I am due on a sleeper boat to Surritthani at 21.00 and will be picked up by taxi from travel agents at 19.00. I do some people wathcing, no time for a massage. The taxi turns out to be a scooter and I have to trust my life to another yet again. The agent wasnt actually sure Penang was in Malaysia so I get him to call and make sure I am going where I think I am!

I hand in my luggage at the boat, am allocated a "bed", one of 72 on the very warm top deck, 36 on each side along the wall, each just about wide enough for me. I find a massage place and have a ver good one followed by some food at the very place I had my first meal on arrival on the 12th. Grab a bottle of cold water from 7Eleven (thousands of branches here in Thailand) and head for the boat at 20.45, it is getting pretty full now. Once we set off I notice some beds along the middle of the boat which apper unoccupied, initially I try to get permission to use one but cant find the captain. So I take one and notice that the people near the bed had been contemplating the same but I have beaten them to it. The move was not to be, the bed seems to be sitting on top of some kind of heating device and is unbearable to I return to me own bed between 2 French girls and 3 Spanish guys. Sleeping is awkward in such tight space, initially I am feeling sea-sick too.

at 4 a.m. lights are put back on, we were not due till 5.30 a.m. we disembark and luggage is piled up 3 tiers high in the middle of the back of a pick up truck with their owners sitting on the ledge. At the first stop, we are at a cafe in middle of town, early breakfast and getting vetted by the travel agent checking the passports. Another pickup ride and another 1 1/2 hour wait. Then driven to Hatyai and wait from 11 to 12.30. Been chatting to an Aussie guy on a visa run to Malaysia, has been unlucky, damaged foot due to motor bike accident hasnt healed for a month (damp air does not help) and has also crashed a finger nail. I take a walk with Goska (Polish girl) while waiting and get some food. When we return, the Aussie guy is no where to be found, probably sent separately to the border for his visa. Most of the people in the minibus are people we have already met on the boat, so basically varius groups have been travelling all over the place, visiting various cafes and travel offices and have now come together travelling towards KualaLumpur KL. The minibuses are supposedly VIP, but the aircon is not good and the trip uncomfortable due to the heat. I must buy a travel pillow as I would be spending lots of time on buses and get neck pain from the poor headrests, undoing all the massages I have had. 7 passangers, we have to wait for the 2 malaysian women to return to the minibus after the passsport check, they have been food shopping. Another couple of hours ride and we cross the bridge onto Georgetown and Penang in Malaysia, Goska and another girl get dropped off to go to KL. This does not make sense as they now have to return to Malaysia mainland across the bridge again. The other girl, Sally, fairly young is on her way to Australia on a one year work visa, she has an amazing smile, her eyes lit up and she shows rows of teeth, quite cheering, I ask her for one of her smiles before she leaves, I am envious, may be I need some practice.

I chat to Mark and Lisa, his travel companion (not Girl friend) both from Yorkshire, nice to hear int'i (isn't it) again, sweet. We catch a taxi together to the beach area of Penang as the town center is not very inviting and manage to find accommodation which is about 50% more expensive than Thailand (like most other things). The currency Ringit is 1:10 to THB, about 3 RMT to $1.  food at the nightly market. I have taken a fan room which is usually adequate but it turns out one of my walls is facing East so by 10 a.m. the room is pretty warm. It is cooler in the corrider, on the first floor, and balcony than inside my room. Next day I have luch at a very local place, food being eaten by hand, then take a walk towards the tree covered hills. On the way there is a Junk shop which I explore and find he has BROKEN watches on display, I dont ask him why he is trying to sell them. The gate keeper is a big guy, most women would be proud to have his breasts. the park is very quiet, after seeing few boys dipping in a murky swimming hole I dont meet anyone until I begin to come back couple of hours later. Tarmac path keeps going up and up, sometimes the slope is so gentle that I think I am going down hill but the water in the 1mx1m concrete channel running along side tells me otherwise. I havent taken any water or provisions, not clever but luckily Ihave cloud cover most of the time. I was hoping to come down a different way but eventually have to turn around as day light will be fading soon and I hear thunder over the hill. I contemplate floating down the canal but the steel cross suppsts across it would be a problem. I see an stick insect, very intereting, perched on the edge of the canal, bluish in colour, lenght about the open span of my hand about 25 cm, and 10 cm across and 10 cm high, they can get as big as 70 cm! There are a few people climbing the path now, having left their scooters and unlocked helmets at the gate. I go to the beach to catch up with Mark and Lisa (on the beach all day) and later have to dodge motor boats and attached paragliders and jetski which are doing good business.

I am wondering if I need to stay in one place a little longer, Indonisia my next destination has much to see.