Have now crossed the border into Malaysia. The border crossing was pretty straightforward, the bus comfortable and the roads suprisingly good. The public bus from the bus station into town tho was a different ballgame. We were in a completely run-down, cramped, rattly bus with air-con of a different kind - no windows and the door wide open. The fascinated locals looked on with a smile. We held on tight whilst the driver crunched the gears all the way to the centr...

When we arrived in Singapore it was 10.00pm and still 28 degrees. The airport was the shiniest, cleanest most pristine, modern and efficient I have ever known. We were off the plane, through customs and security, with luggage back in hand within 1/2 hour! Then we got on the most spanking underground, on time and easy. On the first day we walked through the chinatown area. The streets were bustling with colourful market stalls, food vendors, lantern and temples. T...

Only an hour away from the coast and things began to change dramatically. The temperature began to rise and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The air and landcape became parched and the trees disappeared the further inland we went. the rivers and creeks became completely cracked and dry. Distances between towns were vast and the roads lengthened, stretching for miles without even a hint of a bend. Vehicles were so few and far between that everyone greeted each...

We reached Adelaide late and tired after a long day on the road. every campsite we reached was closed. Finally we found one without a barrier - bingo! - so just went in anyway. The office didn't open until 8.00am -we'd be gone by then. We had to be clever about the toilets and use precision timing, as the doors all have code locks. the next morning we woke early - well Tom did. With Gemma and I in the back still dozing, he high tailed it out of there - fr...

Flew into beautiful sunshine in Sydney. Had our first bed-bug nightmare in a really awful hostel, before catching the train straight out and into the blue mountains (just west of sydney) to catch up with Gemma. We didn't hang around in Sydney as we'll be returning here later. Gem was staying at her relatives place whilst they were on holiday - they even left her use of the car....cushtie! We had the whole place to ourselves. It was so nice havin...