Final Exams, Exploring Sydney and Malaysia!

It's been quite a while since I've updated this because I was studying non-stop the last two weeks. Exams went okay- I was mainly just happy to be done! Then as soon as I was done, we started exploring a bit more during the last 48 hours with all of my friends. It was a whirlwind going to the aquarium, symphony at the Opera House, bush walking through Kuringai National Park (and finding our own private beaches!) and clubbing Sydney-style (probably one of my favorite things about Sydney). I think only I slept about 18 hours in 4 days :) A few of my friends will still be in Sydney the next month but most people are going home for semester break (which by the way, I cannot get over seeing Christmas decorations when it's warm outside!)

Then Sunday morning we had to say good-bye to everyone at IH (it was incredibly hard to say goodbye to Pinky, my roomie) and then it was off to Malaysia!! I am here with Melinda and Daniel, two friends I met at IH. We spent 2 days exploring Kuala Lumpur going to the Butterfly Park (Daniel showed me how to hold a butterfly!), getting face to face with peacocks and eating more Chinese food than you can imagine. It is hot, muggy and smelly but I love it! So much character to this place. Today we got on the bus to the Cameron Highlands. Most of today was spent on the bus and then indoors because it has been raining all day. But that's okay- I'm pretty tired after trekking all weekend so it's nice to relax a bit. Tomorrow we are doing some jungle hiking and going to a tea plantation before we head to Penang! I am sooo glad Daniel came on this trip- he has lived in Singapore and Brunei and has been to Malaysia several times. Melinda and I just kind of follow him around... I think she and I would still be wandering around Kuala Lumpur if it wasn't for him! I think the weirdest thing so far is that the toilets and showers are in the same stall... literally right next to each other. Bizzare but I'll get used to it :) That's all for now!