Oh goody I have been waiting for this.....

a good start---now to the meat!

Okay, the meat is coming up...

AND WE’RE ON OUR WAY...

We took off on time from Hartford on a perfectly manageable 9:15 am flight to Chicago. After spending our 2-hour layover relaxing at the Red Carpet Club in Chicago, we boarded the 747 for our 15 hour, 15 minute flight to Hong Kong. Our seats were in the upstairs business class section and had pretty much the same perks we had received previously on flights through Tokyo. The only discernible difference was that we were provided socks for our feet and not slippers. I don’t particularly like socks as your feet can get wet when you visit the bathroom. When I asked the FA why they we no longer providing them, he said that slippers had never been provided on this route. Go figure - maybe it’s a cultural thing or maybe it’s a competitive thing on the Japanese route. Anyway, our flight took off about an hour late which simply shortened our 3-hour layover at the Hong Kong Red Carpet Club to 2 hours. We enjoyed the Red Carpet Club in Hong Kong - nice layout, roomy, plenty of food and drink with one side open, overlooking the terminal. From Hong Kong we had the same aircraft, which after a 3-1/2 hour flight arrived in Singapore just before midnight.

On a previous journey through Singapore we had stayed at the Changi Airport transit hotel. However, this time we decided to kick it up about 1,000 notches and stay at the Changi Crowne Plaza. The Crowne Plaza is directly attached to the terminal we arrived at (#3) on the land side of Immigration and Customs. Check-in for the Club floor was quick and efficient. Our hotel room was spacious, functional and very comfortable. This is truly the nicest airport hotel we have ever stayed in. Between our meals and the movies “Black Swan” and “Wall Street - Money Never Sleeps”, neither of us chose to sleep much in the air. So we went down quickly and slept most of the night. Incidentally, we experimented on this trip with a product called “No Jet Lag” - homeopathic tablets taken every 2 hours while flying to prevent jet lag. While they appeared to be nothing more than chewable sugar pills, they really seemed to work for us, especially on our return home.

The next morning we enjoyed a great buffet breakfast and did some Internet in the Club Lounge. The departure time for our flight to Kuching was 11:45 am, so we did not need to rush. Outside the hotel it was absolutely pouring rain and thundering. I hoped that this was not portentious of the weather to come. When the time came to check out, we asked the lady at the desk how to get to Terminal 1 for our Air Asia flight. She explained that there was a shuttle that left from Terminal 3 and that she would walk us over to it - great service! This was our first experience with the budget airline Air Asia and everything went smoothly. I had checked in on line so all we had to do was do a document check and get our bags weighed and check them in. We had paid extra for the “super-size” option for our luggage and were well within the 30 kg per person limit. After check-in I hit the duty-free shop for a couple of bottles and then we continued on to the gate for boarding. Air Asia offers “Hot Seats” with extra leg room for an additional nominal fee. We had paid the extra not knowing if the flight would be full or not. On this particular flight there were a lot of empty seats.

Nice start, Craig, I'm looking forward to more.

Here's more:

KUCHING, MALAYSIA

The 1-1/2 hour flight to Kuching arrived nearly on time after a weather-delayed departure. Our bags came quickly and we picked up a voucher for a taxi to the hotel - MYR26 (less than $9) for the ½ hour ride. Our lodging in Kuching was the brand new and modern Pullman Hotel which is part of the Asian Accor chain. We had an Executive room on the 19th floor. The lounge and reception were located on the 21st floor. Both our room and the lounge had fabulous views of Kuching and the Sarawak river. We enjoyed a cold fruit juice at check-in and received a detailed map of the city. The nice lady at reception explained that we could book transport to sights outside of Kuching through the travel agent in the main lobby. After settling into our room, we headed straight for the travel agent to book transport to the Semenggoh Orangutan Sanctuary for the following morning. I was originally thinking to just take a taxi and have it wait but the price was right (about $30 for both of us). Also, the small taxi we rode in from the airport wasn’t all that comfortable. While it wasn’t a private van, it was dedicated to the passengers from the Pullman only, so there would be no time wasted with additional stops at other hotels.

The weather here was partly cloudy and hot - far better than in Singapore. We decided to venture out and explore the city, starting with the riverfront esplanade. The walk along the riverfront is wonderful - a wide decorative brick walkway with huge pots of flowers at regular intervals along the way. The views across the river were interesting - the unique and prominent Legislative Assembly Building and the Astana - a colonial home built in 1870 for the local Rajah’s wife as a wedding gift were particular stand-outs. We worked our way back past the numerous shops in the main bazaar that lined the road opposite the river. While nothing stood out as far as potential purchases were concerned, it was interesting none-the-less.

After two hours of walking, we returned to our hotel room and watched a huge storm come in from the distance. Given that we were a bit tired and that it would soon be raining, we opted to take advantage of the cocktails and buffet offered in the Executive Lounge from 6 to 7 pm. There was a good sampling of local food which we would find throughout our stay at the Pullman and it made for a completely adequate dinner that night. A couple of Tiger beers hit the spot.

We slept well and rose early. I was disappointed that the Executive Lounge was not open for coffee at 5:30 am, nor was there coffee available anywhere in the hotel except through room service. I would just have to wait until 6 when the Executive Lounge opened. Our van was due at 8:15 so time was not a problem. While the food had been set out, no one showed up to the Executive Lounge until 6:15. I entertained myself by doing some Internet. Finally I got some coffee which was actually very good. I returned about an hour later with Jeane to sample the delicious buffet which was extensive and included both Malay and continental offerings. We were also able to order an omelet or scrambled eggs if we wished. Our van was a little late. There was one other couple from Australia with their daughter waiting. The driver mentioned that it was raining where he came from which was the same direction as the orangutan sanctuary and would we want to consider going in the afternoon as the rain could discourage the o’s from coming out? Unanimously we decided that no, we wanted to go in the morning as scheduled. Good decision - no rain at all. According to the Australians’ young daughter we observed 16 of the 24 o’s that currently inhabit the sanctuary. We enjoyed the Australians’ company and had good conversation during our trip which took up most of the morning. Semenggoh is a nice, natural setting to observe the o’s. Note that there is no guarantee that they will show up but they usually do at feeding times - ours was at 9 am. While there were a bunch of folks there, it did not seem overly crowded. I would certainly recommend a visit here if you cannot get out into the Borneo rain forest to see them.

After we returned to Kuching, we arranged for transit to the Sarawak Culteral Village. Again the price seemed right, about $50, including admission. We then spent the afternoon wandering around town, visiting the main mosque, Little India, Chinatown and the shops in the main bazaar that we missed the previous day. Later that afternoon I had a swim in the hotel's large pool. The Australian couple was there and we shot the breeze for quite a while. That evening we sampled our first taste of “street food” at a hawker center (or food court). We chose the Top Spot which is located over a parking garage not far from our hotel. The standard routine for visiting one of these places is to check out all of the stalls and decide which is best. We arrived armed with some recommendations and after scoping it out, settled on stall #6 Ling Loong Seafood as the hawker there seemed to be the most helpful. Turned out to be a great choice - we ordered two local specialties: red snapper grilled with garlic and midin, a fern-like vegetable fried with garlic and a Singapore specialty: chile pepper crab plus a big Tiger beer. Awesome! - and about $30 for everything. After dinner we headed down to the river front. It was all lit up and since it was Friday night there was a lot of activity, including musical entertainment and of course, food - a fun evening for us.

After another delicious buffet breakfast the next morning, we headed to the lobby to meet up with our van for the Sarawak Cultural Village. The van was scheduled for 9 am but did not show until 9:15 at which time we were informed that there were two other couples coming, one of whom were apparently still eating breakfast. I suggested that we leave without them but my suggestion was ignored. Oh well - about 10 minutes later we all piled into the van. Unfortunately, this was not a social group - there was a middle-aged couple from Singapore and another couple from Europe but neither were inclined to speak with us. The Cultural Village was disappointing. It was hot out, the set-up was disorganized and it was overrun by large bus tours which pretty much determined the agenda for this “living museum”. When it came time for the 11 am cultural show, we found that all of the seats had been taken up by the tours. We wound up standing in the rear of the (thankfully) air-conditioned theatre. While we were not well situated to take photos, the show itself was very entertaining and the high point of our visit.

The best part of our day was to come later. The ladies at reception told us to that if we arrived at the “Sunday” Market at 3 pm on Saturday, it would hopping by then. We took a taxi over (about $4). There were plenty of taxis at the taxi stand where we were dropped off so we had no problem letting our driver go. This market, like many others we have visited in our travels, presented many photo opportunities. The market had a little bit of everything - vegies, fish, live turkeys, pet rabbits, toys, textiles etc.

