I touched down in Penang, Malaysia a little more than four hours ago, after a flight from Singapore that was about an hour long. Uneventful flight, save for some turbulence close to Penang.Getting out of the airport was a bit of a pain, and the rain wasn’t helping. I knew which bus I needed to take, but I didn’t realize that you needed to pay the exact amount as they didn’t give you change. The bus driver told me to get my money changed back at the airport. I was frustrated, wet, and all I wanted was to get to my hostel right away! Thankfully, everyone was really nice and helpful.(So, here’s my first tip for Penang: Make sure you have the exact change for the bus from the airport. You can get your money changed into smaller denominations at the sandwich shop inside the airport.)

While waiting for the bus from the airport, I met a fellow traveler who was also confused about the bus situation (there were renovation works at the airport, and no signs pointing to where exactly one had to go to take the bus). He was a real California surfer dude, and we both headed into the city together. After disembarking at KOMTAR, we went in search of our respective hostels, but not before we both grabbed something to eat.

I’ve read that Penang is a great place for food, so I was looking forward to trying as much as I can while I was here. We came across a little food center and ate there. I ordered a bowl of curry mee (curry noodles) for MYR 4 (approximately $1.35) and a small bottle of Tiger Beer for MYR 6.50 ($2.20). It was AWESOME.

curry mee: before mixing the chili

curry mee: AFTER mixing the chili

After dinner, my new friend and I split up and went to our hostels. I’m currently staying at Ryokan, which is a nice little “flashpacker hostel.” I’m currently at their chillax station where there are bean bag chairs and iPads you can use.

Tomorrow, I explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia!