Day 18 - Cameron Highlands through Iopo to Pulau Pinang - Wed 13 Mar

Day 18 - Cameron Highlands through Iopo to Pulau Pinang - Wed 13 Mar
Back to Hwy 186 and turn to Ipoh. Crazy drivers overtake on bends, have people sitting high on top of loads, bonnets open to cool motors while driving....weather warming quickly again as we descend range. Passed whole limestone mountains being decimated for quarries, cement factories. Infrastructure investment obvious, roads, residential  blocks, education and technology parks - but stark contrast to way villagers live, no rubbish collection, sewerage or piped water. Development (particularly agricultural) seems to be at the cost of soil erosion and silted waterways.

Followed highway up west coast, crossed causeway to Penang Island, (unexpectedly built up - highrises to the right, back-to-back villages to the left). Road tolls most expensive to date. Drove down coast to last village Gertak Sanggul; we had our eye on a cleared patch of white sand under shady trees, but the polis invited us to their backyard (crowded with fisher families and the ever present rubbish). Hot and humid after the cool Highlands, but decided against a swim when we noticed we were between the two town drains going straight into the bay around the picturesque fishing boats.

What a hit we were with local kids, our Question and Answer session only had more of them coming for more from us.  They posed for photos, had to look at all our gadgets, pictures of family, and slideshow on the laptop of Australian life and animals. Faizal wanted to show me his Facebook page, but yet again, no hotspot internet. In return the kids invited us to play soccer or go fishing. Bought "super burgers" from roadside stall (egg spread in circle, fried quickly and used to wrap processed cow and chicken patties!) Did we want vegetable? Oh lettuce? Yes please. Heaps of every sauce possible, including mayo and chili... very messy.  In the late evening, the village had a Muslim celebration in tents at the end of beach – deafening firecrackers rained debris down on the awning!