Day 49, Dirty Ol' Perv, Singapore

I took this off my laptop webcam....

Ok so the picture above is not meant to be of my naked shoulder, but of the dude behind who is getting dressed of all things... This guy was that stereotypical old dude who is in a youth hostel when he clearly does not belong there. And of course he was sleeping in the bunk above me.

So this dude every morning for the four nights I stayed here would get up earlier than anyone else in the room and start to unpack and then repack his four huge bags he had with him. Everything was contained in plastic bags, so there would be a good hour or two of russeling about to ensure everyone was up and about nice and early.

But the worst thing was this morning when everyone was having their delightful free breakfast, this dude was sitting on the public computers looking at some dirty website to do with young girls offering various services. *Spits on the ground* another reason to love South East Asia....

Day 48, Botanical Serenity, Singapore

Sundial Points to 4pm

It was nice to find a peaceful spot in the big city of Singapore. The botanical gardens were the perfect pit stop after a hectic weekend with the formula 1. I'd definitely recommend them, mainly as they are free so well worth every penny.

Day 47, Hamilton Wins, Singapore

Polarising Filter Test Shot

The Formula 1 result was as I had predicted. I didn't go to the actual race as I'm not that pumped about spending hundreds on watching cars zoom past me. But instead went to an expensive micro brewery to watch it, which actually served up a good brew. Other fun activities of the day included buying a new polarising filter for my camera, and a book from borders which by the way does not have popular penguins in Singapore.

Day 46, A Day At The Track, Singapore

VVRRRRRRMMMMMMM

Formula 1 is a lot more classy than your typical petrol head event. It was like being at the horse races for a day, but with really really loud horses. Also on offer was The Back Street Boys, but unfortunately I wasn't in the right zone so couldn't see them, but just as good was Travis, Scottish pop rock band that could melt any ones heart. Hamilton took out qualifying and didn't really seem to have any trouble doing so, he is my bet on tomorrow's race.
More results here.

Day 45, Getting Ready For F1, Singapore

As much glory as Ferrari will get this weekend

Singapore is pretty alive right now, the streets are full of people walking around with their F1 passes around there necks and a smile on their faces. I went and picked up my ticket which was rather exciting. On the way back to the hostel I stopped in through Little India which was also rather exciting, especially the random Hindu temple complete with two little kids singing some never ending, highly annoying, Hindi song.

Day 44, Sorting Things Out, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Just another restaurant in KL

Nothing really to report here. Spent the day doing nothing, just recharging the old batteries, sorting out a few things out like a flight home, so you have about another 20 days of this gold!

Day 43, Escaping Leeches, Taman Negara, Malaysia

Giant Rainforest Creature

To be honest, I didn't really like Taman Negara too much. It is the oldest rainforest in the world, but thats about all it has going for it. The problem is that it is such a tourist trap now, so you barely even feel like you are in the jungle. Well not entirely true, it gets pretty intense once you walk off the main trail. I got which was pretty awesome, managed to flick them all off before blood was drawn though. Then it is so humid in the forest that you sweat like crazy which makes things really uncomfortable, seeing they've sold the place out they should take it one step further and install fans on all the trees.

But otherwise the fact remains that as soon as you have crossed the river out of the official park it is obvious that any jungle that was around here has long been destroyed and replaced with rubber or palm plantations. This is pretty sad as the park is reasonably small and considering how much area has been given over to plantations just really signifies how awesome the actual old jungle would have been.

Day 42, Walking Above The Jungle, Taman Negara, Malaysia

Ten Meters Up On The Canopy Walk

Jamming in the oldest rainforest in the world, at 130 million years old, was pretty scary if anything. Firstly the entire place is moving, crawling, buzzing and squealing, then there is a canopy walkway which seems like it could fall apart at any time... I'm pretty sure it is all in my mind though.

