suomi gal

Back to Europe. Wow. After nearly a year on the road, I am back to where I started from. I remember how excited I was before my trip started, talking to Adriana the night before my flight to Delhi about all the places I wanted to see and the people I was bound to meet. Honestly, the trip went far beyond my expectations. But back to my last days in Bangkok. After Wolfgang left for Cambodia, I spent the next few days preparing for getting back home. I bought souvenirs for everyone, I drank as many mango shakes as possible, and I had a suit made (which I was very happy with). My flight to London left in the early hours of the 28th. I flew from Bangkok to Dubai, had a 5 hour wait, and ... read more

I finally made it to Koh Pha Ngan after a long bus-taxi-train-boat trip. Leaving the Perenthians was tough,...I really enjoyed my time there. When we first arrived here, Keith and I found the guesthouse where Tom and Sarah were staying. I decided to drop my bags off in their room and head to the main tourist part of the island called Had Rin. Keith found a bungalow on the beach where the others were staying (Ban Thai). I decided to do the unthinkable and walk from Ban Thai to Had Rin. This was not an easy feat in the heat of the day...and while I was making my way up a practically vertical hill, a nice Dutch man stopped his bike and gave me a ride all the way into town. What a gentleman. I spent ... read more

The trip to Taman Negara National Park was a bit of a dissappointment. We had heard some great things about 'The Jungle Train' - which was supposed to give you some amazing views of the Malaysian Jungle. To me - it seemed like just an ordinary train. Except for the fact that it stopped at 5 minute intervals. So if someone tries to sell you the Cameron Highlands - Taman Negara extortionately priced ticket with the slogan 'you get to experience the JUNGLE TRAIN' - tell them you'd rather take a public bus back to KL and head up from there. So with a dissappointing journey behind me, I didn't have high hopes for the National Park. Little did I know that even in the most foul of moods Taman Negara couldn't even begin to dissappoint! ... read more

I've arrived in Kuala Lumpur! The bus ride from Singapore went smoothly - took a bus to the border and then another to Kuala Lumpur. On the way had a look at the Lonely Planet and chose a hostel named Pudu Hostel close to the bus station where I was arriving. The hostel turned out to be really good. I love the fact that Malaysia and Singapore have hostels for single backpackers - it makes meeting people so much easier!! On my first night I arrived at around 11 and spoke to my American and Canadian roommates for a while...but I was really tired from walking around Chinatown in the morning (it was HOT) and then all the travelling. So I read a bit and fell asleep straight away. The next morning I decided to go ... read more

If anyone is heading to Koh Samui and is in need of a bit of a rest - I would definitely recommend choosing Mae Nam Beach. It is a small, pictoresque beach which is hidden by the loud main street parallel to the beach. Once you get on the beach, it's like finding a hidden treasure! The 2 days that I have spent here have been full of reading, sleeping, and long talks. On my first day, one of the first things I did was go swimming! It was a beautiful day and I ended up having a nap on the beach. I spent all day either in our bungalow, on the beach, or walking to the store in a quest for more water. Just what I needed! I ended up finishing 'Tandia' - and am ... read more