Visiting Penang With A Toddler – Day 1: Penang Botanic Gardens, Gurney Plaza, The Top

Our 2024 trip to Penang sounds like a 4D3N holiday but in reality, on the first day, we arrived at our hotel in the evening, and the final day just saw us heading to the airport for our afternoon flight back to SG. So we basically had only 2 full days to explore Penang as best we could with a little one. XD So… first stop on “full day #1” was JOJA Bagels, which is also really close to Very Hotel. Since the hotel doesn’t provide breakfast, we made our own plans. Unfortunately, Melody wakes up very early every morning so we had to wait when we got to JOJA Bagels as they open only at 830am. HOWEVER, staff saw us standing outside and invited us to go in and grab a seat first! WOW. Thanks, guys!

Freshly prepared, the bagels were such a treat! A really good start to the day. As for drinks, he had Mocha while I ordered the Ice Shaken Lemonade.

They have baby chairs here too, so you can definitely bring your little ones here. AND the toilets are super clean.

After breakfast, we booked a Grab ride to the Penang Botanic Gardens. The lady driving us there was a local but had never been to their Botanic Gardens before. XD Similarly, we found out that Very Hotel staff didn’t know about Seafood Choo (just round the corner) and had never been to the Wonderfood Museum. Certainly makes one wonder why they’d not visit places that are pretty accessible.

I LOVE Melody’s expression. Hahaha! It was a hot day and she was due for a nap so photo-taking is among the last of her priorities.

I’d done my research *ahahaha* and knew that the chapatti w/sambal sardin at the Waterfall Cafe in front of the Botanic Gardens is worth a try. So my darling had that (requested for 1pc of chapatti instead of the usual 2) while I sipped on Lipton’s ice lemon tea (from a can) while trying not to melt from the heat. XD

This quick meal cost something like RM9?

We then took yet another Grab ride (yes, we travelled around Penang exclusively via Grab) to Gurney Plaza – KOI bubble tea (!!!), food and a spot of shopping. Then we hopped into another car and went to The Top.

At The Top, we visited the Penang Boutique Aquarium… which was much bigger than the term “boutique” suggests. I definitely recommend bringing kids (of any age) here. We got tickets via Klook, got them printed out at the ticketing booth one level up, then came back down, got them scanned at the entrance and had a lot of fun.

We also went to the Jungle Gym… where I really felt like I got a good workout (as the word “Gym” suggests). OMG. It’s built, obviously, for kids so when I have to accompany my kiddo, I’d often have to bend, crouch, squat, and eventually collapse in a heap at the ball pit right below. XD I was so tired, I didn’t take any photos. But I can tell you the ball pit’s pretty cool – there’s one of those interactive screens whereby you can throw balls at sea creatures and all and earn points. And they even have some kind of contraption whereby balls placed on top end up levitating. Very cool.

Jungle Gym Fees:

(Weekdays) RM25 Toddlers, RM48 Kids, RM10 Guardians

(Weekends) RM35 Toddlers, RM66 Kids, RM10 Guardians

*RM8.50 socks. Free entry for those below 12mo with a PAYING sibling.

Dinner was at Two Frenchies, a two-minute walk away from Very Hotel, according to Google Maps.

Bless the staff! They’re so astute and seem to be able to predict the future. Level 1 was almost filled with diners, so they asked us to go up to level 2 (and we had the whole floor to ourselves). There’s even a little cosy corner that looks like someone’s living room… and it was here Papa decided to tie Melody’s hair… awww just look at that:

The calm before the storm.

Shortly after the food was served… Melody got a tummyache and needed to poop. Sounds normal except that she was also having constipation, and toddlers straining while trying to poop sound like they’re being skinned alive.

Thankfully, we were on the second floor, and with the restroom door shut, I don’t think people downstairs heard much of it, if they did hear anything at all. So while they feasted on duck confit and sipped on (I’d imagine) good wine, I was helping Melody get her poop poop out. She screamed, strained, wailed….

I think it was at least a good 30 minutes? But felt like an eternity.

We ordered the RM16 Fish Crockets for Melody (so cute! Heart-shaped fish nuggets!), the RM42 Pork Marengo for me (I ate this when it’d gotten cold already so erm… I have to say I don’t remember it fondly?), and hubz had the RM43 Signature Burger. LOVE the fries here!

I didn’t really get to enjoy the food… my darling did though. XD It’s always better to be the father instead of the mother, I tell you. Because the little one always screams for Mama no matter what the issue is. (@_@)

And I thought that was the end of it. Except… the same thing happened during dinnertime the next day. O.M.G.

When Traveling, Ensure You Have A Global Wifi Device

[Check out my earlier blogposts about What To Do in Penang and my stay at Carnarvon House] We were in Penang for approximately 4 days (25th to 28th January 2015) but were at risk of getting lost 3 times, because we wanted to check out places that even locals may not know about, and after popping into the many interesting shops along the way, it is easy to get disoriented and l.o.s.t even after we have spotted a ‘landmark’ in the distance. Serious.

