Happy New Years Eve!

Today we woke up relatively early and took our bags to our new hotel (man did it feel like a long walk with all out stuff!).

We then took a bus to Penang Hill which is a famous landmark here 735 metres above sea level.

Thankfully there was a train that took you to the top and back.

The queues for the train were long and confusing. There seems at first to be a semblance of order, though this soon dissipates into chaos once your ticket is purchased.

With ticket in hand you move to a offerer section where regardless of your previous order, people push past you and bump you around to secure a better spot for themselves, their kids, their wives, parents and grandmothers!

It got even worse at the final stage of the queue where an employee lines you up horizontally to the entrance resulting in a good 20 or so people who were behind you now being well placed for the chaotic dash ahead of you.

Once we eventually made it up the hill the view was beautiful.

Sea, city and brides below with tree tips and clouds at eye level - wonderful!

We walked around for a bit taking lots of photos and as Rob is keen to get a tattoo on his lower leg when he returns he got a henna tattoo to help him select the right spot.

Once he got his manly (ahem) tattoo (I thought it looked like a ring of sideways Xmas trees around his ankle) we walked to the Hindu temple.

Having pretty much seen what Penang Hill had to offer we then headed back down (a much more reasonable queue this time I am pleased to say).

With no sign of a bus we started walking in the direction of Georgetown and agreed to stop somewhere for a cool drink at the first opportunity as it was scorching hot.

This opportunity was we found about a mile down the road and was also right be the first bus stop we found - perfecto!

We had planned in visiting the largest temple which was apparently very close by though as we couldn't find it we went mooched around the shopping centre for a bit and then went to Sri Malaya for dinner (this time we had chicken tikka burgers!).

After dinner we went back to the hotel, did some laundry (how domesticated!) and chilled for a bit in readiness for heading out and welcoming in the New Year.

The place we chose to celebrate was a bar called Soho, conveniently right next door.

The DJ played some great music and we were lucky enough to find a free table overlooking the street (as we sat down we saw a knapkin wrapped around a cup with 'reserved for DJ' on.

The DJ caught our eye and kindly motioned for us to sit down (bonus! - the last free table in the place and we had it!).

As there was wifi Rob and I Facebooked, iMessaged and generally caught up with friends (yes, we are very social with each other!) and then we got chatting with two Australians who we then cheered the New Year in with.

Once 2012 was welcomed in we then had some tequila shots brought to us by a Malaysian dressed in full Mexican regalia :0

Then it was off to the dance floor for A good few hours of dancing and merriment.

Here we met a number of friendly (maybe over friendly) locals who we danced with until Rob walked me back to my room at 2:45am

Now, this you might think would be the end of this entry, though alas you are wrong as the evening/morning then became very strange......

At around 3:30am there was a knock at the door which I thought would be Rob. Opening it (in pjs and sleeping liner) I see not Rob, but a guy from the bar.

Startled I ask where Rob is and this guy says he is having one more drink and the guy will look after him and Rob will be back in 5 mins

The guy then hugs me and repeats the same message.

My instincts now kick in and as he goes to hug me again I motion 'no' and step behind the door and ask again where Rob is.

The guy says 'sorry' and repeats Rob will be back in 5 mins.

I then say goodnight and shut the door and make a loud noise with the bolt (as flimsy as it is) so he knows the door is locked and bolted.

As I sit somewhat shocked on the bed my inner voice says to get out of the room (I have no idea where Rob is, how this guy knew our hotel let alone room number and I have no idea of his intentions and whether he will return).

Now, I am pretty security conscious. Some might say overly so, but as a lone woman in a foreign land I felt extremely uncomfortable as vulnerable.

I got dressed and went down to the bar to find Rob though despite looking I couldn't find him and he had the key I was now locked out of the room.

Having sent Rob messages on FB and iMessage (his phone is down apart from wifi) and walked down the street for a bit in the hope of finding him it quickly became apparent that he was he needle in the nightlife of Georgetown's haystack of bars and clubs.

I went back to the bar, sat outside to use their wifi (none at our hotel) and Facebook chatted the friend I had been on conversation with earlier and explained the situation and asked whether he thought it a good idea I wait for Rob outside the bar where there was still a lot of people rather than returning to the room.

He agreed it was a good idea so this is exactly what I did for a good hour....

At 4:45am I figured Rob could be anywhere and return in minutes or hours so I decided to see if I could check into a different room (safety above cost I felt).

Unfortunately there were no spare rooms, so telling my friend my plan and all the details of the hotel I asked the man at reception to let me in, bolted the door and put a bag in front of it (not that it would do anything other than move if the door was opened!).

I stayed awake until about 5:30 though must have dropped off as at 6am there was a knock at the door.

Checking who it was before I opened it I let Rob in and then explained the events since he walked me back.

Having listened to the tale, Rob explained that he had not given any such message nor had he given out our hotel or room details.

I said to Rob that when we were up I wanted to change rooms or hotels if need be as something extremely odd and concerning was underfoot.

Having agreed to this Rob then respectfully dragged his bed in front of the door where I had asked him to sleep to try and help me feel safer.

So, tomorrow our mission is operation 'safety'.

Welcome 2012 and thank you instincts!