10 April 2012: Malaysia

I love the humidity. I'm sitting out on the balcony of my hotel room and just chilling. It smells smoky and a little like hotel soap and mosquito repellent. I watch the lightning flickering on and off in the distance. Listening to the frogs in the background, I begin to think that I really am falling in love with tropical countries. I know I've only been to two of them, but they're bloody amazing.

I need to come back here so I can stop and explore whenever I like - talk to the locals (or at least attempt to :P) and take photos of the fruit markets, abounding in durian and watermelon, the motorcycle and scooter shops and the old crumbling buildings. I'd stay in a small apartment, closer to the people, so that I don't feel so much the outsider. Given the poverty I'm going to be facing tomorrow when we land in India, it seems a little luxurious to be staying in such an up market hotel.

For the moment though, I shall enjoy it. The air conditioned room with king size beds and hot clean(ish) water, and a balcony all to myself that I can sit on even after it's dark, watching the lights in the distance and trying to capture the feeling of utter peace with my words.

**On the taxi on the way to the hotel, we met a really nice young Australian couple who are moving to Cambodia to start a children's home. If you're feeling like a good person, you should check out their website, faithmissionsasia.org :)