Above: View from the hotel rooftop pool area.
The Malaysia Airlines flight left Hyderabad a little earlier than the scheduled time of 0030. A meal was served soon after, followed by a bar service which included spirits and wine that were absent during the meal.
We landed into Kuala Lumpur 20 mins early and I made it to my domestic flight gate within 45 mins with no queueing. It was purely walking time and a bit of waiting for the train, immigration, security etc.
That meant I had a spare 45 mins till boarding for the 0915 flight to Penang.
Why Penang? The domestic tag-on cost nearly nothing and it allowed me to get to Bali on a Singapore Airlines redemption ticket a couple of days later for no more than their redemption ticket to Singapore. I could then fly back to Auckland from Bali (or Singapore).
Landing in Penang at 1015, mother nature (on Indian time) inside me was a calling and it was nearly a toilet emergency but fortunately it all ended well inside the terminal building toilet rather than on the aircraft seat.
I reached the Neo+ hotel by Grab Car but it was still too early to have the room. I went out for a walk and my favourite laksa and was good to have the room upon my return around 1300. It was nice to be back in familiar territory, especially in a city that’s quite laid back.
I love Penang Laksa, a fishy and sour dish rarely found in Western countries where the creamy curry laksa is more common.
After releasing the tension in my highly-compressed pack and unpacking slightly, I went for a swim in the hotel’s rooftop pool before sleeping from 1430 till 1700.
I had an early dinner at the New World food court, enjoying a pohpiah and an Indian rojak, both vege-packed choices.
Next, I took the bus to Queensbay Shopping Mall, a place I’ve passed through many times by bus in the old days before rideshare apps, but it was my first ever visit.
It is the fasting month of Ramadhan. Except for the two infants, everyone is waiting patiently, playing on their phones, for the call to prayer before they break their fast.