Blogs from Penang, Malaysia, Asia - page 83

Our first week in Penang was full of, well, firsts. Phil went to work on Monday and was introduced to the team he would be working with. On Tuesday Carole took us on a tour around the main areas of the island. We visited the local wet market, she showed us the nearest hospital and other medical offices, then we went up to Penang hill. There is a lot to do and see in that area. We then went down into Georgetown and had lunch at the newest mall, Gurney Plaza. It’s by far the nicest, newest building I had seen in Penang. That area of Georgetown is where most expats live because most of them have kids and it’s near the international schools, and so it has more western-oriented shops and restaurants. Carole then drove ... read more

We arrived here the day before yesterday after at least 20 hrs of travelling, it was a long one and once we arrived we were ready to sleep forever. So we have been having a good few lie ins. Malaysia is so different to anywhere else, there are so many different cultures and religions here. Its unbelivable how much can change in so little space. It feels good to leave Thailand as we felt we had done enough there. We managed to find the lovliest little guesthouse ( Its called stardust, if anyone reading this is coming this way) the man that runs it is so helpful and friendly. It feels more like we are staying at someones house than in a guesthouse. We found the nearest shoppign mall and its very westernised we had a ... read more

Here are some of Lisa's roomates. Lisa is studying in Penang for 5 months, here last semester of university. There over 60 international students. Lisa and a girl from Sweeden (Matilda) have rented a furnished apartment! ... read more

Yes you have read correctly we are no longer taking the world by storm together. Myself and Jaya have parted ways with Manjit. Jaya and I are travelling to Cambodia to work in an orphanage and Manjit is continuing her journey with her dad before heading of to India on the 9th of July. Im not quite sure if you have heard this title before but it is what we have named ourselves after our many mishaps which seemed to cause the locals much amusement, you could often hear one of us commenting 'the los tres plumos strike again.' Although we have gone our own ways by no means are our travels over. Thats all from me for now. ... read more

On Saturday we took the bus out to the town of Air Itam, where we marvelled at the magnificent Kek Lok Si temple with it's famous Ban Po ("million Bhuddas Precious Pagoda"). We were also particularly delighted to find a turtle pond (although, yep, you've guessed it, there was a 'floater'). In the afternoon we took the 30 minute Fenicular railway ride up to the top of Bukit Bandera ("Penang Hill") an 821m Colonial Hill Station and a very welcome 5 degrees cooler than the city. Lunch on the garden terrace of the Bellevue hotel was somewhat spoiled by the appearance of a green PIT VIPER in the vines above our table...oh yes, wait 'til we develop the photos! Up on the hill we also saw wild Resus Monkeys, strangely striped squirrels, a red lizard and ... read more