Our dinner that night was at a place called The Junk, named after the accumulation of stuff on display throughout the restaurant. The restaurant is on two floors with the upper floor being air-conditioned. We sat by the front window on the upper floor. The atmosphere was very relaxed. Cuisine leaned toward Italian (yeah, I know we’re in Malaysia) but we split the lamb shanks with smashed potatoes and they were the best we’ve ever had.

On to Langkawi next...

you don't imply that people p--- on the floor in united's bathrooms do you?

looking forward to it...

do you think the others on your cultural village tour had heard of your good suggestion to leave without them??

Great report Craig and eagerly awaiting your photos!

Full of details the way we like it, thanks. Waiting for more!

Aloha!

Also looking forward to more.

LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA

Awoke at 4 am to catch our Malaysia Airlines flight to Langkawi via Kuala Lumpur. We had ordered a room service breakfast the night before and while it arrived a little late, we were not charged for it. I was concerned that Malaysia Airlines would hit us with about $200 worth of excess baggage charges. However, the gate agent told us that if we carried on one of our rollies (in addition to our other 2 carry-ons), we would not exceed the 20 kg/person limit. I felt it was necessary to fly Malaysia Airlines for this leg rather than Air Asia so that our bags could be checked through to Langkawi. The extra hassle of retrieving and rechecking bags at KL was not worth the savings we would have had with Air Asia. Both Malaysia Airlines flights were fairly full. We had a free meal on the flight to KL and soft drinks on the flight to Langkawi. Both flights left and arrived on time. At Langkawi, we retrieved our bags and picked up our voucher for the 15 minute taxi ride (MYR 18 or about $6) to the Bon Ton Resort.

We loved the Bon Ton. It was raining a bit when we arrived but that gave us an excuse to relax and explore the resort. For those that have not been there, the Bon Ton consists of 8 reconstructed 60-year-old Malay villas that have been updated with all of the modern amenities plus a rain shower bath that opens to the outdoors, dual sinks (the only place we stayed at on this trip that head them) and an antique wooden bath tub. Our bed and our living space were huge with plenty of nooks and crannies to store things and a safe to store our valuables. The a/c was designed mainly to keep the sleeping area cool and it was very effective at doing this. If we had one complaint though, it would be that our villa could get pretty warm during the daytime, even with the oscillating fan on and the windows open to catch the cross breeze. Just before sunset each evening, our housekeeper would put the next morning’s breakfast in our tiny refrigerator and prepare our room for the evening by shutting all of the windows, pulling down the mosquito netting around the bed and plugging in a couple of electric mosquito zappers. Mosquitos weren’t really a problem though, except on our first day because of the rain.

Our villa was the “Laguna”, so named because it faces a lagoon where we could see water buffalo in the distance and many species of birds. All of the units were strategically placed for privacy but I liked Laguna’s location the best. It was wonderful having breakfast on our covered porch each morning with the lagoon right there in front of us. We were told that the Bon Ton was originally a waterfront property. We weren’t told exactly what changed but we think that the land was reclaimed to build the airport which thus relegated the Bon Ton to the status of an inland resort. Incidentally, while several of the beachfront resorts on Langkawi were hit hard by the 2004 tsunami, the Bon Ton was saved by its location. The location was not a big deal to us though as we are not beach people. For swimming and cooling off, guests can use the uncrowded pools at both the Bon Ton and the Temple Tree, the sister resort next door. There are no televisions in the villas but the Temple Tree has a large flat screen TV in its pool room. Jeane and I spent most of the afternoon playing pool there on our first day while drinking the house New Zealand Chardonnay. For those that crave Internet access two PC’s are located in the gift shop that guests are free to use. There is also free Wi-Fi access throughout the resort.

On our first night we had dinner at Bon Ton’s open-air Nam Restaurant. Smeagol had told us that we had to order both the Nyonya Platter (9 local dishes served on a banana leaf) and the Seared Fillet of Beef with Mashed Potatoes, Mustard Relish and Balsamic Sauce (her boyfriend’s favorite). Jeane and I decided to order both and share. We were glad we did - we thoroughly enjoyed them.

Next up - our next two days on Langkawi. Gotta go to work now...

Work? You are letting work interfere with your trip report? tsk tsk

I'm enjoying your well-detailed (as always) report.

Yes, hang work we want holiday details please!!!

Am really enjoying your excellent report. Looking forward to more.

Before I go on, I should mention the cats - they are everywhere at Bon Ton as the resort has an animal shelter next door. We had three cats that seemed to call our villa their home. Sometimes they would sleep on the porch, other times on our sofa or bed. They were clean, well-behaved animals that appreciated attention when you were willing to give it and would go elsewhere when you didn’t want them around.

For our first full day on Langkawi, we reserved a car to tour the island. The cost for 24 hours was about $30. For that amount of money I expected an old clunker with holes in the floor boards. I was really surprised to find an almost new two-door subcompact Perodua with automatic transmission, powerful a/c and electric windows waiting for us. Perodua is shorthand for “Malaysia’s Second Automobile Manufacturer Private LTD”. The first Malaysian auto manufacturer was Proton. In Malaysia, they drive on the left so I had to make some mental adjustments. I hadn’t driven on the left side of the road since visiting Ireland in the early ‘90’s but I adapted quickly. The first thing I noticed was that the $30 didn’t include gas and that we were dangerously low. Fortunately, there were a couple of stations relatively close to the resort where we were able to fill up. I bought about $8 worth, which got me about 12 liters, a bargain by USA standards. The roads on Langkawi (and elsewhere in Malaysia and Singapore) were excellent. Traffic was a bit heavier than I expected but not a problem.

Our first stop was the Kota Mahsuri - the tomb of the Malay princess that was falsely accused of adultury and put a curse on the island that caused economic ruin for many years. Admission was a rip-off at $10 per person but we got to see the tomb, the attached museum and the video describing the Princess’s short life. Next, we stopped at the bird park but gave it a pass - too touristy. From there we went to the Durian Perangin Waterfall and took the short hike to the top of the waterfall. This was our first exposure to Arab men in shorts vacationing with their wives covered head to tow in their burqas. This may sound politically incorrect, but as western people we found it supremely odd to see the women hiking up rather steep terrain in the very hot and humid climate dressed this way while their husbands were dressed so casually. Anyway, the waterfalls were okay, nothing special.

Jeane had heard that the shopping at the Four Seasons was the best on the island so we decided to go there. Upon arrival, I immediately realized why I dislike places like this so much - first I was all set to park the car in a shady spot right up front but was told that the valet would park the car for us, next one of the staff insisted that we needed him to escort us to the gift shops and third, if we wanted to stay for lunch, the restaurant could only be reached via motorized cart. There were 5 or 6 shops here and Jeane spent a couple of hours checking them all out. She purchased some small items, but most of the clothing she looked at didn’t seem to fit her petite frame. Meanwhile, I checked out the beach, completely deserted, white sand - beautiful. If you are a fan of beaches, come here - you will not be disappointed.

The remainder of the day was entirely unproductive. The renowned Ibrahim Hussein Museum had closed permanently and the summer palace where “Anna and the King” was filmed had been converted into a shopping mall. We passed on the cable car because the haze would have marred any views and our search for the restaurant “Privilage”, highly rated on Tripadvisor, proved fruitless. So we headed back to the resort and turned in our rental car.

Dinner that night was at the Staits Club restaurant at the Temple Tree next door. While our table overlooked one of the pools, the atmosphere was lacking. However, we were able to head outside to photograph the brilliant sunset while waiting for our food to arrive. We split a seafood cocktail and a roasted chicken and each ordered individual desserts. Everything was very good. I had previously purchased a bottle of wine which they let me drink at no extra charge. As a bonus they made us each a complimentary sweet alcoholic concoction which they brought to us after dessert. I hate to admit that we tossed it over the rail so as not to offend the wait staff but we were woozy by the end of the meal and had a busy day ahead with an early start (yup, we acted just like old farts).

next, kayaking in the mangroves...

Did you notice the cat were drunk the next day? Those drinks were too much for them also. It sounds like Langkowi has really changed since we were there. Wait for the next chapter.

Yum...I always love your reports, Craig. Lots of meat (steak really)!

I'm glad those cats were friendly. We had a 'resident cat' at Samui one time. It scratched my hand when I reached down to pet it! (I was a bit concerned, but my hand was OK)
Carol

so far L seems like a 6 or 7?

