One.More.Sleep.

I cannot believe how fast this past year has gone!  It was just a little over 12 months ago we started counting down for our next Bali holiday.  I can't explain it, but there is some kind of weird force that has me wanting to go back to Bali again and again.  Even more so now that we have made friends with a local and his beautiful family... I must admit, when AirAsia made it so attractive for us to visit Malaysia instead, I felt a lot guilty about not returning to Bali instead.


Finally, with one more sleep to go, I am just a tiny big bit excited about seeing, tasting and sharing new experiences in another Asian culture that I haven't yet been a part of.


Also, this will officially be the first big o/s holiday that only the three of us will share.  The first one was as newlyweds, the next two trips was with another family, the last trip was without child; so although every holiday has been amazing, this trip will be a whole new and different adventure for that reason alone.


Getting a little more practice each year, we have decided to try really hard to travel light and have actually packed more suitcases in the suitcases than anything else.  I have warned hubby that we may get searched due to the suspicious layers of nothingness, but I am certain we are not the only ones who pack suitcases inside themselves.


I am pretty sure that tomorrow is going to be remembered as one of the longest days in my life.  With a 6am wakeup, 7:30am pickup by Grandmas who will drive us to the airport for an 11am departure; 8 hour flight to KL, with a 5-hour scenic tour of the KL airport while we wait for our flight to Penang; 9:30pm departure to finally arrive at Penang airport approx. 10:30pm (BTW this is now Malaysian time - add an additional 2.5 hours to keep up in Australia).  Following our drive from the airport to our accommodation, I conclude that we should arrive at our Penang Beach resort at approximately 12am Malaysian time, which actually equals 2:30am Adelaide time.  I keep reminding myself... the journey is just as important as the destination!


Home from a quick visit with Nanny and Grandpa so that they can wish us happy and safe travels, with Miss 8yo finally asleep after asking way too many questions and the suitcases packed and weighed, it's time for me to have a cuppa and watch some mindless TV, before getting some shut eye myself...

Day 2: On the buses (Sunday 16th March 2014)

Surprisingly had a decent sleep and didn't even fall down the crack of our super sized king bed (which is actually 2 double beds pushed together). Miss 8yo says her bed is "super comfy".

We all woke at 7:45am before the alarm, which was set for 9am (all time will be in Malay time from this point on - Adelaideans add 2.5 hours). We fit in a cuppa before heading down to our enormous buffet breakfast.  The selection was huge, with usual Asian items, more Indian choices & typical Western variety (although no bacon much to Hubby's dismay - this place is largely Muslim population after all & the pig is sacred).

With full bellies we walked around the beautiful hotel grounds, for the first time in daylight checking out the great facilities and gorgeous views.

We went for a swim in the pool, before heading out in search of a supermarket to get supplies. We popped into Hard Rock Hotel (next door) where my research told me we could purchase Rapid Penang bus passports. Unfortunately we did not have enough money on us and we needed to show our passports to register. We decided to keep walking to find an ATM as the staff at Hard Rock said that money changers would not be open being a Sunday.

We walked approx. 15 mins until we reached the main intersection; the golden arches in view. We found an ATM, popped in to Maccas to get Miss 8yo a Sundae (3RM) - so much for the no junk food rule. Stole Maccas free Wif & discovered we could purchase bus passes from Lone Pine resort just up the road. I remembered I had stored photos of our passports on my phone email and figured this should be enough to register - it was!

We wandered up the road to the closest bus stop and around 20 mins later along came the bus. Hubby commented that it had been about 20 years since he'd ventured on public transport...and what an adventure it was about to be!

The bus was absolutely packed, no choice but to stand and hold on for dear life! The road was just like Gorge Road back home and the bus driver thought he was a racing car driver. We had Miss 8yo squashed between us like a sandwich so that she didn't get thrown out the middle exit doors; I was holding on white knuckle style so the same didn't happen to me!

The bus driver at least listened to us when we got on the bus & told him we wanted to go to Tesco, as he shouted out when it was our stop. Glad to escape, but laughing just the same, we wandered over to the shopping complex to buy supplies. A trolley full later including Hubby's 6-pack of 8.8% beer, totalling 160RM, we realised we had too many heavy bags (9L of water too) to catch the scary bus back home, but only had 13RM left in our pocket...plus it was raining.

We approached a taxi driver outside who informed us set fare back to Batu Ferrenghi was 25RM. We tried to barter, but he wasn't having it and told us to go upstairs to money changer. Hubby went back up, but it was closed. Although the taxi driver didn't believe us he agreed to take us back to the Hotel for $10AUD (he would've made a small tip out of us anyway).

Back at the hotel Miss 8yo breaks open the super sized prawn chips; you wont find them like this at home.  Hubby changes money downstairs at the Hotel Reception 2.79RM = $1AUD.  We decide not to venture too far for dinner and wander across the road to Enca Cafe (TA recommended) and order 1 x Garlic/Cheese Naan, 2 x Pilau Rice, Lamb Cashew, Lamb Vindaloo, Chicken Risotto, Strawberry Milkshake, Lemon Ice Tea and Schooner Local Beer; total price 98.75RM (approx. $34AUD).  Delicious Indian food!

Straight back to the Hotel, Miss 8yo showers and in bed by 7:45pm.  Although I would love a few celebratory drinks, there is no way I can keep up with Hubby and my head soon hits the pillow.

