Penang2008

PENANG - 2008

2006 / 2007 / 2008

December 6^th,7^thand 8^th2008

Day 1

It was two o'clock in the morning when we all had to meet up in the English Program building for registration before we were to set off for our M2 trip to explore Penang, an island off the north west off Malaysia. There were two coaches, one for M210 and the other for M211. Each coach had one class and they were accompanied by up to 6 EP teachers. Once we had set off, our first stop was a PTT fuel station just outside of Hatyai where we were to have our breakfasts. After our breakfast we re-boarded the coaches and headed towards Sadoa and the Thai/Malaysia border. An hour later and were pulling up at the Thai immigration checkpoint. For most of us it was the first time we had been to a border so it was all quite exciting. We showed our passports to the officials and they were stamped with a Thai departure stamp. Next, we got back onto the coaches and travelled the short distance down to the Malaysian checkpoint. This time we had to take our bags off the coaches and carry them through the immigration by ourselves. We had an arrival stamp put into our passports and we were in Malaysia ... our first foreign country!

Our coaches set off and headed south down the Malaysian main north-south highway stopping briefly allowing us to change some money.. On the trip we played games and sang songs with our teachers. At the same time we were looking out of the window and noticing the changes in the countryside passing by. After maybe one and a half hours, one of our teachers told us that we could see Penang from where we were. We looked and yes, we could see Penang in the distance. We had to continue south as the Penang Bridge was further south. They were doing repairs on the bridge when we arrived and there was a big traffic jam. It took us some time to cross the bridge but once we were on the other side the traffic got better. The Penang Bridge is the longest bridge in South East Asia and spans over 13 kilometres of water.

To all of us, everything was new. Malaysia seemed so different from Thailand although it is only next door. Anyway, we stopped off at a Chinese Restaurant overlooking the sea for our lunches. It was seafood and we thought it tasted quite nice. After we had had our lunch we went across the road and took some pictures in front of the sculpture that was on the roundabout. Once we had all taken some pictures we got back on the coaches and headed of to the next destination. Soon the coaches pulled up and believe it or not but we were at a Thai temple ... in Malaysia! We all looked around this temple and then went across the road to a Burmese Temple. Some of us prayed and some of us just walked around taking pictures if we saw anything interesting. Once we had looked around the temples we got back onto the coaches and drove to 'Island Bay', a new and very big shopping mall. We were given free time here and so we just walked around looking at all the shops. We didn't buy much because the things were quite expensive.

From the shopping mall we went to the War Museum which had been formed to remember those that had thought in the wars. It was quite interesting and also a little scary sometimes as we had to climb through the tunnels once used by the soldiers. We spent some time at the War Museum, walking around and looking at the different things that were on show. Once we had walked all around we got back on the coaches and drove to a restaurant for our dinner ... Thai food!! When we had finished our dinner we drove back to the hotel and were given some free time before we had our camp fire. After our free time, we all met outside the hotel in our groups ready to perform our acts for the campfire. One by one, in our groups we performed and as one group performed the others watched and laughed ... or cried as we showed off our acting skills. When we had all finished, we went upstairs to our rooms, showered and slept because it had been a long tiring day.

Day 2

We woke up at around 6 in the morning and had our breakfast at 7 in the morning in the revolving restaurant on the top floor of the hotel. After our breakfasts we got ready for another day. We met up at 8 in the lobby downstairs ready for our 'Amazing Race Penang'. In our groups we were given our instructions and at different times the groups were started on their race towards Comtar but having to stop off at various other 'checkpoints' on the way. All the students were excited to be playing the 'Race' and this you could tell just by looking at them. At each 'checkpoint' the students were given a little riddle to work out and the answer would be a number which then would be changed into a word. The objective of the game was to collect all of the 'clues', find the answers and then complete a given sentence. The winners were the first group to finish and complete the sentence correctly. The first groups to arrive back at the last checkpoint arrived some three hours after leaving the hotel and the other groups arrived at various times after them. Nearly all the groups managed to complete the 'race' although one group did get a little lost and forgot to do some of the checkpoints.

On finishing the race we were given some free time and we were allowed to go into one of the big shopping malls next to Comtar to do some shopping. We enjoyed this as the malls are a little different than those we are used to in Nakhon. There was a much bigger range of things to look at so for us it was quite exciting. After shopping we followed Ajarn Geordie back to the hotel where we had time to shower and relax. Some of us chose to go swimming in the hotel's swimming pool. After our free time we boarded the coaches and we went a short distance to a Chinese restaurant for our dinner. When we had completed our dinner we again got on the coaches and this time were taken a few kilometres around the coast to Batu Ferrenghi where there is a 3km long night market. Here we were given time to wander around the market buying and bargaining as we went. We bought everything from DVDs to paintings to cheap watches. When we had finished our shopping, it was back to the hotel for a shower and sleep.

Day 3

We woke up at 6am again this morning so that we would all be up for our breakfasts at 7. We finished our breakfasts and then boarded the coaches for the journey back to Batu Ferrenghi where we were to catch some speedboats to Monkey Island. Within half an hour we were all standing on the beach and boarding speedboats that were to take us to Monkey Island. The boat journey was a little rough but I think most people enjoyed it and before too long we were climbing off the boats onto the beach at Monkey Island. On this island we were playing games, singing, dancing and in general having good fun. Soon it was time to eat and so we had a big BBQ on the beach. The only problem was that the monkeys that live on the island also liked our food and would come down and try and steal the food from us. Anyway, we soon managed to finish the BBQ and had a little more fun before we were told to board the boats again for the journey back to the mainland. Once on the mainland we boarded our coaches again and started the drive home back towards Thailand and home.

Thank you very much Kanlayaneesithammarat English Program J

Photo Album HERE