Malaysia...Taiwan...and now.

OK. YOU HAVE TO GO TO MALAYSIA.
Just got back yesterday and had a great time. Started off in KL (Kuala Lumpur) the first night sipping coconuts, and eating spicey noodles. Woke up the next morning and and trekked off - Lonely Planet in hand, to scower the city. Initially, you feel nothing but the heat - at least 36 degrees with a humidity that I didnt know could exist on this planet...drenched before turning off the street my hotel was on...sought out shorts as an alternative to the pants that were now clinging to my legs...no such luck..but like most things - you get used to the heat as well.
Found a mosque set on a tiney island in the middle of the city, lined with Palm trees, the shade providing little releif from the heat. I, of course as a man, was allowed to enter as I was - Mabelle, on the other hand - had to don a huge navy blue cover all and head scarf - with the heat as it was - I have a hard time understanding how anyone could navigate the streets on a regular basis in such a get up. The mosque is stunning. White onion bulbs, rising high into the sky. Arch-ways, pillars and marble sprawling across the whole of the island. Locals napping on the floor.
We move on to Little India, and are gouged by the taxi driver who instantly recognizes us as gullable tourists. Little India is insane. Bussling with action - people buying selling, eating drinking, napping...The market is street upon street of white tents set up as protection from the sun the scorches in minutes. I feel like I am in textile Heaven. Sarees, Sarongs, Silk, Batik...as far as the eye can see - juxtaposed with architecture unlike anything I have ever seen...curious smiles greeting us at every stall. By this point we have been out roaming for hours and the smells of curry and coriander, garlic and onions are luring us in differnt directions - unable to make a decision, we opt for the Lonely Planet's pick...Bali. The food is awesome - tried a little of everything on the menu...treated like Kings and Queens. I bought 2 more sarees to add to my already ridiculous collection - this time navy with gold thread, and a baticl rainbow of color and crystal. Prices make me laugh - and time flew too quickly - A day in the area would have been preferable.
We moved then to the Petronas Towers - the twin bohemiths that tower over the city - silver in color - we referred to them on more than one occassion as resembling something like what we expect Heaven to look like. there I buy a stolen Rolex for $170/65CAD. checked the website - it's real. About $30,000US. LOVES IT.
That evenning drinking started early, as it should while on vacation. A few gins in, a weep fest begins - thinking ahead to the end of our vacation, and my last day in Korea. We reel it in and head out for the night. Taxid to where the gay bars are meant to be - and after being stalked by 5 YES FIVE rats - aborted that shit and moved downtown closer to our hotel. Ended up at some girls B-day party - crashed it in style...Rolex and all.
Next morning is rough. Mabelle is incapacitated - but I drag her from bed, and we gte on a 3 hour bus to Jerantut, a port town in the middle of nowhere, awaiting our 3 hour trip on a canoe-like river boat into the jungle. Along the way, se spot water buffalo, an enormous Monitor lizard, and trees that are larger than life. The water is the color of coffee with a good lot of milk in it. The breeze is intoxicating, and we nod off before arriving at our floating restaurant destination. We check into our chalet (nothing more than a shed with a bed and fan), and trek into the jungle only to be cut off at the pass by a few monkies eat jack fruit (a fruit the size of a watermelon, green with spikes on it,) up in a tree. We walk on for a while and head back for a shower and dinner. That night I discover the luminous mushrooms - which glow a light blue color. COME ON! Scorpions, tarantulas...
The next morning we are up early to head out to the Aboriginal Village. We are taught how to make fire, shoot poison needles from a blow spear...We climb 2 kms to the top of a jungle canopy-walk...little more than a few delapitated fishing-nets and rope...connected by planks of wood and ladders that lead to the next level..I am trembling violently - but accomplish the end. Later that day we hit the rapids...starting water fights between other boats - we negotiate the rocks and rapids...stopping on a deserted beach for a swim in the merky river...unsure of the safety (crocodiles, posionous snakes, and leaches), but caring little as a result of a heat that must be like what Hell feels like...
That night we head out on a jeep for safari. We see birds and snakes...2 leopard cats, and some water buffalo. Exhausted, we head back to the chalet for weel deserved sleep.
Up early again the next morning, we pack our gear and head back to Jerantut, switching buses for our 6 hour ride to Kota Bharu. Another coastal town, from which we will head to Pulau Perhentian Kecil; a small island on the north-eastern coast. We wait for the boat in a small hut-like structure - gins in hand, having to use a washroom that must be frequented by the likes of demon spawn or perhaps the devil himself. It smells worse then pretty much anything I have ever had the misfortune of smelling, and although once white, is now stained with rust and is dark brown on the entire inner section of the bowl (the one in Trainspotting was more welcoming than this MOTHA BITCH).
We head out to the island, which in fact is an archapelaego of several islands, the water is clearer than a swimming pool, crystal blue and aqua. The sand can only be likened to flour or baby powder...not sand-like at all - it is soft and fluffy, like cornstarch in my hands. we have tuna steaks for dinner, and settle in our bungalow for the night with gin and cards in hand. The next day we spend on the beach, I am RED RED RED. In PAIN. In Pain..Oh GOD - I am in PAIN! Holy shit does this hurt. (but I'm brown now :)
More drinking, more friends...more sun, more beach...We're still in awe at the beauty of this place...incredible.
The next day we head out in a boat for snorkelling...we swim in crystal water with sea turtles, 'Nemo' fish, clown fish and angel fish...Coral in every imaginable color. Eyes darting in every direction trying to take it all in...i wanna be a fish.
We move on after that to Shark Point...In spite of wild apprehension, I dive in - Mabelle stays on the boat..quite and experience...silver streaking by you every two seconds...A French group beside me asks "t'as-tu veut le recand?" To which I reply, "Le qu'elle?" (Did you see the shark? Which one?!)
We move on to a secluded beach - Pardise....phenomenal, incredible, awesome...amazing. Building my retirement place there...Holy shit I have never seen anything so Stunningly-Breath-takingly beautiful in my life. We laze around for the rest of the day...and get a boat back to the mainland - then on to KL.
We discover a ritzy-looking hotel, and discover - you dont have to be a guest here to be treated like royalty...we'd like to check our bags...can we use the hotel car to get to the airport...the buffet is how much? Later we ask "How the hell did we get away with that!?" We garge ourselves on seafood, beef, dessert of every possible variety...TOO GOOD.
Came back to Seoul packed my shit - and am now in Taiwan(in a home stay with only Chinse-speaking people). Heading out for dinner with Ryan and Ben tonight - - Talk more later...Just go to Malaysia.