Blind Date

Malays are some of the friendliest people I've ever encountered and our time in Panang proved to be no different. From Lowe, the owner of the hostel we stayed in, a Chinese man with very little teeth but a lot of charisma to Nadan, a blind Indian man who joined us one night when we were having dinner. After an hour of Nadan regaling us with tales of his life and telling some great jokes, he invited us to his 50th birthday party the next night. Having accepted, we then decided the next day that there were other things we wanted to do, Ed called to let him know, spinning a lie that I was ill. After the call we momentarily worried that he might spot us out that night until we remembered that given his disability, this was highly unlikely.

Spending only one full day in Penang we decided to head up Penang hill. Around 800 metres above sea level, it had some great views of the island and surrounding area. We topped off the trip with a canopy walk and more photo ops concerning remaining icons of the British Empire.

The next day we were heading to Langkawi, one of Malaysia's top paradise Islands, and were being picked up at 7 in the morning. Agreeing on an early night I headed to bed leaving Ed in the hostel reception watching the end of the England match. When I woke up at 5 in the morning and Ed still wasn't there I went to find him. In typical Ed style he had befriended a Dutch guy with a severe stammer and a 62 year old American woman, who was on Prozac and had the most impressive set of bingo wings I've ever seen. With a Tiger beer in his hand, Ed quietly explained that the stammer had meant that the conversation had taken a lot longer than expected - a flawless excuse I have to say. Going back to bed I found him still there at 7, another Tiger in his hand and a packed rucksack ready to go. I've got to admit that boy never fails to impress me. His lack of sleep showed on the ferry though, when he passed out and fell asleep on an unamused German couple.

Langkawi is going to be our home for the next week or so. Our aim is to lie on the beach and as the island has been declared duty free, beer costing around 25p a can, to partay. We started the partying last night, beginning at Langkawi's only Irish bar (who says we don't soak up the local culture) - owned by a one-armed Malaysian called Debbie. We then headed over to Enigma, a night club in a nearby resort, and what a place it was. Refreshingly we and one older guy were the only white people in there. On stage were a band with a lead singer who gave Tina Turner a run for her money - at one point abandoning her microphone to freestyle hip shake on the dance floor. Her movements were quickly imitated by a very drunk 50 0dd year old Korean man, much to the dismay of the circle of friends sat around him. There we also met the gayest Malay ever, called Wan Dee (I kid you not) who even beat Ed in the hip department when Shakira came on. We also had one of those moments when you see the foreign version of one of your friends. This time it was you Natalie Poole in the form of a Thai masseuse called Catt. Wearing a beret and a fearsome expression she was cutting up some mighty fine moves on the dance floor. I had a boogie with her in your honour Nat. Ed was then approached by the waitress, asking whether he had a girlfriend. With a set of teeth that would make Janet Street-Porter green with envy, she took his answer of no as a come on and arranged to meet him at one armed Debbie's Irish bar tonight at 9 (a meeting that I wouldn't miss for the world)! The night was then duly finished off with someone projectile vomiting red sick all over the dance floor - we love this place! Getting back to ours at 4 in the morning, we went down to the beach and sat back to watch the shooting stars - definitely our best night out so far.

As I write this the time for Ed's date draws ever closer and we have heard rumour of a karaoke bar on the next beach. Loving Langkawi!