19th - 20th July - Georgetown, Penang

Krabi was our last stop in Thailand so the morning of the 19th we were more than ready to move on to a new country, Malaysia. We got picked up at 6.50am by minvan and driven to Hat Yai, we then had a hour to kill before getting another minivan at 12.30pm that was to go over the border into Malaysia and continue to Georgetoen, Penang. We eventually arrived in Penang around 4.30pm!

I was excited about returning to Malaysia after all these years and couldn't wait to get there. (i left in 1991!) We were ravanous so after checking in we went in search of food. Penang is the oldest of the British settlements in Malaysia and still very British and colonial, but it was still strange to find ourselvesin an English stlye pubcalled Soho that sold things like Ploughmans Lunch and had draught beer!

Th next day we headed to Penang Hill which i remembered visiting when i was younger. Penang Hill is 821m above Georgetown and is 5 degrees cooler than at sea level. The view from the top of Penang Hill is fantastic as you can see the whole of Penang including the Penang Bridge which links Penang to the mainland. Penang Bridgeis the longest bridge in South East Asia. It was quite hazy up there so not sure that the photos do it justice.

Penang Hill was first cleared by Captain Light soon after the British settlement in order to grow starwberries as it was originally known as Strawberry Hill.

I was in heaven up Penang Hill as we found an english restauant that sold Devonshire Cream teas and served them in a garden that was set out like an english country garden, The tea, scones, jam and cream were divine. Si said that I didn't stop smiling from the moment i'd found out they sold them! They were gorgoeus but still not a patch on yours Nan!

After Penang Hill we visited the Botantical Gardens which is 30 hectres and full of monkeys. There wasn't much to do here so we moved on pretty quickly.

That night we decided to stroll through the rain to Little India as i wanted Simon to try Roti Chani, a dish that I loved when I lived here and one I have been dying to have again. Roti Chani is unlavened flaky flat bread which you dip into dahl aor curry sauce. I really wish they made them back home! Anyway Simon agreed it was really tasty ans it was still as gorgoeus as i remembered....its also really cheap so will be having it again no doubt! (this entry is all about food isn't it?)

Penang was only a quick stop before heading to the Cameron Highlands and as we didn't leave till 3pm the next day we spent the morning aying the Eastern and Oriential Hotel a visit. The hotel was built in 1884 by the 2 famous Armenian Sarkie brothers who later founded Raffles Hotel in Singapore.