Batu Ferringi 0, Georgetown 1 (18 - 21 February 2014)

As much as I disliked Batu Ferringgi, I find that the opposite is true of Georgetown. It seems an uncrowded, gentle place, quietly elegant with the echoes of Colonial times, with nice people and polite taxi drivers. Perhaps the fact that I am staying at the Eastern and Oriental (E & O) hotel may have something to do with it!









The Grand Dame of Penang has reinvented itself and is back to its former glory of fab rooms, huge colonial bathrooms, quiet efficient service, but particularly the free drinks and canapés in the Planter's Lounge each evening!


This tradition was started almost a year ago when the new wing was re opened and is available for two hours each evening. Good timing being here now, at the year anniversary next month, it goes down to one hour. What happens a year after that I'm not sure, but am certainly enjoying the current plan! The most exciting thing, apart from decent wine on tap, is real cheese, a complete rarity out in this part of the world, so I am wolfing down Cheddar and Stilton with gusto! But a nice thing is that Kev and Ant stayed here back on the 90's so I feel I am on familiar territory.
From my room, and from the terrace of the Planter's Lounge with the ceiling fans moving lazily overhead where I write this, is a view over the Malacca Straits to mainland Malaysia and Butterworth. Watching the various boats and ships go by including the odd cruise liner. Pity I don't like boats, I could actually take a one day cruise up to Phuket. One was in today but even with that disgorging its thousands on to the streets, the place still felt quiet. And listening to the conversation around me back at the E & O, I could be back in the hey day of the place in the twenties and thirties. Still almost all Brit's here but with accents less the Scouse and Mancunian of Batu Ferringgi and more Home Counties. But wherever they are from, they are still hoovering up the free booze... Plus ca change... I think some of them really may have been out here in their youth... I have made the effort but do feel slightly underdressed compared to some.... Not a backpackers haven then, oh no, I forgot I'm flash packing for a while, haven't done it in so long! As I walked around the old town, checking my map, I was accosted by locals asking to help. And that's all, just asking if I needed help or directions. Not asking to "go to my shop" - how nice.
Yesterday I went shopping to Gurney Plaza and even though the pound has regained some of its value, shopping still isn't the bargain it once was. But you can't get away from UK shopping anywhere anyway. I have got used to seeing the huge Tesco's here and in Thailand and the Topshop's and Dorothy Perkins in the malls, but I was still surprised to see a Waitrose section in the supermarket sporting the best of expat necessities including HP sauce... I also visited Gurney Paragon mall and thought I was in Bluewater until I realised there isn't a Debenham's in Bluewater so I couldn't have been there, but yes, there is a big one here...



Day 2 I did my own walking tour of the old town which since 2008 has had World Heritage status - tick. A wander through China town and Little India. Visits to the Penang museum and Art Gallery, only just worth the 1 ringgit (18p) entrance fee, perhaps I'm being a little unfair, the curator is perhaps an amateur.... I also visited the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, this one well worth the 20 ringgit (£3.60) entrance fee. What a great place, a mansion of the Nyonya (Strait's Chinese), but kept as it was when they lived there in the thirties with the cosmetics still out on the dressing table and the clothes still in the wardrobe. Really good. I also took a walk along the avenue of peaceful harmony where many faiths are represented side by side. But this peaceful harmony had been shattered recently. Apparently, people of all faiths here have always referred to God as Allah. The local Muslim population have recently taken umbridge at this and a judge has ruled that they are right and only Muslims can use the word Allah as their God. Firebombed churches are the result. So much for peaceful harmony - how stupid is that whole thing. If he is up there, I can't see he cares what people call him as long as they live in peace and hold the bombing. Madness.



Day Three I braved the funicular railway up to Penang Hill, a hill station from the old days. Compared to other hill stations I've visited this was a bit small, just the odd original bungalow. And despite the haze some pretty spectacular views of Penang itself and a few degrees cooler than at sea level. The mercury hit 35 today so even for me this slight drop was pleasant. But I braved the heat and walked back along Gurney Drive and took a look at the local architecture. The old town still maintains the old shophouses in various states of repair and new "boutique experience" places are opening up. But the rest of the island is condo city with so many towers already in place or being built. I hope the economy holds up, it's hard to see how such a huge building programme can make economic sense at the moment. But there are still some examples of the old Penang around, albeit gradually being encased in a tower block...



