Me being me(a controversial person by any means :P), felt i needed to express how i felt... and that is that some people are prejudiced to muslim people and there is an association that they are all terrorists and Islam is the reason for that! When Islam itself is a loving religion, just unfortunately some muslims interpretate the Quran in a different way to how it was meant to be interpretated! believe it or not there are lots of similarities in the Islam and Christianity! Yeah, the men shouldnt of ogled, but is that reason to stereotype all muslim men like that, no, cos i kno plenty of absolutely lovely muslim men who wouldnt dream of ogling! What people hear abt foreign countries and people being murdered, perhaps in the past, but like aman sed its modernised now, whether it be muslims or Indians, in reality its jus a small percentage of massive countries and religions! So I just think you need to look at the whole overview before you can even begin to comment! Sorry abt that Anyhoo, your trip up to the mountain sounds a bit more extreme than your average Duke of Edinburgh walk, but I can only imagine the satisfaction when you reached the top and the view! Id love to do that one day, mebbe even with you! :D! LUB JU! And am really proud to call you my sister... i kno, shock horror! :P! MWAHS X

I am very pround you all made it to the peak! At first I was rather reserved seeing how you just white-flagged on your scuba - something to do with breathing as altitude might be a problem! Did you notice Phillipines islands in the direction of North-East? Mt. Trus Madi (Second highest mountain in Malaysia) in the West side? Have you looked closely at the peculiarity of St John Peak's rock face from where you were sitting (top most of Mt. Kinabalu)? I could tell you more but save this for another day during conversation later on over coffee ;)

Wow, interesting debate about religion(!) Please don't go there, cuz you guys know what I am like. But like you said, it's up to people to make their choices and we support them. But what I do not agree is making children religious at young age. It should be their free will to choose whichever faith they want to follow. Like baptism when you're baby, what if later in life, they want to change their religion and it'll cause some uproar upon some churches/temples. I'll tell my children about religons, of course, even I'm strongly athetist and then they'll choose their religion when they're kinda older enough to make that decision, or maybe become athetist like myself.
Anyway, enough of this **** about religions, it's one of those on-going debates thhat will never end! Great to hear you're keeping well and it seems that you've learnt s***loads of experiences. I suppose you've changed your outlook to life, gaining new friends forever, and bulit new bonds, especially with the children at your school. I'm really proud of you babes, to get this far and finally make your dream come true!
One thing, don't join any cult and become spiritual! Haha! :P:)
Love you millions and always! Missing you like f***ing crazy babe! When will I get my sidekick back??? soon hopefully!!
Mwas XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Vamish Ledger-Townsend-Farrell! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but what you have to bear in mind is that despite your judgment and views, you have to respect religions. Being out here says it all. We are brought up with morals and if they arent the same elsewhere, we do tend to find them shocking but what we dont realise is that others are brought up differently and are bound to believe in what they believe. Yes, I admit that some religions are stricter than others but thats the way it is. I have never been wildly religious, Im a Sikh and the first impression that various people get Means your Dad wears a turban? Youll have to have an arranged marriage?etc. Not exactly, our religion can be modernised, and it is and generation sure does play a part in this. The same goes for the Islam religion but people are not aware of it, like I said, it isnt being directed at you. Like Im sure, people dont know the underlying truth about the fashionable Buddhism religion, such as to be a Buddhist, you are not allowed to be close to your family members because you are an individual. Every religion believes in different things, has a way of life and it all has a purpose. There is no right or wrong answer. People do say I feel sorry for them because they are deaf and Im sure most of you would agree, Why feel sorry for me? Im proud of who I am. It is exactly the same for the Muslims, they are happy with who they are. Different subject now, despite feeling like an areoplane crashed on my bed last night and every part of my body is stiff, climbing the mountain was absolutely immense. Words cant describe how amazing the sunrise was at the peak. A completely different world up there *sighs blissfully*. Will get round to writing the postcard and putting the pictures up some time this week. As for now, adios :) x

Hello, I read your last two postcards about the Muslims. It's so interesting. I know what you mean about the staring bit. When I was holding heads with Andre in Kuala Lumpur even it was a tourist place compare to where you live, all the Muslims were staring!! Then I asked Andre 'Why are they staring?' then I realised it was because he's white, I am coloured and we were holding hands. It was unacceptable to them! I do really appreciate I don't live in those Muslim countries, the religion takes over the country, all women must obey men, cover themselves up from head to toe in black, arrangement marriages, and I heard some stories that in some countries they kill people for not obeying the religion rules, its so sad. I do feel so sorry for women. You said in postcard that kids dont have the faintest idea what their religion is about, they just pray in peace from the heart. I think thats unfair. If they have to follow the rules, they have the right to know. They do have brains and voices!! Even though I grew up with a best mate who's a strongly Muslim I still disgree with the religion!

