25-30/01/20

Arriving at Laos Silk Hotel, Vientiane after a ten hour boat and bus journey we're feeling ok.. Our room is small which is fine; it's climbing up five flights of stairs with our backpacks which is tough. It's late, so after a quick meal we hit the sack. After a leisurely breakfast the following morning we spend the rest of the day sorting out onward travel, tickets and accommodation. Having visited Vientiane a few years back we have seen the sights so we're just relaxing.

At 4pm we're taxied to the Thanleng Train Station 15km from Vientiane to catch the only working train in the whole of Laos across no man's land to the Thai border town of Nong Khai. Having filled out the exit forms and paid 10,000 kip for the privilege I then head to the only shop on the platform to spend our remaining kip as the currency cannot be converted nor taken out, so is effectively worthless. Having bought some snacks for the journey, milk for the station cat (who, by the way didn't drink it), I gave the rest to a couple of children playing nearby. Boarding the train a little later it's exciting, crossing from one country to the other and we're capturing the differences between the two. Laos, definitely the poor cousin. After chatting to a lovely Japanese lady who had been in Laos on a textile buying mission we arrive at the Thai border twenty minutes later having crossed the Mekong, the natural border between the two countries. While queueing at immigration we are handed paper mouth and nose masks and sanitizer to wash our hands. There's been an outbreak of a new respiratory virus called Coronavirus in China and the authorities are keen to keep it from entering into Thailand - most orientals queueing are asked if they had come via China. Once through immigration we board the sleeper train an hour later. It's a new train made by the Chinese and is top notch; sleeper berths with crisp white sheets and nice toilets and washing facilities.

Arriving in Bangkok bang-on-time at 6am the following morning we grab a taxi to Don Muang Airport for our flight to Penang. At the airport we are shocked to see thousands of Asians returning from their Tet (New Year) holidays all pushing to get a place in one of many queues at check-in; it's an affront to the senses after laidback. Don Khone. We are also shocked to see them all wearing face masks. Concerned a bit more now, we don ours. Googling the virus later we follow the advice of washing hands regularly and avoiding people with colds and coughs, but decide to remove our masks as there's no mention of the need to wear one. It's easy to be taken in by what you see (we were) it's a pack mentality.

Arriving in Penang after a short flight we are met by medics in full protective clothing and face masks - pretty scary. All passengers entering the country are stopped to have their temperatures taken before allowed entry. Phew, we pass with flying colours. As visas are not required we wizz through passport control. Once outside we're approached by a lovely local lady called Francis to share a GRAB (UBER) cab. Francis is a guest house owner and a tour guide so we got a free history lesson on Penang and especially George Town where we're headed.

Once at our hotel I can't wait to check-in. We've been travelling for almost three days to get to Penang, sleeping in three different countries - we're knackered. David checks-in asking for a quiet room; ten minutes later we are still waiting. Because of the travelling I am approaching my wits end. I politely inform them we have been travelling for almost three days and are exhausted and desperate for a shower; all we want is to check-in. David takes over and we eventually get upgraded to a large room which is two upgrades from what we had originally booked, but only have to pay for one upgrade. Fabulous.

Early evening, showered and refreshed we head out. The historic centre of George Town has been given UNESCO World Heritage status due to it's old Chinese shophouses which are a mix of Chinese and European architecture. It's also famous for its street and wire art which is displayed on walls all around the heritage area. Penang is a melting pot of people and cultures that all live together separately but harmoniously. There's Little India, various Chinatowns, an Armenian street, Muslim area and an English area with its own Downing Street. Having been ruled by Britain for a couple of hundred years it has a real colonial feel about it.

Penang is world famous for its food with a fusion of Chinese, Malay and Indian being the most prevalent. Having not eaten a proper meal in two days we can't wait to try the cuisine. We're not disappointed, we have one of the best chicken tikka meals we've ever tasted with delicious breads and sauces. No beer to accompany it, instead mango lassi mmmmm!

Next morning we're off to join the city walking tour organised by the local tourist office. An hour and a half later we have wandered through the various communities, their churches, mosques and temples and are enthralled by its history and some of the stories our guide recounts fascinating! It's now well past midday and we are dripping with sweat as it's unbelievably hot. Managing to make it back to our hotel [after nipping to buy the essentials you can't get out of a city, you know, the key things you need - shaving cream, hair gel, sun tan cream and toothpaste] without melting, we escape the rest of the afternoon heat.

The next couple of days are spent seeing the sights and drinking in the atmosphere. As the culture is so diverse there's lots to see and understand. Visiting some of the old restored mansions with all their history and mish mash of oriental and European architecture is a delight. The Peranakan Mansion is my favourite. Peranakan is the name given to the descendants of the early Chinese settlers who married rich Malay women to integrate and prosper in George Town. They acquired a culture, cuisine and a dress style of their own - a mix of Malay and Chinese. Always marrying into other rich Peranakan families to secure their wealth. BTW Charles and Camilla were entertained here when they visited Penang a few years ago.

The vibrant Chinese temples dotted all over town belong to different clans that originally helped new immigrants from the same area of China settle in. There's even a temple dedicated to the Chinese who had mafia connections with escape routes when the temple was attacked by other clans. It's Chinese New Year (Tet), and the town is full of celebrations with lion dancing and firecrackers going off everywhere and Chinese people visiting temples with various offerings to bring them good luck for 2020.

Due to the many ethnic groups, English as well as their original languages and dialects are spoken here; this makes it easy to get about and chat with the locals. However, the heat is oppressive, so much so we time our sightseeing with the lowest temperatures - although this is about 35 degrees! NOT pleasant.

We're heading off to Langkawi Island first thing in the morning; it's Malaysia's biggest island and only a three and a half hour ferry ride from George Town, Penang.

Even though it is of no real interest, I have to mention the end of an era - my Teva travelling sandals have finally given up the ghost after more than a decade of service. RIP .TEVA'S