BARIO The day breaks so slow, like a question that does not care to be asked the mist diffuses, soft light refuses the answers to which I've been tasked From out of this drifting miasma tree's rise and then disappear it seems what I seek this morning is meek the whole world is shrunk and unclear Now slowly, with no explanation the day deigns I may at last see for what mist concealed is now given, revealed and shines with a brash clarity Around me unfettered abundance cascades from the hills to my feet in soft waves of green, the tree's pose and preen like a shimmering emerald sheet Whilst near me in Douglas' garden the flowers are lightly bejewelled from each hangs a pearl in which colours swirl with rainbow's so perfectly pooled In contrast ... read more

Bako National park is fairly small in stature but not in content; the amount of flora and fauna squeezed into its environs is quite staggering. For someone like myself with a keen interest in the natural world but lacking in the time, means and money to go seriously deep into the jungle this place is just perfect. With relatively short excursions into the jungle we have been able to view, often at ridiculously close quarters, an abundance of wildlife I'd only ever dreamed of seeing. I was transported back to my late childhood when my fascination with nature was boundless, back to a time when I would lock myself in my room and read Gerald Durrel's the Amateur Naturalist under the covers (amongst other less reputable publications!). This fascination with nature has never left me (as ... read more

still been on Thailand's islands since the last missive stop ko adang and ko lipe stop have been doing very little except the small amount that is required stop eating stop sleeping stop snorkelling all day stop becoming almost fanatically obsessed with the underwater world stop ko adang wild and rugged with tropical rainforest and deserted beaches stop we camped stop ko lipe more developed but with a perfect beach stop sun is incredibly hot stop humidity explenentially building stop ko lipe has sand so white it looks and feels like wet plaster of paris stop going to malaysia now stop enjoy the photos stop start stop etc stop... read more

I'm back! We have decided to kick back and relax this month which means that you guy's get to take it easy too, I can't be bothered to write a huge missive, so let's just all take it easy and, as my great friend Brad once said, if she's easy take her twice! Brad is from Australia so that kind of excuses his casual sexism, but doesn't justify my repeating it. Oh well. We left Laos in Vientiane and blazed a trail all the way down Thailand to Krabi. That sounds pretty romantic but in truth it was a ten hour bus to Bangkok then a twelve hour slog to Krabi, from where we had to take a Longtail boat to Rai ley beach. Couple that with all the interminable waiting around and it made for ... read more

It's been a little while and there's much to tell but, as I've previously proved, I have an inability to be concise. I hope there will be some sparkling diamonds of interest and excitement for you to mine, but they will most likely be buried in so much mud and filth - you guy's are gonna have to get your brains dirty and dig! If you find any (diamonds that is)? - stick 'em up your arse! We had our last two days in Vietnam and spent them travelling to the border, they proved to be the best, most interesting and productive hours we spent in the country! The adventure went something like this: We awoke at the unhealthy and frankly dangerous time of 3.30am in order to catch the first bus out of Hanoi; our ... read more