Dear Cora,

Life-size scrabble? Yes, please.

reposing, sparing, ion-grapes.  I'm pretty sure ion-grapes is a word.  Don't even challenge it.

So you may be wondering why the only pictures I have of Singapore are of alphabetical origin.  And here is the reason: How many pictures of malls do you keep on your digital camera? 

And while this comment may seem unfair, or judgemental, I assure you it comes from a very positive and supportive place.  I love Singapore.  I love air conditioning, and food courts and sparkling clean streets.  I love timely metros and monks buying 10 packs of black dress socks at the mall. 

I love guava gelato by the world's tallest ferris wheel (although I do NOT love the price to go on the world's tallest ferris wheel and am therefore content with the fact that I will die having only been on the world's second tallest ferris wheel: the London Eye).

I love discovering sour candy for the first time since leaving the states.  And I don't love that the scale is broken so the guy won't sell it to me. But no fear: I love going back the next day and getting the new guy to sell it to me.  Because let's face it: What wouldn't I do for sour belts and peach-o's?  (If only they were CVS brand: sigh...)

I love hitting my one-month mark on my travels.  Has it already been a month?  Has it only been a month?

I love the merlion.  In fact, I love the merlion so much I bought a shirt with the merlion on it.  The merlion is the symbol of Singapore and it is, as you may have gathered, a lion with a mer-tail.


  

I do not love carrot cake.  This may seem shocking, as anyone and everyone should know that carrot cake, according to me, is the only cake worth even mentioning.  But I repeat: I do not love carrot cake.  Because in Singapore, carrot cake is made out of stir-fried gelatinous goop with spring onions and shrimp and really isn't carrot cake at all.  What it really is...is disgusting.

I like (not love...but this won't be a shocker) going into a hospital again for the first time since leaving work.  Don't worry, I was just asking for directions and I didn't even leave the lobby, but it was cool to be transported back to that place.

I do not love spiced butter milk.  In fact I do not love it so much that I almost gagged while sampling Justin's. Justin, too, does not love spiced butter milk.  Nobody who has taste buds likes spiced buttermilk.  If I ever meet someone who does, I will give them an award...and then slap some sense into them.



I do not love saying goodbye to Ashlee.  I do not love rude hostel roommates who turn on the lights at 4 in the morning.  I do not love when I step in vomit on my way to the shower.  I do love the shower though.



 I love that I am so close to crossing the equator for my first time.  That the Southern Hemisphere is at my fingertips. That Indonesia is just around the corner.

And I really love having the opportunity to experience this little corner of Asia that is pretty unlike anywhere else I have been so far.

Dear Dad,

You are on my mind everyday.

After three weeks in Thailand, we decided it was time to ditch the beaches and head off to Malaysia where the towers are taller, the highlands are higher and the jungles are denser and older than any other. Either that was the reason...or maybe it was Emily and Justin's expired visas. Not quite sure. Either way, we arrived in Kuala Lumpur on the 18th after a flight where only one piece of the airplane fell off during landing:

We consider that an AirAsia success story (especially after the unnecessarily nasty lady today at the Singapore airport...but I digress). Being in Kuala Lumpur was especially exciting for me, as I am a big nerd and have been interested in the Petronas Towers (the tallest twin towers in the world) since high school. I spent the bus ride from the airport staring hopefully out the window waiting for my first glimpse....which turned out to be well worth the trip.


If you haven't seen the movie Entrapment staring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones...I suggest you rent it immediately...you may just become a Petronas-nerd convert like me!

After two days in krazy KL, we decided to hop a bus to the Cameron Highlands which we learned were a refreshing 70 degrees this time of year, and therefore could be uglier and more boring than dirt for all we cared. It was time for a cool-down. Turns out, it's one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. period. Here comes more pictures than necessary!






















Clearly, in the Cameron Highlands I rediscovered my love of tea...both as a piping hot beverage and in plant form. But that's not all I discovered in the extremely under-rated and under-appreciated Malaysia. Take for example my new found love of bizarrely-named canned beverages like: "Poccari Sweat" "100-Plus" and who can forget one of my personal favorites:



None of these liquid delights have any indication of flavor on the can...so every purchase is a surprise. But here is the secret--9 out of 10 times it will taste somewhere in between carbonated gatorade and watered-down fresca.

After our stay in Cameron Highlands where we lodged in what I'm pretty sure were rooms modeled off of Harry Potter's room under the stairs at the Dursleys (anybody? anybody?) we headed by bus and 2 hour boat ride to the heart of Taman Negara - considered the oldest rainforest in the world.



Every day we took a water taxi across the river to hike in the rainforest spotting everything from treacherous plants, stick bugs and wild orchids to flying lemurs and ants the size of my pinky (no joke).

At one point Justin and I went on a wild tapir chase which is much like a wild goose chase except their is a loud grunting sound coming from about 10 meters off the path. Only when we remembered that their are wild tigers in Taman Negara did we decide to ditch the off-roading and return to the path (as if that would do anything to help us).



