Just over 18 years ago, on our very first trip to Malaysia, we took the funicular up Penang Hill. According to my diary, we had to change trains half-way.

The entry continues:

"An incredibly steep climb. Up, up through the forest, with the views opening out in front of us. We saw several macaques, one scolding at the train as he sat by the track, and a couple of little groups in the trees. The top offered really splendid views, down to Penang, and across the straits, spanned by the bridge [there was only one in those days], to the cloudy hills beyond.

"We parked ourselves on a bench to enjoy the bananas we'd bought, climbed up another level to where the mosque stood, and then went to the restaurant... We sat on the terrace, which was draped with some sort of vine sporting an extraordinary blue-green flower, ate some fruit, drank some coffee, and counted the pit vipers threaded around the tendrils of the vine..."

It's not in my diary, and therefore may or may not be an accurate memory, but as I recall it, the owner, when asked by another guest about the snakes, replied in a relaxed fashion: "Oh, they've never bothered anyone yet."

Those were the days when you had to pay to get photos developed, and therefore took them sparingly. Here are two of the three that record the climb back then (and in the second, your task is to spot the snake):



Today being a day off (to replace Sunday when I worked), we decided to do the Hill again.

We took a Grab to the funicular station, climbed aboard the next available conveyance, and set off. It was a greyish day, but the top of the Hill was visible. The plan was to ride up and walk down.

Just as we were nearing the summit, the cloud swept in (wiping out the view), and the heavens opened (drowning our little bit of the world in a veritable torrent of water).

We wandered along the covered walkways near the station, staying away from the edges where the brisk wind blew the rain in sideways.

We drank teh tarik at the food court (whose icy offerings spoke volumes about normally friendlier temperatures).

Once the rain had eased to a thick drizzle, we ventured out beneath umbrellas.









But the Hill remained wrapped in cloud, and the thunder continued to grumble threateningly. "Let's head back down," we said...

We got the front seats on the return journey, and were able to get optimal views of what is really quite a dramatic journey.





Once down, we jumped on a 204 bus, and covered the pleasant stretch of road from Air Itam to George Town Jetty. The Hill remained cloaked all day.

Can't win 'em all...