Hello all...It’s later afternoon and I love to use this time for my
internet/rest time. It's at the apex of heat and humidity, I'm drenched,
and I welcome the break to get in an air-conditioned place, sip some water,
cool down and write my friends and family.

Today has been jammed packed and a wonderful day. I like Malaysia so much
I've decided to add a day to Malaysia and take a day off of Singapore.
Besides, I have heard from other backpackers that Singapore is more
expensive, very orderly and western....so I will just spend a day there.
Mainly shop, get my passport stamped, and fly home....

At any rate, last night I rested for a while and then went back out to
eat...I had Laska something or other...I can't remember the name but it's
typical of Penang...boy was it spicy but good....sort of a curry coconut
soup with fish and noodles. I then went around trying to line up my tour
for today and most places required a two person minimum...so they
recommended I rent a motorbike and tour the island as it was only $10 for
the whole day. I seriously thought about it...but it would have been
disastrous...me driving my first motorcycle, in south east Asia, on the
opposite side of the road than in the states..NOT. I finally found a place
to book my tour.

Last night I was up in the middle of the night with a killer toothache...I
popped so much aspirin it finally killed the pain...it hasn't flared back up
since then. I got up early and found my tour bus...it was a nice small
group...2 German girls, 2 Danish girls, 1 Canadian girl, and 1 Swiss guy and
myself. Was a great little group. It's always fun to meet these
people...you form these microcosm relationships within a few hours and then
it's all over and you go your separate ways...but you’ve shared some time
together that you probably will never forget. I wish I could be like that
more in everyday life back home.

Our first stop was Penang Hill....it is 800 meter, 30 minute climb by a
funicular....it was very steep, packed, and hot...I got a bit claustrophobic in
the thing...but we made it to the top and it was a breathtaking view of the
island and the city and the strait of Melaka. We then descended down the
funicular and headed to Kek Lok Si Temple...what a climb of stairs in the
heat and sun and humidity...but it is the largest Buddhist temple in all of
south east Asia. It was quite stunning and ornate.


After visiting the Buddhist temple we headed over to my favorite part of the
island...the side less traveled which was nothing but tropical fruits, palm
trees, waterfalls, and jungle. I hiked a bit in the jungle and saw this
massive lizard....it was huge..scared the hell out of me. Also there were
monkeys swinging around the trees! I love the jungle. Its so primitive and
primal force. After hiking in the jungle our group stopped for a buffet
Malaysian lunch which was great..rice, prawns, noodles, chicken, cabbage,
etc. We all swapped traveling stories...some of these people were
traveling around south east Asia for three month...oh to have that much
time off work!

After lunch we went to the Burmese Temple and the Thai Temples. We also
stopped at a Batik making factory....almost bought some..but probably cheaper
at the central market and at a coffee plantation for White
Coffee...delicious! Finally the tour concluded and I went to the Orient
Hotel..built in 1895...because Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham used to
frequent there. I'm a Somerset Maugham fan..so I wanted to see it. He wrote
Of Human Bondage and The Razors Edge. I then walked over the museum...but it
was closed. So I came to the internet cafe where I also bought my ticket
to Kuala Lumpur for tomorrow.

After this I may swing through the market and then go home and rest. It’s
always sad when these tour ends...cuz you get sort of close to your travel
mates and then next moment everyone has gone their separate way...but then
that is how life is. People come, go, move, change...

So...Tomorrow I will go to Fort Cornwallis in the morning and then catch my
bus to Kuala Lumpur (Capital of Malaysia). At this point, I am supposed to
meet Ratna from Hospitality Club at 7 pm in the square. She is going to host
me for 2 or three nights before I head off to Singapore.

Well, I guess that is it for now...hope all is well with you. Hard to
believe this trip is winding down. By the way...I've already taken over 800
photos...this is the first time I have had to start using my second memory
disk! Well, take care. Until tomorrow!