Penang in 48 hours. First 21.

Okay, maybe it's not 48 hours. More like 36 crammed into 24.

I was in Penang last month for a friend's wedding, and this is my second solo trip to one of the places that is becoming my favourite place in Malaysia: Penang.

Many of you may know Penang for its street food, and Penangites would defend to their last breath the no.1 status of their char koay teow, cendol, ais kacang, nasi kandar, and loh bak. Most of them will balik kampung, meet up with friends, and indulge in weekends of unabashed gluttony indulgence.

But they are not too far from the truth. Food in Penang is really tasty. You just need to taste it to tell. And compare those to what you can find in KL.

Anyway, I have just about 5-6 hours to do some sightseeing in Penang, having reached the Hentian Sungai Nibong at 3pm despite catching a bus from KL at 9am! Usually it takes only about 4 hours (or 2.5 hours according to a F1 driver). The traffic was really bad as it was the starting of the school holidays.

I reached there, with no preparation and no map. I wasn't even sure where I was on the Penang Island. But the best thing about travelling in Malaysia is that Malaysians are generally helpful. Depending on where you are, it is easy to get directions. I was rather unlucky as Penangites, apparently, do not take public transport. So after a few people pointed me in several different directions, I decided to just wait at the bus stop for the bus to go to Tanjung Bungah. Fortunately, it took only half and hour to get on the no. 102 that will travel to the other side of the Island. The hotel receptionist commented that I was lucky to even get a room. I didn't regret making reservations earlier.

The 102 bus. (http://www.rapidpg.com.my/)

The Komtar building. Georgetown's most recognisable landmark.

The room. I'm a creature of comfort. :)

Copthorne. Nice cosy hotel. (http://www.copthornepenang.com/)

I reached Copthorne only an hour and a half later due to hellish traffic and had half an hour to shower and head to the other end of the coast to attend the wedding. Luckily, the friendly doorman offered to book me a taxi for RM25 to get there. It was about a 15 min drive but taxi fares are generally quite expensive in Penang, which is why locals avoid taking them. I didn't mind paying because one of the things you realise quickly is that you can learn a lot about the city when you talk to taxi drivers. And Mr Bas, the taxi driver, didn't disappoint.

-wedding + a good night's sleep + breakfast in bed (no breakfast with room) + swim (oh.my.god.)-

I love hotels with swimming pools. That's because it's the only time I get to just put on my swimsuit and head down. Driving to a swimming pool kind of kills the joy somewhat. And Copthorne's pool was one of the best I've seen so far. It's not the standard 50m pool that I love, but there's one part of it that is 2m deep. So you can practically dive in when the guards are not looking. And because it's so deep there the kids won't bother you.

Nothing wakes you up more than a light breakfast (cafe on the left) and solid laps in the pool

The hotel also has access to a small beach, which I missed because I was too distracted by the pool. But what more can you ask for? Imagine this: sunrise by the beach, warm coffee plus a cinnamon bun and a swim. Perfect morning.

A view from the bar at the poolside

The beach

And so, the first 21 hours of my stay in Penang has concluded when I checked out at around noon. Another tip for travellers in a rush: ask a Penangite to bring you around. They know the best places to eat and things to see!

That's going to be in part 2.

Glossary for my non-Malaysian readers
1. Char Koay Teow = fried rice noodles (the noodles are flat-ish, like fettucine)
2. Cendol = a dessert with jelly, red beans and sometimes corn in diluted coconut milk
3. Ais kacang = Ice shaving plus red beans, and lots of stuff. Sweet dessert.
4. Nasi kandar = Mixed rice with lots of fried stuff and curry.
5. Loh bak = Marinated minced pork rolled in soybean sheets - deep fried.

9 craziest things I did so far

Courtesy of SkyJump (Auckland). Boy thinking about it still gives me the adrenaline high.

I consider my life rather average and nondescript. No roller coasters, no shocking developments. But I'm sometimes impulsively foolish and there's no end to the number of crazy friends I have in my life. In no particular order, here's the list. Will try to blog about them soon.

