50 Shades: Penang, Malaysia!

The shade was absolutely real, I wasn't able to get that Christmas Day alcoholic beverage at Kota Kinabalu International Airport! Penang was in my sights, I was ready to get very merry and that I just did! Reconnecting with a friend who I had not seen for several years was the right thing to do! Penang showed me chaos but I was able to make the best of that festive island life! Shady!

Jetting off from Kota Kinabalu to Penang on Christmas Day felt correct, it felt like a blessing to be somewhere warmer than 2022! I expected a pre-flight drink to be available at BKI airport because that tourist city had proved itself to be more liberal than Sandakan. Did I find that special drink? I clocked a 7-11 convenience store near to the check-in area and I definitely saw some small cans of beer but I was impatient to get through security. I saw a Carlsberg pump at one of the few cafes, they did me dirty by it being out of action, no such Christmas spirit could be felt! Would they be serving any beverage for purchase on that Penang bound Firefly flight? I boarded with my Ringgit notes ready, I was poised to spend some serious paper on that domestic flight within Malaysia! I asked one of the members of crew if they served alcohol and he confirmed that the Malaysian government prohibits the sale of alcohol on domestic flights within the country. The flight was quick, I kept hope that Penang would allow me to get boozy! 

Penang knew that I was feeling thirsty! I glided through the airport from my arriving flight, it was crazy busy but eventually I found a taxi to my hostel. Hitting up 'Chulia Street' restored my faith during that Christmas moment, 'The Frame Guesthouse' served up my clean private room because I wasn't going to be staying in a dorm! Hitting that same street showed me that drink was in every single direction! I already knew that a call home to family wouldn't be on the cards because those pints were being seen off with the quickness! It was golden to be set within a bar friendly area once again, Penang felt a lot more liberal! Those beers turned into cocktails and it was set that I would have a 'Very Merry' Christmas indeed! Let me just say, I drank everything in-sight and had no regrets! Deep down my hangover knew that Christmas made me do it! Malaysia's drier than dry domestic flights were thankfully out of my sight, getting on the drink had to done because Penang wouldn't have it any other way! No, sober flights aren't my thing! 

Boxing Day in Penang had me feeling very tender, those Xmas beverages had finished me off! Not defeated, I was able to see a lot of George Town during that first full day spent in Penang. I had to make tracks back towards Chulia Street because my bed was calling me, that private room was well worth the coins! Right, I wanted to try some 'Nasi Tandir' and with 'Little India' in my sights I was able to find some place where they served it up. I ordered fine, you know when that person who has been there shorter gets served first? Like, I was wondering what the issue was? I was throwing eyes at the workers and for that I apologise now but in the moment my hangover was critical. I managed to attract the managers attention, she apologised and said that the guy who took my order was new. I did not care, I just wanted my food and my bed in that order! I wasn't happy about the wait but I was served up some delicious food in the end. Penang tried to be shady but I saw through this behaviour and embraced it all. Nasi Tandir for the win! Oh, PG!  

Penang ruined me but I was my own worst enemy, I was just having a great time! Penang was the last stop on my six city Malaysian Christmas expedition. It was decided that I would conclude my time spent in Malaysia on Penang island for about three days, I had enough time to get crazy, recover and then bounce back! Penang served an abundance of culture, it was like walking along a cultural borderline whilst I crossed each street in George Town. Spending Christmas on the island was the medicine, I had experienced three Christmases at home in England from 2020 through to 2022. For that reason, an international Christmas had to happen, Malaysia truly chose me because I encountered friendly people and gorgeous scenery. Of course, a certain level of shadiness was served but I will forgive 'Penang Hill!' I will get back to that incident in a moment, those school holiday crowds didn't impress me at all! 50 Shades or what? You know what, Penang kept it real and for that we're now at number 25! Ferringhi, who? 

Recovered from that hateful hangover left me wanting to do something outside of George Town before my last day in Penang approached. I had looked online and after some research, I thought 'Penang Hill' looked like a good place to catch some views of the island from a higher point. I had even gone to the trouble to book an online ticket because it had been said the lines get busy during school holidays. Fully delusional, I rocked up to Penang Hill's tourist entrance at ground level. I was so confident that I would be able to use my reservation to get up onto the hill without any issues. How wrong I was! The queue management was an absolute joke, I had to ask people several times which line to go in. I lined up with my QR code, I stood in the already busy line for what felt like twenty minutes, it looked hopeful but I was stopped dead at the next set of turnstiles. My ticket had not been validated, I was told to speak to the staff at the ticket window. They told me I would have to wait for three hours, I had better things to do! Oh, I was seething! 

Little did I know that my trip to Penang's 'Ferringhi Beach' the previous day had safeguarded a sightseeing point for that trip. Now, I had no plan to swim in the sea whilst in Penang but I wanted to catch some sea views with a slower pace in mind. One day before Penang Hill tried my life, I took a Grab Taxi from George Town along the coast. It took about twenty minutes before I arrived at the beach. I was able to find the beachfront without any hassle caused, I clocked the Chinese food as I walked closer to the beach. I knew where lunch would be! Getting a beer felt right, I sat down where I was pleased with the blue waters in front of me. My visit to the beach was brief, it was majorly humid. I grabbed some lunch at that mentioned Chinese Malaysian hangout. Yes, it was great to order my lunch in Mandarin Chinese! Ferringhi Beach felt like a blessing before Penang Hill shaded me! No, I am not going to look back in anger, it was all an experience, that is what life is about. You know that after the beach I went and got day drunk! 

One promise had already been made, myself and Wilson had met in Beijing during 2017. He had since been living back in Penang after his life in China had come to an end, we knew that our meeting wouldn't be our last. I had already said to him that I would be visiting Malaysia during December 2023 and that Penang would firmly be on my itinerary. We planned to meet on my final evening, after the misfortunes met at Penang Hill it was like a breath of fresh air to meet Wilson in his home region. We first headed for some local food, the roads were manic in George Town as dusk fell on my last night in Penang. He drove me to a local hawker style dining set up, we both enjoyed some local noodles and soft drinks. It was great to catch up, to enjoy his hometown with all of the craziness going on around us. Heading back into town, we went to a fancy restaurant that had a cafe section. We ordered a slice of cake and two bottles of Soju, it was like a date but it wasn't because we're just friends. Yes, I forgot about that silly, Penang Hill! Go! 

Now, my Christmas weekend in Penang had seen some seriously humid weather! Kuala Lumpur had served a drier heat with cooler evenings after the rain had fallen. Secondly, Sabah had served a more comfortable climb with breeze coming from both coasts. In my final destination, Penang had served humidity and then some! The weather was actually quite cloudy during some of my trip in Penang, it was just my luck that the sky was blue when I went to the beach. Nevertheless, Penang had served me well in all aspects and things weren't dull one bit! Penang kept things shady and for that I am here for that island destination, she kept things very interesting for me! From no booze on that Firefly flight, Penang served me up a weeks supply of booze in just three or so days! I really enjoyed my time, it was a section of extremes. Now is the time to hang up my Malaysian adventure, this Christmas blog chapter is now over. From KL to Sandakan, Kota Kinabalu and then Penang, it was the best Christmas in a long time! Goodbye! 

Penang's Shady Business! 

Desperately Seeking Adventure