Biking Buller II

Cruising down the summit, Mt Buller, Victoria, Australia

XC trails, Mt Buller, Victoria, Australia

No Admittance, Nagambie, Victoria, Australia

Biking Buller III

Windscreen mercury, Nagambie, Victoria, Australia

Armoured vehicle, near Puckapunyal, Victoria, Australia

Military driver, near Puckapunyal, Victoria, Australia

Malay days

Taxi at the base of the Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

My week in Malaysia at the end of January was full, flavoursome and rather luxurious. Staying at the Ritz-Carlton and Shangri-La in Kuala Lumpur, the Cameron Highlands Resort and the private-Island Pangkor Laut Resort, a small, fortunate group of us freeloading writers was cocktailed, dined, entertained and toured into happy submission.

A hearty terima kasih goes out to Tourism Malaysia, Jetstar, our escorts Lyn and Simon and our grinning guide Dahman, who was never short of a circuitous joke.

I am publishing a hotspots page in the May/June issue of Tiger Tales, a write-up of Jetstar's premium cabin-service in StarClass in TravelTalk, a day spa feature in Spa Life and a photo essay of the Thaipusam festival in the Singapore-based The Expat.

I came back with almost 1500 images. The ones I've posted are part of a highlights collection, which you can view here.

In other news, in a couple of weeks I'm off to Mt Buller with my mate Janushka to go cross-country mountain-biking, and a couple of weeks after that me and Naava are going to Adelaide with a couple of friends for WOMADelaide, after which I'll be driving through the Barossa Valley and to Mclaren Vale and Victor Harbor.

Anyway, enjoy the photos!

Faces of Malaysia III - Thaipusam

Pot-carrier, Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Feather-seller, Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Worn out, Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Pink Sari, Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Faces of Malaysia II -- Cameron Highlands & Thaipusam

Captain Mokh, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Crowded, Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Watershed, Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Entranced, Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Faces of Malaysia

News vendor, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Mamak restaurant owner, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Begging at the temple, Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Behind Petaling Street, Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Mantises and Malaysia

Daven posing, Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia

The other morning, this happy mantis found its way into our bed. I took that as a signal to combine it with a pickle jar, some soil and foliage and turn it into a carnivorous addition to my desk. Some might call it cruel, but I called him Daven.

I've been catching flies and moths and aphids and watching Daven eye them, snap them up, and eat their heads. I think he moved onto the rest when I wasn't looking.

Daven feasts, Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia

Then, today, his plaintive paws-together stare cut right through the Glad Wrap top of his enclosure and I had to consider letting him go. I found him one more fat, juicy housefly, and after a lengthy hunt, he caught it and munched its head. The fly freaked out, justifiably, and laid a foul string of squirming white maggots, which then rendered my desk addition an immediate addition to the flowerbed.

So, Daven, I had decided to set you free, and that self-sacrificing fly sealed your freedom -- adieu!

Daven feasts again, Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia

In other news, Naava found some sad, blackening bananas in the fridge and magically mixed them into an incredible banana cake.

Making banana cake I, Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia

Making banana cake II, Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia

Making banana cake III, Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia

Eating banana cake, Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia

And next week, I'm off to Malaysia to check out Kuala Lumpur, the Cameron Highlands, Pangkor Kaut Island, and the famously intense Thaipusam festival! I've never been there before and by all accounts, it should be an awesome trip.

I'm writing about the trip for a few different mags, and I'll post details of forthcoming articles as they're confirmed.

And if Daven wanders your way, let me know. I miss his leaf-like swaying and wide-set puppy-dog eyes...