And along the beach road are some examples of fine buildings which in their heyday would have been the spectacular homes of the great and the good of the East India Company, backing on to the sea. I felt my silver umbrella I use to keep the sun off turning into a gracious parasol as I walked along. But however much I tried, my shorts were never going to turn into a crinoline....
So today, visa run sorted, I return to Thailand and drive north from Phuket to Khao Lak. Can't believe I'll have to start paying again for my early evening why why...




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On the run at Batu Britannica (15 - 17 February 2014)

For years I have bemoaned the fact that we Brits's didn't seem to be travelling any more. Now I know why, they are all here in Batu Ferringhi in Penang. The only thing un Brit like is the sound of the muezzin doing his thing over the loudspeakers as I am eating dinner. I am eating in a nice little place and every table is full of Brits - and no, it's not an Irish bar, it's a small little Malaysian place. As well as the voices I recognise the Asda and Primark clothes, I fit in really well... not yet seen anyone in the same frock but give it time...
I needed to do a visa run so I took a look at the flights from Samui and saw that I could fly direct to Penang, the Pearl of the Orient, a place that's always been on my list, so here I am. And Batu Ferringi seemed so exotic with its miles of white powder sand. I remember looking longingly at the Kuoni brochures in the eighties and the names Rasa Sayang, Golden Sands and even the Bayview Beach where I am staying, loomed large in my dreams. I have moved on a few years since those dreams but it seems the Bayview Beach Hotel hasn't and is holding stubbornly on to its eighties heritage...



A tall white monstrosity with a huge atrium, it would have been so modern when built. And I have to admit, it's been some time since I've seen carpet in a lift. In the eighties, I remember being very impressed that the Shangri-la in Bangkok changed their lift carpet to reflect the day of the week. But at least their carpet was on the floor. This one's on the lift wall....



Feel as if I should go and get a curly perm and some shoulder pads... But to be fair, the room has had a bit of a refurb and is fine. But the old adage of you get what you pay for in life remains as true here as everywhere else. All the other beach places were really expensive compared to this, and this isn't a cheapie, but now I realise why. Although the grounds and gardens are lovely and big, the beautiful white powder sand beach is fenced off due to sand erosion and other problems.



There was a bit of an incident with a local river a couple of weeks ago which washed most of the beach away at the same time as depositing a football field size of black water full, it was later discovered, of e coli.... We look like prisoners in some Second World War prison camp movie as we line up at the new metal fence and look longingly out to sea over a beautiful beach that we can't get to... The country have just launched another Visit Malaysia year so such an incident on a famous beach is a bit of an own goal. But on a positive note the hotel is at the end of the Batu Ferringhi (foreigner's rock) beach so is quieter. And in the distance around the bay are the deep green jungle covered hills going straight up from the sea. Pretty.



They have a funny system here for the sunbeds too. The ones under the palm thatched umbrellas are called cabanas and have to be reserved and paid for - I guess a good extra revenue stream for the hotel and it does stop the German dawn raids with their towels... But there's always a tall palm tree to provide shade.
The journey here was a bit of a nightmare. The Firefly flight, albeit a propellor jobbie, from Samui went smoothly. Finding the official taxi went smoothly but the traffic didn't. Saturday nights are generally busier so the journey should have been about an hour. It took three. No idea why and neither did the driver. I felt sorry for him, he is on a fixed fare of less than £15 so didn't even make any more money for his extra two hour's work (although I did give him a big tip). It was a culture shock coming from Samui, all cars and not motor bikes, all high rises not single storey. And continual development all the way with wall to wall, or should I say hill to hill condo developments, almost Hong Kong like in places. Ugly. And the spaces that there would have been between the original eighties hotels has been filled in with newer resorts, the Hard Rock Hotel is next door. And even more woes from the hotel's viewpoint - just been to look to the beach and there are three signs warning you off.





