Today I am going by ferry to Langkawi an island further north and I decided to splash out on the express ferry leaving at 8.30am. I am too mean to pay for a taxi for 2km so I decided to leave before breakfast and walk. I am so glad that I did.

It was well and truly dark when I left the hotel and the only women around were wearing clothes that left very little to the imagination!! I walked down the main street of old town Georgetown and arrived at an open restaurant about 10mins from where the terminal was so I stopped for breakfast. He told me what I wanted and I said yes then waited to see what would appear. It was an Indian pancake with an egg inside and a curry on the side - absolutely delicious - best breakfast yet and all for about 75p.

As I was eating it was getting light and a few people started to appear all wearing red t-shirts. I left, still with 40 mins to go until I had to be at the terminal. I turned down a street, it was then that I started to hear and see a large crowd all wearing red and shouting. It was the start of the Chinese New Year family run, 3500 people and at least one dragon were there ready to run ...miles. I wish I could have stayed longer to watch the start, as there was going to be a dragon dance on poles.

Embarkation of the ferry is still going on - it is basically a large bus on water, with the same amount of space for luggage. Only about 10% of us have a small amount of bags so it is fun watching them trying to find space for all the bags.

Later

Now at my 3rd hotel - it has a pool. It was a rough journey and some of those bags went for a journey of their own!!