With the Global Wifi device, we did not have to buy new SIM cards for use in Penang, could surf the Net and use Whatsapp any time, and most importantly, find our way around Penang with GPS. 😀

The 3 Times We (Nearly) Got Lost:

1) Our first day in Penang: Airport to Carnarvon House

An airport taxi costs RM44.70 – steep, yes, but isn’t this the case with taxis at all airports around the world? It was about 8.45pm when we boarded the taxi, and while it is easy to locate Carnarvon House in the daytime, it’s rather difficult at night as it looks like one of the many shophouses in a row.

Our taxi driver must have gone round the area twice, navigating through very tight lanes that made him curse under his breath. I quickly found our location with the help of my Global Wifi device (wifi-on-the-go is a lifesaver!), told the driver to let us alight and we walked the rest of the 300 metres or so. He was so thankful he didn’t have to continue searching. XD

2) Our third day in Penang: Shopping Mall to Prawning Venue

One of the things we wanted to do in Penang was to go prawning (Yes, prawning. Not fishing) With the power of the Internet, my boyfriend managed to find a prawning venue in Penang, that even my friends from Penang knew nothing about! United Prawning’s facebook page can be accessed here: https://www.facebook.com/unitedprawning and its address is ‘No.288B-1-2, Fortune Court, Jalan Thean Teik, Bandar Baru, Air Itam, Penang, Malaysia’

Our taxi driver did not know where Fortune Court was, and brought us to some other ‘Court’ that had only residences. I had to use my Global Wifi device to guide him there.

A screenshot:

And as luck would have it, the place was CLOSED! And probably under a new management team too. *faints*

Moral of the story: You may have wifi, but don’t get complacent (and stupid). Call and speak with someone at the place you want to go to FIRST, before making your way there in an expensive taxi [they don’t charge by the meter; not when they can rip you off]

3) Finding Times Square

Times Square in Penang is one landmark that you cannot miss once you spot it in the distance, or so we thought. Then we popped into a convenience store for a bottle of water, and a few other shops to the right and left, and before we knew it, we had no idea where we were. Couldn’t see Times Square anymore.

We even found ourselves outside a toy museum cum gift shop that was actually someone’s home too.

Once again, I had to rely on the GPS, and we made our way to Times Square eventually.

~

Our trip to Penang would be less enjoyable if we didn’t have wifi on the go, hence this blogpost. If you’ll be traveling any time soon, pop by Global Wifi’s website (http://www.rentglobalwifi.com/) and take advantage of their promotions for reliable and affordable wifi devices:

For more details: http://www.rentglobalwifi.com/

Carnarvon House Penang & My Feature in ZaoBao (联合早报)

I was featured in the 5th Feb 2015 edition of ZaoBao (联合早报) wearing a cheongsam and photographed in a “vintage” setting, which is actually Carnarvon House in Penang. 🙂 I will not be reproducing the article here, as the ‘copyright’ belongs to Singapore Press Holdings.

[The gist of the article is that I quit my high-paying job at age 24, turned to blogging full-time, won a blog award in 2013, and am conducting blogging workshops now, with a 67 year old student of mine becoming a Top 10 Finalist at last year’s Singapore Blog Awards. And that student is none other than Steven Lek, who blogs at http://www.retiredowhat.com. ]

Looking back, I think it is quite amazing how that picture for ZaoBao came about. It might sound like there was a divine plan. Let me explain.

One of my students, Kirbie, posted on Facebook one evening that there were cheongsams being sold cheaply on Gmarket. So I took her recommendation and went to purchase one. Little did I know that it comes with a pretty high slit at the sides (see picture below) and I knew I COULD NOT wear it in Singapore unless I wanted wolf whistles from lecherous old men everywhere I went.

Then I had a Penang trip planned almost on a whim and my blogger pal, Sock Peng from Penang, linked me up with the boss of Carnarvon House, Terry. It was a really last-minute decision, so thankfully, Carnarvon House still had a room for me. So I brought the cheongsam with me, thinking that I MIGHT be able to get some nice pictures wearing it in the really retro-looking Carnarvon House.

And while I was there, my pal (Jimmy) messaged me to ask if I’d be keen to be interviewed by a ZaoBao journalist (his friend). And of course I said yes. And when we met, the journalist didn’t bring a photographer. So I asked if she needed me to send her pictures. And guess what? I had all these “cheena” pictures of me in a cheongsam (in my phone) so I sent them to her on the spot [since it’s mainly the Chinese who read this paper]. Divine plan, yes? Didn’t know what possessed me to buy a cheongsam (of all things) till I realized it was perfect for ZaoBao. LOL!

And Carnarvon House is really beautiful. Room pictures are already up in an earlier post here. The rest of Carnarvon House looks fit for a Jay Chou-style MV. Check this out…

*Crazily high slit not suitable for Singapore*

Where I am seated is the ground floor dining area. Carnarvon House does serve breakfast to its guests. The food will not be unfamiliar to Singaporeans – it just has a local, Penang twist. I had the ‘min chiang kueh‘ (you can google the term if you’d like) with peanut butter and sweet corn inside. It’s an interesting combination of ingredients you won’t get in Singapore though the kueh itself is something Singaporeans eat for breakfast too.

