1 Week Down, 103 To Go!

[the header picture is a view from one of our balconies]

What I’m Digging: The diversity of the people here. As Ton and I walked down our street, Gurney Drive, which fronts the strait between Penang Island and the mainland, I saw all these people in one short stroll – two Buddhist monks on a bench looking at the sea, teenage couples sitting on the rocks doing the same, a young family with a toddler, a middle-aged woman walking her dog (a shih-tzu I believe), a homeless man, two elderly women – deep wrinkles in their faces – taking a rest, again viewing the sea. You see everything from Muslim women with head scarves to teenage girls in tiny tank tops and high heels. You see Malays, Chinese, Indians and Westerners.

Key Learning: The lane stripes on the roads are just guidelines, not remotely rules – cars drift amidst them as it suits the drivers; sometimes they drive happily along half in one, half in the other. Ton is rocking our Toyota Camry though. We drove a half hour to the beach resort area this afternoon. It was gorgeous (MASSIVE palm trees), and the roads were relatively tame. He managed it all with flair. Side note: The motorbike drivers here are seriously gutsy.
Not My Sharpest Moment: I get on the treadmill, program in my normal speed, and wonder “Why is this going so slowly? Darn thing must be broken.” Then it hits me, the speed is in kilometers here.
How I know I’m not in Kansas Anymore: The level of sweat soaking through my clothes as I work out. I also have something I've not had in ages - a zit.
Quote of the Week: Out doing errands, I notice a button has popped open on my blouse and I say, “Oh no, I’m a hussy.” Ton replies, “Thank god. I’ve been waiting for this day.”

Parting Thought: So much for the pipe dream of “Wouldn’t it be great if I lost weight while I was here?” Ha! With the many delights available in Penang, including bakeries full of items such as “a harmony of chocolate and vanilla cream brimming with pastry,” I’m tempted left and right. Friday night, we attended a rug auction (where the wine was flowing plentifully) with some new friends, Mauricio and Anita, where we unexpectedly bought three oriental rugs. Post-auction, we landed at a party spot called SOHO with a posse of expats and locals. As I made my way onto the club’s smoky dance floor clutching a local beer (called Tiger), I thought, so much for my healthy kick. We didn't get home until 2AM or so, after we’d gone with the crew for oxtail soup and a chicken scallion omelette. Then we get a call Saturday night from one of the couples we'd met asking if we want to go out AGAIN. Needless to say, we’ve met fabulous people already, which makes adjusting to Penang all the more easy . Bring on more outings with this new pack of fun people.