One, sand erosion, two, jellyfish and three, sea contamination that could make you sick! Oh dear, bit of a triple whammy for the hotel... But it's not just the hotel beach, looks like other parts of the famous Batu Ferringhi beach has similar problems.
But enough of the negative, as I write this I am sitting under a palm tree in the shade in a huge garden bordering the beach in toasty warm weather! They have upgraded me from a bog standard room at the back to a "deluxe" with a side sea view from the balcony. This afternoon's activity is the excitement of napkin folding or coconut bowling... And it's lunchtime, the pool waiter is approaching on his little bike, think I need to give him an order...



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Location:Batu Feringgi,Malaysia

Au Revoir Samui (2 - 15 February 2014)

Time to move on after two months here and I will miss my second home at the Florist Resort. It's been lovely to be in a great room right next to a lovely pool, albeit that for most of the time I only dangled my feet in! It did take a while to warm up... I've met some really nice people and the staff as usual are great.



But no amazing adventures since the last blog, just the day to day stuff. A hairy ride in a songthaew to Fisherman's village for Sunday lunch, hanging on to the back with three other people. I felt a bit like a royal footman hanging on the back of a royal coach going at quite a trot. But it was an extra hot day and trying to hang on with sweaty (sorry, glowing) palms was a real challenge. I am just glad there were no emergency stops or I would have been a gonner! My early evening why why is now taken in the Sport's Bar as the Firestation is finally closed and awaiting the new owners, the end of an era. And on my morning walks, I collected more and more people each day to say hello to. There was always a cheery "Sawadeeka" from the huge Chinese shopkeeper, the shopkeeper brushing down her road each morning, the rubbish man sorting through the bins to find the water bottles to recycle, the taxi drivers in their hut waiting for fares and the various bar girls with sleepy eyes brushing down their bits of pavement. The man who owns the lovely small garden centre watering his lawns every morning and the young guy who I call "care in the community" - a youngish guy who seems to spend all day walking up and down the main road just smiling at everyone. I don't know who looks after him but he always has a bright hello and a beaming smile for everyone. Then there's the young couple by the temple with the new baby and the batty old couple by the temple feeding the dogs each morning, the stallholder who encouraged me everyday by telling me "walking is good", the western guy who lived in the village out for his morning constitutional, and the French cafe owner among many others. There was also the one armed man, sounds a bit like an episode of the Fugitive. Seems he was curious and stopped me a couple of days ago to ask where he had seen me before. He is out in Samui eight months of the year and back in France for four. I will miss my village walks and the dogs, chickens and colourful mobile garden centre.



And people often generously stopping and offering me a lift on their motorbikes seeing me walking in the heat. And no snakes on my walks for a while but I did miss a bit of drama on my last morning there, as I was out walking a snake appeared in the kitchens... Perhaps it wanted to say bye. But most of all I think I will miss Darling, the curly black dog. I saved some chicken from my dinner a couple of nights ago and gave it to him so he will remember me next time! And on a sad doggie note, Botpec, the hotel dog has gone to doggie nirvana. He was getting on a bit and had not been well, but still very sad, I will miss him too.







It was also a very busy Valentine's Day here. The usual romance stuff, although in Thailand it's widened it's net and known as "Love Day" and flowers are given to everyone.



I got a nice rose off Toy, the housekeeping girl who did my room last time, and then every room got a couple of roses from the hotel, well it is called The Florist after all. As well as Valentine's it was also the last day of the Chinese New Year celebrations and the firecrackers started before dawn and went on intermittently all day. But more importantly on 14 February, Thai Buddhists celebrate Makha Bucha Day. In order to encourage Thai's to be good Buddhists on this day and to keep the precepts, the Thai government imposed a ban on the sale of alcohol back in 2009 on all Buddhist holidays. Offenders face six months in prison and/or 10,000 Baht fine. This includes all retail outlets and pubs and bars. This also goes for the Full Moon Party and that was delayed one day until Saturday night. The only exception under the law are properly registered hotels that mainly have a foreign clientele. However, they sometimes self-impose a ban on alcohol. Interestingly more places kept to the ban than did for the election, but the Florist was exempt due to we heathen foreign visitors! So my why why with my dinner on the beach was safe.
So it's aurevoir and kapunka to Samui as I head for pastures new... See you next time.


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Location:Batu Feringgi,Malaysia

Two Down, One To Go (22 January - 2 February 2014)

Being in Thailand at this time of year means Groundhog Day when it comes to new Year's Eves'. First of all we have what the Thai's call "Happy New Year", which is the usual 31 December jobbie. In April there is Songkran, which is the Thai New Year. Sandwiched in between is Chinese New Year, this year celebrated at the end of January. Mae Nam where I stay was originally a Chinese fishing village, consequently it is the spiritual centre for Thai Chinese here in Samui with a very impressive Chinese temple.



It's also evident how many of the houses and businesses are Chinese by the noise of the firecrackers and the half burnt remains of the red firecrackers littering the ground, especially at the temple.


The celebrations started on New Year's Eve eve, if that makes sense! Firecrackers and loud bangs went on all night. Next day, New Year's Eve itself, on my walk there were some very impressive offerings laid out on tables outside homes and businesses, lots of rice, a couple of roast duck and a line up of shot glasses.



Mixed in with all this were the paper copies of money, designer shoes and other luxuries. These, I understand are offerings to the ancestors, and if the amount of shot glasses are something to go by, the ancestors were in for a good party. The day, a Thursday, also coincided with the usual Walking Street night so it was a very lively and noisy evening here. Lots of different food on offer as usual, but even for Chinese New Year I wasn't trying the fried insects.



Lots of firecrackers and dragons and lions collecting money to the rhythmic sounds of the drums. The village was much quieter on New Year's Day itself, when the real business end of the celebrations were to be seen. Families exchanging presents, weird things being barbecued outside houses in the morning and groups of Chinese guys still enjoying their local whiskey from the evening before! And in the evening the real big golden dragon accompanied by his loud drum escort arrived to visit all the businesses who were sporting the ribbon of firecrackers outside.






In he would go, accept a financial contribution and then the firecrackers are lit. Not sure why they have to be so loud! And everyone in red shirts was a little confusing, I thought suddenly Samui had become more political...
So we say goodbye to the year of the snake. Seems like they know too that they are now "so last year" - the only ones I have seen on my morning walks have been dead ones. So now I expect to see horses wandering about on my walks...


And of course the other big news here in Thailand has been the election. The alcohol ban didn't take hold last weekend for the advance vote but I thought it might over the last couple of days for the real thing. But no, apart from notices in 7/11 and Freshmart informing us they cannot sell the stuff, the alcoholic life of the island goes on. Last night a Brit couple I was talking to wanted a Heineken, the hotel had run out so the bar man nipped up to Freshmart to buy one.... I guess they have done their bit by putting the notice up, actually obeying it seems another matter! Although in some areas of Thailand the bars were closed for the election but with spelling worthy of why why and stee rye I'm not sure the message was that clear. This did make me laugh!



So what other news? I have been to another returning guest party at the hotel where there was food, music and drinks. But I have worked out that these parties coincide with something meaningful in the Florist hotel family. Last time it was the kids arrived home from Melbourne, this time they flew back to Melbourne the next day... I reckon it saves him some tax and if so, good on 'em! Also big news about the Firestation, the nice bar I use now and again... (probably more again than now..). Ron, the US owner has fallen in love with a German girl, Susi, so has sold up and is off to Germany. It's been taken over by a French guy so I can look forward to some good French food next time. And Darling, my favourite of all the street dogs here has had a visit to the Vet - he is much calmer now...not sure he is that pleased about his missing bits though! And although he is a street dog he has been "adopted" by the Brits around here. Not surprised, he is so cute and I have to tell myself every time I see him that I can't bring him back to the UK.... No, I really can't.... Definitely not...





Ti, the cheeky chappie waiter has returned to the hotel and revived the beach restaurant, that, together with the weather settling down means that dinner on the beach with your toes in the sand is enjoyable again. Trips out to Nathon and Fisherman's Village Irish Bar for a much needed Shepherd's Pie have peppered my sybaritic existence here. I make the effort each morning and do my long walk with scenery like this.





