Day 58 to 64

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Koh Samui to Bangkok
Thailand is a beautiful country and though surrounded by countries that have a European colonial past, has never iteself been clonised, which makes the warm welcome they give to Westerners more gratifying, and free of shame.Their Royal family is revered and when I read about the king's attitudes and his stress on the importance of sustainability, I can understand why. He is the longest sereving monarch in the world, (since 1948) and his current ailing health worries a lot of the Thais.
This morning we left Koh Samui and took the ferry back to the mainland and on to Songkhla near the border with Malaysia. Wonderful hotel - comfortable bed, clean soft sheets and rooftop pool where afew of us had a late lunch. Wonderful sunset too, I have a picture of Karyn (Italian-filmstar-lookalike) dancing by the parapet in a white dress.
Day 59, 60. November 13th, 14th
Two days in Malaysia, staying at Penang and Melaka with a three hour stop in Kuala Lumpur. Unable to go up to the viewing platform of the twin towers, so lunched and shopped in the shopping mall instead. I bought some Clarins Beauty Flash balm and Pen bought an M and S top. Our Malaysian souvenirs will have little to show of Malaysia, but an interesting chat with the young Iranian student who shared our table will give flavour to the memories of KL.
Three of our party managed to get a cancellation slot and went up to the viewing platform on the 44th floor.
Ten of the group left us here, tired of bus travel, wanting more time in other places, (KL, Singapore and Jakarta) and will meet us in Bali.
Day 59 - Border crossing - swapped buses again, which meant carrying our belongings through the border, as we have done since Iran. I spent most of the journey, with Kirsten, taking out Barry's dreadlocks. He'd had them done in Bangkok, but is now tired of them He looked like a startled lion afterwards, but a good conditioner restored his wavy flowing locks.
In Penang, Pen and I escaped to a posh hotel for cappuchino and cocktails, while she told me all about her Tibet journey. I think she need luxurious surroundings while reliving the privations of her trip. Our evening meal was in a local cafe and cost less that a quarter of the price of the drinks in the hotel.
Day 60 - On to Melaka where we visited the historic fort there. An old trading town, Melaka has links with Portugal, Holland and Britain who all traded or occupied here.
Most people in Malaysia are Muslim and we can hear the call to prayer at sundown

Day 61 Melaka to Pekanburu (Indonesia) 15th November
Ferry to Dumai in Indonesia. A three-hour journey in the packed smelly hold watching a horror/slasher movie or up on deck sunbathing. Some of the group sunbathe for too long and have striped legs or medallion-shaped white patches.
A long drive down the Dumai to Pekanburu road, which follows the oil pipeline through the 'trashed jungle' as described by Lonely Planet. Stretches of adequate, though narro roads are interspersed by gravelly potholes.
Motorcyclists here, as in Malysia, wear crash helmets but still ignore traffic lights. Crossing the roads problematic, our guide says there is no etiquette - 'the strongest rules'.

Day 62 Pekanburu to Bukittinggi
Last night's hotel was unimpressive - sheets with burnholes, squat toilets (which we are fairly uised to be by now, but no loo paper, and a tap aboove a trough with a scoop for flushing and washing. Luckily we'd had a good meal before we arrived, where the buffet was just delivered to the table. All sorts of food that we wouldn't have chosen but were pleased to try, accompanied by jasmine tea and a fruity cocktail drink. A family of kittens played under the table and though happy to nibble my toes and eat anything I dropped, were frightened away by a hand or face. Like the dogs in India, they seem to live a parallel existence.
Many of the cats here and in Thailand seem to have stubby or broken tails. i had heard that they are deliberately broken because otherwise they would be too perfect, but apparently that is a myth put about by the locals to amuse themselves at the tourists' expense - they tail is genetic.
The roads are lined by small square dwellings made of brick, concrete or wood topped by corrugated iron sheets and enormous satellite dishes. The roofs are all rusty because of the high rainfall, and the air is certainly humid, though less so today, after last night's thunderstorm.
Today is 'Mo day'. The guys have been taking part in 'Movember' and have been growing full beards since the beginning of the month. They have been scratching like monkeys for the last two weeks and today they shaved to leave intricate moustaches They walk the catwalk of the bus aisle and pose for photos, to the tune of 'I see you baby, shakin' that ass' and the women judge them for creativity and sex appeal. Willie comes top, much to Patrick's chagrin.
That night we check into, and straight out a , what was probably the grottiest hotel of the whole trip. We go to the hotel over the road, which is only marginally better, but certainly cleaner. The two rooms that have hot water, allow the rest of us to shower in their rooms.
That night, at a restaurant, I take potluck on a fruit puree and end up with avacdo and choclate. I love both, but I can now say with authority, not together.
Day 63 Bukittinggi
Visit to Lake Maninjau in a volcanic crater 500m above seal levl. Some are dropped at the top and walk down through the jungle. Some of us (me included) stay on the bus and drive down there and spend the whole morning at the lake. It is fed with hot springs so is surprisingly warm. i am offered soem fish from the lake (like a small sardine, battered and eaten whole0 and it is very good. Later I find out that the fish that are farmed on the lake are fed with sewage. I hope that the fish digestive system is strong enough to fully digest whatever it eats or I may well yet get the squits.
Today there is a change of plan for the journey. We were facing two 17-hour driving days, as a road we were due to take has disappeared because of heavy rain, but now we will take two short internal flights instead. As we stay another night here instead of leaving at 10 pm, I take the opportunity to drink enough gin and vodka and particpate in the karaoke. There are only two other Ozbussers in there to witness the embarrassment, and the locals cheer me uninhibitedly.

Day 64 - Bukittinggi to Yogyakarta via Jakarta by plane.
Boring day in airports. We have apparently missed out on 50 hours driving (four days' worth), and have consequently missed out on most of Sumatra and northern Java. Ah well, swing and roundabouts - as we arrive at a reasonably comfortable hotel with a pool in the central courtyard, where we will be staying for two nights.

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