So after 6 months of backpacking you'd think we'd be getting used to squatting for the toilet, hard mattresses and mosquito bites... but no, we're probably just having too much fun to care! After another 15 hour boat and bus haul we arrived in a very rainy Georgetown, Penang. New timezone, new currency and a new mix of people. We arrived late and a lot of places were full so we opted for the characterful "love lane inn" with a couple of pet hamsters and a half-naked but friendly one-toothed owner to welcome us in.

In the daylight Penang was great! A royal mix of cultures from Indian to Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Malay, and everyone speaks perfect English! We strolled through old colonial streets past chinese Buddhist temples, towering mosques, stopping amidst the smells and sounds of little India for Tandoori Chicken and Roti Canai. The shuttle bus around town was free and the people were so helpful, it all seemed to make perfect sense. We spent a day at Kek Lok Si temple, it's the largest in Malaysia and houses a huge statue of 'the goddess of mercy' which used to gracefully dominate the misty hills of Penang. We were a little disappointed to see a half built stone gazebo, now covering the goddess and somewhat ruining the view of her. Nevertheless, the temple was nice to see.

A little hastily we took a bus to Kota Bharu near the east coast. We wanted to spend some time in the Islands before the Monsoon well and truly kicked in. Kota Bharu allegedly had the best night market in Malaysia - It happened to be just a car park of food stalls, however, the food was exceptionally good and exceptionally cheap. There were dishes here we weren't to see elsewhere in the country (such as blue rice with roast lamb and coconut stuffed pepper) and we found our bellies weren't big enough to try everything - doh! A bumpy speedboat ride took us to the Perhentian islands and into the rain! Despite the mixed weather we had an amazing few days here - Snorkelling! Wow, we saw reef sharks, bumphead parrotfish, stingrays... countless tropical fish and at the last spot; two huge green turtles (the size of Rachel!) following them as they came up for air! Proving you don't always need the scuba gear to see the good stuff.

We headed down the coast and took another boat to Tioman Island, after 10minutes of landing we walked down the main path and saw a huge monitor lizard, strange birds, pythons in the trees and macaques swinging between the bungalows! more wildlife in 5 minutes than in the previous 5 months! Here we did more diving, relaxing and meeting other travellers, drinking excellent mojitos in the lone bar down the beach and we took a day trekking to the other, quieter side of the island through the jungle and over a BIG hill and back again (14km round trip) so it wasnt all R&R, we even caught sight of a couple of giant black squirrels!

From remote jungle island to big modern capital, Kuala Lumpur was a refreshing change of air-con malls and efficient trains. You could easily lose a week in the labyrinth of shopping centres one even had an indoor themepark and rollercoaster! we hunted around and managed to find a good deal on the nifty little notebook i'm writing on now. Getting around KL was easy, from the huge twin towers we walked through a deserted 'forest reserve' right in the middle of town and went for high tea in Menkara Tower. A real (revolving!) treat with a fat piece of cake and fantastic views over the city 300m up! In the evenings we sampled more local cuisine delving into frog porridge and braised chicken feet as well as tasty Laksa and grilled stingray (yes we did feel a little guilty after diving with them).

Next up was Melacca, a fine old town and as of a few years ago a world heritage site in itself. It drew similarities to Hoi An in Vietnam in the beautifully preserved old Chinese temples and homes - and the overwhelming number of tourists! (we later found out it was a national holiday weekend hence full to the brim with visiting Singaporeans and Malays). Still, we enjoyed some nice walks around the old Portugese churches and mellow riverside cafes. A big tourist thing to do here is take a cyclo ride around town. These vehicles look amazing - elaborately decorated with hundreds of colourful bouquets, slowly ambling through the picturesque streets. But we were slightly put off by the huge speakers on the back of each one pumping out Lady Gaga at full volume - ruins the romance of the whole idea don't you think?! The highlight of the weekend market was watching a 'Kung Fu Doctor' drive his index finger through a coconut - we'll upload the video soon. He holds several world records, although you can see the damage it has done to his bent up finger! Needless to say, and i'm sure you've all guessed by now we were quite content here meeting travellers and eating yet more tasty, tasty market food! (were not getting fat - honest!)