It's been a peaceful night at Sakura Hotel after such a busy day yesterday. I think the room is A+ with everything in its place. Maybe a little WD 40 on the bathroom door hinge, but that's about it.
Today is the international leg of our journey and yesterday evening was about collecting information. We need to leave the hotel at around 8.00 am and after setting the alarm for 6.00 we employ our mobile kitchen and begin to rearrange our luggage. We won't need the car for the next 3 days.
We are on time for that earlier start and the staff has ordered a sonthaew to pick us up and we're whisked away to the train station. Here we order tickets for Padang Basar. We're well in time for a 8.55 am departure and in the meantime I capture two arriving trains. The locomotive for the border couples up and we're on our way.
The Local service is typically not the best, but we're taking about less than a hour and we arrive across the border to be possessed by immigration both Thai and Malay. I must admit the process is effortless, but there is quite a delay before the onward service arrives. It's gone midday Malay time before we depart.
On board the all electric train it's in marked contrast to the Thai version with a smooth air-conditioned ride. In not much more than 2 hours, we're in Butterworth and heading for a pleasant ferry crossing to Georgetown. Everything has gone like clockwork so far and there's the final trip to hotel which is walkable.
The weather today is mixed with rainstorms about and we are lucky not to be caught in one. At Bishop Hotel we check in and head to the room to find it disappointing compared with Thailand. It's just too small. However, we've skipped lunch and need some food. Actually, it's too early for a dinner, but we walk the time off and find ourselves in Little India. Katoon will not find anything to her fancy here, but we cannot walk around forever so we have to beg to differ. I find a mutton curry while my partner goes for Chinese.
Back at the hotel we try to settle in, but it looks like I'm still measuring things by Thai standards and that won't work here. We have to upgrade the room which I hadn't budgeted for, but we haven't come all this way to be uncomfortable. I will just have to adjust for now.
As far as location is concerned, the old city has some great historical attractions and eateries but lack day to day conveniences in the evening. I'm trying to plan ahead and go out looking at least for some convenience food, but there is nothing to compare with Thailand. I'm regretting that I booked for three nights. Now let's get some sleep.

Source: Visit