Penang: Exploration

June 25, 2023 8 Min Read

Exploration

Penang – 25/6/23 – Second full day around the island, I will write this during the start; this trip this time around has really shaped my opinion on the place.

Recently did I find videos of Penang racing videos, and these are different from Ulu Yam and Genting. These genuinely were tight mountain stretches that some daring group were racing on, with traffic and all.

First thing: Roads.

As it turns out and a surprise to almost no one, Penang as a mountainous island has lots of mountains, and road infrastructure comes after environment is formed, so there is quite a few mountainous roads.

These aren’t what you normally find in Singapore, so its more of a shock to have ridden on such windy roads (Because Singapore just don’t have them).

They are very much a mix of the infamous Ulu Yam and Genting in terms of pace and layout. Fast corners, sharp corners long but curvy straights. You get the point. The only thing that really kills the fun is the traffic… Compounded by the solid middle line (As one should)

Not to mention the bridges that look really neat as you would be able to understand from the video (I hope)

Citroen ZX in a sad state.

One of two Singapore-plate cars seen during the trip.

Ford Mustang GT if the decals are to be trusted.

The highlight of today’s trip is an ATV Trip. Premise is a small 10km total tour on an ATV that you can drive for the whole of the trip.

I have no videos, but I can say that for an absolute noob to operating anything on wheels, its one of the most fun I’ve had of all time.

I’ve hardly conceived the idea of bikes, let alone ATV’s before this, but I see and enjoy the appeal.

Off-roading too. Maybe its time to consider a Suzuki Vitara…

Hitting the 5km mark meant for a short break which was located within a ricefield.

Its a beautiful landscape to look at. Especially when a home country like Singapore is so urbanized that so little agricultural locations exist current-day. It really is a refresher to see these landscapes in person.

I think that for a 16 year old or older who has a passion in anything with wheels, this is a great experience to have before one has the ability to dive into cars and bikes. Its a thrilling experience I recommend others to have if they’re cave dwellers, such as myself.

Leaving for durian and returning back to reclaim a forgotten deposit came the segment of returning home.

That was the idea until some very sudden and un-checked changes to schedule were made. No longer were we going home, but we were to turn right back where we went for lunch with extended family.

(The first trip out)

The way back included another mountain road which I would say is really nice to drive on. Of course, the only limiting factor was the atrocity of slow drivers, but elevation changes and corners made the trip all the more enjoyable.

Or it would be if not for the inherent frustrations of schedule changes.

As you read above, we had to backtrack and make a u-turn to go back where we came from, so we ultimately had to take this road three times. Willingly is fun, but unwillingly with horrible traffic is not the same.