A quick update before we hit the Thai Isles, where Internet may be limited and sand in over abundance:

We spent five nights in the Cameron Highlands. The air was cool, the hikes ranged from gentle to not so gentle, the tea estates were magnificent, the roti' vegetable soups, and street burgers were delicious, and the company we met at the lodge (from Manon, the dive mastering Dutchwoman, to Allen, the extra eccentric fifty something Scott with a fashion sense from another epoch) made for memorable nights by the bonfire or as the lone westerners in the local karaoke bar.

Penang was gritty, or rather grotty from a Brit's p.o.v., but that's why we loved it. Hot and humid, we toured more British architecture, a Malay museum that provided great insight into their mosaic of a culture (and great air conditioning), and the clan jetties where Chinese families continue to live in close quarters on the docks, with some clans overemphasizing their tourism acumen (clan magnets! clan notepads!). And the food: tandoori chicken on top of fried rice and vegetables eaten on a steel stool in a back alley, satay skewers devoured alongside pad Thai-ensue noodles on a street corner, and, my favorite, a stir fry of rice paddies, sprouts, garlic, chilis and green onions, served in a banana leaf cone. I didn't really want to find out that the rice element was, in fact rice, for fear that it would kill the magic of the dish, but I got over that fast after the second cone. We could've stayed on that food for weeks, but the city really only merits a stay of a day or so – let's just say the leering men and ladyboys left one feeling, dirty.

So Trang is hip, and worth a stop before a beeline to the islands. And yes, it's oh so nice to see Beer Chang, in all its unregulated and therefore alcoholic content variable splendor.

A recap of Malaysia, including hits, misses and top 5s, is up next. Any advice on which Andaman coast Thai islands we shan't not miss?