Pickleball & Penang

Mural by Ernest Zacharevic

There is a certain comfort in familiarity. On a cruise ship, that comfort often takes the shape of routine. An early rise, sometimes just in time for sunrise. A session at the gym. Breakfast, preferably Bircher muesli, with an iced latte. Extra points when the kids wander in to join you, a small but satisfying parenting victory.

Sailing through the Strait of Malacca meant calm waters, the ship moving so smoothly it was almost imperceptible. The view, however, was anything but empty. We were surrounded by a steady procession of enormous ships, hulking silhouettes stacked high with shipping containers, the occasional oil tanker drifting past like a floating industrial suburb. Accustomed to cruising through clearer, more pristine stretches of ocean, it was quietly sobering to notice rubbish in the water too, a reminder that these busy arteries of global trade come with a visible cost. It didn’t spoil the moment, but it lingered. Even more sobering when the children noticed.

Usually, I like to squeeze in a quick swim after the gym and before breakfast, that brief window before the crowds wake up and descend on the pool deck, or more accurately, ascend. But today had other priorities...Pickleball.

Mal was delighted. Indoor courts. Three of them. Efficiently run. Groups of four rotating every ten minutes over an hour and a half, which meant plenty of play and very little frustration. Everyone was happy. We found our ducks, won our first trivia, indulged in soft serve on the pool deck, and took a spin on the North Star. Tick, tick, and more ticks. Before we quite realised it, Penang was coming into view.

Watching the sunrise in a/c comfort, with my cut up watermelon, bircher muesli and iced latte

Waiting for our second session. The only minor complaint was that it was difficult to sight the ball!

Oma in full relaxation mode

Trivia time. "I love you" in 20 different languages

Winner winner!

Lara was annoyed that Mal kept finding ducks

When it is 11am and all the deck chairs in the sun are empty you must be in Asia

The ones in the shade however...

We were waiting for our turn on this

North star

Not for those with a fear of heights

What is this sad looking towel art?!?!

Penang is heat and colour, history and hunger, layered tightly together. A place where cultures overlap, stories cling to the walls, and food is never far from the centre of the conversation.

I couldn’t find a ready-made tour that delivered exactly what we wanted, so I went looking and found a locally based travel agent. My brief was straightforward: four hours, air-conditioned van with driver and guide, food-focused, a handful of highlights, and some street art that wouldn’t steal time from eating. They understood the assignment.

The pace was frenetic by design. Highlights were exactly that. Here it is. Take a photo. Move on. Perhaps not for most, but perfect for us in hot, humid conditions and with limited time.. Our guide, Timothy, was excellent. An ex-pharmacist who became a tour guide just a year ago, he navigated the quirks of my parents with impressive grace, including the moment they began telling him what was good in Penang. At this point I was hoping for the Earth to swallow me whole.

Timothy, however, was nobody’s fool. He quickly identified who the real decision-maker was and ended the tour at a durian stall. Checkmate.

We rushed back to the ship because the children had a date with iFly, the ship's skydiving simulator. The complimentary session was short but long enough to be thrilling, slightly chaotic, and full of laughter. And somehow, despite everything we had already eaten, certain members of the family announced they were hungry again. Back to the buffet they go...

As for me, the combination of heat, movement, and cumulative sleep deprivation caught up fast.

Bed 2. Belinda 0

Day 3 – Calm Seas, Fast Tours & Knowing Who’s in Charge

Penang

Street art a plenty. We had no time to come up with creative poses

Thinking of my friend Susan!

Khoo kongsi. A clan house for anyone with the surname Khoo in the community

Ornate artwork on the walls commissioned by the family using artists from China way back when

Carvings to reflect filial piety. In this case, the child tasting the parent's poop to diagnose an illness. Ew

Georgetown UNESCO world heritage listed site

The umbrellas were really faded, as pointed out by our guide, but click and tick!

Bib gourmand Moh Teng Pheow. Entry still through the back door

Coffee Tree. You try all different types of instant coffee then you buy. Simple. So touristy but so much fun

Cendol man

Exploring Chew Jetty. There were 9, each named after a Chinese surname but only 7 are left. The Chinese, ever so good at saving money, built on stilts over water so as not to pay land tax. To this day, they do not pay tax.

More street art

We were here mainly for the nearby Char kway teow

Nutmeg juice. The white is from nutmeg seed, and the red has mace added. Mace is made from the seed covering

Shanzha juice. Or better known as hawthorn. The drink version of childhood favourite, haw flakes!

The 2 durians that we consumed. One Musang King, one Black Thorn

Gloves to avoid stinky hands

Happy Oma

Happy Opa

Ready to fly

Them cheeks 😂

Perfect way to end the food tour!

And...the random 3 photos that somehow keeps ending up here! Our food at Moh Teng Pheow, as well as the cendol.

Lemongrass drink

Timothy picked 4 of the best nonya kueh - pulut taitai (Star looking), kuih talam (green) and kueh bengka. 3 bowls of assam laksa at the back

Cendol