Wow,i'm like, drooling all over my paper filled desk (for gods sake, i'm sick to death of studying)!I came across your website (instead of studying oops!) while surfing TAG's and I thought theirs was pretty awesome..till I saw this! Pretty amazing! I've done a bit of travelling myself, having seen yours, I'm definitely going to dust my bag pack and book somewhere pretty soon! Aman, i'm so loving the sound of the school, its sounds fascinating and definitely a challenge!!Semiki, (in case you dont remember me, you were telling me about your yellow dress coming from how to lose a guy in 10 days at the glamour ball) i so love the fotos, there's one of u looking fab, like something out of a brochure or a sun cream ad!!
Keep it up, i'll definitely be back, while taking one of my "15 mins" break from study! *eyebrows going mental here*

Hi Andre, Happy New Year. Alex has just gone back to Uni and Wobbe is studying to take his trader's licence exam. Wobbe and Alex spent New Year together up in N.Y. '
I hope your Christmas was fun. I loved the photos of you and Lisanne, I'm sure you had lots of fun together. Did she show you the photo of your portrait?It looks like the weather couldn't be better. You look so much more handsome now without the beard, but do I detect the beginnings of a new one or do you just have a permenant 5 o'clock shadow?
Looking forward to seeing more photos. Now that Christmas is over, I will be keeping up more with your journey.
Love Aunty Mary

SMK Datuk Peter Mojuntin - that is the name of the school in Penampang, 15 minutes drive away from Kota Kinabalu (KK). Spent the first few days in Sabah organising ourselves such as briefings with the Sabah Education Department, Penelope's (Gap overseas representive) house on Sabah's culture, strolled through the Sunday market to buy smart sarongs and a formal meal with Mr Andrew Sim, a highly respected local Malay. I didn't have a clue what he was half on about during our meal. On the our day off as it was a public holiday, the gappers and I (eight of us) explored Tunku Adbul Rahman Park, Pulau Manukan (one of the five islands which is about 15 minutes boat ride away from KK). As soon as Kirsty and I arrived our placement, the kids rushed towards our car to offer to carry our lugguage to our room and many 'hello, hi' *hands waving about or hello in Bahasa sign language* were greeted with a friendly warm smile along the corridor surrounded by hundreds of plants, a real pretty school! As we walked through the boarder's hostel, the kids's room were light and airy with pink decorations everywhere but our room was not as we thought it would be. The sight of our room was unpleasant at first, the mattresses were almost ripped in half with foam popping out of the edges, cochroches and lizards crawling on the unmopped floor and unpainted walls *spine shivers*. Now the room looks ten times better with posters, photos, books etc in the room. We are provided meals but almost every meal is rice with little serving of sauce so we're going to struggle with that but we're given a fridge, kettle and toaster. Teachers are lovely, most of them speak English as the schools aim is for every lesson to be taught in English by 2008! SMK Datuk Peter Mojuntin is a multricultural society although the main religion in the Penampang region is Christian. The deaf unit has 4 classes signing away in Bahasa Melayu which I will soon have to pick up. The kids were surprised that I was deaf as Ramzie (our gap supporter) communicated with me orally. Half of the time I will be with the deaf kids and the other half with Kirsty with the hearing kids to help English speaking skills. Will be called Puan Aman or Cikgu Aman by the kids. Kirsty was criticised on her clothing wear, a long white skirt that is just A LITTLE BIT transparent is not permitted, so we're heading down to the local shops later to buy kaftans and suitable clothing. Discovered that various kids walk hours in the morning and night through the jungle to get to school. Believe me, the Malay kids are hard workers as they study from 7.30-10.30pm and get up at 4-5am meaning only a few hours sleep for them. Speaking of which, our shifts will be from 8-10am and 11am-1pm, so have to be early birds from now on! This morning, attended to assembly at 6.45am with the kids stood straight and lined up in the front car park with the headmistress, Puan Julie standing on a platform. Seeing that Chinese New Year is approaching at the end of this month, Kirsty and I may go to Hong Kong but wait and see. A culture shock but slowly adapting to the way of life in Sabah - feel challenged already and looking forward to starting on Monday once our programme is organised. As for now, bele! :p x

Hi Andre Many thanks for your e mail - hope you got mine before Christmas. Glad to hear you're still having a fantastic time - hope life at home doesnt seem too boring when you return!! I expect you're looking forward to seeing Mum and Dad very soon. Hope 2006 is as successful and exciting as 2005 was for you. Take care and don't do anything too dangerous.

Much love Grandad and Grandma

Heyyyy, been a long time since I checked this website out! (Aint got a computer at home anymore!)
Aman- got ur email the other day, I replied today sorry for the delay! Really sorry to hear what happened, Im just glad ur alright!

Photos look truely amazing! Have fun
Thinkin of u all
Kxxx

Hey Hun!!! I'm loving the pics....Thailand looks truly amazing, I can really get a feel for your travelling experience! I hope you are keeping safe and eating well too!...Sorry to be the annoying, nagging older sis but someone's got to do it ha!..I especially liked the elephants as they are close to my heart...bless! Its taken me my whole lunch hour to have a look at your pics so now I have to rush this message but anyway as always, we are missing you very much Semki darling, take good care and keep posting!....I also want to wish Andre and Aman a Happy New Year and all other fellow travellers!
Love Always Selam (aka BiG SiS) xx

Finally done uploading pictures... it's photo galore! Enjoy viewing. Postcards to follow soon once I fly to Krabi tmw to finally reunite with Andre. Will be sad to leave TAG, they have been barrels of laughs and fun to travel around with. Thanks so much, lads! Shall keep in touch, S xxx

Hello Andre,Just to say a belated Happy New Year and the new photos are great.See you sometime this year carry on enjoying but remember to stay safe.with love M and B xx

Heh, I'm here! *distant voice* Not sure who has posted the nameless message but to let you all curious ones know... I'm in Chiang Mai, in Northern Thailand. Met up with Tom Mulloy & Graham Beckwith in Bangkok for New Year's Eve. Since then, I've spent the week with them discovering Bangkok and now in Chiang Mai. Got back from 3-day trekking through the forests and stayed in hilltribes villages overnight. Bit sickly due to change of climate (ruddy cold @ night up in the mountains!) as well as bamboo rafting & elephant riding.Tomorrow, we'll spend the whole day going to Chiang Rai, see the long-necks & the Golden Triangle. An opportunity to get my Thai visa extended, as well as reaching the borders where Thai, Laos & Myanmar meet. Should be an eventful day, been waiting for a while to do this trip. Will throw everything online afterwards instantly I promise! Thinking of you all S xxx

its been a week now since i arrived in Thailand, well i have been climbing every goddamn day, with some americans and best of all the Germans. im climbing flipping hard and yes my friends leading! yes toby dude, im looking good in the pictures! To be honest with you all, through my gap year i hadnt really been climbing much, once in Brazil, a small amount in New Zealand and a week in Australia which is nothing. compairing when my father goes twice a week! traveling across the ocean over thousands of miles with all the heavey gear, i have now settled down using my equipment. the climbing here is super in fact the best! im meeting many people each day and shall return back to the UK managing to climb E5 i hope! take care my friends and family

happy new year I hope this year is going to be as good as the last if not better and more exsiting. I am still realy injoying your trip from the uk. hope the rock climbing is going well? you seem to be climbing strong form the pbotos. all the best play safe!

Where picture of you Sehmar! I am missing you! what happened to you? Where are you at the moment! I am going to cry now!