The other highlight from our time in Taman Negara took place on a 500 meter canopy walk which towered above the forest floor. As Ashlee and I lingered on a platform, re-applying bug spray to combat the mercenary mosquitoes, we noticed a scampering behind us. When we turned around, we saw a Giant Squirrel following us down the walkway. Okay, so you say: big whoop a big squirrel. I say to you:

Google it: Giant Squirrel

We left Malaysia overwhelmed by the how fast it came and left. The people, and I am quoting Ashlee on this one "are AMAAAAAAAAZING," the food is delicious, the views are incredible, and the kickapoo joy juice is always on tap (and by on tap, I clearly mean covered in a layer of dust in a semi-cold fridge at every mini-mart).

Basically if I can offer you a small bit of advice:

Dear Fellow Camp Song Enthusiasts,

Alas, Thailand has come and gone. I can't believe how fast the time goes. After leaving Koh Phangan, we headed to Phuket, where we eventually had to say goodbye to Jane and Alison. Luckily, however, not before spending a crazy night at patong beach, which for the PG-rating of my blog will remain photo-less. Instead I will offer a song which I think nicely sums up my experiences in Thailand.



Big Buddah, Big Buddah, Big Buddah.

Big Buddah, ah yeah.





Big Buddah Number 1
(Bangkok, Thailand)

Big Buddah Number 2

(Phuket, Thailand)

Big Buddah Number 3
(Ayuttaya, Thailand)

Big Buddah Number 4

(Bangkok, Thailand)

Big Buddah Number 5
(Phuket, Thailand)

Big Buddah Number 6

(Nam Tok, Thailand)

Big Buddah Number 7

(Largest Buddah in Thailand)

Ah Big Buddah. Big Buddah, Ah Yeah...

Dear Sarah, Jess and Julie,

That's right ladies. You guessed it. You are looking at the smiling face of a certified Open Water SCUBA Diver. And those guns he's flashing can only mean one thing: TRIGGERFISH!

But let me start with boats. Because, you know how I love rocking on the high seas. And by rocking...I clearly mean ripping out my regulator and feeding the fish from my insides. Gross. Sorry for that image. Anyway, I boarded my first boat on my way to Koh Tao (Turtle Island) 8 days ago. Since then, I have spent every single day on a boat. Proof:

But thankfully, a little elf slipped some anti-nausea medicine into my stocking and I have championed my way from from Chumphon-Koh Tao-Koh Phangan-Koh Samui-Mu Koh Angthong-back to Koh Samui- back to Koh Phangan-Surat Thani. Throw in 3 more boat trips for the SCUBA certification, and you can start to understand why I am so proud of my ability to keep my pad thai down.

Of course, the island hopping has been well worth it. The diving in Koh Tao is not only some of the cheapest in the world, but also incredibly stunning with huge colorful coral formations, stingrays, moray eels, angelfish, pufferfish, clownfish and on and on. But the underwater highlight has been the 6 or 7 Triggerfish that I have seen which always remind me of the three of you.

To the south, Koh Samui offered us:

The arrival of two more friends (Ashlee and Jane)

Easy access to Mu Ko Angthong, a protected group of limestone islands.

And Beach Bungalows 5 meters from the surf

Now back on Koh Phangan for 4 days, we are taking it easy in every way we can (as if any of this has been stressful, right?) beach bumming, motorbiking, and cards have been a great way to spend time with friends and maximize our island-life experience.

And while I decided to cut travel scrabble from my bag at the last minute, have no fear...Justin and I negotiated a fair price for a Thai knock off. Relaxing: 78 pts.

"I got a peaceful easy feeling and I know you won't let me down
'cause I'm already standing on the ground."
-The Eagles

Dear Caitlin,

Mission: Accomplished!

You will be proud to know that the first thing I did when I woke up on my first morning in Bangkok was rip off a piece of an old Chang Beer box and craft this "Day 1" sign. I then folded it up and proceeded to carry it all over the city with me (despite the fact that in this heat having anything bulky in your pocket is next to unbearable) as Emily, Justin and I tuk-tuk'ed our way throughout the city. Ultimately, The tuk-tuk photo I think sums up the feeling of day 1: fast and a little overwhelming.

The next morning, we decided to leave the city and explore a little bit of central Thailand. In Ayutthaya, we biked, walked, climbed and boated in, on and around the incredible ruins of ancient Siam.

In Kanchanaburi province we celebrated the new year with fireworks on the river Kwai and an amazing bar called "restroom" (seriously) which was packed to the brim with Thais who LOVED to take pictures with us (and randomly take sips of our beers...which was a little bizarre). The peak of our night however, was lighting our lantern at midnight and watching it join the hundreds of other lanterns floating up past the full moon.

I have also had a bunch of "firsts" since arriving in Thailand:

First Thai Massage - ฿120

Minibus to Ayutthaya with surprise
stop at Ancient Wat - ฿200

Riding the Death้้้้้ Railway across
the bridge over River Kwai - ฿100

My first time in Asia with two incredible friends - PRICELESS

And while I am already having all of these new adventure I am starting to understand how difficult it is going to be to be so far away from my friends and family for such a long time. Luckily, and thanks to you, I have the wisdom of Pooh to keep me going.

“If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together.. there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. but the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I'll always be with you.”

- Winnie the Pooh (A.A. Milne)