Is your "L" for Langkawi or Lcuy, Bob?

Cause if it's the latter, I'm going to be really hurt.

Bob, Langkawi probably does rate a 6 or a 7 because there was so little to see on the drive. I'm still glad we did it though. And the mangrove tour was fun, as you shall see next:

We did our kayaking tour with an outfit called Dev’s Adventure Tours. The reviews on TripAdvisor gave them high marks and the folks at Bon Ton confirmed our choice. The tours are billed as eco-friendly (they don’t feed the birds) and I felt that that was also a plus. Pick up at Bon Ton was scheduled for 9:05(!) and the van arrived pretty much on time. We were the last to be picked up and the first to be dropped off when we returned, which was nice. We were a group of 6 and we remained together for the entire day. The other 2 couples were from the UK and Austria. While the tours last 5 hours, we did not kayak the entire time. The order of the tour varies from day-to-day, depending on the tides. Our tour started with a motorboat trip to the bat cave. Well, we had seen caves and we had seen bats but Mandy, our knowledgeable tour guide managed to make it interesting, pointing out all kinds of little details on our 45 minute walk through the cave. From the cave we motored over to the floating restaurant to pick up our life preservers and kayaks. We were able to leave some of our stuff behind at the restaurant and put the rest in a waterproof bag that Dev’s provided. The 2-person kayaks were the type that you sit on top of (not in) but they were easy to get used to. We all lathered up with sunscreen beforehand, so we were well prepared.

Much of the kayaking is done on a fairly wide river on the northeast side of Langkawi - we had to share this area with dozens of eagle-feeding motorboat tours. There were times when we had to paddle upstream which wasn’t much fun but the day was fairly overcast so it wasn’t as hot as it could have been. Dev’s provided us with plenty of bottled water. We paddled over to the eagle-watching area which is also where the motorboats congregate. The motorboat drivers attract the birds by churning the water with their long-tail propellers and then tossing food in the water for the eagles to eat. We watched from a distance as a dozen eagles swooped in. Mandy explained that this was both good and bad - good in that we get to see lots of eagles and bad in that these guys are feeding them so that they don’t feed in their normal habitat. The eagles moved very quickly and were difficult to photograph. While we were watching the eagles Mandy pointed out several other birds.

After we finished watching the eagles, we headed into some narrower channels amongst the mangroves. We were now away from the motorboats and out of the sun. It was so peaceful. We could hear the sounds of nature all around us. As we paddled slowly through the trees, Mandy pointed out more things, the highlight being a poisonous viper snake that was just sitting on a tree branch. We were able to work our way back to the restaurant without returning to the wide river. The total time in the kayak was about 2-1/2 hours.

At the restaurant, we washed up and toweled down as best we could and then sat down to a late lunch of seafood and rice. We were told that we could order it “normal” or “not spicy”. I ordered mine normal and Jeane ordered hers not spicy. The fish was okay but not great - a mix of crab, grouper and a couple of other things in a sauce. There was a cooler in the restaurant with soft drinks and we were told to help ourselves. Over lunch we had a nice conversation about our travels with our guide and the couple from the UK.

There was a fish farm attached to the restaurant so the final part of our tour was to see the fish. The boy that led us around was feeding them so that they’d jump out of the water to go after the food. The stingrays were the most interesting. We could touch them if we wanted and Jeane and a couple of others held out some food for them which the stingrays devoured by almost swallowing their hands. It’s kind of hard to describe - you had to see it. Finally, we were done and hopped in the motorboat to return to the van. We thanked Mandy, gave her a generous tip and headed back to the hotel in the van.

When we returned to Bon Ton, it was late afternoon. We took some desperately-needed showers to wash off the sweat and the swamp water. Afterwards we decided to watch the sunset from the sunset deck while enjoying snacks from the Nam restaurant’s tapas menu. We were too full from the late lunch to enjoy a complete dinner and this was perfect. While we were there, a couple from New York City joined us and we had a delightful conversation about our travels and our careers. She was a Pfizer sales executive and he had just graduated medical school. Around 8 pm it was time to move on as they were taking advantage of a special Malay cooking demonstration and a meal afterward in Bon Ton’s private dining room.

Next, one last lazy morning at Bon Ton and on to Penang...

I've just caught up on your trip to date. I appreciate your candid opinions and always admire your superb planning. Bon Ton sounds like a winner.

After a pretty relaxing morning spent reading and packing at the Bon Ton, we set off to the airport for the short flight to Penang. The flight was full but uneventful and when we arrived, our driver, arranged by Mr. Lee (recommended by RHKKMK) was waiting with a sign with my name on it. He took us to his spacious van - it was nice to get the standard taxi rate of MYR 45 (about $15) for the larger vehicle.

We arrived at Clove Hall about 45 minutes later. We were greeted by our hostess Irene, who escorted us into the lobby and began to check us in. I am pretty sure someone brought us something cool to drink as seems to be the case almost everywhere you go in SE Asia. As Irene handed my the key, I noticed it was for the Cardamon Suite and not the Saffron Suite that we had reserved (RHKKMK had recommended both Clove Hall and the Saffron Suite). I told her that this might be a problem since our reservation was confirmed many months ago. Her pitch was that the Cardamom Suite was the mirror image of the Saffron Suite and I was of course willing to check it out. Well the room seemed fine, but as we were settling in, I realized that the Saffron Suite had a nice view of the pool and ours had a view of the driveway so I went downstairs and explained to Irene that we were dissatisfied. There was naturally nothing she could do since Clove Hall is a very small B&B and someone else had reserved the Saffron Suite for several days. Irene told me that I could take it up with the manager when she came in. So as not to keep you in suspense, it was a couple of days before I hooked up with the manager, an Indian women whose name escapes me (Bob would know). We had a brief conversation. I said I wanted to be compensated for not getting the room I reserved many months in advance. She asked how much? I said what can you offer? She said 20% off the room rate. I told her okay, we’re good. And that was it: win-win.

We needed to make dinner reservations. Because Jeane wanted some “normal” food, I asked Irene if she could make a reservation at the Sire Museum Restaurant (another RHKKMK recommendation). She had never heard of it but looked it up and tried the number - busy, busy, busy. So we went on to choice number two: Sri Malaya, an air-conditioned Malay restaurant which had been recommended in a recent Travel and Leisure article. She got through and we were set. There was some confusion when we called for a taxi - another couple took “ours”. But eventually, we were on our way into the old part of Georgetown for dinner. Taxi’s are pretty much MYR 12 ($12) to go anywhere in Georgetown. For dinner, we had Laksa and Nasi Lemak along with some Tiger beers for me and pineapple juice for Jeane - plenty of good Malay food but nothing memorable in terms of atmosphere or quality. Cost was $22 but there are many better places to eat in Georgetown. We walked back to the hotel, stopping to cool off at the E&O, which looked like a good option if you want to stay closer to the old town. The walk was not particularly pleasant because we took a route a busy main street, not knowing that there were quieter streets on which to return.

Next: exploring the old part of Georgetown

you did not miss anything in your room... the 20% is a bonus...

i can't believe they did not know the museum restaurant...

Bob - Yes, the rooms are identical. The views from the outside decks are not. The Saffron Suite was confirmed in an e-mail from Clove Hall and no attempt was made to inform us of the change before we arrived. I was more than happy with the 20% and it completely erased any bad feelings about the room change which was the only negative in an otherwise wonderful 4 nights at Clove Hall.

Irene, who tried to make the museum restaurant reservation is fairly new to both Clove Hall and Penang - I'll explain later...

I'll be most curious to know about Georgetown Penang, since I am thinking that this will be my next location to visit outside of Bangkok. Hoping Maeng will have time to join me.

carol, i think you will love georgrtown.. its small and laid back---so different from bkk and thailand... its samui with more piazzzz.

isn't this room situation so typical of asia, c'est la vie!

Bob, Samui with more piazzz???? What an insult! lol.

