After Hat Yai,we could cope with anything, even Penang traffic!!, gotta be one of the busiest places in the world, amazing place though. First night there we headed down to Little India, just like walking into downtown Bombay for a few streets, amazing wee place and got a great curry, served on a big leaf.

Today we have done loads started by seeing Chong Fatt Zte's mansion, awesome house with perfect Feng Shui, it made sense at the time. We seen a few Chinese temples (meeting a wee old chinese guy insisting we got perfect photos of each of the temple gods), a big mosque then headed to Fort Cornwallis where the East India Trading company set up its base when it ran Penang for Britain during the spice trading, got some great photos.

As we were heading out we noticed a sign with a few people wearing snakes. the guy called us over, before we knew it we were both wearing 3m long Burmese Pythons!!! They have some awesome muscles in them, when they moved over your shoulders it was a bit like gettin a back massage, some great photos of that too. The last place we seen was a Chinese clan house also pretty cool, there should be photos of it all up on soon!!!

 
 

After the diving in Ko Tao we headed to Ko Pha Ngan for a few days, it was James and Kat's favourite place from their travels so it seemed daft not to. We had a really nice resort just off the beach with a decent sized pool, good food and a massage place pretty much on the sand all for 3 quid a night!!! So needless to say we spent a few days chilling by the pool and checking out town (Thongsala) and got our massages!! When we weren't chilling we were touring the island on a rented motorbike and seen some cool beaches. Needless to say I crashed!! Although it was probably the slowest i had been going all day, going down a hill, my foot slipped off the brake and we went into a rock, leaving me with an impressive scar on my forearm and les with a bruise on her leg, both fine though.

We had a night on the cocktails and the BIG bottles of Chang for Kat and James's last night, leaving James and Les nursing nice "Changovers" for travelling with. We headed down to Hat Yai near the border the next day en route to Malaysia, what a strange place it was.

We only had a night there, it was more than enough. Crazy asylm looking hotel, we went out for dinner found a nice looking place where Les's chickenand fried rice ended up coming as a soup?? On the way home we seen plently Rats fighting in the street, nearly got attacked by bats and i was close to knocking myself out on a low iron bar in the street!! Thankfully we were heading to Penang the next morning, first thing, (phew)!!!  

 
 

So, since our last post we've not only finished our open water scuba diving course but loved it so much that we've done the 2 day advanced course too!  It's definately addictive and we are now allowed to dive down to 30metres deep anywhere in the world!  During the first course we had to do all sorts of skills like taking your regulator out of your mouth and taking your mask off (took me - Lesley - a LONG time to do this one!!)  And in the second course we got to do more dives, go down to 30 meters (mum -stop reading now if you think that sounds scary) and a night dive.  Great fun and saw some awsome fish including some pretty angry looking Barracudas! Next stop is Koh Pha Ngan tomorrow morning (might even do some more diving there!)

Thats all for now.

:)

 
Got here!!!! 09/13/2008
 

Hey guys,

Thanks everyone for all the best wishes, drinks and everything else from everybody before we went.  Just to let you know the pair of us got here safe and sound and loving it.  After a crazy time spent on planes and buses over 2 whole days it's all worth it.  In Ko Tao, a tiny wee island where we met up with Kat and James, been awesome seeing them again, its just your typical perfect tropical island (not to rub it in)he he.

Started our scuba diving course for proper today and got 2 x 1hour dives in. Brilliant fun once you get the hang of it.  So deeper dives tomorrow and the next day, then we should have our open water PADI qualification (yipee). 

At the moment its another few days of diving then maybe do the advanced course for another 2 days before headin to Ko Phan Ngan (James and Kat's fav place of the last year) with james and kat before they head back and see you guys. That's about it for just now, will keep you posted soon, ps the net in Ko Tao isnt great so it might be a while, not bad for a wee island in the middle of nowhere tho. 

Love Kerrin & Lesley

 
1 Day to go!!! 09/08/2008
 

Only one day to go!  Hyper aboot goin' small matter of a few bevvies with the boys about Edinburgh tonight and watchin' Murray kick Federer's ass then we are offski!!!!!!