What I Did at Bukit Bendera, Penang, When It Was Raining and Some Other Stuffs
8:54 PM
Gotcha! Did the title bring you here? Are you in Penang right now, feeling pissed off because it is raining non stop and you don’t know what to do? No, the universe doesn’t hate you. And no, you’re not the only person in the world who has experienced it. Shit happens, sun rises in the east. Rain pours, get over it (hey, it rhymes!). Anyway, here’s my story.
It started as what seemed like a typical day in Penang. I didn’t even realize if the sky was darker, or if the weather felt more humid than the previous day. That day, I ate breakfast, walked to the station, and hopped on a bus to my destination: Bukit Bendera. True to its namesake, Bukit Bendera, or Penang Hill, is a hill at Air Itam area that overlooks Georgetown from 883 m above sea level. According to its website, aside from the spectacular view, you could also see some unique plants and historical sites.
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| Welcome sign to Penang Hill/ Bukit Bendera. You can vaguely see the railyway that goes uphill. Train return journey price: RM 30 |
See? Nothing looks wrong. The sky was somewhat clear and the wind was not really strong. The picture below is the train; the journey was fun, it felt like you were climbing while sitting down (hope that made some sense).
What greeted me as soon as I got off the train: green trees, chilly weather, and light drizzle. At that moment, I was still thinking that the rain would only stay awhile. I decided to try walking around the roofed part, there were a lot of food stalls and souvenir shops. Food was a bit pricey and nothing you couldn’t find in Georgetown, so I didn’t try anything.
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| The top two floors are food courts and souvenir shops, while the bottom floor is The Owl Museum |
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| Entrance to The Owl Museum. I wasn't really sure what was inside but Gryffindor robes were hanging at the entrance, perhaps the museum was inspired by Harry Potter and Hedwig? |
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| The old train |
Suddenly the light drizzle became pouring rain.
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| The-supposedly-clear-view of Georgetown. The sky was really grey. |
To be honest, the roofed part of Bukit Bendera was not that exciting. After 30 minutes, I ran out of things to see. I found a wooden seat and decided it was the perfect time to take a nap, hoping the rain would have stopped by the time I had woken up. (Under no other circumstances I would be caught napping while traveling overseas. So I experienced something new that day. Hooray!)
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| Nap is love. (In case you don't notice, this picture was taken at Penang International Aiport instead of Bukit Bendera. I'm sure you get my point.) |
Forty five minutes later, I woke up. Tough luck, the rain was pouring just as hard as before. I deemed it pointless to wait any longer and opted to go down hill. Apparently the rain was worst at the hill top, it wasn’t as bad once I was halfway down.
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| The railway looked positively enchanting, courtesy of the rain. |
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| Found this uber cute poodle at a small stall at Pasar Air Itam. I wonder why she was fascinated by the grey sky. |
My time at Bukit Bendera might have been different from everyone else’s, but considering everything, I think I had a decent time! Moreover, there are things I learned from this experience: stay curious (like the poodle), be flexible and always, always bring an umbrella.
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Bukit Bendera/ Penang Hill
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