Funny Footprint: Chapter #4: First week in Penang

View of the Malacca Strait from our hotel room

Our first week in Penang, Malaysia is now firmly under our belts (as well as way too many amazing meals). We have been staying in a very nice two bedroom unit at the Jazz Hotel Residences (located in the Tanjung Tokong area), I had hoped it was named after my favorite NBA team (Utah Jazz) with posters, signed jerseys and basketballs displayed around in the rooms, but alas, it's just something about music, bleh.

We have found the people around us extremely kind and helpful, and that all the locals seem to speak 3 to 50 languages (it seems), which puts to shame my paltry two and a half languages (English, Portuguese & Hawaiian Pidgin). I would like to count Spanish as another for me, but honestly I can only ask where the library is and say hello to someone named Paco. The locals around us speak Bahasa Melayu, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien (Chinese dialect), Tamil, English, Klingon, Parseltongue and something I think that is found on Tattooine near the moisture farms. Fortunately I'm extremely expert in looking completely bewildered, so they all speak English to me first, without even trying any other language. I was also pleased to find that my native home of Hawaii is not unknown here in Malaysia, and when anyone finds out I'm Hawaiian it's immediately followed by "ALOHA". Which is then repeated multiple times accompanied by huge smiles. I love the enthusiasm but hesitate to overload anyone by throwing in a "Mahalo." Two Hawaiian words might just be a bridge too far.

After taking a "recovery" day for jet lag (which any world traveler knows can take between one day and the whatever amount of time it takes till you're back in your own home bedroom) we met with a local to give us a rundown and tour of the island of Penang. We'll call her "Christine" for simplicity's sake, since her given name is most likely way to difficult to pronounce for most Americans. Not for me mind you, I'm perfect at it. I CHOOSE to call her Christine (and because that's what she told us her name is). Christine took us by our figurative hand, to show us what this exotic place holds in store for us. We visited morning markets and hawker food stalls, drove through crowded Unesco heritage city streets (Georgetown), over jungle hills teeming with wildlife, walked on beaches, and ate at incredible locations serving strangely wonderful food, all the while explaining culture and customs of a very diverse local populace.

We were shown when and where to use cash (the Ringgit) and when to use app to pay for services and items, with explanations of how technology is replacing many things in Malaysia (cash money included) and what is required to utilize this tech. She assisted us in setting up new local phone services, which is an absolute necessity here (there is no way around it). It is a MUST to have a smartphone in modern Malaysia. To set up a local bank account you will need a local number and passport/visa. And if you wish to park your car just about anywhere on the island there is a fee (even in mall parking lots). If you park on the street you must pay for that as well, via an app (there is no other option). It's not expensive, but it is inconvenient to those of us who are used to parking for free almost anywhere. You can risk it, but they do give out parking tickets most readily--which you can also pay for on the app.

The street food hawkers we visited still prefer cash, however they take a local payment app as well (Touch & Go aka TNG), which is also accepted in most convenience stores, retailers and restaurants. To pay tolls on roads or bridges you will also need a different pre-payment card, since cash is no longer accepted at the un-manned toll booths (not sure I understand that one). A word of warning, don't be that guy who gets stuck at the toll booth in front of everyone, there is no one there to help you! Be prepared and ready with card in hand at the toll gate.

Malaysia is quickly changing with technology and we were blessed to have someone there who knows the local ropes and how to climb them (thank you Intel). If you ever find yourself on a similar ride, don't hold back, we've found it's best to just jump on board and hang on tight for the ride.