Carol, you know that Cheryl and I loved Georgetown. The blending of cultures is fascinating, all the history there, and the strEet food is considered to be some of the best in the world. Maeng would love that!

ok, its seattle with more piazzz

or at least Hartford, with more pizazz

We awoke fairly early the next morning, figuring we could get a jump on our day. Irene cheerfully greeted us and showed us to our breakfast table outside on the front porch. It was already starting to heat up outside so she turned on the overhead fan to keep us cool. She asked us what we wanted to drink. Jeane wanted apple juice. When I asked for orange juice, Irene suggested that I should order something else because the orange juice they had was “sh-tty”. That comment put a smile on my face - I ordered apple juice. I had pre-ordered roti canai, a Malay breakfast the night before. It consisted of 2 Malaysian flatbreads (1 with egg and 1 without) and a curry to dip them in. While I usually prefer an American breakfast, I thought it would be fun to eat like the locals for a change. The breakfast was quite tasty. Meanwhile, Jeane was contented with her omelet and toast. There were no other guests at breakfast so Irene came over to talk with us. She told us she had escaped from a garment factory in the Philippines a couple of months ago. She was hoping that her former employer would not find her at Clove Hall as she would be forced to return. She said that if she was not found after one year, she would be free. Interesting story. Irene also mentioned that she had heard that Clove Hall would be under new ownership shortly - we didn’t get much more in the way of detail, however.

After breakfast, Jeane and I decided that it would be cool enough to walk to the old part of town. This time we took the side streets. Our plan was just to wander around so that eventually we would hit all of the local sites and attractions. We had been told that today was a holiday in Georgetown to celebrate its World Heritage status. It was obvious that later that day there would be a lot going on as food stands and stages were being set up all over. We found out later that this was for the “Tapestry of Cultures” street celebration which would run for the next 2 days through the Penang Governor’s Birthday holiday. Our first stop was the Chowrasta Market - just a local outdoor market with the usual vegetables, fish and trinkets. We love markets and it was just fun to look around. A couple of blocks away there was a covered market. A man was unloading huge chunks of beef from the back of his pick-up truck and hauling them to one of the stalls inside - a good photo op. The main mosque in town, Kapitan Keling came up next. We went inside. While we had to remove our shoes, there seemed to be no concern for the way we were dressed - I was wearing shorts and Jeane had on a sleeveless top. It was a beautiful building with a huge crystal chandelier hanging from the center dome. Once outside, we were approached and asked if we wanted to learn more about the Muslim faith. Since we were not quite ready to convert and wanted to move along, we said “no thank you”.

Next we went in search of a couple of galleries we had heard about on Armenian Street but could not find them. And we searched for the Khoo Kongsi Temple but it was not open to visitors at that time. On to little India past the very old Sri Mariamman Temple to the Gem Restaurant. After we checked out the menu, I took a photo on my iPhone to e-mail to RHKKMK since he and his wife KMKRNN ate there when they were in Georgetown. I noticed on the map that we were near where the Sire Restaurant was supposed to be. And sure enough, it was there. It was about 11:15 so it was not open, but we decided to go inside anyway. We were hit by a refreshing cool breeze - air conditioning! A server approached us and I asked if we needed a reservation for dinner. She told us that sometimes it could get crowded. I asked to see a menu - it looked yummy. I told her we’d like to come at 6 pm and could we check out the museum before we left (and basque in the cool air for a while longer)? No problem. The museum and restaurant are actually the former home of a prominent Georgetown businessman. We spent about 20 minutes exploring the museum’s 3 floors before heading out into the heat again.

Our next destination was the Pinang Peranakan Mansion. This was a highlight. It is a 100-year-old restored Chinese courtyard house filled with an opulent collection of Chinese, English and Scottish antiques. Our tour of the Mansion was self-guided so we were free to explore the 2 story home at our own pace. As we were leaving, it started to rain. Fortunately we were carrying our travel umbrellas. The rain didn’t last long. We decided to return to the Khoo Kongsi Temple. Before we reached Khoo Kongsi, we came upon another temple. It was right around the corner from Khoo Kongsi on Armenian Street but it doesn’t appear on any of the tourist maps. A couple coming out told us it was beautiful and worth checking out though, so we went in. Typical of the Chinese temples, there were ornate decorations everywhere. We removed our shoes and explored the 2-story structure. Unfortunately, we were harassed the entire time by a guy who kept grunting at us and pointing. At the time, I thought he was asking us to donate to the temple but later I found out that he was just looking for a handout. On to Khoo Kongsi. While noone harassed us there, it just seemed like another big Chinese temple. We did not bother to go inside.

We headed across town towards St. George’s church. Along the way we stopped in at the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) Temple. Outside the temple a stage had been set up. A rehearsal was taking place for what seemed like a Malaysian opera. The singing was rather bad but the costumes were pretty - I snapped a bunch of photos. We continued on to St. George’s. Built in 1818, it is Southeast Asia’s oldest Anglican church. We sat inside and cooled off for a while before moving on. The Penang Museum was close by so we made that our next stop. We had some time to kill before the next Blue (Cheong Fatt Tze) Mansion tour at 3 pm and this was the perfect place to do it. Thankfully, the museum was air-conditioned. There were great displays on the history, food and cultures of Penang. It was well laid out and the displays were clearly marked. Admission was free because of the holiday. While we were there it poured in buckets outside. By the time we left the rain had pretty much finished.

We walked a few blocks to the Blue Mansion and arrived at about 20 minutes before the tour was to start. The ticket seller told us we were too early and that we should come back 5 or 10 minutes before the tour started. Why? I asked if there was a Happy store or 7-11 nearby. An Australian guy told us to just head up to Penang Street which we did. We easily found a place and purchased ice cream cones and some more water since we had drank almost all of the water we brought with us. As we were returning to the Blue Mansion we passed the Australian guy who had pointed us toward Penang Street. He started to chastise us for not eating in a local cafe and instead buying ice cream in a convenience store. I wanted to punch the guy right in the nose but instead I calmly told him that we had been in Malaysia for a while and had sampled plenty of the food. Have a nice day, pal!

The Blue Mansion tour turned out to be more of a lecture than a tour. Our tour guide made it interesting though and by the end we were fully indoctrinated in the history of the place and the feng shui that went into its design. The guide was a middle-aged woman of Chinese descent. She let our large group know on more than one occasion that she wasn’t going to put up with any distractions (especially noisy children) while she was talking. She was not shy about singling out offenders and making appropriate faces while doing so. It was all rather funny.

We were first out at the end of the tour so we were able to grab the one taxi that was waiting outside to take us back to Clove Hall to rest for a while before heading out to dinner. When we were ready to go, we asked Irene to call for a taxi. We told her where the restaurant was located and asked her to instruct the driver when he arrived. The driver dropped us off at the end of King Street, not far from the restaurant. The restaurant really does have a great atmosphere - lots of plants, sharp decor. We started off with drinks. Jeane ordered a B52 ($9!) and I had a glass of red wine. We split an order of crab cakes and the Roast Loin (lamb) Chop with mashed potato, whole grain honey mustard and mint sauce. For dessert, I had the walnut brownie and Jeane had the Apple Creme Brulee. Total cost, about $54, very satisfying...

The early dinner gave us plenty of time to check out the street performances at various venues around town including a 20-year-old Japanese violin prodigy and Chinese, Malay and Indian cultural performances. We finished up the evening watching a “Lion Dance Performance on High Poles” which was basically several acrobatic men in lion costumes doing flips and jumps while balancing on tiny platforms on a series of poles of increasing height. We had to walk to Penang street to find a taxi but once we got there, we found one quickly. When we reached Clove Hall, we went directly to bed, exhausted after a very long, hot and full day.

Next: touring the island of Penang with Mr. Lee...

What a terrific tale -- thanks Craig (&Jeane). Just from reading the report, I had to turn up the a/c in the house.

Don

sounds like things are very different at clove hall... are the house boys still there who do everything?

the manager was an asian woman when we were there.

glad you liked georgetown

Craig, we went to that temple too and they guy hassled us also! I wish the guide at the blue mansion had been that strict when we went, there Wasserstein a REALLY irritating teenager that his parents didn't even try to reprimand, I resorted to giving him the evil eye.

Many thanks for your report!

I've not been back to Penang for more than 25 years (ouch!) but your account has kindled the longing for a return visit. Sounds like it has not changed all that much...are there many glossy new high-rises in the city now? (There were none that I can remember way back when..)

Would you stay at Clove Hall next time? I remember the old E&O which has now been renovated..

Glad you liked the Museum rest. We really had a nice evening there. Looking forward to your day with Mr Lee

E--there were no hi-rises in the main part of town... a few mid-rises at the beach

Reading along and enjoying your report. Looking forward to more.

Eks - as rhk said, there are no high rises in the old part of town. The E&O is definitely better situated than Clove Hall but appeared to be far less intimate from what we saw when we stopped in. We enjoyed our stay at Clove Hall and would stay there again.

