Greetings from Malaysia! Since we last wrote we have skipped through Cambodia, spent less than 24hrs in Thailand, and we now find ourselves on a small island which has virtually shut down due to an Islamic public holiday!!! We arrived into Cambodia by boat, this time heading north on the Mekong Delta. We're tired of boats now. Perhaps it was one river journey too far as it seemed to go on for ages but to pass the time we made good friends with a couple from Argentina. We both learned a lot more about Argentina and have an invitation to visit them in Buenos Aires.What is interesting is that this is the second couple we have befriended from South America (the others were from Chile) and what's more they were all middle aged. Maybe its us getting old but we are clearly travelling in the 'mature' backpacker bracket when we shun the 'youngsters' for the oldies - hey Mum and Dad's x2? - and that's despite them thinking we were a lot lyounger than we actually are!!!! Anyway, back to Cambodia! I think we were both looking forward to this final country on our mini Indo-China circuit and we have left with mixed feelings. On the whole Phnom Penh(PP) looked like a city that has just come out of 50 years of civil disturbance and didn't hold a great deal for your average tourist - maybe not that surprising then! We also found Cambodia surprisingly expensive and rather than quote prices in Riel (the local currency), they insisted on charging in $. $6 tax to leave PP on an internal flight (to Siem Reap) and a further $25 to leave for Bangkok left us rather short. Perhaps we should have taken the bus, but the roads and the driving really weren't up to much and we were advised to fly. Angkor Wat on the other hand was wonderful (apart from the $40 entry...each) - if a little sore on the bum after cycling round all the temples and monuments for two days. Nature has tried to claim a lot of the temples back as the jungle slowly reaches into and out of the different temple buildings, but those which it has left really are a marvel. The main temple still stands as it did 1,000 years ago. To reach the top of the temple you had to climb a stupidly steep set of stone stairs. Apparently it was built that way to make it difficult for the plebs to reach the Gods. Kylie struggled on the way down, draw your own conclusion. We stayed until sun down waiting for a marvelous sunset, only to miscalculate that we would not actually be able to see and be seen in the dark whilst cycling back to our hotel. No injuries to report. And that really was it for Cambodia. 5 days and then we completed the circuit by flying back to Bangkok. It felt like returning to civilisaiton, and for a few hours we cashed in on a good coffee and an English language Sunday newspaper, with the football and rugby results. Mid-afternoon the next day we took yet another flight (backpackers don't fly so much I hear you say) to Penang. Georgetown is a wonderful mix of fading colonial grandure, but it is now mainly the Chinese and Indians running the show. Much of the old town is intact but many of the old buildings are now in need of a good renovation. As I mentioned earlier though, we got up yesterday (Monday) ready to hit the sights and found the town almost deserted. Maybe we were lucky to see the place quiet and calm but we felt rather dissapointed. Still the old British Fort was open so we had a look around that and then spent most of the rest of the afternoon in internet cafe's trying to book a beach resort for the next seven days. We were in luck and we have found a nice 4* resort just north of a small town called Lumut and opposite the island of Pangkor. We travel there tomorrow for a week of rest and relaxation, just what we need after our long trip. Today we have spent most of the day on Penang Hill, a wonderful spot overlooking the whole of the island although the furnicular railway up and down was a bit of a trial as they squash you in like sardines. In general the weather has been very kind to us - very hot and little rain. Our fear of entering Malaysia during their rainy season has so far not happened - but there are more clouds and evening thunder storms about. Fingers crossed for the next week. More news from the beach....with a cocktail in hand.... R+K