Day 22 – Penang to Krabi - Sun 17 Mar

Day 22 – Penang to Krabi - Sun 17 Mar

St Patrick's Day (should have washed my one and only green shirt). Bulls being walked (to show off? to paddock?) shiny and clean, horns polished, bright necklets. Rice being hand harvested; drying on strips of tarp along road. Not much you can't do from the back of a bike, carry poles (tricky round corners), hold canisters, sell goods (5 is maximum passengers seen so far on single bike). Found a bull fight, locking horns to see which one twists to ground first (so that’s where they were walking them!)

Found Hot Springs at base of limestone monolith from mud map drawn by local; must be therapeutic, hospital with beds and wheelchairs next door, healers/ masseuse, man bathing his arm with steel brace in bucket of waters - way too hot to immerse whole self (but GirlRob’s feet felt wonderful after dancing in and out of water). Catfish in pool, monkeys with babies abound.

Much harder to understand signs as we drive by, pictures not related to subject, unfamiliar alphabet - no English underneath as in many of Malay signs. No water on tap in service stations so far - will water be more difficult to obtain here? Bought sim card with data – like the pay as you go system. Good secondary roads, including one between Trang and Krabi. Reading out excerpts from Lonely Planet over CB radio to Guy and Cheryl re activities in Krabi, Phuket and Similan Island National Park. Passed an elephant hospital with a large patient in front yard. Houses a mix of old shacks and large modern ones made from new materials, bright floor tiles, stainless steel gates and patio fences. Temples more prolific than Malaysia with traditional steep roof and gilt/red motifs eg dragons, snakes.

Arrived Krabi, drove along beaches, magnificent limestone kaasts rising straight out of sea. Stopped at Noppharatthara Beach for swim, shallow for miles out (how can the ocean be this warm??) Brochure says " hoi chak tin - world’s biggest house of a feet pulling shell"(??)  Found our first caravan park. Mozzies were annoying at dusk, but soon forgotten with a Mai Tai, followed by charcoal grilled prawns with garlic and pepper at seafood restaurant on beach. They had pictures of town being wiped out in 2004 tsunami. We had an awful karaoke singer, but the boys tipped him anyway.

Day 21 - Pulau Pinang to Jitra/border crossing and Lake Thale Liang - Sat 16 Mar

Day 21 - Pulau Pinang to Jitra/border crossing and Lake Thale Liang - Sat 16 Mar
Woke to sight of bats circling endlessly at low level round tree outside bedroom window in semi dark (screeching noise of yesterday morning?) heaps of lycra-ed cyclists on road... one copped spillage from Guys grey water hose! Today we’ll enter our third country! Yesterday checked all paperwork for border - hope the double shuffle of passports doesn't cause problems. Original one listed on carnet for Malaysian officials, but Thailand visa is on concurrent passport (evidence of entry and exit may be asked at both places). Cleared city, and smoke and smog haze, more open country, rice paddies appearing. Plenty of investment in infrastructure obvious. Roads, bridges, Rail gangs. Ninja gardeners prune highway verges; robots control stop- go flags. Malaysia has been good to us, good food, no reactions/ illness from foods/ hygiene, water readily available. 













Crossing the border took about two hours - I will figure out how to put the info into the blog elsewhere (including issues with concurrent Australian passports!) A drab and dirty town met us, crowded with stalls and rubbish; a light rain started which didn't improve matters. Thick, multitudinous electrical wires obliterated the views on both sides. Luckily we found a Tesco down the road and stopped to exchange money, withdraw cash and eat. Refreshed we ventured forth to find the rain stopped and an increasing clean and open countryside appearing. There is definitely a middle layer of industry in Thailand compared to Malaysia, factories and light industry. Each small to medium enterprise has its own compound, with a small temple or prayer house in the grounds – there seems a thriving business in sparkling spires and religious statuary. 












Went looking for hot springs but found Lake Thale Liang instead, and the kind of campsite we'd dreamed of before leaving home - open space, cool breeze, water views, lapping waves, no insect pests, a drink watching the sun go down, stars and planets in the sky, planning the next day... The celebration that grew around us was an unexpected bonus. We ended up on tarps on the ground watching a shadow puppet play with the local community, being showered with rice dishes, watermelons, and drinks. Because of a picture on top of stage, Guy thought it may have been in aid of a local boy who was ill. So very friendly - we gave them our coins; Guy had glow sticks and dried fruit in return. 

