My CNY holiday started off on the wrong foot, or should I say the wrong line! I was off to Penang, Malaysia via KL. Per my travel itinerary I joined the Malaysian Airways line, on getting to the front was told they couldn't check me in as the flight was operated by CX. You can imagine how pleased I was with this given the CX line was out of control long. Half of HK and all of China was in that line :)
After pleading with one of the supervisors I was checked in and went to work - blood pressure was extremely high but I had half a day at work then I was off on holiday, ye ha!
My flight was mid afternoon so I left work at 1pm, managed to get on the train straight away then realised I still had my high heels on - not what I wanted to be wearing or taking with me! I was amazed that the line to clear security wasn't too long given it was the start of the CNY holiday.
I met up with Fi, who was flying to the States, and had a couple of hours with her. Tried to get into the lounge but was turned away due to the fact I'd brought a ticket through Malaysian Airways and not Cathay....arg a beer is needed now!
Boarding the plane was easy however once I was on it went south - I had issues with getting my carry on bag in the lockers, which were all full and a lady in the opposite row in front of me couldn't stop staring. To begin with I thought I had something on my face or top, but alas no it was the colour of my skin. I have learnt to stare back now, but still find it uncomfortable.
Unfortunately we were delayed leaving due to the late arrival of a plane from NYC, however did make up a lot of time. We had probably an hour in KL, but for those of us going onto Penang we had to stay on the plane. Not the most fun, especially when staff came on to clean.
I landed in Penang before Moon and the children and giggled at the fact I was standing outside waiting for them like a local! Moon's sister, Moon Yee, and brother-in-law, Nick, were there to pick us up so thankfully we weren't out in the humid air for too long. Headed back to Moon's parent's place where we 4 were to stay, got settled then the "young" adults went to a hawker place down the road for dinner. LOVED trying all the different food, and especially going with people who eat like this regularly. They definitely know what to order.
Saturday morning we were awake early due to a friendly rooster near by. We met up with Moon Yee and Nick and headed to a hawker place for breakfast. I couldn't get over how busy it was, and given we were outside was more than happy for us not to sit and chat after finishing - a/c was needed and fast! Nick's parents also life in Penang so after breakfast we headed there for awhile before I was taken on a "big bus" tour of Penang. Visited a park with SO many monkeys, both Nick and I snap snap snapped away before driving around most of the main city sights. It was far too hot to get out so photos were taken from the car :)
We were all in need of a good dose of a/c and had decided to have High Tea at one of the famous hotels. What a wonderful thing High Tea is - a definite treat. Spent the rest of the day at home relaxing and trying to keep cool.
Dinner that night was the "big" dinner, in the Western cultural I would say it was Christmas Day lunch/dinner. Moon's Mum cooked up so many yummy dishes - goose, chicken, duck, pork, prawns, fish and veges. All so tasty, although when I was told the soup had some of the pigs intestine I decided I didn't need any more soup :)
We all stayed up until midnight to watch the fireworks, chatting while Moon's Mother filled all the Lai See Packets. I was educated on this - if you are married you must give Lai See (Red) Packets to your family, friends, doormen, cleaner etc etc. You give 2 packets if the person is close to you and 1 if you aren't that close. As a single person I was let off the hock - ye ha I knew there was one bonus to being single!!!
Sunday was the first day of the new year. One of the customs is not to shower for the whole day, and to wear new clothes. Now as you know both of these things will be very difficult for me....however Moon had informed me of the new clothes custom so I made sure I had a new top on. Not showering I thought was going to be difficult however because we slept in I didn't have time for one. Moon, the children and I had breakfast, roti, at a hawker place. I was so torn on eating roti, I absolutely love it but for breakfast its a little strange for me. Back to the house and we collected Moon's parents and Uncle and were off for another CNY custom -- all the family gathers at the oldest person's house, for Moon's family her Uncle that was with us is the oldest but as he never married the family home went to the next oldest. Lots of Lai See packets were exchanged including 2 oranges. I found it all so fascinating and of course took lots of photos.
Marcus wasn't feeling well so Moon and I took him home to be in the a/c (the family house had no a/c). We chilled out for the afternoon. That evening Moon and I walked down the road to a mall, had a look around then had dinner at a favourite place of Moon's, which I believe is a chain in the USA. Back home where the family that hosted us all today were.
Monday morning we relaxed a bit then headed out for breakfast. Moon and I then went for a drive up the coast, very windy roads! Saw the school were Zoe and Marcus will go (if they move to Penang), it will certainly be a bus ride away :) Headed further up the coast to where all the beach resorts are. Stopped in on the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel, which was a busy as a beaver! Seemed like a lovely hotel, but definitely a place to go when it wasn't school holidays as there was a children's play area in the water. Next stop was the more sophisticated Shangri-la Hotel - much more our style :) Had lunch and drinks sitting in the very large grass area. So nice to be sitting outside with a cool breeze. I found it very odd there were no beach chairs, at either hotel, on the beach. Its all about the swimming pools.
Late afternoon we headed back to the Moon's parents place and soon after arriving home had to have dinner (we were so full from our late lunch) which Moon's Mum had prepared.
Tuesday we were up early as my flight left mid morning. Half way to the airport Moon announced she wasn't sure if we were going in the right way....great! I had noticed there were no plane signs, which are very typically in other cities. Anyway we made it in the end. After checking in had breakfast with Moon then I was off - couldn't believe my holiday was over. I had an amazing time, Moon's family made me feel so welcome, especially given it was a special (family) time of the year!
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