I've posted this on the Thailand Forum as it seems to be the most active of Steve's portfolio of forums.

We will heading off on St Patrick's Day to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, then Kuala Lumpur.

She Who Must Be Obeyed has put a line through revisiting Thailand this year and I must admit that I'm looking forward to Beijing and Shanghai where I haven't been to as well as a long overdue re-visitation to Hong Kong.

What are your plans?

Hi Emdee

We are currently in Krabi until 2nd Jan and need to fly from Kuala Lumpur on 13th Jan to Perth, Oz. Have you been to Kuala Lumpur before? We are wondering if there is anywhere nice (and cheap) to visit on route to kuala lumpur, we will travelling down there by bus or is kuala lumpur a nice place to stay?? Thanks :)

Penang is a really nice place to visit if you are travelling down the Malay Peninsular from Thailand. Plenty of cheap places to stay in Georgetown the capital. Stay away from Batu Ferringhi Beach on the other side of the island as it is a place where the swank hotels are situated and prices are higher than in Georgetown.

Kuala Lumpur is a good place for shopping but not much else unless you are into gambling, then a side trip to the Genting Highlands Casino might interest you.

A three star hotel in KL should set you back about $A75 per night or thereabouts, or else there are the hostels such as YWCA at about $30-35 per night.

Hi Emdee

Sorry to hear that the Land of Smiles is off the agenda for 2012.

Perhaps a short stopover may be possibe and a couple of quick restaurant reviews or updates?

Roving Rabbit and the Lipstick Lover are off to Bangkok and Hua Hin for 10 days in May and then heading off to France (and some food tasting in some of the non tourist areas of Paris) to do a trip around the wine areas of Burgundy before heading off to Belgium to have a look at some of the battlefield areas of the First World War around this area. On the way home a short stopover for a day or so in BKK.

Happy New Year Wabbit.

I don't know if you are aware that a lot of Hua Hin has been badly damaged in a recent storm. Many of the hotels that front the beach have had their sea walls either badly damaged or demolished with resultant damage to the hotels themselves.

A friend who lives in Hua Hin tells me by email that the place is in bad shape and tourist numbers, both from Bankok weekenders and farangs are so low that it is having a huge effect on the local economy.

The Sofitel Hotel, which I now think is called the Centaran or something similar was also badly damaged in the recent storm with windows blown out and many of its lovely palm trees in those beautiful gardens uprooted.

My friend says that the damage is so widespread that it will take Hua Hin a long time to recover.

Happy New Year, everyone!

I am off to Thailand at the end of this month for a few weeks' getaway from it all. I will do my best to review both hotels and restaurants - although I must admit I am a creature of habit these days and I can't help but continue to revisit the old, well-established faves!

Have a great time on your travels in 2012! Emdee, I am sure Shanghai will blow your mind. I hear it's changing at a lightning pace.

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My latest travels: Shikoku Pilgrimage

We will be off again for just over 5 months on June 1st, will be in Phuket, Cambodia, Bangkok, Koh Lanta, Krabi, Nakon, Songkla, plus another road trip around the Issan area and anywhere else the car takes us lol.
Cathy

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Emdee
Thanks for the info re Hua Hin- I wasn't aware of the bad strorms in the area and I have now looked at some of the photos on the net- truly amazing the amount of damage that was done. I haven't booked the Grand Centara (ex Sofitel as from today) but will probably stay there unless I hear that it won't be worthwhile and will then probably stay at the Hilton.