Little Red Dave is crying

After a hectic but fabulous two months overseas, LRD and I flew back to Aus, packed up the house and headed off to our nation's depressing capital in a smashed up car (long story). It was only after the dust had settled that I realised the terrible truth - I'd lost all my Malaysia photos. Every. Single. One.

A whole month's worth of photos, hundreds of brilliant and amazing pictures of the wild and wonderful Borneo and Malaysia peninsula - all gone.

I haven't sat down to work out what to do about the rest of my blog entries for my trip but I am hoping to go back and fill it in. I have to admit that realising I'd lost everything - along with the stark reality of a Canberra winter - hit my motivation for blogging. But here's hoping LRD and I will be back soon.

It's a brand new day and a brand new year. Here's looking forward to 2013.

Sometimes relaxation is hard work

The plan was simple.

Resort. Book. Pool. Bar. Spa. Relax.

Except that when I moved to the resort this morning, I automatically took the shuttle into town to run some chores like doing laundry and getting some food. I got a cheap (not particularly good) pedicure (RM20) and a quite good leg wax (RM60) at Centrepoint but getting your hair ripped out by their roots in frankly not-quite-clean premises with the one clinician in Borneo who apparently knows how to do a leg wax - I had to wait half an hour because the one person who could do it across three sites was hungry and wanted lunch - is satisfying but not exactly relaxing.

Of course, all this could have been avoided if I'd paid the rates for the spa and laundry at the Sutera Harbour resort but they were frankly ridiculous. I mean, there's "we're going to pay more at this five-star resort" and then there's "$200 for a massage: pull the other one it has got bells on".

Then, after a lunch of mee goreng (I'm counting down my meals in Malaysia) I happened across the lovely South Sea Sanctuary spa. I spent a lovely afternoon having a fantastic facial and 75 minute massage (all up RM280 or about $90) and walked out much more relaxed.

Then I just bought a couple of bottles of wines and headed back to the resort. I'm not quite there yet but you never know - I could have wound down by the time I go home.

Little Red Dave gets his reward

My Borneo trip is now over (backdated blog entries to follow) and so today I transferred to the Magellan part of the sprawling five-star Sutera Resort. This was my treat for finishing the fun and frenetic Borneo component of my trip and boy is it a treat! I got here at 9:30 and they informed that a) my room was ready and b) I'd been upgraded. To a suite. Dave couldn't believe it and neither could I. Here's some - inadequate - photos.

Photo: Living room - just off it is the dining room and the first balcony. Yes, I said 'first' 

Photo: Small dining room 

Photo: First balcony 

Photo: 'Powder Room'

Photo: Bedroom -  Door to the second balcony is next to the recliner

Photo: Bedroom with view of second balcony

Photo: View of main bathroom from bedroom

 

Photo: Main bathroom - shower is to the left and behind me is the second toilet 

Photo: Where I will be with a book for most of tomorrow.

But the most truly amazing thing about this room? It has a clothesline so you can handwash. I've seen things in my time but a resort that encourages hand washing rather than an extraordinarily-priced laundry service... amazing.

Lovely evening in KL

It's a lovely evening in KL. I basically spent most of today getting here.

By the time I flew in, then got the bus/train combo from KLIA to KL Sentral for RM12 and then the light rail and then changed tubes and then found my hotel... well, let's just say I went for a late lunch/dinner in Chinatown and am now spending an exciting evening with a cup of herbal tea.

There's a lovely view of the KL tower from my hotel room and the window actually opens so I'm enjoying the sunset and just chilling out. Off to Melaka tomorrow.

Villages floating on the water's edge

For some reason I had a slow start this morning. Can't imagine why. Breakfast was a very small piece of toast and tea. Couldn't manage more for some reason. Then I waved goodbye to everyone and headed off on a tour of the floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake.

Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in south-east Asia. According to Wikipedia, the Tonle Sap is unusual for two reasons: its flow changes direction twice a year, and the portion that forms the lake expands and shrinks dramatically with the seasons.

The floating villages I saw are from Vietnamese and Cham communities and were certainly interesting but not mind blowing. A nice half day outing on a day when I was feeling particularly low. You know, for no particular reason.

Photos: Floating Villages

And that's it for Cambodia. Farewell. I now have just over a week on the Peninsula by myself before joining a three-week Intrepid tour of Borneo. Can't wait. Just give me an hour to two, 'kay....

Excuse me a moment... I'll be in this little room...

Here's a picture of a Cambodian rice field while you're waiting...

There's a word for today and the word is "urgh"

There was a point last night between the beer, white wine, red wine, cocktails, seven courses of food, fish eating my feet, and everyone deciding it was a really good idea to jump in the pool fully clothed at 1am, when my stomach decided it had had enough. Just enough. Enough of the alcohol, rich food, and general excess of this very very comfortable trip.

The group has been particularly party prone and tonight's farewell was the icing on the cake. Chocolate cake.With knee deep icing, icecream and chocolate sauce. The kind of cake that makes you wake up at 5:30am and go "urgh". And then spend two hours in the toilet. That kind of cake. That kind of farewell. That kind of tour.

Farewell everyone. It's been amazing.

Landmines, genocide and humanity

It was still early when we left the Lady Temple so on the way back we stopped at the strangely-inspirational Cambodian Landmine museum. The Landmine Museum was founded by ex-child soldier Aki Ra as a way to tell the world about the horrors landmines had inflicted on his native Cambodia. It's also dedicated to highlighting the difference individuals can make in a time of war and genocide. Aki Ra has not only remved more than 1000 land mines, he has also set up the museum as a shelter and school for children damaged by mines or with other disabilities.

Paul and I went in (USD10) while the others took advantage of the free hammocks.

STOP!

HAMMOCK TIME!

You know it was inevitable.

The museum was small but oddly uplifting if anything about landmines can be. By focussing on the things people have done to make the situation better it was more a tribute to common humanity and decency in the face of horror. It's highly recommended.

Hammock time

One thing I love about Cambodia is the hammock rest stops scattered along roads. These are gratis and are available for drivers to rest if they need to.

But, because one night in a bar in Phnom Penh we actually had MC Hammer's 'You Can't Touch This', certain people (i.e. me) have started to yell, whenever we see one of these hammock bays,

"STOP! Hammock time!"

I crack myself up.

Tomb Raider and the Lady

Ta Prohm is described often as ethereal and atmospheric. It is certainly one of the most beautiful temples we've visited (and the most iconic - the so-called Crocodile Tree is almost the image of Angkor). Unfortunately, since Angelina Jolie filmed some of Tomb Raider here, it's crawling with tourists even at 7:30 in the morning. We went here straight after sunrise at Angkor Wat and couldn't believe how busy it was even when it was supposed to be 'quiet'.

Still, even a busload of Koreans couldn't ruin the atmosphere of this amazing temple.

Photos: Ta Prohm or the Tomb Raider temple

Finally, and already struggling with the heat and crowds, we headed to Banteay Srei or the 'Lady Temple'.

Much hyperbole surrounds the Hindu temple of Banteay Srei (dedicated to Shiva). The 'Jewel in the Crown of Angkor', it has none of the grandeur of Angkor War or Thom or the atmosphere of Ta Prohm. It is very small and ornate and, unfortunately, heaving with tourists. Honestly, you could barely move let alone appreciate the temple's beauty and artistry. I don't have any decent photos as a result.

Photos: Banteay Sri or the Lady Temple