Hi Aman it's been a long time since I've been in touch with you, so I'm sorry for that honey. I went round to your mum and dads last weekend to see them all and heard about their wonderful time in Malaysia with you. Sounds like you all had a great time. It must have been really nice for you living in luxury for a couple of weeks with them. I hear from your mum you're off to Thailand. Take care when you're there. I probably sound like an old biddy to you now but when you become a parent you see things very differently. Everyone here is fine. We went to Edinburgh over the easter hols for a few days, had a great time although I'm sure not quite as exciting as your travels but it was nice to get away. Ishika is growing up fast and is a real chatterbox now but great fun to be with!I'm doing fine, just getting bigger all the time. Ishi thinks that not only mummy has got a baby in her stomach but she has too!Baby Sunny is getting bigger all the time. He's a real cutey!Anyway sorry for not being in touch much. I was really glad to hear from your mum you're doing so well out there. You should be very proud of yourself because it sounds like you've achieved a lot. Take care. Lots of love and hugs Asha xxxxxxx

Just added a postcard about the religion, Islam and I do think it is worth the read (SMK DPM, 4th May). Helen *LASS NITE*, I'm climbing Mountain Kinabalu this Saturday *squeals* although I'm pretty sure that my thighs will be throbbing when I'm back at work on Monday. Andre, bet you are beaming with pride that I'm climbing(or 'hiking' in your terms) *me join climbing club now, wot do u fink? Eeeaa*. Donald lent me his raincoat, got nutrition chocolate bars for energy (Mum, still Snickers leftover) and of course, plenty of H2O. It is a frigging fly festival in my room as it is the rainy season now, humid and sticky *shudders*. Hugs x

hey Aman, hows it going, its been a long time now, you have been so brave. your friends and family are dead proud of you including me. going to be working for the company shelter org, which is with the homeless people and there is no money in it. try and steal a monkey for me as i would like one as a pet as there are many in the jungle where you are. take care xxxxxx

Hey darls! Wow, climbing up the Mountain Kinabalu seems challenging, especially under the hot weather conditions! You could get some advice from climber expert, Andre! Meanwhile, the early summer weather is approaching here and I am inside with my thick revisions files, so much fun(!) Not long left till the summer begins. A lots of us are looking forward to the summer since we are drowning with piles of studying to be done. Good luck with ur challenge to climb the Kinabalu, am sure u are fit and ready to start! Take care darls, be safe and enjoy it! mwas xxx

'evenftul, a few similar experience, Kristy, hoe' etc. Urm Emlyn, I think you are just as bad darling :p I may be an English teacher but I sure am not so perfect, ha! Actually, we've been pretty covered up and still manage to get stared at. Sunsets out here are sure the best, love it when I have my 6pm meal, eating away rice and fried fish while I gaze over the sunset on my left *sighs blissfully*. Rubbing it in aren't I? :p You better get started on your regular exercises for Brussels, running in the mornings in shivery Sheffield sure does sound appealing! :p Anyone joining you on that seeing it is a traditional thing for you lads? Kirsty and I are going to start exercising, to get ready to climb Mountain Kinabalu (Mum, your fitness advice will come in handy). That sure is a great idea to get the kids out and about on the football pitch, just worried if Kirsty and I will collapse within 1 minute after our unbearable experience out in the heat in Kelantan *shakes head*. And of course, for all uni students and Emlyn with exams heading your way, study hard but party hard *winks*. x

Hey Aman! just been reading ur postcard, what an eventful week u've had! but u managed really very well to get the best out of a bad situation! i've had quite a few similar experience, and i must say it has benefited me in my futur travels. it also makes u stronger, learn more abt other people and its culture, etc, which's all part of ur GAP year experience that u'll cherish for the rest of ur life, and laugh abt every evenftul bits. It must be really annoying to get stared all the time, i cant imagine that, especially u two pretty young ladies walking around, showing a bit of skin on ur legs, arms, and maybe even around the chest, but i can imagine the way they oggled though! cannot really blame them, all their life they re forbidden to watch anything "too sexual" and have rarely seen any girl with exposing some skin around the street, and the beautiful pure white european skin that Kristy got! :-) but these cameramen were really going too far, u should have pushed them away or get someone to sort them out! cant treat us Western like this! :-)

the pictures u posted up last week, were amazing, especially the beautiful sunset u took!! make me miss S. America soooooooo much, the beautiful sunset they provide, all different in every countries! There's nothing like that anywhere out here in UK! although it has become a bit more sunnier recently! But got exams coming up, gotta revise inside all day...! uni will all be over at end of May!! yay!! then i'll take up the challenge of running half marathon in Brussels at end of May! dunno how i'll manage to do it, as havent got time to train, what with revisions! argh! After that, it's the world cup in Germany! aint sure if Malaysia are playing?? i dont think so! :-) u should organise some games, get the kids into supporting Beckham, Rooney, Gerrard & the rest of the Mighty Three Lions!

ok, gotta stop looking for excuses by writing this message and get back to my revisions now!

Take care darls, hoe the rest of the week wont be as eventful, but if it does, well, u've still got plenty of energy to take it down, u re a strong girl, who many looks up at u, continue that brilliant job! i'm following ur website pretty much everyday as well as the rest of my housemates!

Embles xxxxxx

PS: i was horrified to see an awful spelling mistake u made, "payed"??! Aman, never thought u would do that kind of mistake!! (dont go and point my mistakes back!!) :-)

Aww, Aman and I just got messages from our supportive mammy's on our websites at the same time- just as we were about to sign off. Tis nice to know we have lotsa people thinking off us, while we're in this crazy country! Was fabby to meet Aman's parents too. As my mum said, Aman and I are bloomin happy we have eachother to rely on with all these random things happening.
Rite, away for pizza- fingers crossed he tummys will hold up!