Road Trip!

Or almost one. We have to do sampling outside Penang, on a new construction site, so we drive there atleast once a week. Last week I took my camera with me and started taking some pictures on the way. These are taken while we were on the movem so some of the pictures are a bit blurry.

Everyone here drive scooters. I'd do the same, but I don't have the license :(

Rice fields!

The worst quality, but this is the most important picture. Of course the construction men are illegal immigrants, who are working just to pay off their trip to Malay. These guys are from Bangladesh and they are living in these shacks. On the back side they have a filthy junk yard where chickens and ducks are eating what they can before they become dinner. The workers on the other site have about the same story.

Le Awesome Tourist Day

I don't know where to start. Today we went with Ch'ng and her friend Sinkak (?) to eat chinese breakfast and to visit Kek Lok See, the biggest Asian temple around here. I have about billion pictures, and no patience to download them, so hopefully this small collection is enough. If I have time and enegy (probably not) I'll give more indept story about the place

Ch'ng and Sinkak. Amazing people!

Chinese breakfast

Entering the temple

Inner court

Monk's dormitories. Notice the solar panels on the roof

We saw monkeys at a park. The main dude ate from my hand!

Ok, so we got an appartment quite soon after we arrived. Of course we have to pay the western price, but what the hell. Seventh floor, pool, three bedrooms, and free internet at the pool. And oh yeah,did I mention the pool?

The view from my room.I can also see the Penang bridge, I'll show a picture later

Our place is on the right side, seventh floor.

Le Pool.

Don't know how save it is to swim in it though!

We went to an indian restaurant with Wendy and her husband. The food was amazing! First we had a thin crispy bread(it had honey and sugar and salt, yummy!). Then we had garlic and cheese naan bread and lense sause. It was so good that I'm still dreaming about it!

That's what she said!

Day 1

When I arrived it was 8 pm. I had slept the whole flight but was still feeling tired. Dr Nik picked me up from the airport and took me to the girls dormitory. We didn't know what time Timo was going to arrive so we went back to the airport every hour. He was here at 23.

The next day we mainly wondered around and got to know the local area. Dr Nik was really nice and drove us around and told us about the local life style and cultrure. We also got to know a really funny girl, Shalima, who took us shopping the same evening.

The wiev from my window

My room for the first few nights



Timo and Shalima

View from Queensbay Mall

Fogging!

I had the perfect plan. I'm writing my diary almost every day and I was going to copypaste it to you guys almost totally uncensored! But no. This stupid website won't let me. So I'll tell all about the beginning later. Now the most exciting part of my trip: FOGGING! Oooooooooooh. Voilá :

At one point there was so much smoke that we couldn't see outside!

These people have some serious issues against mosquetos. Apparrently there was one bad case upstairs, so now we have some watercups testing our pet mosquitos and the diseases they carry. Oh and at one point the fire alarm went off! Cool eh?! (except the diseased mosquito. I've been bitten so many times, I look like I have leprosy. eek!)

Marja makes a comeback

Back in London! This time I met few friends from Walthamstow, got tipsy and had a nice lunch. It was so nice to see the old gang again, we should do this regularly! So see you guys in three years ;)


Today I was really tired, although I slept more than last two nights put together. Oh well I'll have time to sleep in the plane... :D but anyways, guess where I walked today

Hint 1:
Hint 2:
Oh I should mention the fantastic Marja -way to do things: I packed about half an hour before I left home, finished putting stuf away 10 second before(thank Jason for the help!) and I still haven't mailed the professor in Malay. WHOOOOPPPSSSSssss. Oh and the heaviest thing I have is my laptop. The packbag weights 5.6 kilos.

P.S. Ok this is getting bad. Guess who remembered her flight wrong?! This is impossible. Ok so my flight doesn't leave at 8 pm but actually at 10 pm. I need a personal assistant who would take care of these little details....