Bus ticket to Penang

I still have no idea how I am going to get from Singapore to Penang.
On a whim, I checked http://www.transtar.com.sg/. Years ago, in 2005, when I first when to Singapore with Becky, we had travelled from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur on a Transtar company "executive" bus. This is a first class bus. There are only 16 seats on the bus, three abreast. On the left side, there are single seats. On the right side of the bus, there are double seats. The seats are big, and are like the business class seats on airplanes. You get your own LCD TV, on which you can play movies, TV shows, and play games.
Becky and I enjoyed the bus trip. It took about five hours to get from Singapore to KL. Since KL is mid-way between Penang and Singapore, I would suspect it will take about 10 to 11 hours to go from Singapore to Penang. Not bad, if you have a TV to watch through the trip. So, with that reasoning, I went online and bought a ticket. It only cost SGD 52., so what the heck, it is cheap enough. Well, that took care of the travel problem from Singapore to Penang. Problem solved.

Plane tickets

Preparing for the trip.

All right, I am on the way to Penang. So far, I have booked the tickets, and the bill, surprisingly quickly, has arrived.

I am going to leave on June 9, 2009, from Boston. A United Airlines shuttle will be taking me to Washington Dullus (IAD), and from there, I will pick up an All Nippon Airlines Boeing 777 to Tokyo, Narita. After a few hours layover in Narita, I will pick up a Japan Airlines plane to Singapore. I will arrive at Singapore around midnight (11:45 PM) on June 11.

I have not given much thought as to how I am going to proceed from Singapore. I may pick up a ticket to fly straight to Penang, or I may stay in Singapore for a couple of days before taking a flight to Singapore. In the past, travelling with Becky, we have stopped in Singapore for a few days each way, exploring Singapore, and enjoying the local food. Becky especially like the Kopitiam (coffee shop) on Orchard Road. I may do the same this time, except it won't be as much fun without Becky. (For my readers not familiar with Becky, she is my younger daughter, and a very good travelling companion. I have travelled to Penang twice with her, once in 2005 and again in 2007. She is not able to join me this time because she has some graduate school work this Summer. I am a bit lost without her.)

I have not done much in terms of trip preparation, other than buying the tickets. I have written home to inquire if they want anything from the States. Siew Seng had written for some medicine for mother. Sui Laun had written to say she is out of town (from Kuala Lumpur) and will not be able to see me there at the beginning of the trip. She will catch up with me in Penang later in the month.