Visa run to Penang

Our multiple entry visa require us to leave Thailand every 3 months so we had to leave the country before March 29th.  I'm not sure what the reason for this is but I'm convinced that a lot of regional travel is stimulated by this rule.  This trip also marked the halfway point of our stay in Thailand and after all the newborn baby excitement we were all ready for an escape from Bangkok.  Tibbe also caused some administrative hassle as he needed a passport and is now the only one in the family currently on a 30 day tourist visum because the 1 year multiple entry visum could not be prepared in time.  This means he's require to leave the country every 30 days .... I bet the people making the rules didn't think of this case and I love this type bureaucratic mess.

View over Georgetown

Hills covered with luscious forests.

Singapore was our preferred destination but considering all flights were full or very expensive we decided to postpone our Singapore trip and head for Penang in Malaysia.  This island, off the coast of  Malaysia, is strategically located in the Malacca Straight.  Georgetown, its main city, has always been an important regional trading hub but became significantly more important when the Suez Canal opened in 1869.  The Suez canal, nicknames the "The Highway to India", routed the trade from Europe with the Far East through the Malacca Straight.  Penang is a pleasant island dominated by Chinese, Indians and Malays.  The cultural mix thrives and there's a lot of very good food, culture and the English colonial past is clearly present (a unorganized version of Singapore).

For Quinn walking up to the plane was COOL!

We were less impressed with walking over the tarmac through the heat ...

We flew there with AirAsia, the Asian version of Ryan Air.  Booking the flight was a frustrating experience with endless options that added to the price of the ticket and an insurance option that was near impossible to decline.  I've never flown with Ryan Air but if the online booking system is remotely similar it's not a pleasant experience.  Luckily the flight was better although, like all low cost airlines, you have to do a lot of walking on the tarmac.  This is quite unpleasant in the heat of summer but Quinn enjoyed running under the plane.  I have to rephrase 'low cost' to 'slightly less expensive' because the ticket was actually only slightly cheaper than alternative carriers but AirAsia had the best time slot.

Batu Feringhi beach in front of 'Lone Pine Resort' ... people prefer the grass & pool (I do too).

Holidays in Asia are almost always luxury escapes.  The amount of high quality lodging at affordable pricing is astounding.  This trip was no different and we stayed at the Lone Pine Resort in Batu Feringhi and the colonial E&O Hotel in Georgetown.  With a young family these places are great and unfortunately we're getting too used to them (the cold turkey will be painful when we go back to Europe).

The easy life ...

Father and daughter relaxing by the pool.

Family vacations = early nights watching Disney Channel .... mind numbing (even for Quinn as you cn see on the picture) but every attempt to catch up on some reading is interrupted (much too my chagrin).

The only remedy for the heat ... the swimming pool at the E&O Hotel

Mother and son standing in the window of our room at the E&O ... enjoying the sea breeze.

Quinn in a rickshaw ... she clearly prefers her tuc-tuc in Bangkok

Quinn showing off one of her favorite dresses

Admiring the carper pond

Taking a breather in the shade ... the heat was intense!

Tibbe's first shower