That Time I Tried Travelling The YouTube Way

I have tried planning a trip to Penang on several occasions, but something always came up. So when I got invited for a work trip to our Kuala Lumpur office, I decided to use the opportunity to go on a weekend tour of Penang so I could finally get some much-needed adventure. As I searched for ways to reach Penang from Kuala Lumpur, one option piqued my interest: a five-hour trip by train. Though not necessarily cheaper, I had never ridden a train on a long journey. My curiosity led me to YouTube videos of others who had documented their train trips to Penang. Through these videos, I discovered a whole social media culture of people exploring the world through unconventional modes of transportation, making me realize I was missing out on something special. Fortunately, Malaysia's modern train system gave me the confidence to dip my toes into this new kind of adventure. So I booked my hotel and ticket, then waited for the day, brimming with excitement.

When I got to our Kuala Lumpur office I asked my colleagues for some tips on what to eat in Penang since I learned that food is one of the main highlights there. They were more than happy to share with me their recommendations.

I left the office early and rode the MRT to Kuala Lumpur Central Station. Not a lot of people because everyone was still in the office. Good thing I booked business class tickets, I got to sit in the business class lounge while I wait for departure. When it was time to depart I followed the other passengers down to the platform. The train was actually nice and new and had very comfortable seats. I enjoyed the view outside my window. The train went through a lot of stops along the way. Some were bustling cities like Kuala Lumpur but smaller in comparison to the capital. Some where like a small town like the place I grew up from. We did pass by a few stations that were almost in the middle of nowhere. That puzzled me but I thought it must be to service people living in the sticks. Trains are a great way to travel if you don't mind the speed.

I arrived at the ferry station to Penang island early in the evening. I would the ferry trip was unique. It was custom built to have a dedicated space for passengers on foot and another space for people with motorbikes. And the ferry had gates or platforms or whatever they were called on each side. This was so that the ferry did not have to make a turn when docking. Very clever and efficient design I would say. When I got out of the ferry terminal I was beaming with excitement of finally going on a solo trip. This was, although not a far away country from where I live, a start to my adventures. I was finally exploring the world just like everyone does. Prior to this I only had short stays in Batam island and Bintan island. They were more of trips just to get away from the monotony of my everyday living. And I never really tried to make most of those trips. But this one I really set myself to explore even though I will just be there for two days. I walked to the hotel because I saw in the google map that it was not too far. After I checked in and put down all my luggage I went straight into walking around Georgetown. Shop houses everywhere some were well maintained while others were already dilapidated. I think that was really the charm of the place. I liked it, even though they looked old I did not feel scared.

It was a good idea that I planned for this trip well and my colleague gave me tips on where to go. I got a bike rental the next day and rode it everywhere till I got tired. That was the best decision I made. I got to see so much of Georgetown. It also helped that I jog and bike every now and then. So biking the whole day was no issue for me. I would say most of the places I visited were to eat the popular cuisine in Penang. They had so much to offer. And everything was tasty. Food was part of the culture there and it was nice to try them. On my last day I decided to give those glass floor observation deck in the tallest building in Penang. I didn't know I had vertigo until then. I also met a friendly Canadian there whom I convinced to take turns with me to snap photos with our phones. One of the challenges I set for myself is to overcome this fear of going up to people and talking to them casually. As weird as it sounds I really didn't know how to be good at it. And I am glad to make some practice. As I do it more I realize that it was not as hard as I thought it was. I was just lacking in practice. That was the reason my past interactions felt awkward to me. After that I went to eat lunch at his very popular place where they served food with so much sauce. That was one experience I was not prepared for. The food was fine and I can see why people liked it. The place was so packed. It was interesting for me to observe.