And here’s another picture… I’m standing on level 2 in this one:

*Kind of looks like I’m a tai-tai of some sort, ya?*

For the first night at Carnarvon House, I stayed in the Carnarvon Room (behind me in this picture) and I loved how there’s a sofa in the room for lounging on and putting all my barang (stuff) on. For the second and third nights, I stayed in the Kimberley Room, which doesn’t have a sofa, but comes with a lounger.

If you are curious about the pricing, for the double rooms, the rate starts from RM128, which is about S$48. Extremely affordable and great value-for-money because the place is really clean, very good for photos (as I’ve demonstrated), and the people running the place are friendly. Eunice was a great host; she made all the guests feel at home.

Actually, staying at Carnarvon House is like staying at a close friend’s house, or at, say, your grandma’s house. Clean, homely, and feels like you have gone back to Singapore in the 60s. 😀

There are a total of 7 rooms at Carnarvon House. Two of them are really big ones, which can accommodate families with children. Room rates for these start from RM328 (about S$123). Check their website for more details – http://www.carnarvonhouse.com/

If you’ve noticed, you can’t see my feet in any of the pictures in this blogpost. Hehehe. The reason for this is simple. I didn’t know what footwear would match this cheongsam. ‘Modern-looking’ heels or strappy sandals will not do. So I was wearing the slippers that Carnarvon House thoughtfully provides for guests. 😀

When you next visit Penang, I highly recommend that you stay at Carnarvon House – 28 Lorong Carnarvon, 10100 Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia. Tel: +604 262 4682. Email: carnarvonhouse@gmail.com 

~ For More Information about Carnarvon House ~

http://www.carnarvonhouse.com/

https://www.facebook.com/carnarvonhouse/timeline

What To Do In Penang (Georgetown)

It’s my second day in Penang and I already am dreaming of staying put in Georgetown and not returning to Singapore. 😀 If you have been following me on Facebook, you’ll know that I had a blog coaching session here yesterday AND I also found my ‘Blogging For A Living’ books being sold in a Popular bookstore in Penang! 😀

So… this might be my retirement town in future. LOL! And here’s what you should do when you come to Penang, and in particular, Georgetown:

1) Eat a lot of good food

My boyfriend and I have been here for approximately one-and-a-half days and this is not all of what we have eaten, just a portion. 😀 I really do love Penang’s assam laksa, hokkien mee, char kway teow, and basically, all their street food!

And the food here is unbelievably cheaper than in Singapore. Would you say no to a plate of yummy char kway teow that costs less than S$1.70? You just can’t.

2) Snap pictures of (or with) the street art

I definitely have more street art pictures to share with you… in my next blogpost.

The pink sling bag in the first picture is from Maku Store (20% off) at Bugis Junction #03-20. The T-rex tote bag is from Tee Saurus (www.tee-saurus.com) and so is the tee I am wearing! 😀 Shorts and flip flops from Aeropostale.

3) Forget about hotels and stay at Carnarvon House

I fell in love with this place from pictures online. Though the rooms don’t come with attached bathrooms, everything is so clean that I feel right at home here.

The first room we stayed in is called the Carnarvon room, and the second, Kimberley room. There’s cold air-conditioning inside and warm showers outside; I cannot ask for more.

The people who run Carnarvon House are also extremely friendly and very generous with recommendations of what to eat and where to go.

(More pictures in my upcoming blogpost)

4) Visit a wet market and the Clan Jetties

It is quite an experience, I tell you! You don’t usually see an array of fish on display right at your feet, ya? Look out for the bloated brown one in the second picture…

Besides seafood, you’ll find household items, vegetables, fruit, snacks, accessories, etc, all sold in the market! 🙂

I was initially reluctant to head to the Clan Jetties. But Eunice from Carnarvon House had recommended the jetties to us so we walked there from Carnarvon House. Probably a 12 or 15 minute walk. The Chew Jetty is more ‘happening’ than the Tan Jetty. Chew had more stalls selling souvenirs, etc. And I bought some for a giveaway (at the end of this blogpost).

The clan jetties were built by clansmen in the past and traditionally occupied by people of the same surname e.g. Ong Jetty, Lim Jetty, Lee Jetty, etc. You see?! I am destined to stay here at the Tan Jetty. Lol.

5) Buy my book at a Popular bookstore near you 😀

6) Go shopping in the many malls; and share your loot with people at home

We obviously did some serious shopping. And I could continue replying to emails, whatsapp messages and also posting on Facebook while we were out because of the Global Wifi device I got from the Changi Recommends counter (available at all terminals in Changi Airport). Check out http://www.rentglobalwifi.com if you are like me and dislike having to purchase new SIM cards in your destination country and going through all the hassle of switching SIM cards.

With this wifi device, I just switch it on, then connect my handphone via wifi to have internet access. Super convenient. More about this device and current promotions in an upcoming post. It is late and I have to sleep now. 😉

But here’s a giveaway that will start on Tues (27 Jan) at 10am:

Just head to my facebook page (www.facebook.com/thegracetan) when the giveaway begins. 🙂