Well, someone's gotta do it... And last night chatting to the Brit's, for some reason we talked about the lottery, reflecting that for some people looking at us having a cold wine as the sun sets after a lazy day on a warm tropical beach, it would seem that we had already hit the jackpot...


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Location:แม่น้ำ,Thailand

The Year of the Snake (21 January 2014)

Not much interrupts the serenity and rhythm of beach life here but yesterday snakegate changed all that. I had just got back to my room when suddenly the housekeeping girl shouted "Madame, Madame" aimed at the German lady who was having a post breakfast nod in the sun. A kerfuffle broke out and I thought a child had fallen into the pool until I spotted a dark green piece of hosepipe wriggling around a few feet away from me. As its head turned in my direction I quickly computed that hosepipes don't have heads... With the speed of an Olympian long jumper, two paces saw me in my room with the patio doors firmly closed. The rather large snake turned its head towards me and then decided I was more scary than him. Knowing I wouldn't follow as the water's still a bit cold, he slithered over the edge of the pool and swam (rather well I thought) to the far end. There he was met by the rag taggle band of hotel people bearing long sticks and finding it funny as they poked, prodded and bashed away. They tell me they had killed it and chucked it over the wall but I wasn't convinced. The housekeeping lady didn't help when she announced "it could have been a cobra". It could have been but I don't think it was...



A couple of minutes later I went to the small reception area to show them my very brave picture of the swimming snake (above) only to find another kerfuffle going on - another snake had been spotted and the stick bearing crowd were in action again. This time they definitely did kill it. The PC part of me says I really should talk to them about calling someone in who could remove the snake and take it back to the hills but the truthful part of me says "kill 'em while you can". Strangely, the hotel didn't ask for the picture for their website...



I have to say, it did spook me out a bit, all being so close. I am careful to walk along the middle of the village roads so the three times I have seen a snake out walking it felt sufficiently far away. This time it felt it was right in my territory... But I think of the women I have seen sitting in the fields where these snakes are, happily settled, picking, trimming and bundling up their lemon grass for sale. Or the older ladies in their sarongs and bare feet bent double as they manage their gardens, I am just being a (careful) wimp! It is unusual. All the times I have stayed in Samui over the years I have only ever seen one snake and that was a long time ago.
But we are coming to the end of the Chinese year which finishes on January 31st. Here in Samui, Mae Nam where I am staying is the Chinese part of the island and the street is decorated and ready for the celebration of their New Year. I'm just wondering if the snakes are a bit fed up and letting us know that they don't want their year to end - it still is, after all, the Year of the Snake...



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Location:แม่น้ำ,Thailand

Observations (15 - 20 January 2014)

The Thai people aren't backward in coming forward when it comes to asking personal questions, "how old are you" and "what do you earn" are often early questions in any conversation. But even I thought calling a shop for the more curvy Thai woman "Fatty Fatty Girl" was a bit uber personal! Lots of shops and bars here have the same statues of slim locally dressed ladies outside, not sure what they represent but there are a lot of them, but this shop has replaced them with these two rather bigger ones.... Not sure I'd want to be seen shopping here!



And not only is the language non PC at times. Whilst we are trying to drastically reduce the use of plastic bags there seem to be more and more used here. It really came home to me as I saw the parade of mopeds leaving the morning market, each festooned with lots of carrier bags on the handles. On a positive note this demonstrates that a lot of people are still shopping and cooking fresh ingredients daily rather than living on packaged stuff, but all of it from the single lime to the chicken leg is in a separate plastic carrier. They also have nifty little hot/cold coffee cup carriers, like the handles of a plastic carrier that fit round the top of your drink, so much easier than the Starbuck's cardboard collar... All the street vendors sell their Pad Thai and Thai soup in small plastic bags. Even in the big Tesco Lotus Superstore, meat is not prepacked. It's sold like veggies where you shovel what you want into a plastic bag and take it to the counter to be weighed and priced. I'm sure it's different in Bangkok, but as you wander past the village houses here the "kitchen" is outside, a small tin BBQ, a gas ring and a hosepipe for washing up. Nowhere to store food. And it only struck me recently that none of the convenience stores here including the ubiquitous 7/11 has a frozen food section. Even a lot of the small cafés obviously have no freezers as the iceman does a roaring trade each morning filling up the insulated ice buckets left outside like a milkman of old. But why bother with frozen chicken when the fresh stuff stays fresh by scrabbling about your garden and reproducing itself...



