Berjaya Georgetown

... chick peas and falafel - bit of a change from Singapore noodles and Laksa!<br><br>You will all be pleased to know i havent come across any mosquitos here so Hayley has been allowed to have the net put back in the bag for now.<br><br>Love to you all - I think i can here the YMCA just coming on..................................... ..<br>

... over looking the sea. Some chinese guys on the next table offered us some of their local delicasies, Chris obliged and was sucking on snails and drinking beer with them in no time.<br> <br>We then went in search for another 'pub street' and we ended up staying all night in the first bar we found.<br> <br>The next day we took in some sights, Fort Cornwallis, where Francis Light landed and claimed Penang island. We had lunch (actually Tiffin on the lawn!) at ...

... them when we get home.<br>The next day we had another long journey ahead of us: getting picked up in the morning at 6.30 and taken to the boat, on the main land we got another bus to Hat Yai in the south, then another bus across to Pak bara where we would get a boat the following morning to the marine park. The bus from Hat Yai was the strangest part of the journey as we were the only tourists so we really felt we were part of normal Thai life, the driver would ...

... useful rarity in this area; a natural deepwater bay where most ports have problems with shallow water). There are numerous jetties along the waterfront. As we walked along Chew Jetty (home of the Chew clan families) we were invited into one of the traditional wooden houses where the family is doing homestays. It was surprising large inside and would be quite tempting if we weren't already installed in a hotel elsewhere. The families are all traditionally ...

... a hawker stall in Chinatown which was a hit with the locals. The stall at the side of the street had an array of various meats and seafood all skewered with different coloured handles, each colour representing a price. Two Chinese lads from Singapore explained what the meats where. Once you selected your meat you then placed it into one of the two boiling pots until it was cooked. It was a lot of guess work as to wetther the meat was cooked or not. Then you dipped it into your sauces ...

I awoke at 8.30 in time for my 9 o clock ferry, and thought &#8216;Balls to this&#8217;. These long journeys have been building up and up, and I&#8217;m finding I have less patience for them at the moment. The thought of an uncomfortable ferry followed by a long trip in a cramped minivan did not fill me with joy - must be getting old etc. But what must be done, must be done, so I set off with a dour look on my face. <br><br>The scowl must have worked its ...

... the need to improve Penang tourism before some special 2010 celebrations and how she was nervous about the impending visit to the house of one of China's foremost politicians. She asked a few people around the table their thoughts - naming them by name.... It turned out I'd inadvertently been invited to a meeting of what was effectively the Chinese tourist board (and included some big names such as the Chairman of the Penang Tourist Association, a director of the Khoo ...

... visa ran out. Only we failed, being told the ferry doesn't take motorcycles and having no other option than to find some salty sea dog to carry  Dot to the other side of the pond. Finally we found one; a big stout man who looked for every inch like an Asian Forest Whittaker from The Last King of Scotland. He could take Dot for 1million RP. I was desperate. I agreed and left him Dot and the money. A few days later, two days after my visa ran out I ...

... we had our fellow bus travelers nasal passages in mind, we spent our afternoon in the air conditioning of the Komtar mall! Who would have thought it- Matt willingly going to a shopping center with me!! To pass the time we also took in a movie. We saw Madagascar 2. Good laugh (the penguins are still the best). Once it cooled down we were back for more curry and tandoori before heading to the bus station. Melaka, here we come!!