Hey guys, I'm back after 11 weeks.

Been busy with Raleigh International Sabah Spring 2008 Expedition *hehe* This is only a fore taste of what's coming soon. I’ve written a few nice journal entries during my stay in the land beneath the wind, so I’ll be posting them later.

6th Feb - 12th Feb (Introduction Week - TAC) Delta 5

13th Feb - 2nd March (Adventure Phase - Long Pasia, Mamutik Island) Alpha 5:
Trekking in primary rainforest; becoming leech food; sleeping in hammocks; shitting in loong-drops; bathing in streams / rivers; getting trench foot in the process (couldn't walk); painting the sickbay a sickly pale-blue colour; baking flapjacks; diving in mamutik island.

3rd March - 4th March (1st Changeover - TAC)

5th March - 23th March (Environmental Phase - Danum Valley Field Centre) Alpha 4:
Making flowerbeds in front of the reception area; painting the watch tower; mending the steps; clearing forest trail for the bridge; digging up half-decomposing elephant bones; making sushi, chocolate truffles, peanut butter cups, chocolate peach pie, flapjacks, sponge cake, cheesecake omelet out of Raleigh rations; winning the durian eating competition; drawing some interesting shit; waking up with a violin beetle aka Mormolyce phylloddes engeli inches away from my pretty face; seeing some amazing wildlife including brown leeches aka Haemadipsa zeylanica, red leeches, tiger leeches aka Haemadipsa picta, orang utans, oriental whip snake aka Ahaetulla prasina, mountain deers, Ed the bearded pig that tore Sam's changeover bag and rip his clothes to shreds (subsequently punched by Sam in the face), Jim the wildcat that stole our bananas, kick ass monitor lizards aka Varanus salvator, moths, yellow crazy ants, head exploding ants, Sarah the lizard, Samson the baby lizard, spiders, praying mantis; shopping at Lahad Datu with Will the handsome boy; hitching rides in the Aqua-bus; enjoying our burger night; taking the piss at the cafe; trekking to Tembaling Waterfalls; taking the coffin trail; cutting Sam's hair twice and Anu's hair once; having an 80's Night party; having a sleepover at the observation tower; enjoying amazing sunrise there; escaping from Dengi fever and winning myself a jungle oscar (Gordon Ramsay Award) xP

24th March - 25th March (2nd Changeover - Borneo Paradise)

26th March - 13th April (Community Phase - Kampung Tampasak) Alpha 1:
Carrying floorboards, wallboards, roof sheets, water tanks beams that appears sporadically throughout the village during the night; cursing the wood fairies for being so hard working; continue carrying wood and planks up the steep hill where the kindergarten is; nailing the last floorboard; avoiding being cut into pieces by Fred the chainsaw; constructing the first wall; being translator 24/7; painting the first and second base coat; designing the mural, changing it 6 times and painting the final product; exploding like Krakatoa at Izzy and Alice; housekeeping with Roy and James; teaching the kids English (Advanced Clothing and Advanced Colours); avoiding near death experiences with the local scorpions; avoiding snakes and frogs that Mazlan the village kid threw; sneaking into the school in the middle of the night for internet; catching the phantom shitter; throwing ourselves in the croc infested river; dressing up as Syndrome during Superheroes and Villians night; dressing up as PLANK during Jungle Fever night; stripping in front of everyone and the loop; painting my nails fluorescent pink; suicidal sunbathing with the Brits; attending church and teaching Sunday school; playing badminton with the gangstas; having a football competition against the gangstas, losing twice in the process; cooking up vegetarian cabonara, tomato soup, chocolate cake, peach and papaya dessert; attending the opening ceremony of the kindergarten; being the master of ceremony; eating freshly caught wild boar meat, pau the sour fruit, sugarcane sticks, pickled wild boar; homestaying and attending cooking lessons; frying our own banana fritters; bathing in tubs and using cups; encountering the storeroom rat and storeroom cockroaches; being a faithful disciple of the Churchstep Club and the founder of the Kindergarten Crew; conducting Sports day for the kids and giving them my secret stash of chocolates and lollipops T .T

13th April - 15th April (Closing Ceremony and Beach Party):
Sunbathing for the last time with Anna; swam in the sea with sand dollars and baby jellyfish; winning myself the Lloyd Grossman Award for most inventive chef in the expedition XP (got an apron and a wooden spoon); enjoying the sunset; putting on my flowery apron, retro football socks and my Japanese bandana for the Disco Party; sleeping under the stars.

END

16th April (Post Raleigh - Kota Kinabalu):
Shopping with Luyi and Lizzie; having my farewell dinner near the beach overlooking an awesome sunset; boarding the plane with Anu the brown bear.

17th April - 20th April (Post Raleigh - Kuala Lumpur):
Preparing for my AA interview; Unpacking my rucksack; Dry washing my rucksack; throwing away a few cloths; Washing my cloths and my muddy trekking shoes; Finishing Merlin's Conspiracy and Airman; Packing.

21th April - 22th April (Post Raleigh - London):
Jet lagging the first day; attending my interview at AA on the second day; meeting up with Ho Meng who brought me around Hyde Park, Sir Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall, Imperial College; buying myself
M&S Sandwiches, M&S Drinks, M&S Chicken Pasta for lunch; visiting the galleries in Tate Modern and having my early dinner in front of St. Paul's Cathedral.

23th April till Now (Post Raleigh - Melaka, Kuala Lumpur)
Going back to Melacca for a day; Getting an offer from AA; Choosing between AA and Cardiff; Bringing Lizzie, Christian and Anna around KL; being the best host ever and subsequently ditched by Christian and Lizzie; Canceling my travel plans to travel with them to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia; Entertaining Anna the parasite; Cursing Lizzie and Christian; Calling them bitches and generally being bitter SJ once again.

To be continued…

My playlist:
Chasing Pavements - Adele
Mercy - Duffy
Elvis Ain't Dead - Scouting for Girls
Ready for The Dance Floor - Hot Spit
Heartbroken - T2 ft Jodie Aysha
Come On Girl - Taio Cruz
Something Good '08 - Utah Saints
The Journey Continues - Mark Brown ft Sarah Cracknell