Day 41, Jungle Train, Jerantut, Malaysia

The Train Arrives

I couldn't get out of Kota Bharu fast enough. And so took the 6.30am train out of town. It was a lovely train that goes through some nice jungle down to near Taman Negara, the oldest rainforest in the world, and my next destination.

Day 40, Dead Town, Kota Bharu, Malaysia

The Lonesome Rider

So it is like Eid or something to do with the end of Ramadan. Which means that Malaysia is the most boring place in the world. The city of Kota Bharu was completely shut. Like the only thing open was the 7/11. It was a good day to sit around under the fan in my room.

Day 39, Back To Malaysia Truly Asia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia

Broken Bus Window

I looked out a bus window all day, this was probably the most interesting actual window. A smashed one with a piece of tape over it. Lots of black and white shots lately, probably because my camera is set on it...

The day was so boring, got up at 6.30am arrived in Kota Bharu at 9pm (minus one hour time difference). Had to wait at the border for like 2 hours for a bus to Kota Bharu, and when I got into town was super confused about where I was and took ages to find a place to sleep. The train out of here leaves at 4.3am so have to stay two nights, but at least it's some kind of holiday here so everyone is letting off fireworks.

Day 38, Stuck in Krabi, Krabi, Thailand

Road to Ao Nang

I had to spend an extra day in Krabi because the bus to Malaysia was full or something stupid. Shouldn't have watched Pulp Fiction the night before when I was meant to be booking the bus ticket. And to continue the failing, couldn't get to Raileh beach, which is meant to be really nice, but instead went to Ao Nang which was ok, but probably not as good...

Day 37, The Creatures of Krabi, Krabi, Thailand

Weird Bird Creature

There are all these weird animal statues throughout Krabi, above we have the bird. There is also a random ape/human creature that is sitting on top of some traffic lights, golden lions around buildings, and more ape/humans around assorted places.

Day 34, 35, 36, Around and About, Andaman Coast, Thailand

Party Time on Ko Phi Phi

Attacked By A Giant Lizard Thing

Getting the F out of Phuket

So the last few days have been a bit of a weird adventure. Forming a crew out of the remaining guests at The Rock hostel in Ko Phi Phi, we left and went on a search for some surf in Phuket. Upon arriving at Kata Beach we realised that although there is surf, to which we dominated, the rest of the place is everything Thailand is infamously known for. So after seeing way too many old men with young Thai ladies we decided to split and go our separate ways to our next destinations. So back to Krabi for me, and hopefully find something to stop the gravy train from running...

Day 33, Reenactment of The Beach, Ko Phi Phi, Thaiand

Our own community on The Beach beach

There is an island in Thailand that no one knows about, where a small community of travellers have set up a commune in their secret paradise. Well actually there isn't, but there was a movie about this that was shot in Ko Phi Phi on a nearby not so secret island. The hostel I am at got a group together and we rented a long boat and re-created our own The Beach experience. Including jumping off cliffs, finding hidden beaches and swimming with sharks (well snorkelling at a place called shark point, but no actual sharks). In the list of top ten days, this will be number one at the moment.

Day 32, The Beginning Of Beach Overdose, Ko Phi Phi, Thailand

Another Stunning Beach Shot

To be honest, the beach can not be escaped. Being on a small island surrounded by a large ocean means that everything revolves around the beach somehow. The day is spent lying and swimming at the beach, and night is spent partying at a beach bar. Maybe I should take my camera out at night, but it gets pretty crazy with all the fire and lights and free shots and superb dancing.

Day 31, I Need To Pee Pee, Ko Phi Phi, Thailand

Lookout over Ko Phi Phi (click to view larger image)

Arriving on Ko Phi Phi was pretty exciting, a roof top ferry ride escorted loads of tourists over from mainland Thailand on to the classic destination, made popular by the movie The Beach. The island is like your typical party/beach/sun-tanning location, which seems great but isn't that relaxing apart from in the bookshop.

