Penang Island

Not sure one should travel with a company called Fire Fly but it was fine.

My reward for 2 weeks lecturing is 2 days at the beach.

Monkeys are evil. Always carry a big stick in the jungle. Large gangs of them roam and try to get around behind you, threatening to jump on your back!

Even more threatening are the ants. While you’re trying to photograph them their palls are thinking your legs are another available tree.
Malaysian wild bees at a farm near the botanical garden don’t sting, but after many of them crawl over your hand  they start to scratch and try to apply propolis. Feels like the onset of stinging but it’s harmless.

Cannonball tree.

A botanical seed specimen of a cannonball tree fell into my bag. It would be fun to grow it in the conservatory.