Breakfast the next morning consisted of a bacon omelet and toast for me and cereal and toast for Jeane. I was able to have my OJ since it wasn’t “sh-tty” today. Mr. Lee arrived promptly at 9 am as we had agreed. We had planned to visit many of the usual tourist sites and reviewed them with him, allowing Mr. Lee to arrange the order. The first stop was the Penang Botanical Gardens. It was early enough in the morning that it wasn’t too hot walking around. We asked Mr. Lee to give us an hour and a half. The gardens were nice - we didn’t have great expectations. Highlights were a large lizard we spotted in the lily pond, the macaques we saw while walking around and some very beautiful tall trees planted by the Brits during the Colonial period. Mr. Lee suggested we do the Penang Tram next, followed by the Kekloksi Buddhist Temple. I asked him what he thought our expenses would be for the day and concluded that we needed to hit an ATM - no problem, there was one right near the Botanical Garden. The new Penang Tram, an engineering marvel, took us to the top of Penang Hill in about 10 minutes. We had heard that old one was much slower. Unfortunately, Penang was covered in fog that morning and we couldn’t see much from the top. After walking around on top for about 15 minutes, we took the tram back down.

The Kekloksi Temple was just 5 minutes away. This is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia and it is truly built on a grand scale. The latest addition to the impressive complex is the enormous statue of Kuan Yin. That alone made it worth the trip. Mr. Lee told us that the cost to construct the bronze statue and the 20-storey pavilion that holds it was MYR 20 million (almost $7 million). We had to do a lot of walking and climbing stairs to get to the cable car for the short ride to the highest level where Kuan Yin was located. There are a couple of other major temples and several minor ones in this amazing complex. It took us a couple of hours to see it all during which the skies opened up with heavy rain - again, we were prepared with our travel umbrellas.

From Kekloksi, we took the coastal road north past many high-rises and beach front developments. Mr. Lee explained to us that unlike Thailand, foreigners were allowed to purchase property in Malaysia. Apparently they were doing so with great abandon. Our next stop was the Tropical Spice Garden. I was a little leery about going here but it turned out to be another highlight of our day. These lush gardens were laid out beautifully with walking paths throughout a wide variety of plants (and not just herbs and spices). We spent an hour walking around before heading further north to the Butterfly Garden where we spent a short time there taking close-up photos of the butterflies. Toward the rear of the building was terrarium with live scorpions that also caught our attention. To exit the Butterfly Garden we had to walk through several rooms of junk for sale which gave us a lousy last impression of the place. It was 4 PM and we were satisfied that had seen enough for one day. I asked Mr. Lee to take us back to Georgetown and we returned to Clove Hall. We paid Mr. Lee MYR 200 ($67) for eight hours. He was a good, helpful driver and kept us in conversation by asking a lot of questions. At one point we asked him what he liked to eat so he started in on restaurant recommendations for us. I said to him “No, Mr. Lee, what do YOU like to eat?” Being of Chinese descent, Mr. Lee told us he preferred noodle dishes to anything that was fried - in other words, healthy food...

We wanted to go to dinner within walking distance of Clove Hall that night so we chose Mama’s Nyonya Cuisine. We shared orders of beef and pork rendang. Our portions were quite tasty but because the spices are the same, we couldn’t discern much difference between the two. We found Mama’s somewhat lacking in atmosphere but overall it was good. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at a supermarket for ice cream cones.

Next: our final day in Georgetown

Oh we went to Momas and enjoyed the food, yep totally agree it does lack atmosphere in that place. Enjoying your report, you guys certainly pack a lot in!

glad mr lee worked out well for you. we loved our day with him...

I had pre-ordered Nasi Lemak for breakfast. Jeane went with continental again. Nasi Lemak is a rice dish that wasn’t as good as the Roti Canai I had 2 days earlier. I learned that the chef at Clove Hall purchases its Malay breakfasts the night before from a nearby cafe and heats them up the next morning for guests who pre-ordered them. Today was a day to wrap up loose ends and to try to do a little shopping. Our first task was to take a taxi to Gurney Plaza, the upscale shopping mall on the outskirts of town to the west. Taxi fare was MYR 12 from Clove Hall. While there were many of the usual mall stores here, Jeane found one that she loved called British India. The store has its origins in Malaysia but now it also has outlets in Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. Anyway, she bought a beautiful and (by Malaysian standards) expensive outfit there. There is a large food court on the bottom level that looked interesting but we weren’t hungry. There was also an interesting restaurant, Clinic Cafe - designed to look like a health clinic with booths that resemble hospital beds and overhead lighting similar to the lighting you would find in an operating room. It is a one-of and not a chain - totally unique.

We spent 2 hours at the mall and then took a taxi back into the old part of Georgetown (MYR 15). I was determined to find the shops that we had missed on Armenian Street. This time we were successful - we had looked on the wrong block before. One of the shops was an art gallery and the other was a jewelry shop - both had been recommended by smeagol. We enjoyed browsing but did not make any purchases. From there we walked to the end of Armenian to the Chew Jetty to see the clan houses, the old houses of the Chinese families built out over the water and still in use today. It was interesting to see them. There were a couple of other galleries on China Street so we headed in that direction. It was a hot walk and we were grateful for the air conditioning in one of the galleries. Since what we saw was mostly very modern art, there was nothing that really excited us. There was an antiques outlet mentioned in the Lonely Planet guide that looked interesting on Kimberly Street. It was a long walk and unfortunately when we got there, it was closed - probably because of the holiday (The Governor of Penang’s Birthday). It was mid-afternoon and we decided that we were done. It was time to hail a taxi and return to Clove Hall to go for a swim and do some packing. The pool at Clove Hall is very nice - I had it all to myself that afternoon. While it was not as cold as the outdoor shower, it was cool enough to be refreshing.

We decided that we wanted to go to a nearby hawker center as I hadn’t yet tried the popular fried noodle dish, Char Kway Teow and wanted to try some of the Chinese-influenced food. We had tried to find the New World Food Court the previous evening on our own with no luck. This time we asked around - we found it tucked behind a shopping center. We found a couple of places that sold the noodle dish and chose the busier one. We both ordered it - fried noodles with garlic, prawns, herbs and spices. It was good, accompanied by a big Tiger beer.

Jeane and I were due to be picked up at 7:30 am for our flight to Singapore. Breakfast at Clove Hall starts at 7 but we didn’t feel really good about eating and running so we asked if we could get food “to go”. Irene said that if we came down at 6:30 am, she would serve us. Needless-to-say, Irene was wonderful. Instead of Mr. Lee, we had a driver, Liew who arrived on time to take us to the airport. Liew was chatty, talking about local politics and just about anything else we wanted to know about Malaysia. Just from the ½ hour ride, I could also recommend him as a driver.

Next: on to Singapore

It's unfortunate that you've been served over night nasi lemak. The nasi lemak in Malaysia tend to be better than those available in Singapore. Nasi lemak is a dish which is at it's best immediately after cooking.

British India is a super nice store! Glad Jeane found something there. I've bought pieces in BKK at Central Chitlom Store. Very good quality.

I'm glad you had a chance to try one hawker center.

It sounds like you enjoyed Penang.

Nice report Craig, and I'm leaving tonight for Borneo so the timing is perfect too. Also staying at the Pullman Kuching.
(and thanks for reminding me to pack an umbrella!)

I will have to try the Britrish India store in Bkk, Glad you enjoied Penang.

Karen, there is a British India store at Central World, in the 'new' half, I think 2nd floor?? Another brand I really like is Journal. It also has the feel of travel wear, just like BI.

i think guenmai was always a champion of British India store in Singapore...

You are right, Bob. I thought about guenmai when I saw Craig's mention of that brand. She has spoken highly of it for years.

I like BI but I really feel it's gotten expensive over the last few years. When I first bought from there in Singapre about 8 years ago I did think they were great value. The clothes are still very nice though but maybe a mixture of exchange rates and they have increased their sales prices..... Although this post has just reminded me of a skirt I bought at the Guerney plaza store when we were in Penang, I must go and dig that out.....

dig it out from the "back room"? just imagine what one might find in that room?????

