To get to Penang we caught a 3hr ferry journey, once arriving we had to wait ages for our bags to come off, so we sat waiting and waiting.. everybodies bags apart from ours. Finally they showed up being the last bags on the ferry. We decided to walk to Chinatown to find some accommodation, by the time we got to chinatown it was around 6pm. The searching began again.. and yet again we couldn't find a blooming room. There was another couple looking around at the same time as us but we were walking opposite ways. Bumping into them a couple of times they informed us they had found nothing. We walked down a quieter street and found a place called 75 Travellers lodge.. we were VERY lucky.. this place only had 1 room left with twin beds, it had been booked by somebody but hadn't turned up.. so the owner let us have it. We hope they didnt turn up after we snapped it up. haha!! When Lucy went down to reception to check in, the same couple who we'd spoken to were walking out still with their rucksacks on.. ohhh dear still not found anywhere. Our room was slightley different to what we normally stay in, this one had graffiti all over the walls from people who had peviously stayed there.. obviously we had to contribute to this when we left. That night we just went out for dinner.. Chinese.. it was yummy. The following day we had heard there was a festival being held in the Botanical Gardens. The festival was called Thaipusam: Thaipusam is celebrated by the Hindus. It is a triumph over evil. Some devotees went on vegetarian fastings for a few weeks before they carry the kavadi. Kavadis come in many forms. Devotees have their cheeks pierced through with large spears, some have jars of milk and lime hooked to their backs and other forms of penance. They did it as a thanksgiving when their prayers are fulfilled, some did it as a penance and etc. On the day of the festival it was scorching hot, 1000's of people, the road to the botanical was closed off to traffic. Street stalls lined the sides of the road, serving food and drinks with really loud music blarring out. The men who were participating in the festival would stop every so often and dance around to the music with friends and family around them for encouragement. People were out with hosepipes, trying to make the road abit cooler as the participants were all bare footed. We eventually reached the botanical gardens and walked up the hill where everyone was heading. We didn't go all the way, as only hindu's who were participating could go. We watched them struggle in the heat climbing the hill. Then we headed back down and got out of the madness. Stopping for a quick ice cream and finding a bus back to Georgetown. That afternoon we chilled out at the guesthouse and then went to a food centre on the sea front in the evening. We both had some noodle dishes which weren't the best. But the chicken wings were good though. The next day we stopped off at an indian restaurant on the way to the bus station. Don't think the man appreciated us not buying drinks and taking our own water in!! We then caught a bus to Penang Hill. The hill is 830m high and you can reach the near top by a train. We went to get the train and discovered it was around £6 each to go up and back down.... abit steep when we had read it would only cost £2! Anyways, we decided we might aswel go up as we were there.... wish we had saved our money. The views are quite good but nothing spectacular, the train only takes you to around 730m and they cram you into the carriages like sardines!! After returning back down we walked to Air Itam, here is where we visited Kek Lok Si Temple (largest buddhist temple in Malaysia). Above the temple further up the hill is the very impressive bronze Kuan Yin statue which is 30.4m high. On arriving at the foot of the hill where the temple is based we walked up through lots of souvenir stalls.... AND there he was...... TEDDDDDY . Mr Bean was over the moon when we got back to the guesthouse and showed him we had found his true friend. It was very emotional! hahaha Anyways, we carried on the climb towards the temple and came across some turtles swimming around in a pond, not the cleanest water. This pond is called 'Liberation pond', turtles are left by devotees in the pond as symbols of spiritual liberation. We then finally came to the temple complex, it consists of a series of monasteries, prayer halls, temples and beautiful landscaped gardens. They also have a wish tree, where we purchased a different ribbon each with a different wish on each, then placed them on the tree. Look at the photos if you want to know what we wished for! We finally reached the other main attraction further up the hill, the gigantic Kuan Yin statue (goddess of mercy). Its quite impressive to look at. Also from here we had good views of Georgetown, nearly as good as the ones we payed for up Penang hill! The following day was quite a lazy day not doing much apart from a cheeky visit to pizza hut (1st time since leaving england)... alot cheaper than back home too! Then in the evening we went back to the same chinese restaurant we ate at on our first evening in Georgetown. Pork ribs in their own sauce and chicken satay in some kind of sweet chilli sauce.... delicious again! The morning after we had to walk to a bus company to catch a bus to Melaka. On our way we stopped off at a street stall and enjoyed some very tasty curry puffs and samosa's. If you like food.... head to Penang!