Penang Island Tour via Scooter

I resolved the previous night that despite overwhelming local advice to taxi everywhere, I was going to rent a motorbike and take a self-guided tour of the island. After a surf-side run, and workout, I taxied back to Georgetown to rent the bike. I scored a ridiculous deal of $30 RM for a day's rental; that's less than $9 USD! The rental dude tossed me the keys and pointed me to a red rocket at the end of the shop. He didn't offer up a single word of explanation on the controls of this chopper, so I learned on the fly. Bam, I figured out it was a four speed monster with no clutch ... then I noticed the fuel gauge said 'E'. POOR FORM rental dude!

At the gas station I couldn't figure out how to unlatch the seat to expose the gas tank. I could definitely feel a latch but there was no indicator of how to disengage it and gain access to the fuel cap. BLASTED! Some locals noticed my struggle and building panic and tried to assist.

One of them let me borrow a phone to call the rental dude. The phone call didn't help as the language barrier proved too much. Inexplicably, I was flustered as I felt my adventure slipping away from me. Next I flipped a latch which covered the key hold as a security measure. The keyhole was covered AND I couldn't return it to the open position. OHHH-NO!!! First I had no fuel, second I couldn't get the key into the ignition of the bike, and on top of that I was a 30 minute walk from the rental joint. I was flustered (a rarity) and my adventure was doomed.

As I hastily ran through my options in my head, the local stud who lent me his phone figured out the bike's secret. Somehow he opened the latch and discovered that the seat latch is disengaged by pressing the key in when it's in an in intermediate position. OPEN SESAME!! The adventure was back on!

After fueling, I took my Honda 125 Road Runner to the Penang streets with vigor. The locals drove with reckless abandon, ignoring lanes, driving on shoulder and sidewalks, and cutting each other off. The motor bikers were the craziest and I was determined to fit in. They'd squeeze between large vehicles and generally scoot wherever they pleased, often with 1 or even two passengers along for the ride. I joined in on the loony riding ...

I dubbed my bike "Super Mario" because it was red, small, packed a big punch, and could stop goombas! Mario maxed out at 90 kilometers per hour (~58 mph) on a wind and gravity aided stretch of western Penang highway.

I cruised up to my first spot, the Tropical Spice Garden. I paid the fee and was treated to a one-on-one guided tour of the garden. The Chinese guide spoke pretty good English and gave a great tour. I learned that peppercorns are a berry on a tree and some variegated US houseplants' sap is nearly fatal if ingested. Did you know cinnamon comes from the bark of a tree and the whole tree tastes like cinnamon? Nutmeg is a ground-up seed and corrugated tile roof design was modeled after the structure of a particular palm. The garden tour blew me away.





I continued on the tour, swinging by the seaside National Park but opting not to hike; next stop was the Butterfly Farm. I have never seen so many butterflies in my life!



I was swinging counter-clockwise around the island and the next pit-stop was a Tropical Fruit farm. Jack fruit is delicious and the mangoes were really good. I also tried star fruit and water apples but they weren't really my faves. Did I mention that Super Mario came with a sweet blue helmet? :)



Here's Jim Carrey from "Yes Man" ... slight resemblance eh?



I tore up the rest of the deserted hilly roads on the west side of the island, taking in the scenery; the self-guide island tour was a big success and was one of my most memorable experiences during my stay.