George Town, Penang
Fri 1st May
Pity…very nice room but a terrible sleep…the next day travel nerves. As I was awake early and ready to go, I decided to walk to the ferry terminal. I got my 50RM key deposit back and by 07:45 I had started my 30 minute walk.
At the terminal I paid for a 2RM teh tariq with a 50RM so I would have some useful small notes. It gave me a chance to dry off a bit too. Once I found the correct ticket with the QR code, the gate opened immediately. Once it got to 09:00 we started boarding. I was assigned seat no. 367. Bye bye Langkawi.
An hour and a half to Kuala Perlis. I was in a Grab straight away, and I’d only been outside a few minutes when he turned up. About 25 minutes and we arrived at Arau railway station; the cost was 24RM, so less than £5.
We arrived at 10:10, having missed the Butterworth train by 15 minutes. That meant waiting an hour and three quarters for the 12:54 train. Oh well, time passed. Standing room only on the train to Butterworth, although by half way I was sitting on the floor. An hour and a half to Butterworth.
There was a covered walk all the way to the ferry; I stopped along the way to pay my 2RM ticket. We boarded and sailed at 3pm. I took a couple of pics and a video of GeorgeTown, but with low cloud they probably won’t be great.
We docked at 15:10…very short crossing. It’s brilliant when you visit a place for the second time…you know exactly where you’re going. Well almost, I took one wrong turn… But I made it to Quee hotel.
The arrangements took a bit of sorting. The young guy got in touch with Rosza who confirmed what we had briefly discussed. 2 nights at 100RM (because it was weekend rates) and that was with shared bathroom facilities. The next 3 nights would be at 90RM, but in a private room. No discussion/argument from me…I was happy to pay as I like the hotel and the central area it’s in.
I checked into the room and got changed into my shorts. I was almost totally out of cash and needed an ATM. I found an HSBC and drew out 800RM…150Gbp. I went looking for Antarabangsa…the pub. I got a little table and chair to enjoy my Tigers. Had a good chat with Rhys the Aussie.
Then the rain came down very heavily. It lasted at least 30 mins, if not longer. The owner had put a big umbrella over us in anticipation of the downpour. The same owner who turned his back on me and walked away as I tried to talk to him…I wasn’t impressed.
The rain subsided and I bought 2 cans for my room. On my way back I bought a small packet of spicy nibbles and stopped off at Restoran Kapitan for a tandoori chicken and nan. Kapitan is literally on the other corner from Quee…very delicious meal, but I was surprised there were no condiments on offer, such as extra chilli. Nice meal for 15.50RM …or £3.
I found the sinks to wash my hands, then headed to Quee. I took a can up to the balcony/kitchen area and watched the lightening and listened to the Chinesee drumming from a few streets away.
I didn’t stay long before going to my room. I figured how to get Sky news; the TV at Quee is excellent. If I remember correctly from last year, I should be able to find UK football highlights of this weekends matches. I felt tired, but an excellent travel day.
Sat 2nd May.
That’s more like it…a good catch up on my lost sleep. It’s not too bad having to go down the corridor and down half a dozen stairs to the bathroom. I showered and washed my blue shirt.
I had my pic taken next to the mural of a boy next to a real bike on the street. Where I had my tehs last year wasn’t open so I went to the nice coffee shop for a large coffee latte.
From there I went to the jetties area; I visited a couple of very basic ones, and left the touristy ones for another day. I decided on an earlyish meal…around midday…and went to the covered food stalls area and had a Mee mix with something else, for 8RM. I went for ‘large’ which was a bit too much. A nice mix of prawns and chicken and both vermicelli and flat noodles.
I then went towards the sea where there’s a park area and lay in the sun for half an hour. On the way back I shouted at a car driver who had stopped in the middle of the road and was causing a major traffic problem. Am not sure why I bothered getting involved!!
I took a few wall mural pics and posed for one. I went back to my room to cool down. And then more wanderings. I found a shop called ‘ Hakuna Matata ‘ which looked like a sort of restaurant, but it wasn’t open. I’ll go back again over the next couple of days to find out if there’s an East African history to it.
On the same street is a street vendor. I bought 3 sticks of snacks for 5.40RM. As it was threatening to rain, I went back to Quee to get my umbrella. Then to Antarabangsa to relax. I got chatting to a few people, which was fun. Pangkor island was suggested to me; I’ll research that, being somewhere different after Taiping.
Then back to my room. I am enjoying Georgetown as it’s my second time and no need to rush around doing touristy things. There are lots of people taking photos of each other, and alongside the murals…great fun.
Sun 3rd May.
I showered and shaved early, as I don’t know how many people use the shared bathroom. Although, there are 2 toilets/showers and and a few sinks, but I don’t want to be in a situation of ‘queueing’.
It was a relaxing day of wandering around, I managed to do a variety of things. I confirmed that I would be switching rooms at about 12:30. The teh place around the corner was still closed so I went for a nice coffee latte at the Card shop. A large latte for 12RM..or £2.30..not bad.
