Penang

Not much sleep really as everybody else was stirring and converting their beds to seats about 6 AM, and the breakfast sellers started touting. Gave in and got up around 8:30 and had breakfast. Got to the border station around 9:30. We all had to disembark without luggage, go through departure and Malay arrivals, then get back on the train. Whilst we are busy most of the carriages were unhooked, and everything cleaned including Mandy's breakfast. Arrived into Butterworth at around 2 PM, having to wind our clocks forward by an hour. Short walk to the ferry terminal which is all in the same complex, and a ferry ride to the island of Penang. Got a taxi, well actually it probably wasn't really a taxi at all, to the hotel, and our lovely suite. Back to UK power points.


After sorting ourselves out and being told that there were no local buses nearby, we walked down to Komtar which is a large shopping high-rise in Georgetown, had some maccas for lunch, looked at the shops, then took a taxi to the Kapitan Keling Mosque, and walked to the Sri Mariamman Temple, St George's Church, and Penang Museum. Discovered that there was a free tourist shuttle bus visiting most of the sites (no thanks to the Sheraton!) so we hopped on and visited Koo Kongsi, the clock tower and the old Fort. Eventually ended up back at Komtar, and walked back to the hotel via a Nonya restaurant for tea. Bit of the Australian Open tennis before sleep.