Langkawi to Penang

Oct 18 – 21 Langkawi to Penang

Let's get out of here. Cockroaches were crawling ON the bed in the night, bugs and lizards everywhere. This place could be nice under different circumstances but I can't wait to get out. Packing it up, we are lucky to get our money back from the reception for the remaining nights. Breakfast is actually good but that can't cover up for the other 'experiences' we've had.

We order a Taxi to take us to the main beach and after telling the Taxi driver what we are looking for (we want a Hotel, we've had enough of Bungalows for right now) he stops at Aseania Beach. The rooms are clean and spacious, we can stay above the ground floor and they have no less than three pools. We can also negotiate a discount on the room rate, so are really happy to stay here. The next nights are not bugfree but that's ok so bad, as long as I don't have to share my bed with them.

We spent the rest of the day chilling at the poolS and head for the beach in the evening.

I was hoping to go diving on Langkawi too but I have not seen one reputable dive shop or any equipment anywhere. They sell dive trips but it seems sketchy to me. It will just have to wait for another time I guess. Since there are a few things to see on the island, most of which don't entice us though, we book an island hopping trip, half day, for tomorrow morning for 25 R only.

The Hotel is roughly 15 minutes walk away from the main beach of Langkawi. And what a beach it is, around 3km long. Sand, with plan trees and azure waters. All bungalows and restaurants are behind the tree line so you have an unobstructed view of the entire beach as far as you can see.

We choose one of the first restaurants we find for dinner. And chances as always are 50/50. Two of us like our food, the other two... not so much. And once again, it is a dry restaurant, no alcohol served here. And I was so craving for a beer. We stop at a fancy looking restaurant where we have desserts, or in my case, liquid dessert ;-)

Coming to the Hotel we hear the shocking news. Our University is closing down for an additional 5 weeks due to the floods in Bangkok. F I V E weeks! What the hell. This is crazy. Initially I think it's a joke, but the news are everywhere and fellow students on Facebook talk about nothing else. So another five weeks. While Reija and Laura call their boyfriends, who are due to visit them soon, I consult the Lonely Planet whether to stay or to go. I kept saying that if I had more time I would just continue straight from Penang to Sumatra since it's really close. Am I gonna keep that up? It's gonna be a hard toss up between staying and going over the next few days. For hours on end there's phone calls with home, chatting with people that are in Bangkok right now and just a general confusion on what to do next. Jonna and Reija are scheduled to fly back on Saturday, which is supposedly a bad flood day in Bangkok. Laura and me have a flight back on Tuesday. Will I take it?

Reports from Bangkok tell us that in our area there is no water to be seen yet. Only sandbags everywhere to hold the water out should it arrive. The supermarkets are completely out of drinking water, dry foods are getting short. As of now there's still plenty of Sodas and alcohol to be bought. All perishables like milk and yoghurt are running short. The supply trucks are simply not coming through anymore. Is there anything but curiosity that would lead me back to Bangkok?

The next morning I get unlucky and twist my ankle quite badly on the way to breakfast. No island hopping for me today. No refund given though. Walking is just way too painful. After spending some time with a good book, the girls are back already from the island hopping. Happy to hear that I haven't missed much, unhappy to hear that it wasn't too great for them. There was a 5 minute eagle feeding where you could try and take pictures but the eagles were just too fast. A stop at an island to see the Pregnant Maiden Lake, which the girls skipped out on as there were really aggressive monkeys. Freshwater lakes are something special in this area, not so much in Finnland, so why risk – another – monkey attack. Last stop was a beach, which was really nice but the stop to short. It's pooltime for the girls and I slowly, slowly, slowly join them. Each step hurts and one employee recommends getting a special massage that will help ease the pain. Since the poolside beers did not help with the pain I opt for the massage while the girls run to dinner to escape my painful screams. The Lady was good, but damn did it hurt. My ankle turned all blue, black and purple and the swelling was even more.

Magically the next day it already felt much, much better. So going through all the pain was almost worth it. The masseuse forbid me to drink coffee or tea but mentioned alcohol was perfectly fine. Nice therapy. We chill at the pool again and by the time we get ready it's already too late to go up with the Langkawi cable car. The ride there would simply take too long to leave so late. I console my pain and disappointment with Milka chocolate from the duty free shop. Yummy!

After walking the entire stretch of beach we settle for a fantastic (yet pricy) restaurant for dinner and get to enjoy good food along with a marvelous sunset. We walk back to the road through the luxurious resort. These pools are even bigger than ours and according to the resort map they have a few lakes in between. It's too dark to see in detail but it just sounds really impressive. To make a mental note, the resort is called Meritus Pelangi Beach, and if I am ever in these necks of the woods again with the proper change....

Yesterday the ladies had found an Agency that told them it would be cheaper to get a ferry from Langkawi to the mainland and then a bus from there to Georgetown on Penang. It takes only an hour longer at half the price. I doubt that it's so easy, but if it is, then why not try. In search of that Agency we pass by but tonight another girl is there. Seems like the trip is not so easy after all. Taking a taxi to the ferry, ferry to the mainland. Taxi to the bus terminal, bus to Butterworth which is the port town from where you can get to Penang, another taxi to the ferry terminal, ferry to Georgetown and then a Taxi to the Hotel. I am very glad we stick to the original plan of just taking the straight ferry from Langkawi to Penang. It only leaves twice a day with the first one heading out at 2.30pm. We stop at some more shops on the way home for souvenirs and stuff and start packing for tomorrow.

Morning is as usual relaxed at the pool with a Taxi pick-up at 1pm to go to the Ferry terminal. Tickets are easily bough at 60 R (~15 € each). Now we just wait around to leave. Uneventful ride with plenty of uncontrolled children making it nearly impossible to relax. On Penang they scan the luggage as on airports. Why I wonder, we just traveled within Malaysia, but Langkawi is a duty-free island with plenty of cheap booze, a third of the prize than in Malaysia, so it does make sense.

There's plenty of Taxi drivers outside all shouting for our attention and since it is an island, they all overcharge. What to do, no idea where the Hotel is or how to get there. We negotiate hard and end at an reasonable price for 4 people. The Hotel makes a very good first impression, hopefully it lifes up to it. And yeaaaaah! Welcome to Naza Talyya Penang, you've been upgraded to a Suite. That's what I like to hear. Instead of two double rooms a big suite for the four of us. It's so comfy and cozy inside – and such a bad weather outside – that we decide just to stay in, chill and order Room Service. If you got a Suite, you got to use it too. Besides we are all tired from staying up half night talking to family and friends about the Bangkok floods and the extended vacation.

There are five other students from FH Kufstein studying in Penang, so I do get in touch with them to see what they are up to. There plan is party tonight, since I am kind of tired we'll all stay in and I take a raincheck on the party. Laura is also starting to feel slightly sick, so hope that gets better soon.