I’m restricting the number of pics of street murals, but they are such fun. The Hakuna Matata shop/hostel is apparently permanently closed..shame. Back at Quee I moved into room 206 which had 2 large windows overlooking the main road at the front. The bathroom is small but perfectly adequate.
In the meantime my right flip flop strap had snapped. I had my emergency string on me, and managed to tie the flip flop to my foot and hobble back to my room. I switched to shoes and socks.
I checked out the covered food stalls for lunch, but it was closed..Sunday of course. Another covered stalls market in the jetty area didn’t appeal. I did find somewhere to have fried noodles with prawns.
I decided to experience a jetty, and happened to be near Tan. It’s a basic one (no shops), with a long narrow walkway. Well, half way along, my vertigo kicked in. I had some difficulty turning around as I got a bit dizzy. For a moment I thought I might fall in the water, but by really focusing I got back safely. Phew…a bit scary.
By this time it was getting towards mid afternoon. As Antarabangsa was closed, I went to Bucket List on Chulia. Their beer at 11RM is not nearly as good as Antarabangsa at 8RM. The bar guys immediately recognised me from last September; it’s always nice to be remembered. I went a bit crazy and had 4 beers.
Just up the road was the Tipsy Cow Sober Cow. As I’d never been in there before I decided to try it out. Actually very nice and a good place to people watch on Chulia…and the Tiger was 10RM.
I bought a Chang from a minimart to take to my room. And from a shop nearby I bought a packet of savoury nibbles.
I started drinking on the Quee top balcony area but got bored. In my room I made good use of my good TV to find some News channels. Quite an action packed day in the end.
Mon 4th May
I awoke refreshed. I was thinking of going for roti across the road, decided to check out the tea place on the corner first. It was open. I had 2 tehs…only 1.50RM each. I returned to Quee briefly.
I headed down Beach road to the Tourist information office. I needed more info on how easy/difficult it was to get to Pangkor. Definitely easier it seems from Ipoh, but I really like Taiping. Some planning required, but a very useful visit.
I went back , and in the food stalls market I had a rice Clay pot…so, so delicious. From there I explored some of the jetties. Lim, Chew, Tan. Tan was the one I felt dizzy on a couple of days ago. Chew is very commercialised. From there I went to the Card shop for a coffee latte.
I relaxed a bit. I went on nearby backstreets walkabout. I checked on the Hakuna Matata building again. The girl from the shop opposite said there was some refurb work going on. I’m running out of time.
I stopped at 7 Eleven to ask how I could top up my Sim card. I’ve got confirmatory messages from them, so maybe I can figure it out. I went down Love lane and reached Antarabangsa after 4pm. I bought 4 beers and put my chair and little table in the courtyard. There was a bit of a breeze, so it was very comfortable.
I talked with a few people. I walked back to Quee, buying a chicken samosa along the way. I went to the balcony area and was joined by Aun. He gave me a traditional Myanmar chicken in a sauce to taste…so, so good. I took my beer with me down to my room.
And that was it. A busier day than expected …but great fun. I need to do some travel planning, but the possibility of visiting Taiping and Ipoh again is very exciting.
Tues 5th May
A comfortable sleep, although the a/c was a bit too cold at one point and needed adjusting. The restaurant directly across the road was open and I could see the chef at work.
I was expecting a roti but it seemed as though only chapatis were on the menu…very similar. So, chapati with chicken leg in a curry sauce and a teh, was my delicious breakfast for a total of 11RM…or 2Gbp.
I checked on Hakuna Matata but still no sign of any activity. I went for my 2 tehs. My next mission was to get to a Digi shop to top up my Sim card. I didn’t have the app, and no other shop could do it. The nearest shop was a few kms out of town. I started walking…what a hero !!
I don’t know how I messed up, but despite my phone map, I ended up walking in totally the wrong/opposite direction. I ended up back on Beach road. At which point I called a Grab…costing 9RM.
I was dropped off outside the CelcomDigi shop. With lots of help ( in fact I relied totally on the young Iady), I loaded 35RM onto my phone. I think I had a day to spare. Outside was a bus stop and I paid 1.50RM to get to Chulia street. I hadn’t realised the phone shop was so far from the Centre…4kms perhaps.
I checked on Hakuna Matata again…nothing. I went to the Card shop for my coffee. Then to hsbc for some ATM money; I drew out 800RM. Then back tracked a little to the covered food stalls where I had a Teow…noodles/prawns.. not a big plateful..7RM.
And back to my room. Oh, I watched some football highlights. I walked down Love Lane; I took a few pics of course….and arrived at Antarabangsa after 4pm. I had a good chat with a guy who comes over from Butterworth just to drink at Antarabangsa. I also chatted with a retired American couple who do a lot of travelling; they had also been on safari in Tz and Ke.
I bought a little container of curried wild boar to eat on the top balcony at Quee accompanied with a Tiger. The curried boar cost 10RM..just under 2Gbp..and was very tasty. Oh, I made sure I got my 50RM deposit from Aun as I knew I would be leaving early.
I watched some TV and got into bed. Another eventful day.