Day 1: Longest Day EVER...Penang the long way round! (Monday 15th March 2014)

Alarm goes off 6am, last minute packing, say goodbye to the animals and in Grandmas' car to the airport. Straight to check-in, we are waiting for customs to open by 8:30am. An hour later, customs finally take down the ropes and with no drama at all we are through to the Duty Free shop. 6 Litres of spirits later (2 to take with us; 4 to collect when we get back)...$168...what a bargain!

We didn't have to wait long before boarding our plane to Kuala Lumpur and the 7+ hour flight seemed to go really fast.  Our AirAsia plane was 3 rows wide; the only other plane I have been on this big was with Garuda back in 1991, hubby said when he came over from England his plane might have been slightly bigger, but Miss 8yo was in awe!  We were in row 47; I was aisle seat next to a young man from Korea who literally slept the whole flight (wasted window seat); hubby was next to me in aisle seat, with Miss 8yo in the middle and a young lady next to them; there was another 2 seats opposite their row.  The pre-ordered plane food was fairly decent, although kids meals came out way too early.  Overall, our first flight with AirAsia wasn't too shabby especially considering our bargain price of $950 return.

Of course we brought the rain with us!  KL hadn't had any decent rain in over a month and although our 8 hour flight arrived early hitting the runway at 3:50pm Malaysia time (6:20pm Adelaide time), we were forced to wait on the plane (only half managed to escape) until the downpour slowed and AirAsia staff could greet as at the tarmac with umbrellas; by now it was 4:15pm Malaysia time.

A 10 minute walk towards arrivals entrance across the tarmac and that's when the waiting and seriously bad queues began... Heading up the escalator (much to Miss 8yo surprise: "This airport is way better than Bali") everything seemed calm and easy, until... the queue from hell appeared. We joined the "Foreign Passport" line along with thousands of other newly arrived tourists at 4:25pm Malaysia time and finally reached the counter an hour later!

No Visa on arrival, no paperwork to complete/submit, but we were expected to place both index fingers on a little machine to be finger-printed.  I approached the counter with Miss 8yo, we showed our passports and were both ready and willing to try out the fancy machine, but the guard simply waved us through.  Of course, Hubby looks way too suspicious to get away with that and now they've got his finger prints on record.

We wandered around lost for a while, trying to work out where we had to catch our next plane and what we were going to do for the next 5 hours before we could board our plane to Penang.

By now it was way past tea time and we didn't have any Malaysian money yet, so we found a money changer and got 275RM for $100AUD.  The next thing to tick off the list was to get a local SIM card (even though I managed to use the Telstra credit I still had on my phone to contact home).  We found a booth that set my phone up with a "Tune" SIM card for 55RM which left me with 43RM credit.

We looked around at food choices and although we didn't want to eat junk on this trip, Miss 8yo was hard to please after such a long day, so we settled for a not-so-familiar fast food joint "Marrybrown" which really was just like KFC.  A typical meal combo for 3 cost 47.15RM (approx $16AUD).

We soon headed to the domestic terminal to wait to check-in for our flight to Penang, went through the scanners approx. 8pm but still the check-in counters were not yet open.  Of course Miss 8yo suddenly needed the loo, so back out again and back through the scanner to find we could now check our bags in.  Although I had checked-in online, I forgot to print my boarding passes at the kiosk; the guy at the counter said I should have done so, but was kind enough to do this for me... I'll know better next time.

Through to the departure terminal we go, time for a coffee and some more waiting... until... that's right, over the loud speaker we get told "thanks for your understanding" - plane has been delayed for 15 or so minutes... URGHHHHHH!  By this time Miss 8yo (oh and us) had been awake for over 17 hours!

Finally we board our plane to Penang, taking off only 15 minutes late.  I was fighting sleep, but must have shut my eyes because next thing, I hear the pilot over the loud speaker announcing that we should prepare for landing.  We waited patiently and were one of the last ones off the plane.  This worked in our favour though, as when we got to the baggage collection, the conveyer belt soon started up and our bags were out 2nd and 4th.  We headed straight out the front and our driver Mr Raja (who we arranged as a result of a recommendation from a trusted Trip Advisor member), spotted us right away.  Mr Raja was a lovely older Indian gentleman, who had lots of helpful advice, stopping at a servo on the way for us to grab some snacks, commenting on Hubby's awesome beard; when he dropped us at our hotel approx. 45 min later, he even suggested we could pay him the 70RM later... of course we paid him right away and promised to contact him in a few days to organise a day trip.

Our hotel check-in at the Bayview Beach Resort was fast, the staff not needing to ask how tired we were, making it as easy as possible.  The Receptionist (I think her name was Paitin), even offered us a room upgrade (woo! hoo! first one ever).  It was only a small upgrade, from Standard to Superior, but I suspect our view from the balcony is much better than it would have been.  We are on the 9th floor (of a 10 floor high building - don't worry, the lifts are awesome) and have a great view of the mountains.  All of this for just over $100AUD per night for the 3 of us, including flights and full buffet breakfast!! 

After a quick shower, rearrange of the room to create more space with Miss 8yo's fold out bed, we finally hit the pillow at around 3am Adelaide time (12:30am Malaysia time)... zzzzzzzzz...