Langkawi

And now a couple of nights in the delightful Beach Garden Resort. I love this place. It's friendly, personal and so well looked after. More sea, sand and sun, lazy days and good food. I walked here from the other resort, jauntily flaunting my legs in very short beach shorts, even enjoying the rivulets of sweat running down my face and stomach. It took me a second to recognize another old familiar - that delicious sweet smell of clove cigarettes. Two men gave up trying to saw through a tree by the road and having cut two thirds of the way through its trunk, they took turns in running at it and delivering a high jumping kick. They saw me watching and showed off even more, laughing at themselves.

In the evenings I walk along the main street, trying to choose from the all-to-tempting restaurants and food stalls. The place is buzzing with life. So touristy but so Malaysian. There's a cheesy spring in my step.

So far removed from my normal holidays - I'd always seen places like Langkawi as weekend getaways and couldn't imagine spending more than two days here - but now I wish I had a whole week. Maybe I'm getting old, or just worn down by this illness, but right now I can think of nothing better than this. Total relaxation.