I'll have you know we had a tidy out just the other week.... ( it's still PACKED full )

Okay, time to settle in for the final chapter:

Our 1 hour and 15 minute Air Asia flight to Singapore went smoothly. We had pre-purchased “hot seats” which for this flight and only this flight, allowed us to board before everyone else. I was surprised to find that Singapore prohibits duty-free purchases both on departure and on arrival for any flights from Malaysia. I was not given a reason for this and it was not really much of a problem. Singapore must have the most beautiful immigration hall on the planet - Chicago O’Hare could learn a thing or two from the Singaporeans. We went through immigration quickly and picked up a taxi at the taxi stand. Taxi fare to the Intercontinental Hotel was cheap - about US$13. Because taxis were so inexpensive, we used them almost all of the time. On the drive to the hotel it seemed like Singapore was one big botanical garden - flowers and beautiful landscaping everywhere. Upon arrival at the Intercontinental, we were escorted to the Club Lounge on the 3rd floor to check in. We were given a detailed map of Singapore and arranged to make dinner reservations for the next two nights. Our room was on the 12th floor, overlooking the pool - it was well appointed and well lit. The bed was very comfortable and the a/c worked well. The common areas of the IC were grand and tastefully decorated. This hotel was really everything we expected and more. Jeane wanted to get a few laundry items done - it would be costly, but we had them back by that evening. I threw in a pair of trousers to be pressed for the next night’s dinner - no charge for Club Floor residents.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon at the Asian Civilizations Museum. This was a fabulous collection of artifacts spread amongst 10 galleries to explore the history, culture and traditions of SE Asia, China, India and the rest of Asia. As a bonus, there was a special exhibition of the Terra Cotta Warriors. Since we have not been to Xian, this was very worthwhile. I highly recommend this museum to anyone visiting Singapore, especially if you are frequent travelers to Asia - it really puts it all together for you. And it’s air-conditioned...

We returned to the hotel in time for Jeane to enjoy high tea and snacks in the Club Lounge. I popped in to get on the computer and enjoy a cocktail and some hot hors at 5:30. Jeane had some hors as well. We decided it would be easiest to take the MRT (subway) to Straits Kitchen at the Hyatt. It didn’t take long to get there, maybe 15 minutes. We only had to change trains once and were not surprised that they were clean and fast. Straits Kitchen is an air-conditioned upscale version of the hawker centers or food courts that are found throughout Malaysia and Singapore. It is enormously popular and reservations are necessary. There was a wide variety of food - Malay, Chinese, Singaporean etc. I ate a couple of platefuls of food but Jeane just nibbled. I think she had filled up in the Club Lounge. The Chili Crab was not as good as we had had in Kuching but some of the other dishes were excellent. I don’t recall exactly what I had but it was all tasty. The cost for the buffet is about US$40 per person. The total bill came to US$115 including tax, service, a big Tiger beer for me and a pineapple juice for Jeane. I thought it to be a bit steep but hey, we’re on vacation...

Our day was not over yet, as well still wanted to hit the Night Safari. The taxi ride took about 25 minutes so we arrived at about 8 pm. It doesn’t open until 7:30, so our timing was about right. We bought a combined zoo and Night Safari ticket because we were coming back to the zoo on another day. We opted for the Tram ride which took us past most of the spot-lit nocturnal animals in the park. In the middle of the ride, we were encouraged to get off the Tram and walk around. I felt that the Night Safari was something we needed to do because it is unique to Singapore. But having been twice on real safaris in Africa, it was a bit of a let down. By the time the ride was over, we were quite ready to return to the hotel and sleep. Near the entrance there is a taxi stand where patrons queue up for a steady flow of taxis. It was a 25 minute ride back the hotel.

After a great buffet breakfast in the Club Lounge the next day, Jeane and I set out for the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the National Orchid Garden. There is an MRT line under construction that will reach the Botanic Gardens, eventually. Meanwhile, a 15 minute taxi ride is the best way to get there. There is no admission for the Botanic Gardens but there is a nominal fee to enter the National Orchid Garden within. We spent the entire morning there, with much of that time dedicated to the spectacular orchids. Jeane, who grows orchids at home, took many, many photos. I took a few myself. Both the Botanic Gardens and the Orchid Garden are not to be missed.

Within a reasonable walking distance of the Gardens’ southeast gate are the Tanglin Mall and the Tanglin Shopping Center. These were the first of our shopping stops. The Tanglin Mall is very upscale (there is a branch of British India there) with a good variety of shops and restaurants. It seemed to be a popular meeting place for the wives of ex-pats and diplomats that live in Singapore. Jeane saw some odds and ends end here that she thought she might to buy later. The Tanglin Shopping Center was not as upscale but featured several floors of crafts, antique furniture, rugs, and custom-made clothing. Jeane was looking for a couple of additional pieces of furniture for her office so we took some time to browse around. It seemed that most of what we were seeing was from China. Although there were some very nice pieces with the right dimensions, she didn’t feel that they were a good fit with what she already owned.

So we debated on where to go next. And we wound up making a big mistake. Jeane had earlier asked our hostess at the IC about where to purchase some “local” clothing items. The hostess called down to the concierge and between them, they came up with two suggestions. One involved a taxi ride which took us half way to the airport and resulted in us being dropped at some dumpy shopping center in the middle of nowhere. We were lucky there was an MRT station nearby because there were no taxis anywhere. The second suggestion led us to another downscale shopping center a few blocks walk from the hotel. The lesson here is that to the local people, “local” means cheap. For those of you that know Jeane, you know that cheap doesn’t work for her. Those two forays wound up killing much of the afternoon. Frustrated, we returned to the hotel.

Back at the hotel, I did some Internet in the lounge while Jeane showered and got ready for our dinner out. When she was done, it was time for high tea for her and I came back to the room and showered. We met up again at cocktail time, thinking that Carol (simpsonc510) might show up. She did. We enjoyed an hour of good conversation, catching up on our travel experiences and on what we planned to do next. Jeane and I had a 7 pm dinner reservation at the Marina Bay Sands’ Sky on 57 Restaurant so we had to get going.

After a quick taxi ride to the Marina Bay Sands, we found the correct elevator to the 57th floor restaurant. Upon arrival, we were escorted to the deck outside where we were seated in comfortable chairs to view the sun setting over the city while I sipped on single malt scotch and Jeane sipped a raspberry and nutmeg(!) concoction. If you have been following this thread closely, you know that the weather on this trip has not always been ideal. But tonight, the gods were watching over us and treated us to a wonderful sunset. And then, as the skyscrapers lit up for the night, a most colorful sky put on a display as a backdrop that defies description. Only the photos (coming soon) can tell the story.

Finally we felt we were ready to go inside and eat. We were shown to our table next to a window with a great view of the city lights. We didn’t need a lot of food but there is an S$80 (US$64) minimum on food alone per person. At this restaurant, that was a pretty low bar. We ordered a Chef’s Appetizer Platter (4 items) and another appetizer, Pan Seared King Scallops with Mushrooms, Oriental Spices and Red Wine. We split those and an entree’ of Slow Cooked French Duck Breast with Wolfberries (wolfberries???) and honey sauce. The Chef’s Appetizer Platter consisted of (1) Tasmanian Oyster in Yuzu Dressing with Salmon Row, (2) Scallop Kataifi with Parsley Butter, (3) Egg Royal with Foie Gras and Chicken Jus and (4) Tangy Prawn and Mango Salad. I know this only because our server wrote it all down for us. I can attest that everything was awesome! I will mention that a LOT of time passed after our appetizer was served - like an hour. I finally grabbed one of the other servers and asked for an explanation. Our server came back and explained that a tour group had arrived - blah, blah, blah. I told him we would leave if our entree’ wasn’t delivered within 5 minutes. Within my 5-minute deadline, the delicious duck arrived. As a consolation, our server offered us a complimentary snifter of Gran Marnier to enjoy outside on the deck. It was actually a perfect end to an almost perfect evening. Total cost was about US$240 and worth every penny. The taxi back to the hotel was quick and easy.

We started our last day in Singapore with another great buffet breakfast in the Club Lounge. Carol walked in early on and we asked her to join us. It was so nice having a friend to share our vacation with. We have spent time with Carol at many of our Boston GTG’s. Over the years we have gotten to know her well through the GTG’s and her frequent trip reports.

Today we went to the Singapore Zoo. It is a wonderful zoo, shady to the point where we really didn’t work up much of a sweat at all - one of the best zoos we have ever been to. We spent 2-1/2 hours wandering around and pretty much covered it all. At the end, we each purchased t-shirts in the gift shop.

We took a taxi to the Dempsey Road area. I believe this area has been renamed “Dempsey Hill” for marketing purposes. It is a series of refurbished British army barracks and consists of restaurants and upscale shops - lots of furniture so Jeane wanted to spend some time here. She didn't have much success but there were lots of other little things that seemed to interest her. There was just so little time to do shopping the way she likes to do it, making casual browsing difficult. If there was one place in Singapore that we would return to for shopping, this is it. It is also near the Botanic Gardens. We left that day a frustrated again and overwhelmed. It was now time to return to the hotel to pack and get ready for a very early departure for the airport.