Day 20 – Exploring Georgetown - Fri 15 Mar

Day 20 – Exploring Georgetown - Fri 15 Mar

Truly this country never sleeps, during night disturbed by bikes and cars, families on beach (a toddler playing in total dark after midnight!); windstorm rattling shanty tin relentlessly, and some squeaky something before dawn that sounded like a tribe of banshee birds. We can say truthfully that Paradise LOOKS good.....

Spent the day exploring Georgetown - Fort Cornwallis and story of Captain Francis Light; Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower (60ft, one for every year of reign); walked through Little India and its exotic spices and fabrics; saw Sin Temple; then Khoo Kongsi clan temple. 

Sushi lunch, and picked up Garmin SD card holding rest of digi maps we’ll need for this trip. Went up 830mt Penang Hill in a funicular train (amazingly steep). Drove past Kek Lok Si temple, largest Buddist temple in SEA - 7 story pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas, 30mt bronze Kuan Yin statue. Supplied-up ready for border crossing into Thailand tomorrow - vehicle's full as a goog!

Day 19 – Exploring Penang Island - Thurs 14 Mar

Day 19 – Exploring Penang Island - Thurs 14 Mar
Yucky Poo Poo!! Woke to overwhelming pong - tidal mud flats full of raw sewerage - we barely dressed before bolting for higher ground! Drove around top of island and couldn't go past Batu Ferringhi's chocolate and coffee shop - immaculate store and displays, proudly make own blends,  owner led us on his bike to best place on beach to park up tonight. We have found such a hospitable country, in spite of Travel Advisories saying "exercise normal cautions". Honest too; people have had opportunities to rip us off/ kids opportunities to steal, but haven't...

On to Snake Temple with a resident monk; didn't realise so named until BoyRob pointed out live vipers curled up high (apparently dedicated to Chor Soo Kong healer who offered pit vipers shelter from danger!) Think we hit our first con-man - asked for 2RM for parking, then drove off on motorbike! 

The Botanical Gardens were disappointing (bromiliads and fern houses both closed, orchid house small collection) but had a good walk halfway up Mount Penang, watching antics of monkeys; one stole ticket bag from admissions woman, and three fellows came with sticks and cans to stand on, to retrieve it. Have been seeing bright flashes of blue on an elusive jungle bird (a kingfisher? a blue winged leafbird?)

Finally resolved - its a white throated kingfisher!

The Tropical Spice Garden was fascinating, ornamental trails, beautifully presented, outstanding spaces (eg traditional sampan, Chinese gateway, stepping stones, spice globe) and displays (eg heliconia bank, cycad room, water garden, spice terraces). Saw turtles, carp, yellow frogs. Dinner at Monkey Tree on terrace overlooking beach, surrounded by magnificent shade trees as sun went down (ate Thai Tapas, rather than the expected Penang Curry). We came out to the spectacle of monkeys running along electrical cables on side of road! Then "home" to our new beach, sent the SPOT beacon “we’re OK” message, and had an evening swim (it’s amazingly lukewarm in the Straits of Malacca!!!)

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!

Day 17 - Exploring Cameron Highlands -Tues 12 Mar

Day 17 - Exploring Cameron Highlands -Tues 12 Mar
Beautifully cool morning to snuggle in. Had another first – a hot shower and wash hair in Ozzie - worked well, enough hot water for two. Drove up hairy one-way road to Mossy Forest, at top of Gunung Brinchang. At top, immediately surrounded by tourists from three tours, wanting to know where from, where going, what's in truck, what cost, and if carrying guns for protection! Forest spectacular - moss on ghostly trees in mist, tiny orchids and pretty flowers throughout. 

Went through tropical butterfly farm - had never seen wide-winged ones before, plus millipedes, scorpions, rhino beetles, corn weevils, stick and leaf insects, and scruffy rabbits!

Lunched at roadside stalls, steamed yams, charcoal corn on cob and fresh strawberries ("self-plucking" variety!) Stopped at tea plantation, had lychee tea (vanilla tarik way too sweet). Plantings go right to edge of road and to top of mountains- green patterns following curves and contours of land. Bigger plantations build villages for their workers with small mosques. Views at Lakeside spoilt by silted muddy water filled with rubbish. Bertam Valley was mirror image of greenhouses approaching Brinchang, except more wholesalers, predominantly Chinese.

 

Came to a dead stop in Ringlet - in midst of busy market with cars and trucks double parked into road. Vibrant is only description! Met up with Miles and Marina (MnM) who'd whizzed through the same towns we had since being towed through Singapore and crossed into Malaysia. No doubt our paths will continue to criss-cross throughout SEAsia as with JnJ until we seriously travel together daily through China.