ontheroadagain1112

Hello dear friends, readers and travelmates!! After leaving Perhentians, I went to see Anne in Kuala Lumpur again, and not to forget, the reunion with Achim took place also. After visiting the butterfly garden and birdpark, we took a plane to Bali with Airasia, my definetly favourite airline in Asia. Because it was very near to the airport, we decided to stay in Kuta - what a shithole, but it doesn't matter, it was just for one night, so we went early in the morning to the airport, bought a ticket with Skyaviation, went to the check-in and flew to Labuanbajo, Westflores - gateway to the Komodo-Nationalpark. There we met Achim again, he had a flight 2 days earlier. After a fantastic Pizza in Madeinitaly, we strolled arround and booked a trip to the park on ... read more

After the Khao San madness in Bangkok and a nice day at Thailands second capital Ayuthaya i went by train to Malaysia. The original destination was Butterworth, but of the delay of the train all passengers was moved after the thai-malayian border to the bus. Pulau Penang is a nice mix of different cultures: Indian, Chinese and of course Malayan. I left immediatly Georgetown, needed some quite after buisy Bangkok, so I went by local-bus to Teluk Bahang and moved in Miss Lohs GH. Great stay for a little money, and a beautyful garden. From here the Penang National Park is within walking distance. In the NP there existing a few trails. I choosed the one to Turtle Beach. After 1 hour through the jungle, where i saw Longtail Maquaces in the trees, i arrived at ... read more

Finally we arrived in Kuala Lumpur! Back to better food and a quite green city!! We met Annes friend Aude, who joined us for travelling. After strolling around the streets of Chinatown and visiting a nearby lake, I finally got a netbook - and we took a bus to Kuala Besut and then the morning ferry to Perhentian Kecil, to the secluded lagoon of D'Lagoon resort. Unfortunatly it rained a lot, quite unusual for April according to the locals, but the sound of the beach, the sand, the dense forests on the island and the snorkelling options made it an ideal way for relax, chill out after rushing through Burma. Because of Aude's lack of time she and Anne decided to explore the mailand a bit more, while I decided to stay some more nights on ... read more

After a long and bumpy busride we finally arrived in Kalaw, a place in higher area in Shanstate famous for treks through hilltribe areas to Inlelake. The air was fresh (!!!) and luckily there was the intesting market where all the locals from the hilltribes offer their products that takes place only every five days. Finally we booked into a tour with two nice couples and a frensh women for two days to hike to Inle Lake. The first evening we met our travelmates and had nice drinks and travel talks. The next morning we started our hike with a taxi ride and after walking through colourful ares, also almost everywhere deforested. We passed hilltribes, got into smalltalk, had some tea and continued walking to the overnight stay in a monastery. A small shop provided us ... read more

Meanwhile Michael explores Myanmar I went to the Khao Yai NP close to Bangkok. It's a really nice NP, with a very beautyful monsoon-forest with a lot of huge trees. The only problem is to reach the park from Pak Chong 20 km north of the NP. So i booked a guided tour with the Green-Leaf Guesthouse. They picked me up from the busstation, provide cheap and clean rooms and food. After the guide shows me some Giant Hornbills having breakfast in a fruit tree, we went by car throught the park to spot some animals. Only the curious Maquaces showed up along the road. After the drive, we went (1 guide and 6 falang) for a 3 hour jungle trek. Provided with some kind of socks you wear over you trousers as tick-protection, the treck ... read more

So next chapter of travelling!!! Happy to get away from Hsipaw we went to Mandalay again, stayed one more night there just to recover - Mandalay was also not the cleanest city - to catch the local slow boat to Bagan. That was a nice experience, sitting on top of a quite big boat with all the locals together on the floor. The first time fresh air because we drove along the Iradawady river, a mighty stream in Burma. We passed bathing kids, farmers with oxcarts, loads of teakwoodtrading ships and loads of piles of teakwood along the river - and not to forget, lots of stupas everywhere - Burma, definetly the land of stupas!! My motto for the country - stop building stupas - plant trees!!! After 13 hours on the boat we arrived in ... read more

Mingala ba again from Mandalay!! After a long busride overnight in a surprisingly quite good bus (even water was supplied and seatnumbers were on the tickets) on the new Mandalay - Yangon Highway we arrived in Mandalay. We made a reservation in Yangon before for a hotel - it is not absolutly necessary but a good advice - especially if you don't want to run around at 5 in the morning and need to find a hotel!!! The rooms were .... mmmmh .... how to describe .... looking like a prison and very scrabby on the first floor - and that for 15 Dollars for a double room!!! O.K. but on the other hand the people working in the hotel were extremly helpful and friendly, especially the women in the morning reception hours!! So not a ... read more