My First Brush with the Tsunami

(First greeters I met in George Town while exploring.)

Intrigued by its description as the "Pearl of the Orient", I decided to make the multi-hour trip to Pulau Penang. I figured such an esteemed and widely known reputation must be deserved and should not be missed. Plus my new couchsurfing friends, Lu Yen and Devid, had just spent two days in Penang for a weekend getaway. Since I was in the neighborhood, I made an impromptu adjustment to my schedule making the island as my next destination.

Positioned at the opening to the Straits of Malacca, Pulau Penang (literally translated Betel Nut Island) was first used by the British India Company as a trading post, but today is home to a "Free Trade Zone" where international companies such as Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Agilent Technologies, Dell and Intel get significant tax breaks while carrying on their operations in the zone. First impression driving into the island left me wishing I spent my money on pearls instead of transportation and lodging on the island. Both sides of the road were lined with industrial buildings/warehouses. Hazy views across the water to the mainland revealed a large port with tall white shipping cranes stripping container ships of their cargo.

First impressions aside, I knew Penang was home to many kilometers of coastline leading into the Indian Ocean so my hopes were not dashed. I spent my first two days in George Town (not D.C., even though they have monkeys here too). Sights to see included Lebuh Pitt of Masjid Kapitan Kipling, a street where four houses of worship can be found on one block, each belonging to a different religion demonstrative of Malaysia's diversity.

(Funicular at the top of Penang Hill.)

A trip to Penang Hill involved a cramped thirty minute funicular ride up to 2,700 feet above sea level, the highest point in the region. From there, sweeping views of the island vied for attention. A former hill station (the first in Asia, including India) during the British reign, the area was used by British officers and families seeking respite from the heat and humidity as it is generally several degrees cooler than the lowlands. The top of Pengang Hill also includes an ornate Hindu temple and mosque side by side.

In both Singapore and Malaysia, afternoon thunderstorms are the norm so I returned to town and firmed up dinner plans with my second couchsurfing contact, Ee Xyan Teow. A native to Penang, Ee Xyan responded to my e-mail requesting a local perspective on the sights to see in Penang. She gave me a great list and offered to meet me for dinner after work. Ee Xyan gave me her license plate number as I waited in the hotel lobby scanning the front bumpers of the approaching vehicles. Ee Xyan and I had actually never spoken and she had listed her English skill as intermediate so I was unsure if conversation would be a struggle.

When her car approached, I moved out of the air conditioned lobby to greet her. Waving to ensure I wasn't about to get into an unsuspecting woman's car, I was relieved when she waved back. Opening the passenger car door, I thought how strange it was these days to get into a complete strangers car, a modern cyber-twist to the lost art of hitchiking. Of course, for Ee Xyan it was an even bigger risk, being a woman. But couchsurfing.com has safeguards in place providing some comfort with personal references. Of course, using my Mom as a reference probably doesn't go over so well, but the fact that my Dad hasn't vouched for me yet may be even a bigger statement, one I hope no one discovers (so keep it a secret between you and me).


Ee Xyan took me to a local Chinese restaurant, The Junction, where everything was Chinese to me. I left the gastronomic selection to her as I could not read the menu and had the feeling that even if I could, confusion would still reign. Waiting for our meal, we talked about Penang, her family, job, the world and my travels. It was only then that I first learned that Penang was hit by the 2004 tsunami claiming more than fifty-two lives and causing millions of dollars in damage. Ee Xyan was lucky, only two hours earlier, her car was parked on Gurney Drive, an area hit hard by the massive wall of water. Many local fisherman and villagers were not so lucky, those that didn't lose their lives, lost their homes and possessions.

Already booked, and still searching for the "pearl", the following day I toured Batu Ferringhi, a beach area hit by the tsunami. Most hotels and resorts were back in full swing, catering to a large Japanese and Chinese tourist audience. The villages and local people seemed to have recovered too, at least on the surface. The Malay government created a recovery program for its citizen victims of the nautral disaster.

Despite claims that Penang is the "Pearl of the Orient", it has lost much of its former luster. With the advent of industry, heavy pollution and overuseage, the muddy waters off the island's coast are less than inviting. Probably the most redeeming aspect of this former pearl, is the large and diverse selection of food, enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. A better alternative for the independent traveler might be Kota Bharu on the eastern coast still clinging to traditions and not on the tourist circuit . . . yet.

During the afternoon thunderstorms today, I laid my head down for a brief nap. When I awoke an hour later, I realized that in fact, I was not heading home as I had just dreamt. It was an uneasy, curious feeling. On the road now for more than two months, an ordinary day has transformed to anything, but ordinary. I've heard before that it takes forty-five to ninety days to foster a new habit. Now I wonder if traveling is becoming a new habit? Day in and day out, the main goal is to explore, discover, learn and figure out how to get from point A to B. Routine is in absentia.

After dinner this evening, I decided to walk along the beach to digest dinner. Nights are less humid than the days making outdoor exursions more appealing. The ocean gently crashed onto the damp sand, its white surf creating the only color in the darkness. I asked myself, God or whomever might be listening, if I was on the right path. Was I getting what I was supposed to out of this trip? Was I missing any signs? Achieving anything of significance? No voices from the heavens answered, but strangely when I looked over my shoulder there was a low flying stark white cloud. It was eery because the other clouds were high in the sky, but this small cloud was 100 feet above me and closing. Catching it out of the corner of my eye, I stopped, wondering if I was about to receive some divine inspiration (have a Moses moment).

Voices did not sound, lighting did not strike (me at least) and no angels appeared, but I felt a presence. Maybe it is always there, accessible by all of us, but few of us stop long enough to feel it? Or maybe I was just imagining the presence on the heels of my internal questioning? Whatever the case, it was a good feeling, reassuring me to keep plugging along. As I stared at the cloud, drops began to fall from the higher clouds drenching me in a matter of minutes. I headed off the sands for cover, stumbling into the fun night market scene of Penang, leaving behind the white cloud and my questions, at least for now.