The weather here continues to be a bit odd. Some rain, but not the monumental downpours of the wet season. More cloudy and cool. Even requiring long sleeves at night. There has been a real cold snap up in the North with the government giving out extra blankets, perhaps we are getting the edge of that. Today the German's are lying out on their sunbeds in the cool, determined to catch any stray ray on their face but with the rest of their body wrapped up in their sarong like an Egyptian mummy!Occasionally of an evening I have found myself going inside to get warm - a real reversal of the norm! Evenings see the latest Thai cold weather outfits - coats, anoraks, hoodies.... The wind is so high and the sea so rough today that there were no boats this morning at Lomprayah Pier where usually lots of daily boats go over to the smaller islands and on snorkelling trips to the National Park. And whilst from this pic it doesn't quite look ready for surfin' in Samui, for this part of the coast that really is a high sea! But don't get me wrong it's still a lot warmer in Samui than Swanley!


And in my efforts not to be a fatty fatty girl, I still enjoy the sights and sounds on my walks. The influence of the Russian tourist is seen by the ever increasing use of their language to the colourful shopping opportunities along the road.






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Location:แม่น้ำ,Thailand

Carole the weather guru (7 January - 14 January 2014)

Not sure how Carole does it but guess she could make a fortune. Before she came, the weather was windy and unsettled. Carole arrives and it becomes calm, sunny, predictable. Carole leaves this morning and the wind has started up, it's rained and the storm curtains have come down on the beach restaurant.... Come back Carole, but not just for the weather, we had a great time! Not that we did a lot apart from gossip, walk a bit, well quite a lot really, minimum five miles most days and enjoy the search for a decent why why, the one bit where we failed. There was even very little shopping apart form mozzie milk, wine and, randomly, a couple of doormats from the local market that Carole took a shine to.
Our morning walks continued to introduce us to a variety of wildlife, the usual water buffalo and chickens supplemented one day by the trained monkeys on very long leads scampering up the really tall coconut palms to pick the coconuts. And the sighting of a second snake on the piece of path we renamed snake alley. But that was good. We revisited Ulaiwan, a girl who has a bar I got to know last time. She advised us that seeing snakes was lucky and means money is coming to you - I had to agree as I realised I had won £25 on the lottery the day after seeing the first snake, sadly I am still waiting for the benefit of seeing the second one....



But I still look at all the dogs around.









There are some really sad ones but also some seriously cute ones, my especial favourite is "Darling" a stray who has attached himself to the local businesses, full of life, but he is obviously fourth in line for my affections after the Dyl, Totie and Gracie. Well perhaps even fifth as I need to include Alfie too. Now what is Thai for "Aunty Allsorts"?





The national politics are big news here with the close down Bangkok Day on 13 January, designed to stop the election on 2 February. So far everything in Bangkok seems peaceful and locally it doesn't even seem to register. Ulaiwan was telling us that "yes, politics are fine but if you want to get involved, go to Bangkok. Here on Koh Samui we need to survive, we can't get involved, we need the business." Politics v economics, an interesting debate... It does seem quiet here though, apart of course from the influx of loud Russians celebrating their Xmas on 7 January, lots of flights into Bangkok have been cancelled due to the political issues and the knock on effect is felt here. Such a shame, the local businesses have a short season to make any money, this must be a real setback for them.
But now Carole has gone I am back to being Norma No Mates. But the staff here are so nice, they all said this morning "You sad, your friend gone, but no problem, you still have us, we look after you". You can't say fairer than that.


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Location:แม่น้ำ,Thailand