Friday, August 20, 2004

Monday 16th August 2004 - Day 337/365 - Tanjung Bungah, Penang, Malaysia.

Hired a car for the drive to Taiping, another of Dad's old haunts. We got a Proton 1.5, which is basically what everyone drives over here. It was so sluggish that I kept checking the handbrake, because it felt like it was constantly on.

Taiping is back on the mainland. Having negoiated the scooter brigade and found the massive causeway we were back on the mainland and in Taiping after about 1.5 hours. The scooters come at you from all angles, including straight at you on a one way street.

When we got to Dad's old barracks in Kamunting, he exclaimed how much it has changed. Yep Dad things do change over 40 years. Even he's changed a bit. Anyway the former hospital is now a Malay artillery base. Dad caused a bit of a commotion at the guard room and ultimately was unsuccessful in getting a tour of the barracks. So we went to the war cemetery. As ever beautifully kept.

It was good to get into the bush and away from the tourists. Even saw a couple of monkeys in the wild.

In the car on the way back, Dad pipes up with. "Stuart, theres a knock coming from the engine"

"Er, no Dad that'll be the beat from the music." Those hearing aids are good.

Back in Penang we went to the war museum at the old fort in Batu Maung. Very interesting. Those Japs were buggers!

On the way back we decided to drive up the middle of the island. The last time I did that was in Tenerife. The road through the middle looked the most direct. It would have been quicker had there not been a massive Volcano in the centre. Fortunately there are no such obstacles in Penang.

Saw a scooter learning centre. That must be where there are taught to use their mobiles, text, hold babies (really, I've got a pic), cut you up, undertake you and drive on the wrong side of the road.

I booked my bus to Thailand for Saturday. 65 rm pays for my 8 hour trip to Krabi. That's borderline robbery. Cuff me! (Please)

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