The most hassling part of the whole journey was getting out of Desa Park City. We managed to leave the house without forgetting passports, tickets money or children but it took ages to get a taxi. When I had tried in the past to book a taxi from DPC the reply came back saying sorry, no taxis. So we simply tried the stand and hope method. Eventually, after a thirty minute wait, a taxi did stop and collect us, but it was not helped by it being Rammadan and fast breaking time.
Our 9.30pm train from Kuala Lumpur was bang on time and with the bunks already set up the children loved it. Perhaps being really excited at bed time was not the best time to be excited and didn't guarantee a full night's sleep although credit to them they were surprisingly awake when we arrived at Butterworth at 5.23am. By all accounts Butterworth isn't really the place to be so instead we walked the 200m or so to the Penang Ferry terminal and paid our RM1.20 / RM 0.60 for the first crossing of the day. Paying our combined equivalent of around 85p was a splendid example of over staffing. First we had to change our RM notes into coins from one staffed counter and then approach and aged, coin-only turnstile where staff member number two watched us put our coins in. However as the children only turnstile, RM0.60 / 12p, was broken we had to give the coins directly to staff member number two who then gave the coins back to staff member number one at the counter. Thankfully the return journey was free.
The ferry took us straight to the Penang Jetty Bus Station and thence the 204 bus took us at very high speed to Penang Hill. Maybe the driver was on a speed bonus? Rupert managed to get the very front seat, fortunately with a seat belt, and as we cornered and braked in the style of a rally driver Rupert held his arms in the air could be heard shouting "Weeeeee!"
The Penang furnicular railway is quite a construction and thanks to our ridiculously early start we managed to get the first train up in the morning. That meant that along with our noodles and rice for breakfast we also had a cracking view. The place was packed with mountain bikers who had come up the 800 metres under their own steam. All looked suitably shattered.
Our next train left Butterworth at 2.30pm and chugged slowing northward. All the way along we saw evidence of a new North-South line under construction but we all enjoyed the slow charm of the current service. We had to get off the train at the border to complete the formalities of entering Thailand. Fortunately there is no charge for Thai visas for Brits.
On arrival at Hat Yai our two carriages were connected to many more for the longest section of the journey on towards Bangkok. However of much more interest to the children was the arrival of chicken and rice women. Three insistent Thai ladies clambered in to our carriage holding trays of barbecued chicken and sticky rice and waved these delicious delicacies under our various noses. Needless to say we bought five portions, despite the ladies trying to persuade us that six or seven portions would be better, with pineapple to follow. Partly due to tiredness and partly due to full tummies we all slept like logs.
The train was due to arrive in Hua Hin at 6.29am, but actually made it in just before 8.00am. That gave us time to enjoy coffee brought to our places as well several competitive rounds of UNO. Hua Hin Station is a very ornate place partly resembling a Thai Buddhist temple. It was certainly being maintained like a temple with a squad of platform sweepers, cleaners and attendants keeping the place in tip top condition.
And so on to Dolphin Bay Beach Resort. Tripadvisor.com have rated the place very highly and I can see why. The various bungalows are set around two saltwater pools, one of which has a water slide. The cafe / breakfast area overlooks the pools making them very parent friendly. We have rented two adjoining bungalows with aircon, bathrooms and TVs which allowed us the dubious pleasure of watching an imported American police drama called, something like "Crime SUV 14." In between the adverts we saw various well-made-up and suitably handsome officers standing in different locations explaining the complicated plot to each other while attempting to get a bloke released from death row and arrest a dodgy, bearded bloke. Probably the most memorable part of the televisual experience was the brief interlude from Jennie Looi, I don't know who she is either, who spent a couple of minutes giving Lexi and I make-up tips. Apparently if I do nothing else then I must make sure that I wash my mascara brush out in warm water with shampoo, NOT soap (she was most insistent) every week. I must remember to buy a mascara brush as soon as possible so that I can complete this beauty essential regularly.
More beauty tips soon.