We alternated between packing and doing Internet in the Lounge before heading down for good to do cocktails and hors for our “dinner” that night. This was the “firm” date that we had set to get together with Carol and she showed up shortly after we did. We spent another couple of hours sharing our experiences and getting to know each other better. It was really a wonderful evening. The food was excellent and filling. The conversation was stimulating.

We were up before 3 am because our flight departure time was 6:05 am. Taxis are no problem at any time of the day in Singapore and after we checked out we were able to obtain one quickly. The trip to the airport was very quick. I was unable to check in on-line due to what I thought was a potential downgrade on our Chicago-Hartford leg. Turns out there was another reason - United wanted a $250 per person copay, even though we had booked our flights before the copay policy had gone into effect. I suspect that our upgrade on the Chicago-Hartford leg a month ago had triggered this in United’s system. Anyway, the supervisor at check-in was unsuccessful at convincing anyone at HQ or India or wherever she might have been calling that we didn’t need to pay. She obviously knew that we didn’t, but ultimately I had to fork over my credit card. I figured I could sort it out later. I let her know however that I was NOT happy with the service from United and that I didn’t blame her. Ultimately, we were never charged, but that could have been for many reasons as you will see shortly.

After that debacle, it took very little time before we had situated ourselves at the gate, waiting to board. Everything went smoothly and we arrived in Hong Kong right on time. We spent the 2 hour layover in the Red Carpet Club and then boarded for the flight to Chicago. Unfortunately, it was not to be - a problem with the aircraft’s flaps and no spare part. We all deplaned and those in business and first were eventually bussed to the Grand Hyatt on Hong Kong island. We marvelled at the acres and acres of shipping containers (no doubt bound from China to the USA) that we passed on our journey into the city. We were put on the hotel’s 27th floor (of 30) which had an impressive view of the harbor. We were also given a voucher for about US$40 per person for food. No information was given to us immediately about when our flight would depart so Jeane and I decided to grab sandwiches and fries in the only restaurant that was open in the late afternoon (we had not had lunch) - they really hit the spot. Later we ordered room service - some wine and dessert. We saved some rolls from dinner for breakfast and we still had credit on our voucher for some room service coffee for me. Anyway at about 7 pm, a notice was slipped under our door that our flight wouldn’t be leaving until 7 pm THE NEXT DAY. No good - I immediately got on my cell phone with United’s call center and was able to book us in business class for the morning flight (the same one we would have been on the previous day). I also booked us to Hartford in business with a 6 hour layover as the earlier flight was completely full. As it turned out, that worked out perfectly.

With our flights all in place again, we relaxed in our room for the rest of the evening. We decided to spring for Wi-Fi to do some Internet on our phones but basically just hung out. The next morning I hit a nearby ATM for the taxi fare (my dime, not United’s since we were not on their bus for the later flight) and checked out. The only thing we had to pay for was the Wi-Fi (about US$20). The flight from Hong Kong was delayed for a couple of hours due to bad weather. While we were wait-listed for the earlier connection to Hartford, we were booked on the later one (the one with the 6-hr layover). Because of the delay, we completely missed the earlier connection. However, we had to stand in line to re-tag our checked bags for the later flight after coming through customs. We spent the remaining 3 hours at the O’Hare Red Carpet Club. After that everything went smoothly and we arrived home around midnight.

Next: some final thoughts

Thanks so much, Craig. You've offered some true food for thought!

BTW: Wolfberries are known in the US as 'goji" berries and are touted as a "miracle food" by some....

You've made me hungry!

Great report Craig, love the details and can't wait for the photos. I have an amazing Buddha carving that I bought back from Shang antiques on Dempsey road. I was sweating as that thing alone weighed 10lbs and I was waaaay over my baggage allowance but Singapore air never batted an eyelid!!!

Sorry your trip ended with a nightmare with flights but alls well that ends well.

I was sure you and Jeane would like Singapore. I'm sorry you didn't have more time at Dempsey Road - I've picked up a number of treasures there over the years.

I'll look forward to your final thoughts on this trip.

I'll pass on my final thoughts after spending some time with Jeane this weekend. I'm also going to start working on the photos...

stay out of the heat!!

Craig, you report is excellent. I'm sure the photos will be, as well. I think I'm convinced to go to Penang on my next BKK trip.

I also really enjoyed meeting up with you and Jeane in the Club Lounge at the IC in Singapore. It's always nice to catch up on travel with other fodorites we know from past GTGs.

Brillant report Craig, thanks for sharing.

If you think abaya/burka clad women hiking looks odd, you should see them swimming...

I was once one of those expats that shopped at Tanglin Mall...but it was for food to haul back to Indonesia.

Ah, memories...

SOME FINAL THOUGHTS -

1. This trip didn't make our top 3 but it was a still a great trip.
2. We agonized over whether we should do 4 nights Penang, 3 nights Singapore or vise versa. I'm glad to we had 4 nights on Penang even though we our stay in Singapore was too short. We needed the extra day in Georgetown to sort things out and to tie up all the loose ends.
3. We should have headed to nearby Dempsey Road after the Tanglin Shopping Center in Singapore on our first of two full days there. Had we done that, Jeane's shopping experience would have been far more productive on our second.
4. We were fortunate to be in Georgetown on a holiday weekend - the street celebration that was going on really added to our enjoyment of the city.
5. In speaking with Jeane last night, we decided that our dinner out at Marina Bay Sands' Sky on 57 ranks among our all-time greatest vacation moments.
6. We WILL return to Singapore, maybe as soon as next year.
7. About 80% of our trip planning was based on recommendations for hotels, restaurants, sights and shopping from fellow Fodorites. THANK YOU! Unlike previous trips to Bali, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, I don't think we blazed any new trails. Hopefully though, future travelers to Malaysia and Singapore will benefit from this report.

If you made it this far, thanks for coming along!

Craig I will be in Singapore in 3 weeks so will be asking K to book us a table at sky on 57 . Would you say it would be a good lunch spot? Glad you liked Dempsey, thanks again for all the great details.

Craig--Which are your top three trips?

as always comprehensive and informative...

we too look forward to a singapore return in the near future...

Thanks for your informative and detailed report. I've never been to Singapore, but it sounds like a city I would enjoy going to someday.

Nicky, I'm sure the food would be good at lunchtime. The views at sunset and at night were amazing for us but that really depends on the weather. Given perfect conditions at both times, I'd choose dinner...

Marija - top three would be Myanmar, Bali and and a three-way tie between our first trip to Thailand, our first trip to India and our trip to Siem Reap, Bangkok and Luang Prabang.

Thanks Craig. I will get K on it! Thankfully she has finally had her Myanmar visa approved so will be able to get a taste of Myanmar in 3 weeks time.

What a great report Craig!

I am sure we had the same woman for a guide t the Blue mansion in Penang. At first we thought she was doing an act (like at Durgin Restaurant in Boston), but no, she isn't. it was funny, and good as we had some girls who chatted during the first few minutes of the tour, then were almost tossed out!

The best thing about being in Singapore in June is the Orchid garden is at its best! I've been there in October too and it was very nice, but disappointing after experiencing it in June.

Glad your trip was fun, even if parts of it were less adventurous than your usual!

Smeagol- go up for dinner at Marina Bay Sands. It is the setting of the sun and the fabulous display of lights in the city and the straits that is so special up there....

Thanks Craig...looking forward to your pictures when they come out. Think I can get Mr Cheap to spring for the MB 57 next time we are in SIN? He may think I am talking of MBK in BKK!

I loved reading this fabulous trip report, Craig, and I admire how much you managed to see and do. Very impressive.

Amusingly enough, I am reading your report while stranded at the E&O in Georgetown with a severe double ear infection that keeps delaying our departure way (way, way) past scheduled check-out. Strange predicament, but that is a story for another thread.

You saw much more of Georgetown/Penang than we did, but I thoroughly agree with you and lcuy about the hilariously entertaining guide to Cheong Fatt Tze mansion, and I second your view that the Peranakan Penang house is spectacular. My husband took glorious photos there so I will try to post them later.

Thanks for an engrossing read about your trip. Welcome home. Over and out from alongside the Straits of Malacca.

being stranded at the E&O, now there is a hardship story...

