So. i will try to write a little more substantially about things so far.

19 hours on an airplane. yes, that is pretty much as you imagine it would be.

we arrive in balmy singapore just after midnight and the air is hot and heavy with moisture. trees and lights whizz past in the night. wandering brought us many things the first day- a visit to a hindu temple, drinking from coconuts that a man cuts open with a freakin huge knife, a long treck to a strangely deserted chinatown (seemed odd..?) the second day an even longer treck to the botanical gardens via orchard street. orchard street is as if you took robson street in vancouver, stacked it eight stories high and then repeated it infinitely into the distance. the gardens were alright but left us longing for wild forests and to be out of singapore.

we headed next to melaka (where we are now) via johor bahru. we're spending a few days here to get ready for our next destination, which is borneo! i like melaka more than singapore but once again, it just makes me want to go farhter afield. we're staying in a guestghouse in chinatown in a crazy old heritage building with beautiful tiling and woodwork. the owner is insane and speaks a mix of malay, french and english (all in one sentence) and tells us strange stories we don't understand.

people here are friendly and helpful- or they try to be, offering guidance and directions, although they rarley send you to where you actually asked to go. they seem to like eben's beard and give him funny looks, we're nto sure why.

now it is time to go, back into the dust, noise, lizard-covered walls, shocking and beautiful plants
and the heat heat heat.