Gentle reader,

you may have noticed a hiatus in the updates of our adventures in SE Asia. This has been due to Mr MacIntosh's Apple not living up to it's propaganda. In the meantime we're using hotel computers so not sure yet whether we will be able to upload pictures. Hoping to have the MAC Book fixed in Bangkok in a few days time.

Penang

Crossing the causeway to the island, Penang looked very impressive - chalk white skyscrapers rising out of a silver sea into a blue sky. Up close and personal things werea bit different. Georgetown, the old part of town and a world heritage site, was busy, dirty and hot as hell. The traffic was relentless and gave no quarter to pedestrians. We retreated indoors and found a Chinese massage centre where we both enjoyed an hour of reflexology. Other highlights were two good meals - one in a Buhdist cafe and the other in an Italian restuarant where we had pizza and a rather nice bottle of wine. Our hotel was called the Ming Good and that just about summed up the Hotel and Penang.

Langkowi

Our hotel in Langkowi was up to Ming good standards but had the advantage of being on the beach. It was Paul's birthday and we celibrated with a dinner party on the beach in his honour. Our table shared a bottle of Vodka but it turned out that only two of us were drinking it. When I stood up the sand had taken on some strange slopes that it didn't previously have. Around midnight we wandered along the beach and came across a 'happening'. A band was playing reggae at about half speed and hundreds of people dressed up as hippies were swaying about and saying "Hey man". Everyone was smoking so we wandered off to bed after listening to the band for a while.

The next day we chilled on the beach for a while and then when on a speed boat tour of the area the highlight of which was watching Sea Eagles feeding. There were about 15 eagles swooping into the water just a short distance from our boat. Most of them then flew up with a fish in their tallons.

We are now in Krabi, Thailand and have had a fabulous day. More about that another time.

This piece has been written without the usual supervision from the distaff side and no responsibility can accrue to her for spelling and grammar errors together with sins of ommission and exageration.