La-La Land

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{photos will be uploaded in the next couple of days}

Ko Lanta, my las Thai beach stop for a while, was divine. Phi Phi had left me reeling (you know you're travelled out when a beach resort, even a beach resort like Ko Phi Phi, can leave you exhausted), so it was incredibly nice to get to a place a little more relaxed. Met up with Vanessa and arranged a bungalow, a lovely bamboo cabin with the most luxurious beds (crisp, white sheets! firm mattresses! soft pillows! My standards have luxury have definately changed) and spent the bulk of the next four days doing little more than relaxing by, or on, the beach. Ko Lanta is ringed with soft white beaches that seem almost endless, and although they may not be as visually stunning as the limestone bays of Rai Leh or Phi Phi, they fit my vision of a tropical paradise quite nicely. There are plenty of bungalow operations, but they're spacious enough and spread out along the beach enough that it still retains a very quiet feel, at least for now. After the white-boy muay thai and two-for-one bucket specials of Ko Phi Phi, quiet was nice, especially since the nightlife on Ko Lanta is limited to beach-side seafood barbeques, and star-gazing with maybe a bevvie or two from pillowed platforms right on the sand. Reading a lot, walking along empty stretches of beach, and floating in crystal clear water recharged me for Malaysia and, as it turns out, I needed it!

My first stop in my last (new) country was Georgetown, a culturally rich city on the island of Penang. I'd originally planned on island hopping from Ko Lanta to Ko Taratuao (Thailand) and onto Pulau Langkawi (Malaysia) but, shockingly enough, I'd grown kind of sick of doing nothing, and figured I'd leave beach-time for the very end of my trip. The trip to Georgetown was exhausting and exasperating, as what I'd presumed was a one-bus trip turned out to involve three transfers (argh), but it worked out well in the end as not only did I arrive at my destination in one piece (you can never presume as much in Asia), but I met two people going along my route and arranged to travel with them (to those who worry about travelling alone, don't, you're never actually alone!). Spent three days in Georgetown, very different to those spent on the beach, as I reverted to sight-seeing mode and took in all the sights... My first walking tour and museum stops in months, and quite enjoyable, though I'd forgotten how tiring tourist productivity can be. Despite actually going to the "sights" (I'm still shocked I managed) my favourite part of Georgetown (aka Pinang) was a) the architecture, and b) the food. The architecture of the old city is a stunning mix of styles, demonstrating the city's multicultural heritage - Chinese, Indian, and Malay, as well as the colonial influences. Gorgeous shopfronts, hanging lanterns, stately mosques and colourful temples made wandering the narrow streets a treat, and I was quite happily nose-in-the-air the entire time, trying to take it all in. The food was also just fabulous, mostly because of the sheer abundance and accessibility of it, as well as the prominent position of South Indian cuisine (dosas!) Early afternoon the second day we were there we were struck by the sudden desire to go to the beach (I knew my beach malaise wouldn't last long), so set off for Penang's beach resort, Batu Ferringhi, and although the beach was nothing special (the murky blue-grey water was reminiscent of home, as opposed to the crystal-clear turquoise to which I've grown accustomed), we snuck into the Holiday Inn pool for a while (before getting out, oops) which made a nice change.

And now, it's off to the mountains (a relative expression I'm sure)!

For those who care, I changed my flight (less time away = less daily expenditure = more $$ to spend on the incredible shopping in Malaysia and Bangkok, as well as the temptation of home) and will now land in Vancouver March 9th... Little over three weeks!

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Photos

My Attempt
At the cover of Lonely Planet

And the Living is Easy...
Really, really easy.

Detailing of a Temple
Georgetown (Pinang)

Flowers in the City
How tropical