1. Jumped off a 192m building
2. Spent RM3 a day on food for 3 days
3. Took three weeks off to reflect on life at an isolated meditation centre
4. Built a man-made wetland
5. Buried my first lab rat
6. Went without sleep for 72 hours on a can of Livita
7. Swallowed my first escargot
8. Searched for worm eggs in monkey poop
9. Wore a saree with a petticoat a size smaller (and nearly died of oxygen deprivation)

Off to meet some people I haven't met for a very, very long time! I'm sure I could add to this list.

The perfect getaway: Pulau Perhentian

It's been a few months since I left the sandy beaches of Pulau Perhentian, but the sea breeze and glorious sunshine is still something that I remember whenever I longed for a break.

It started when a friend and I initiated a plan to go for an annual trip together every year just to escape the stresses of the city. Bangkok seemed to be a good option, but we couldn't plan in advance so flights were way beyond what we were willing to pay for. After all, why get out of a city just to get stressed out in another city?

So we opted for somewhere easier on the nerves and closer to home - Perhentian.

It was early May and the Island off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia is just starting to warm up after the last monsoon season ended. Prices were more affordable and we decided on a five day four nights snorkelling package at the Bubu Long Beach Resort.

The Bubu Resort view of the sea

Initially we thought five days is a little long, but whatever doubts we had about not doing anything except have fun and chilling out for close to a week was dumped once we arrived at the resort. The package allows for four days of snorkelling and a sunset walk. But if you think snorkelling for four days is boring, think again. It is very enjoyable, particularly when both of us love the sun and the sea.

Perhentian used to be rather inaccessible before it is gradually developed into a tourist destination. With popular destinations like Pulau Redang and Tioman surrounding it, it is easy to overlook this idyllic island and its raw beauty.

But now that it is gaining more attention, it is rather easy to get there. All you need to do is get to the Kuala Besut jetty from Kota Bharu or Kuala Terengganu and take a boat ride across to the islands. From Kuala Lumpur, both flights to KB/KT takes about an hour and the boat ride takes about 45 minutes.

I assure you, unless you're sea sick (which could be overcome with some meds) once you get on the boat, you would feel the city life fade from your mind.

It was a long wait, but this view made up for it

When we arrived, a cold drink was ready for us as our rooms were prepared.

Sipping a drink under a wooden and straw shack has got to be the greatest way to start your vacation.

And Bubu has got this absolutely refreshing welcoming drink that is a special blend of honey dew with a tinge of orange.

Now, I didn't have many pictures of this trip because I have resolutely left my camera behind, just so that I could enjoy the view and experience as it is and not worry about looking for a good angle. However, I still had my phone with me, so this are some of the sights from the corridor outside our room.

Simply beautiful

Some resort workers preparing the evening meal.

And we were lucky to be able to wake up to this...

Every snorkelling experience was different, and we had the good fortune to snorkel with great guides. In the course of four sessions, we've seen three turtles, a couple of green humphead parrotfish, sharks, and stingrays. One guide could not stop himself from jumping off the roof of the boat into the water every single outing and another was just so straight-laced and shy we were decidedly amused.

My friend was thrilled to find different underwater creatures every day, but I just enjoyed swimming in the sea. There's just something very liberating about being in a large body of water.

Soon we got into a routine of waking up for breakfast, changing into our snorkelling gear and walking across the beach for lunch (the tuna fried rice is absolutely delicious!) and going swimming again before dinner. I was quite burnt after three days but that's rather normal for me, no matter how much sunscreen I use.

On the way back, our driver was kind to stop by a Buddhist temple in Bachok where a huge standing Buddha statue stood. Unfortunately there wasn't enough time to visit the hot springs that is just beside the temple.

The thing about Perhentian is you could plan your trip to suit your budget without much trouble. A RM200/day budget could get you some pretty comfortable stays and packages.

But to thoroughly enjoy a beach holiday here, leave your camera behind. It is definitely more enjoyable to take in the view with your five senses than through your viewfinder. You won't regret it. I didn't.

Thinking of the beach again...

PS: Since I think this post is the most read so far, here's how you would find Bubu http://www.buburesort.com.my/. Highly recommended for travellers who don't mind spending a little bit more for the comfort of having everything planned for you from the moment you arrive.