Novotel Centara Hat Yai

... s*x starved malay men. The cavernous Karaoke bar just across the street is spilling out male brown colored bodies in various states of intoxication blatantly looking around for female companionship, ready for action after boozing and male drunk boasting all evening, building up courage for an act against Malay law and religion induced fear. Huddles of Hot Mommas willing to be of service, a handfull of Ringit changing hands, a short walk to one of the many shorttime ...

... which gradually changed into rice paddies and fresh fruit - pineapples, mangoes. Would you believe we spotted our first cows since arriving in Malaysia. A sad sight was a large gathering of the cutest tiny monkeys on the roadside mourning one that had been involved in a hit and run. Speaking of roadsides, these have to be the tidiest in the world with so many workers de-littering - not a McDonalds wrapper in ...

It was hammering with rain when we arrived in Hat Yai at about 3pm - the sun had been shining while we were sitting on the bus but a big black cloud sat over Hat Yai as we got closer! We stumbled into Louis Guesthouse and almost didn't notice the tiny Chinese man behind reception, he was an interesting character! Wide rimmed glasses almost falling off his nose ...

... the water was so choppy and I was trying to swim back to the boat but it kept pushing me and then I thought I was too close to the propeller so I made a wide berth around the boat and then got in. Becca and I are considering scuba diving on one of the Thai islands. Anyway we spent all of yesterday making our way over to the small city of Hat Yai. So far it seems nice and slightly more pleasant than Malaysia but we haven't done too much as of yet ...

... had 100 baht stolen from me. So yeah- Ive finally been robbed- just like 500 people had predicted before I left. The funny thing is that 100baht is only 3 dollars or 10ringut. In my wallet there was also a US$ 20 which is 55 ringut- We got robbed by the stupidiest thief ever. Oh yeah- and he forgot the cables to the DVD player. This morning I took to ferry to Satun, Thailand. Then got a bus to Hat Yai. Tomorrow morning Im taking a bus to Trang- from which Ill get a boat ...

So, we were in Had Yai, ready to sort ourselves out for a trip to Malaysia. Dont need any visas for this one, thank god, makes things a whole lot easier! A bit of boring stuff to do, shopping for a few bits and pieces, that kind of thing. Find out about the train, sort out some money...nothing to exciting. And again I'll write it, it was a bit rainy. Though thankfully, only at night, not during the day. To be honest, the only ...

... go with another driver. Once you've talked to a driver or done business with them they will shoo away other drivers and get mad if you try to go with someone else even thoughn you didn't say you would go with them. They will follow you. Hat Yai is a town you stay in when you're trying to get somewhere else. It is cool though and they have a giant mall with lots of colourful shops and Western fast food places. I ...