Although I didn't go partying last night, most other people in the hostel did. This resulted in one guy falling asleep pretty solidly and the rest of everyone getting all their sunscreen, toothpaste, body paint, random pieces of furniture and placing it all over him. He's from Zimbabwe so that makes it alright supposedly....

Day 30, A Month In Thai, South West Coast, Thailand

Don't really want to go to either of these places...

Travel rule to always abide to: Never catch a bus somewhere when the arrival time is going to be something silly like midnight.

Explanation: Ramadan means that there is only two ferries departing Langkawi each day, one at 9am and the other at 4pm. There is no way I'm up before 9am, so 4pm will have to suffice. Arrive in Thailand at 4pm as well as there is an hour time difference. Go find a bus to Krabi, find out the next one is at 8pm, but for some reason don't think about waiting till tomorrow and instead going for it knowing it doesn't arrive in Krabi for four hours. Get to Krabi and look around the bus stop, everything is closed. Fortuna spins her wheel though and a man on a motorbike stops and asks me if I need a ride, he takes me for a pretty fun ride to a guesthouse (was his mums of course!). Finally get to sleep in a nice semi expensive room.

Day 29, Back into the real world of the internet, Langkawi, Malaysia

Another Perfect Beach Setting

So the internet has been out the last few days, hence why days 26-28 doesn't exist. But rest assured the above image pretty much describes all those days. Just lying around on the beach getting sunburnt and partying by night (even though there is no partying in the above image). The typical south east asia deal. I don't know whether to leave here or not today....

Day 25, A Nice Beach, Langkawi, Malaysia

Pantai Cenang Beach

Cheap booze, the sun, the beach. Langkawi is a pretty sweet place. It was worth the expensive taxi ride which cost the same as catching two ferries and two long bus rides totalling five hours of travel to get to the guesthouse I'm staying at.

Day 24, Rubbish Beaches, Georgetown, Malaysia

Some Colourful Naan Bread Sauce

The overdeveloped beaches on the island of Penang are pretty depressing. You'd think that with a boost of tourism they'd have employed people to pick up the rubbish, but unfortunately the problem seems to be overwhelming. Oh well, at least you can get a really good curry there.

Day 23, Georgie Boy, Georgetown, Malaysia

Nice Colonial Architecture

I really wish I'd made plans a few days out before coming to Georgetown. I'd have booked a nice hostel and be enjoying the endless good places to eat around town. But instead I'm stuck in a dingy room waiting for an acceptable hour to check out of here and find another place for tonight. Makes me really dislike Georgetown for having one really good hostel and a lot of really terrible dives.

Day 22, Getting more Jungle Juice, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Lizard that luckily moved before my foot was planted on it

In the jungle I'm torn in two. One part of me loves the whole nature thing, with the possibility of seeing some amazing wildlife or a spectacular waterfall scene or something. But the other half is terrified, in the back of my head I can not stop thinking about snakes, leeches and who knows what attacking me when I least expect it. This almost came true, except it was the above lizard which was pretty harmless. I've just got to remember that most creatures are a lot more scared of me then I am of them....

Day 21, Jungle Tea, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Distances were totally wrong

Cameron Highlands is probably the nicest place in the world. Jungle treks, tea plantations, English styled afternoon teas. It was what colonialism was all about.

Day 20, Bus on Fire, Between KL and Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Burning, Burning, Burning!

Don't go on Express Kurnia Bistari bus company. There is another bus company that goes from KL to Cameron Highlands, is slightly more expensive, but on the other the buses don't catch on fire. You then won't be stranded in the middle of nowhere and won't have to wait two hours in the burning (literary sun-burning) sun for another replacement bus.

Day 18 & 19, More Fun Back in KL, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

My temp local. Good cheap chinese eats.

Hooray for Malay, Identical looking males line the streets of KL for National Day Parade.

I hate media hype, especially over swine flu. Because of it the fireworks and parade celebrating National Day were all but cancelled. Just a small parade was all that remained.

On another note, 17 deaths caused by Swine Flu have now occurred in New Zealand...