Tough times don't last, tough guys do

Now at the end of our second day of being within Singapore and another storm is brewing. It's very clean here. no rubbish anywhere! It feels rather strict here mind - if you cough or show the slightest bit of distain in public you are automatically fined :S. For example if you're caught drinking on the MRT (subway) and by drinking I mean ANY fluid, 1000 Singapore Dollars leaves your pocket. Maybe we got too used to Thailand's liberal stance on just about anything. It is strange walking around town with loads of signs telling you what can and cannot be done, it is the same as the UK but when you haven't come across anything like that for a while you notice it a lot more when it pops up again.

We visited the Zoo today. A rather unique Zoo in that there are very few cages, many animals are allowed to roam about especially the monkeys that have ropes and access to many trees so it wasn't a rare sight to have a moneky swinging overhead! We saw the Polar bears getting fed and I ended taking part in the Sealion show that saw me having to stand 20 metres from the animal and throwing a frisbee that it would catch. A Giraffe would have had a better chance receiving my first attempt and the tranners would not let me go until we had succeeded, luckily the second try saw success. My prize for this feat was to allow for the creature to mount itself next to me and kiss me on the cheek. Fishy.

We have still a few days to burn, maybe a visit to Sentosa tomorrow (Singapore's pleasurebeach!), or maybe a ride on their version of the London Eye. Choices, choices!

No Cancellations

There were no cancellations for Sipadan - maybe next time!

We're in Kota Kinabalu now, off to Singapore tomorrow (Thu 29th) for five days and then Aussie land. Haven't done a great deal in KK. Hannah's gone off island exploring with a lass she befriended in Phuket so peace and quiet at least for a few hours!

For a personal pizza it's really quite rude

KL was awesome, went up the Menara Tower which is the fifth highest radio tower in the world. Visited the Petronas towers but didn't go up them as we never rose early enough to get on the free tickets. That maybe attributed to the snakebite and hoegaarden pints that we drank almost every night - a rarity in SE Asia, well a first time find!!

After KL we took a flight to Tawau then mini vanned it to Semporna which is a shit heap of a place that is the gateway to the Sipadan Islands (in the top ten dive sites of the world). We have completed our first dive today and saw loads of Turtles, Clownfish (Nemo), Bannerfish (Jack, Off Finding Nemo), Anemome Cleaner Shrimp (Finding Nemo Again!). One might say it's like being in a live Finding Nemo!

We're off to Mabul (another dive area in the Celebes Sea) tomorrow and althought the waiting list to dive around Sipadan Island itself is over 6 months, we're laying in wait for a cancellation! In the mean time we'll discover more of the surrounding islands!!!

Murray Curry

In Kuala Lumpur now having spent two days in Georgetown, where we visited the largest buddhist temple in the whole of Malaysia. They were building a roof over one of the biggest bronze statues in the world so maybe that in turn will be the world's largest roof? We met a Chinese man who recounted his love for Manchester and hatred for China.

After being kept awake by the local mosque hollering out their prayers like some early rooster at 5am on the dot every morning we decided to make a move to KL.

More on that front to come.

Wikka Word

In Malaysia spared no problems. Residing in Georgetown on the island of Penang for a few. We booked flights out of Peninsula Malaysia to Borneo Malaysia next Tuesday (20th) and we should definitely be diving this time around!!!!

That's all I have to say about that.

What it means to be living

Had a good birthday yesterday. Khao Lak is a little like fair Swadlincote but we still managed to have fun! I even got to blow some candles, all 24 were wedged into one scoop of ice cream.

Tomorrow we are making a break for Hat Yai and then to Malayasia the next day. We are trying to get to Semporna (Borneo Malayasia for more diving) or should I say to make up for the diving we did not find here?!?!?!

Thanks to everyone for the thousand emails I am currently staring at!

Directed by the French

Now you join us on Phuket. There was a stop gap between Railey and Phuket, for arguments sake I shall refer to it has Koh Phi Phi Don. People rave about this place.

We did some diving. "Better than Koh Tao" and "Lepard Sharks and Manta Rays" were the fruitless promises. Still got some diving done.

Not a lot else on Phi Pee besides smelling the water recycling facility.

So today (tues 6th) we took the boat to Phuket. The journey was made interesting by the rough seas making manier passenger fight over the limited supply of sick bags., the waves breaking through the cabin windows followed by random attacks on the life savers. Definately a journey to look back and laugh at. Oh how we're laughing now!

Phuket will entertain us for a marked number of two days before we rise to Khao Lak and some more diving. Perhaps if I'm lucky, some birthday diving!!

Crabby Pattie

We left the party scene of Pha Ngan behind, having never really joined it in the first place and made a run for Krabi. When we got here we realised we might as well push on to a place named Railey, rather than stay in the Blackpool-esk Krabister.

We have been on Railey for a few days, I say on, it's not an island because it's connected to the mainland via a maze of impassible limestone rock formations and the only way to get here is not cable car or some innovative means of transport but the trusty longtail (a boat).
It's quiet and somewhat closed off, but always has a steady stream of backpacker's coming through.

Tomorrow (Sat 3rd) we will break for Koh Phi Phi Don.