Day 64 - New Year’s Day in Penang

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year.
May 2026 bring you joy, love, peace, and good health wherever you are in the world.

Today we docked in Penang, our second Malaysian stop on this incredible journey. Although we arrived early at 7am, our excursion wasn’t leaving until 9:15am, so I took the opportunity to head to the gym, followed by grabbing a veggie juice for both Joe and myself before heading back to the room to get ready.

Joe had been undecided about coming on the tour but chose to join in at the last minute — which of course meant we were slightly late to the bus. This resulted in no front-row seats today and a rather long walk to the back of the bus, where the air conditioning seemed to be on full Arctic blast. Unfortunately, it was also very difficult to hear the guide — even those sitting closer struggled, as she spoke very quickly and reverted back to speed despite gentle reminders.

Exploring Penang



We drove through parts of Penang on our way to the Penang Tropical Spice Garden, where we disembarked to explore. Joe (along with a few others) opted not to do the full walking tour and instead returned to the bus — where he expertly wrangled himself a seat next to the tour guide, a strategic move if ever there was one.



Next stop was Entopia Butterfly Farm, where thousands of butterflies fluttered freely around us. One even landed on Joe’s shoe, which he took as a sign of good luck. Alongside the butterflies were various reptiles and insects, making it an interesting — if slightly surreal — experience.



The return journey to the port took much longer than expected due to traffic, but thankfully we made it back just in time for lunch.



To be honest, this was probably our least favourite tour so far, and we’ve both felt a little underwhelmed by Malaysia up to now. That said, we’re keeping an open mind and are hopeful that Kuala Lumpur will offer something a little different tomorrow.

Afternoon Rituals & Familiar Triumphs

After lunch, I enjoyed a coffee, caught up with the crossword and sudoku, and did a bit of reading. Joe spent the afternoon listening to his audiobook before heading off to the quiz — where, unsurprisingly, his team came first yet again. Chris on his team continues to amaze everyone with her encyclopaedic knowledge.

Evening Highlights

I then went to watch Krew Kapers, which remains one of the absolute highlights of the entire trip for me. The dedication and effort the crew put into rehearsing and performing is genuinely moving — and the fact they opened with a Wham song made it even better in my book.

After catching up on a few calls, Joe and I headed to Compass Rose for dinner. Joe then retired to the room, while I went along to watch the evening show by Brett Cave. He played piano, sang, and had great rapport with the audience, performing classics from Billy Joel, Lionel Richie, and Elton John — a thoroughly enjoyable performance.

Before turning in, Joe and I reviewed tomorrow’s tour itinerary. He’s… not overly impressed, but we’ll see what tomorrow brings. I also put out a call on Facebook for restaurant recommendations for tomorrow night as we have an overnight stay — thank you Yvonne for coming through with a suggestion, which we’ll be trying out.

Daily Reflection:

A new year doesn’t always start with fireworks and wonder —
sometimes it begins quietly, with tempered expectations, steady routines, and the promise that tomorrow might surprise us. 🌱 

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