Tests, Reports, and some Goodbyes

Hello again!

I last left off having just returned to Penang from Pulau Redang and getting nice and cozy again in our Hotel Vistana. Unfortunately, the work had just begun (we are in school after all). The first thing to finish was the paper and corresponding powerpoint presentation. My topic was the Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus), a peculiar rhinoceros/horse relative that lives in the jungles of Malaysia. I won't get into it now but needless to say an interesting topic for me. The biggest issue with writing the paper was internet and computer access. The USM campus was a short ways away but was not all that convenient, so we stayed around the hotel.

My computer decided that it will only charge when it is off and will only hold about 1 hour of time when fully charged. It also gives out some nasty shocks if touched while plugged in. I had to have computer access so I went to the computer cafe around the corner that was open 24 hours. One problem...the cafe was more of a gamers place for loud young Malaysians to come and play a wide array of shooting games. The sound of a dozen kids playing world of warcraft is not conducive to report writing. Being that it was my only option I toughed it out (for 15 hours over 2 days) with my Ipod blaring in my ears. Strangest report writing atmosphere that I've experienced certainly.

We presented our papers and handed them in the next day and started studying for our final exam. That went off without a hitch and we had a last supper at the international office at USM with all of the buddies from the first week and some of our professors from along the way. We said some sad goodbyes and the next morning we hopped back on the bus for one final time to head to Kuala Lumpur some 5 hours away.

Kuala Lumpur

We pulled up to Vistana in KL (yes there's one here too) and it was pouring rain. Some classmates and I needed to start planning our journey for after the course, so it was a late night. I also had a lot of picture pasting to do into my journal, the last part of the course not handed in. The next morning I dragged myself up and we took a train into the city to the Petronas towers, the largest twin towers in the world and formerly the tallest building. There is an observation deck between the two buildings about a third of the way up. If only it wasn't closed for cleaning on Monday...We saw the gift shop though. The view from the bottom looking up isn't half bad either. After a brief jaunt into the mall with all the prada, coach, hermes and other designer goods I could ever want we took another train to the lake gardens area. We walked around and visited the Butterfly gardens, which had quite a nice selection of insects on top of the butterflies. A train took us back to Vistana for a much needed nap before the last dinner we would have as a group.

The last supper was at a place called Top Hat and could not have gone better. From the friendly greeting to the private room to the amazing food, it was all we could have hoped for in a last meal. Just a great way to end the course. We woke up early the next morning to say some sad goodbyes to half of our group who were heading back to Canada or elsewhere in southeast Asia. It will be strange to not have everyone around and they will certainly be missed. Four of us (Kyle, Alex, Chantelle, and I) are sticking together for part of our travels for the next month.

We ran some errands and got some loose ends tied up and decided to move to a bed and breakfast close to the airport as it is outside of town a ways. We traded piece of mind and a ride to and from the airport for a little extra cost. Little did we know we were staying in a palace. The bed and breakfast is owned by an ex-marine who was born in Washington, D.C. When I told him my dad is from there and then said actually Tacoma Park he emphatically told me that they are completely different. The house is a mansion in the suburbs complete with pool, multiple lounging areas to watch satellite or movies, and all the amenities you could ever dream of. More than we expected but a nice surprise.

Well we are heading off early to Borneo tomorrow and I need to grab some rest. No photos this time but I will add some more soon. Until next time...

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