Hey that happened to me when we were in Penang but ours was due to Bangkok airport being closed. The staff at the E & O were amazing. Hope your ear infection clears up soon.

Craig-thanks for report-I have made some notes as we plan to go to Malaysia-Phuket & Singapore next fall. I already have my calendar marked for the 330 days for our uprade tickets.
Question-do you know who AirAsia & Malaysia Air codeshares with-thanks.
Also do you arrive 1 day later than you fly out? Our first week is Sept 28th 2012 in Selangor-Delta flys to Singapore so we may need to spend a night there before we fly to KL. Plan to stay 4 nights in Singapore at the end of our trip-our last timeshare ends Oct 20th & I have a birthday 3 days later & where else to spend but Singapore-Thanks so much-Chris

Chris, I don't believe Air Asia codeshares with any other airline. Malaysia Airlines codeshares can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Airlines#Partnerships_and_codeshare_agreements

I am not entirely sure that I understand your second question. If you mean did we arrive one day later after the long flight from the US to Asia, the answer is yes.

i would add to what craig has said---it really depends on your airline and your routing as to which day you arrive...

airasia is pretty much a stand alone airline with no partners although they are developing some inter-asia alliances i believe.

i just bought a r.t. from bkk to phuket. i priced it on both air asia and thai.... thai was just slightly more expensive (@ 5760 B each) when you add the add-ons we desired for AA [seat selection, higher baggage limit, insurance (very cheap)]
we went with thai for the bigger plane (thus larger overhead compartments) and generally a better on time record.

Air Asia, as a budget airline, does not partner with any other airline. Bob's point about add-ons is a good one. Budget airlines can nickel and dime you so while you start out thinking you are getting a great deal, you end up paying as much as you would on a full-service airline. And it pays to remember that Air Asia will never transfer your luggage from one flight to another (even other Air Asia flights). While if you are flying point to point that will make no difference to you, if you are taking a connecting flight, this can be a major issue.

Take a look at the flight schedule for your international flight. It will give an arrival time and a +1 or a +2, indicating whether you arrive one day or two days later than when you left home.

Thanks Craig for taking the time to do this report, really enjoyed and learned from it. Awaiting patiently for the pictures.

kmkrnn, no chance he will spring for it without a coupon or some sort of discount,lol.

OK what did I miss in the two deleted posts above?

Aloha!

HT, at least one of the deleted posts was an ad...

Craig, great report as usual. Look forward to you photos!

"Your" photos

Thanks Craig-and thanks Bob about add ons. Good info. I had forgotten when we flew to BKK if it was 1-2 days later. Need to figure out if we should fly to Singapore & stay a night or fly to KL-and be totaly exhausted. Thanks again

Sorry to keep jumping into your thread but Bob do you know if any airlines flys from KL to Phuket direct? I found all the info I needed on Deltas flights and I checked on Thai Airway & they have a stop in BKK.Thanks

The other deleted post was from me, declaring my undying love and admiration for Craig and his big report. Perhaps it got a bit saucy.

Anyway, I've calmed down now. Thank you Craig for a very good report. Not enough sex and violence, tho. Where were the opium dens? The dancing floozies? lol. I'm living vicariously here...

BeniciaChris: Air Asia flies from KL to Phuket. I had good experiences with them last year, even when they lost my luggage for a day LOL.

Thanks all. I looked on the different sites & boy is air fare expensive-for 1 way tickets. I thought I was planning a trip with close proxcimities.
I remember when we went to Thailand & Bali there was a guy who got flights at a discount. I will probably have to go on Thailand site to find the guys name & E-mail. I know he saved us a lot of $. Can't do much till we get our flights there & back end of Oct & end of Nov for the 330 days out. Chris

Chris, for the places you are flying within Asia, look at Air Asia a budget airline. The prices are quite cheap. When you want to ask more detailed questions about your plans, please start your own thread as your questions will get lost on Craig's report thread.

was the agent you are looking for eddie at sea tours?

aniwat@seatours.com

it should be:

aniwat@seatoursthai.com

Enjoyed reading your columns but the next time you come to Singapore, do not miss the following

1. Little India and Arab Street (very atmospheric neighborhoods but avoid Sundays because of the crowds. Good food and interesting shopping.)
2. The Singapore National Museum (not as interesting as the Asian Civilizations Museum, which is world-class, but very well done in explaining the story of this amazing little country.)
3. Jurong Bird Park (if you see only one bird park in your life, this one is it. It really is very fun!)
4. Take a night dinner cruise or visit one of the outlying islands by boat. Its very casual, cooler, and different and you'll pass lots of container ships docked in the bay.
5. Go to Queen Street and visit the temples. In one block, all the major faiths are represented and is convenient for comparison. You'll also pass a few hawker stands and smell the incredible (and off-putting) durian fruit, which tastes like decaying garbage but people here love it.
6. Finally, if you can and time it well, a performance or Chinese opera at the Esplanade (which resemble durians).

Enjoyed reading your columns but the next time you come to Singapore, do not miss the following

1. Little India and Arab Street (very atmospheric neighborhoods but avoid Sundays because of the crowds. Good food and interesting shopping.)
2. The Singapore National Museum (not as interesting as the Asian Civilizations Museum, which is world-class, but very well done in explaining the story of this amazing little country.)
3. Jurong Bird Park (if you see only one bird park in your life, this one is it. It really is very fun!)
4. Take a night dinner cruise or visit one of the outlying islands by boat. Its very casual, cooler, and different and you'll pass lots of container ships docked in the bay.
5. Go to Queen Street and visit the temples. In one block, all the major faiths are represented and is convenient for comparison. You'll also pass a few hawker stands and smell the incredible (and off-putting) durian fruit, which tastes like decaying garbage but people here love it.
6. Finally, if you can and time it well, a performance or Chinese opera at the Esplanade (which resemble durians).

singabob, I appreciate your suggestions, as I hope to be back in SIN before too long. I was there, same hotel, as Craig and his wife, and we met in the club lounge several times to share out experiences.

I think the Jurong Bird Park sounds like something I'd enjoy. I did walk thru Little India, and it was, indeed, quite interesting. I think I walked the Arab area as well, on an afternoon stroll.

Singapore is really lovely. I'm anxious to return for a few more days.

Did someone mention durians? Had it for dessert yesterday. Just posted the photo in my blog.

http://frosty889.blogspot.com/2011/07/mao-shan-wang.html

Photos are now up:

http://craigandjeane.smugmug.com/Travel/Malaysia-and-Singapore/18250202_WSZqp2#1403644078_qdG5jf2

Kathie-thanks for info & sorry to intrude
Bob thanks for E-mail-I'll check it out
singabob-I have noted your suggestions
Thanks all-Chris

Loved reading your descriptive report. I have a chance to visit Kuala Lumpur for a few days/ Can you please tell what are some special local souvenirs I could buy. I have just found out about the trip and have not had a chance to read any guide books.

So, maybe you can help me by telling what sort of shopping you enjoyed in Malaysia?

Thanks.

ileen, shopping in Malaysia was not great. Jeane brought home a couple of outfits and not much else...

I am more interested in 'local' market shopping, and I did not really find that sort of thing in Singapore. Granted, I was near the heart of the city at the Intercontinental, and did not have the time to venture very far out from there. Bangkok shopping is ten times (or more) better than SIN or HKG in my opinion.

In KL there is a big craft market called central market. It is the place to head if your time is limited. I found some nice blouses and tees that were block printed and then embelished with beading. There are also a lot of nice silk woven scarfs, bags and the usual tourist junk. Batik fabric (beach wraps) is another thing in the market. It is a fun place to look.

Be careful at Central Market in KL. Someone tried to steal my wallet there last year. Thankfully, I caught him in the act!

Can't let this fabulous report stymie at 99.

Where to next Craig and Jeane?

Aloha!

Hey HT - next is Puerto Rico in February, then Kolkata, Sikkim (India) and Singapore in October/November. I think we may also have a family reunion in Colorado in July. Life is good.

Goin' back to SIN eh? I think I will return sometime soon as well. But first, Georgetown Penang. Looking at about 3 days in G'town in October of this year.

DH and I enjoyed Puerto Rico. We were there for a few days, pre and post cruise to the southern Caribbean about 10 years ago.

Hi
Craig

Just read your superb trip report.Wonderful!
We are thinking about Malaysia - Langkawi and Penang
or North India (Shimla,Manali,Amritsar,Delhi for a December holiday.
I used Compass India for our 2005/2006 India holiday and I know you have as well. Considering using them again and hoping they will be as efficient as before.
Regards