The missing chapters...

First of all apologies for neglecting our travel blog for a while. And all the best in the new year 2010!

Just a quick recount of the days in-between.

Spent a lovely Christmas in our little home-away-from-home, Phnom Penh. An unusual Christmas to be sure, there were only a few places with any decorations, we were saved from the endless listening to Christmas songs (and unbelievably-missed them! :) ), spared from the total madness that Christmas shopping can be (and definitely did not miss that :) ), sat out in the sun in the 30 degree heat (67 cm of snow back home at the moment), had a lovely meal and finally even heard one Christmas song!

Went onwards to southern Thailand, the island of Koh Phagnan, where we had arranged to meet another friend for New Years. Meanwhile got incredibly ripped off in Bangkok with the bus tickets and accomodation on the island. Word of advice for travellers in Thailand- nothing is EVER completely booked out, even if it is the biggest New Years celebrations in 10 years, NEVER pay anything in advance and if you are forced to change buses and mini-vans, which in Thailand you will very often- ALWAYS hang on to your tickets till the end. And definitely- there are no charges to be paid for an immigration stamp, this one was one of our more foolish mistakes. Oh well- we live and we learn.
Anyway- we spent a lovely peaceful time on the island, bicycling (and falling off the bicycle from full speed which apparently Hille likes to do for kicks :) ), swimming and sun-tanning. And of course had a not-at-all-peaceful NYE party, just the way it should be :).

After Thailand we had to speed back to the already very familiar Kuala Lumpur, in order to catch a plane to India...

The incredible India. Here we are at last. In Tamil Nadu in the south, a little transport hub called Trichy, from where we start our journey tomorrow. First stop- Kerala.