The Gurney Resort Hotel Pinang

... selviamaan etta pelia ei ehka oltu sittenkaan viela menetetty. Asemalle olisi tulossa kuulemma bussi joka veisi matkustajia Malesian ja Thaimaan rajapyykille. Sielta olisi ilta juna Bangkokiin jos vain lippuja enaa olisi. Nyt piti toimia nopeasti: Samantien lunastamaan junalipuista rahat takaisin ja ostamaan lippu tuohon bussiin (30 RM). Sitten vaan toivomaan etta saisi viela junalipun Thaimaan puolella niin ei tarvitsisi jaada yota vasten Malesian ja Thaimaan rajalle..

Butterworth, Pinang, Malaysia ilari

... quite amusing actually. The night market was really cool; it was 9pm but the air was still nice and warm, there was a huge variety of eateries of various nationalities all round the sides of the building, and in the centre were lots of tables. Waiters come round and take drinks orders. I got some Japanese food: breaded chicken with chicken curry and some sushi, and it was really cheap and very tasty. At the front of the market was a ...

... song for our arrival and the other that Mariah Carey and Dire Straits on a loop, the Mariah part was bearable for the comedy value cause they ladyboy waittresses loved singing along to her. The beach was idylic, if a little ruff. Ruff enough that Mrs I'm a really strong swimmer felt it to be very "choppy", so the most I got to do was dip my monkey toes in the Straits of Melaka and to be honest that suited me ...

... schedule) wasn’t in the cards. We were able to get some nice footage of the surf gently lapping the fine, golden sand, though. Surf and turf at Batu Ferringhi. It was time to get ready to check out Batu Ferringhi’s famous night market, or pasar malam.

... then on down afterwards. My first meal was gross!! I love noodles but couldn't eat them and unlike last night it is not due to me feeling like I am on fire!! Oh I have just noticed I feel better actually...perhaps I don't have malaria or dengue fever after all!! Anyway back to the food and my first noodles were covered in a film of raw egg...yuck yuck yuck!! The second ones weren't much better but me and Carolyn had a great evenig discussing the ...

... way up. It was hard to imagine that historically, prior to the funicular, the Chinese would transport people up to the relative cool of this hill station in sedan chairs. A few photos were taken from the top, but a general haziness militated against more. The mystery of the photographers was resolved the next day when we received our complimentary copy of the Straits Times. It appears that the funicular had broken down the day before we had been on it ...

... do with the multi-ethnicity of the inhabitants of the island. 40% are Chinese, 40% are Malay, 10% are Indian, and the remaining 10% are a mix from all over the world. Perhaps the mixing of different cultural foods have created the delicious dishes found here now. The dishes bare a resemblance to Thai dishes but a different mix of curry and sauces are used; the Indian influence is very noticeable.

There's a vibrant night market that runs along the main street ...

... of bus ticketers who decended upon us remained the same, Malaysia was certainly cleaner than Thailand-its roads and highways newly cemented with bright yellow and white lines, brand new cars that sparkled in the orange hazy sun, brandished cellphones, IPODs and blackberry-like devices everywhere, and fancy workclothes neatly primed. The amount of tourists had also faded too revealing a high-styled working class of Malaysia.

... than his hand) and we've generally driven the island and done lots of oohing and ahhing and photo taking. From a less touristy perspective there are moments here that are truly beautiful. The people are wonderfully kind and helpful. I also had a very peaceful few minutes to myself after a cool shower on the guesthouse balcony where the sun was setting across the rooves and the call to prayer from the mosque ...

Laskeuduimme Penangin saarelle yhdeksan jalkeen illalla. Nostimme terminaalin ulkoseinasta tuhat Malesian rahaa, mika oli taysin lonkalta arvioitu summa. Ainakin ensimmainen ilta yllatti positiivisesti. Taallahan on halpaa. Yleensa olemme tainneet tulla Malesiaan Indonesiasta, jolloin hintataso on aina noussut reippaasti. Macaon suunnasta tullessa kavi painvastoin. Puolen tunnin taksimatka Georgetowniin maksoi RM38, ensimmainen Love Lanen backpacker-paikoista loytynyt vapaa huone ...