Relaxing in Penang and another round of goodbyes...

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Mum, Dad and I got dropped off at our hotel in Batu Ferringhi, Penang. Having unpacked (well Mum and Dad did I made a token gesture at unpacking) we went and had some lunch before briefly exploring the local area. After awhile we decided to return to the hostel whereby I went to investigate the swimming pool...

Thursday morning and I had already decided that I was going to do nothing for the day. It was time for me to do some washing and so after collecting my washing and what Mum and Dad decided they wanted doing we headed across the road from the hotel to the tailors that also offered cheap laundry. Washing dropped off and agreed to be collected that night we went for a wander. On returning past the hotel I ducked in and decided to go and sit by the swimming pool and so Mum and Dad ventured off. They returned afterwhile and decided that they too would sit and do little by the pool. The weather was overcast however I did warn them that they would soon burn..... unfortunately they did which put pay to much more sunbathing for the rest of the week.

Friday morning and we decided to head into Georgetown and see the colonial part of the town. We got the hotel minibus into the town (much to my protestations as to the cost compared to the local bus) and we got dropped off. Guidebook in hand and we set off. After a mini diversion we soon found ourselves at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel (E&O) so we wandered in and had a look around unfortunately it was still a bit too early for us to enjoy a drink on their lawn... From there we headed around and stopped for a quick drink at a local cafe before following a walking tour given in my guidebook. Since my guidebook didn't mention Weld Quays and Mum and Dad wanted to see them having read about them in their book they asked the manager of the cafe who was very helpful and provided us with a map on who to get there.

We walked around the Penang Museum which wasn't the best but not the worst museum I have visited and we then found ourselves at Fort Cornwallis. Fort Cornwallis is star shaped and is the largest standing fort in Malaysia. It took us a walk around the whole of the outside walls before we found the entrance! Having wandered around we then ventured back out to find Weld Quays and the Jetties that come out from there.

I wasn't convinced by visiting the jetties
a. it wasn't in my lonely planet bible and therefore unlikely worth a visit
b. they were stilt houses which I had seen in Semporna and since often they are ramshackle and the people live in squalor I wasn't convinced Mum and Dad would like it however they were detrmined to go and see for themselves so we set off.

We found on of the eight jetties and so I sat on the end by a Chinese Temple as they wandered off. Mum and Dad came back suitable impressed and reliably informed me that the jetty was part of the Unesco World Heritage Site. This done and having seen what we wanted to see we ventured back to the hotel on the local bus.

Saturday morning we decided we were going to visit Penang Hill and the local temple. Mum and Dad weren't convinced by my idea of hiring a car as the traffic around Georgetown was manic and so we asked the concierge how much a taxi should cost and he said in the region of 35RM and so I was pushed forward to negotiate with the taxi driver. A liilt old guy was adamant that it would cost 40RM however a younger guy came along and after a discussion he agreed to take us to Penang HIll for 35RM. So jumped into the taxi and made our way to the funicular railway. The journey up the railway was slow and painful not helped by the fact that it was crowded and it had no air conditioning also it stopped half way up whereby you had to jump off and jump into another train. Once at the top the view was shrouded in mist and a bit of cloud. We wandered around the two temples situated at the top and by the time we were ready to head back down the view was coming more into focus. Penang Hill is one of those places that I can say I am glad I have been but I don't need to retrun.

Once back at the bottom we got into a taxi how took us to the Kek Lok Si Temple. It is the largest Buddhist Temple in South East Asia. The Temple is huge and is still growing and it has various halls for prayer and it also has a seven storey main pagoda. This pagoda is unusual in its design in that it combines a Chinese octagonal base with a middle tier of Thai design, and a Burmese crown; reflecting the temple's embrace of both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism. Also at the Temple at the top of the hillside there is a 30m bronze statue. Thankfully you can get a lift to the top rather than walking all the way to it. Unfortunately whilst we were there they were doing work on the statue and building a construction so that it will have a roof covering it and therefore we did not get a clear view of the statue.

From the Temple we made our way downhill to the local town Air Itam where Dad negotiated a reasonable taxi fare back to the hotel whilst I was at the cash machine. The taxi driver on the way back had missed out on his vocation and should have been a tour guide. He wanted to take us around various sights however by this time we were all tired, hot and sweaty and just wanted to return to the hotel - he was also one of the slowest driving taxi drivers I have ever encountered!!

Sunday came around and we decided to go towards the National Park and Teluk Bahang. I once again enquired with the taxi drivers about how much it would be to take us there and once again I came accross the little old man who wanted to rip us off so my mind set and we were off on the bus. We arrived in Teluk Bahang and wandered around near the fishing port and eventually found ourselves at the National Park. It was decided that i would walk off and see where it got me whilst Mum and Dad would follow behind but we would meet back at the hotel later that day. I wandered off deciding I would try to get to Monkey Beach. Unfortunately after walking for an hour I lost sight of the path and having looked around for 5 minutes I decided to head back as it was jungle and I was on my own. Once I got back to the National Park entrance Mum and Dad were sat outside a souvenir shop chatting with some local women. A drink later and we all headed back to the hotel.

Monday morning and Mum and Dad wanted to go down the road and visit the spice garden that we had visited the day before. I took a rain check and spent the day doing odd jobs, like more laundry, and sat by the pool just enjoying my last bit of luxury till I return home.

Whilst staying in Batu Ferringhi the lady that ran the tailors/laundry became our best friend. Dad started the trend by deciding he wanted a pair of longer shorts and so he and Mum had gone looking in the local shops but couldn't find what they wanted and so I was duly sent that evening with him to get him measured up. The lady duly took the order and all the measurements and said they would be ready the next day, after we told her that if they were any good he would buy a second pair. The next day we collected them and they fitted perfectly. I had been toying with the idea of getting a suit made and having seen Dads shorts I decided to go with it. So after taking ages to decide on the material and design my measurements were taken. By the end of the holiday she made a lot of money out of us after doing three loads of washing and making two pairs of shorts and two suits. It was still ridiculously cheap though so we were all winners!

Tuesday morning rolled around and we were up and about early as Mum and Dad had an early flight. I was getting a free trip to the airport despite my flight being two and a half hours later. So another set of goodbyes later and Mum and Dad flew to Singapore whilst I made my way north and flew to Langkawi.......

At this point I want to say a post event Happy Birthday to Tim. Sorry its late but I did speak to you on your birthday so I'm not feeling too bad =;0)

Happy 1st Birthday Jacob for Thursday. I loved the video you and Jess made for my birthday. I can't wait to see you in December and see what mischeif you have learnt whilst I have been away!

Finally thank you very much to Mum and Dad. I had an amazing 12 days with you and it was lovely to see you both after 5 months away. The 12 days in luxury was definitely a welcome change and I hope that you enjoyed yourselves over here as much as I did.

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