After a nice chilled-out morning of packing and having breakfast, I made a short trip to Underwater World Langkawi to kill some time in air-conditioned comfort. RM 38 later I was in, oohing and aahing at all kinds of birds, fish, rays, sharks, molluscs, sea plants and then...I found myself being chased by Otters.
I went into the touch pool enclosure for a look, which you are allowed and encouraged to do. There's a sign saying beware of the very cute but very-nasty-when-provoked otters, which I took a fleeting glance at and went, "huh, what otters?".
No sooner had I uttered these words had the little buggers decided it would be a great idea to see what I was all about and started chasing me towards the exit! I managed to slam the door shut in the nick of time, but they were literally trying to get it open. About two minutes later I figured out why - their keepers arrived for feeding time. I might mention that there was no sign saying that feeding time was at 11:45am. Crikey!
The highlights of the Underwater World visit for me are the eagle nosed rays, the penguins and the HIIT (high intensity interval training) sprint out of the otter enclosure. I don't need to go back again, it's been done. But it was a good way to spend a couple of hours out of the sun and heat.
With all that excitement over, I had some lunch and headed for the airport in a cab (RM 18). I cruised around the airport and bought a Lightning cable for my iPad so that I could charge it, seeing as how my adaptor plug had overheated and died a horrid death the day before.
I boarded the one Air Asia evening flight to Pulau Pinang (Penang to the rest of us) and was suprised with another drinking coconut. Thanks me! It was a very short flight - we left early, arrived 25 minutes early and I think the flight only ended up being 25 minutes! It was really hazy around Penang island, so my photos aren't great.
Thanks to Lonely Planet I knew that I could get a 401 or 401E bus to KOMTAR (big shopping centre with a bus terminal underneath) for about RM 3.40 instead of upwards of RM 40 in a cab. So, I walked out of the terminal, turned left and walked up to the bus stop.
Within minutes said bus arrived and I managed to get a seat. Quite an achievement apparently! About an hour later, we arrived at KOMTAR and I dragged out my trusty iPhone to get walking directions to Tune Hotel on Jalan Burma. Ten hot and sweaty minutes later, I spent eight minutes at an intersection waiting to cross the road and finally just went for it.
Two minutes later, some A**hole on a motorcycle decided to try and run me down on the footpath, so I went postal at him (not my finest five seconds) in Italian. It's safer than swearing at them in English - and more fun with the appropriate hand gestures. I felt better. He got he message, apparently my facial expressions are universally understood.
I arrived at Tune Hotel Downtown Penang and was in my windowless room within five minutes, but discovered that there were tiny red ants all over the bed. Heck, not even my fleapit hotel in Langkawi had extra guests in my bed! After a quick trip to reception, I was immediately given another room (this time with a window and a view, directly across the hall to minimise inconvenience madam), a security guard to hold the doors open and a voucher for 24hrs of free WiFi to make up for the drama. Awesome! Thanks Tune :-)
It's my first time staying in a Tune hotel and yes, the rooms at Tune are indeed basic, just a bed and a bathroom. But the bed is heavenly and the showers are awesome. There's just enough space for one person in my double room, so any ants are definitely not welcome. All I need is a bed and a shower, with enough space to pack my carry on bag at the end of my stay.
The location of Tune Hotel Downtown Penang is fabulous. Under 10 minutes walk to KOMTAR, there's a Giant supermarket less than five minutes walk away, the 101 bus (to Batu Ferringhi etc) and the bus to Gurney Plaza from KOMTAR and the Jetty stop across the road, there's a 7-Eleven next to the entrance, New World Park food court and shops next door and a nice cafe in the lobby. There's hawker stalls all around and no shortage of awesome food nearby. Across the road is a laundry and I can highly recommend Shir Elegant de Beauty just down the road if you need a massage or facial treatement!
After checking in, I decided to head back down the road to KOMTAR in search of this elusive adaptor for my iPad. I didn't find it at KOMTAR or Prangin Mall or even the IT mall. I found it at 1st Avenue in an awesome shop called iStudy which does Mac and Apple stuff. Brilliant. RM119 later, I have all my photos on my iPad mini.
I had dinner in the food court on the top level of 1st Avenue and then headed outside. Over the road I found a Tibetan Buddhist shop where I was able to buy a new Mala (Buddhist rosary beads). I found one for RM58 which is basic yet pretty and functional, as I discovered on landing in Penang that mine had broken!
After this I jumped a cab (RM12) back to the hotel. I certainly won't be jumping in cabs again if I can avoid it - so expensive! I'll re-read the public bus info I have on my iPad and see if I can get where I need to on buses.
I have a big day tomorrow with my half day tour of Penang, so I'd better get some sleep. Fingers crossed it works out to be another private tour as I've paid for two people again!
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