Bye-Bye Penang, We'll come back sometime. Today was better and we found the locals more friendly. Janet's new pink opalescent toenails were a hit on Penang Road and in our two-hour rickshaw ride, people stopped to admire her feet. Naturally, that required buying two pairs of shoes and, as we were in a shopping plaza, Janet bought a new Tissot watch. I bought her a colourful cloth bag and she has been so happy.

The watch people said they could spot my fake Tag Heuer from across the showroom floor. God, I thought, they'd say anything to get customers to buy a watch from them. I almost fell into the trap of buying a new watch except that we will be in Cambodia on Saturday and I'm likely to lose an arm in the streets if I have a genuine Tag Heuer watch.

Today, as I have said, was the rickshaw ride. This old Indian pedalled behind us, imitating Peter Sellers, and telling us of the stroke he suffered and his slow rehabilitation. He wandered all over the road, missing lamp-posts and buses coming straight for us, oblivious to Janet and me clutching each other and becoming all religious. He said that he had the right of way. At that point, Janet just turned and stared at me.

He took us to some amazing Chinese temples, ancient waterfront houses, places of interest we would never have found and, at the end, stood silent with his hand out. How much, I asked. Whatever Sir thinks it was worth. Janet again turned and stared at me. Finally, he cycled off, richer by $US33, still cursing the Malays who get so many handouts from the Malaysian Government but none for the Indians.

I had lunch - Chicken fillet Gordon Brew - and later some Chinese sweet and sour. Tonight we had dinner at the open market place where the total cost was $US4.54 plus two bottles of beer. Janet drinks from the bottle - some childhood habit she's never overcome. Then the night market lost its electricity supply and we called it quits, but the music in the streets continues. On Friday and Saturday, it stops at 3 am. At the moment, just after 11 pm, at least four musical events are competing for attention - same every night we've been here. Oh, who cares?

Now, to get ready for our departure after breakfast. Penang used to be the capital of Malaysia but since the 1950's it has been Kuala Lumpur, home to the Petronios Towers, recently considered to be the world's tallest building. The flight is only a matter of dollars and our hotel will be post-Kremlin style until we fly out on Saturday for Cambodia and to meet up with Para, the 18-year old schoolkid who met us at Angkor Wat in January, and who is travelling down from Siem Reap to greet us at the airport. Para has adopted me since his father died this year from liver cancer, leaving his little ricefield, a wife and four children to battle on their own. Almost daily emails through this year have encouraged Janet and me to try to do something to help and, of course, there's Geraldine, whom we will be seeing next Monday. Bring Para, she said, and we'll have lunch together with the kids.

Janet is going to write the next blog. She's going to talk about the amazing blue-indigo Cheong Fatt Tze mansion here in Georgetown, Penang, and the equally amazing Khoo dynasty which has put descendants into power all over the globe.