A weekend with me, myself and Penang

This was an account of my weekend where I suddenly disappeared from Ipoh and KL. It was 2 very fruitful days that began with a surprisingly-educational series of talks on antibiotics by ID physicians in the Penang General Hospital and then me landing up at the corner of this infinity pool.

If there’s any place that we can go to pamper ourselves in a quick getaway, I would highly recommend Penang. Being a very social creature, I am used to travelling in a pack. However, each year, I would go on a road trip alone or stay at someplace all by myself. Last year, it was kota kinabalu and this year, I went to the Pearl of the Orient and checked myself into the Northam.

Now, the hotel didn’t sponsor my trip nor am I in any way affiliated to them but I love the concept of a small living room, bedroom and a huge bathroom (an all-suite hotel) complete with a cool working table by the huge window overlooking the Penang Bridge in the distance.









Enjoyed the bed tremendously as I could roll around as much as I like...and its so comfy that I slept like a baby, a lot! The bathroom has a huge Jacuzzi bathtub which I utilized to the fullest. Then had a personal facial session (courtesy of a face mask from Sasa worth less than RM6) with myself and the tv. I was tempted to try out the spa but decided that I want to save up for the shopping at Queensbay.










Aside from the gorgeous room and comfy bed (I slept so much, I think I repaid all my sleeping debt), I visited the swimming pool and gawked at the design. Infinity pool! My favourite! It was so cool to be lounging around at the corner of the pool overlooking Georgetown. I didn't get to catch sunset as it was raining and thus I sought refuge at the second best place...










The buffet restaurant....This time round, I tried the hotel’s international buffet dinner and it was scrumptious. I love the soft shell crabs and cheese cakes, beside the other sumptuous variety of goodelicious food. Attempted to walk to Gurney Mall after the gluttonous buffet but it was raining cats and dogs in Penang again. Plan A was thus abandoned and my friends and I grabbed the car and joined the madness on the road. (In case you wonder why my friends were hardly around, they were actually a very loving couple whom I happen to carpool with, and I was quite embarassed being a 'lamp-post' most of the time, so I decided to lie low and managed to spend most of the quality time by myself!)

Anyway, Saturday ended with me reading a wonderful book by Yvonne Foong (http://www.yvonnefoong.com/) on her life with neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) as the city lights twinkled merrily below me. I believe I have not encountered any patients with NF2 despite my years in medicine. Her book was very touching and I feel that Malaysians and anyone who could read English should buy it to support her campaign... to raise funds for her next surgery, a courageous attempt with gamma knife neurosurgery in USA. Remember if you happen to wander in any MPH bookstore, grab this book entitled "I'm Not Sick, Just a Bit Unwell" by this talented but unwell young lady.

Sunday was a lazy stretch of nice breakfast at Pulau Tikus and a shopping excursion at the ever-pleasant Queensbay Mall overlooking the Strait of Wellesley and Pulau Jerejak. As we lumbered across the pleasant Penang Bridge, I whispered to myself "What a satisfying getaway indeed!"