We arrived in Bangkok in time to take a trip on a river bus and visit the flower market and Patpong night market by tut tut.  The next day we went on a morning tour to see the Golden Budha at Wat Timitr and the Reclining Budha at Wat Pho before making our way to the Railway Station to catch our train.

We had reserved bunks on the train, which meant when we first boarded we had a little compartment with two seats and a central table to ourselves.  Train staff took our orders for dinner and breakfast, but also at each station, people got on and walked through the carriages selling food and drink.  When they came around to make up the bunks, these were screened from the corridor running through the centre of the carriage with curtains.  After breakfast we had to get off the train at Padang Besar to go through customs - but it was entertaining watching everyone - especially people bargaining with the lady selling durian (a very smelly fruit which allegedly tastes like heaven).

We got off the train at Butterworth and were met by a driver who took us down the coast to Lumut to catch the ferry to Pangkor.

The resort was really pretty and we stayed in a wooden chalet in a garden right next to the beach - the first night there was a dramatic thunderstorm with sheet lightening and crashing thunder and we had to paddle to breakfast the next morning!  It was interesting watching the fishermen on the beach and the cormorants trying to steal their catch.  When the sun came out, the place was beautiful and very relaxing ... we swam and hired kayaks to paddle around the bay.  Everyone was very friendly and we joined in the karaoke after dinner one night (though we couldnt compete with the Japanese tourists!)

After catching an early ferry back to Lumut, our next driver was waiting to take us to Kuala Lumpur airport - this turned out to be a four hour drive and luckily we had a knowledgeable (and English speaking) driver who told us about Malaysian agriculture and industry as we passed paddy fields, rubber, palmoil and coconut plantations.  At one point we drove up into the hills but not high enough to see tea plantations (sorry no photos of this part of the trip).

After a short flight to Singapore we only had time for a short walk around the colonial district and a visit to Raffles Hotel and sample a Singapore Fling (and throw our peanut husks on the floor - a very odd custom for such a super-clean city?) then take an evening walk to Boat Quay for a delicious meal at a riverside restaurant.

The next morning we had an early flight to AUSTRALIA.