen now. Asked the Travel Help internet thingy on STA which I HAVE to use to change my flights to search for 1 day either side of 16th Sept and it didn't find any availablilty so now I've asked it to check 6 days either side of 16th hopefully it'll find something. Only problem is it takes so long to do this! 24 hours for each response. Have emailed STA travel in Canterbury where I booked my ticket and I have been given a phone number but since my mobile isn't working I'm at a bit of a lose as to how I'm supposed to call them! May have to buy a phonecard or something. Don't want to use hotel phone as costs too much. It's about GBP3.50 per minute which is not really the amount I want to pay since I have no idea how long I could be on the phone for! Will look in to phone card I think. Need to sort out these flights asap. Can't afford to stay in the hotel too long!!! Really have decided that this backpacking lark is not for me at all! I can't live without my creature comforts like glass in the windows, basic cleanliness and no cockroaches! If only my camera has smell-o-vision! I would love for everyone at home to smell what I can smell out here! I really am not exagerrating. In the place I was staying before in KL I was on the 4th floor but the smell of sewers still managed to creep in the windows. When you went downstairs the stench hit you. Along the street there was dirt in every corner and the place smelt like s*** - to be blunt. It was just so gross! Went to Chinatown for dinner in my last night in KL with Laura and Lydia who were in my dorm and on the way back we had to keep dodging cockroaches that were crawling around the open drains in the pavements. I can't do it. This is supposed to be a modern metropolis and I've spoken to other travellers who've been to others countries in Asia and say that Malaysia is the best country they've been to for stuff like this - apart from Singapore which is just a law unto its own!

So just filling you in on life out here. I'm getting really pissed off that I can't seem to get home as easily as I thought. Apparently I can't reroute my flight which I thought I could. Am getting annoyed with the uselessness of the way that I have to request changes to my ticket! The shops can't do it can only make online requests. They don't seem to understand the urgency of the situation! "Want to fly home now!" That's what I put in the "free comments" box on my most recent request!

Hopefully will sort itself out asap. Will keep you informed of the situation. May need a lift home from the airport! Although compared to walking a couple of miles in 30 degree heat, 90% humidity and dragging a 25kg suitcase I think I could probably manage the Great British public transport system!

Until next time...