Day 5 - Arriving in Langkawi

On Friday, we left Singapore for Langkawi, an island on the west coast of the Malay peninsula, just south of the border with Thailand.  This place is stunning.  I think the most beautiful place I have ever been.  But first, I must comment on the journey.

So we went to T's favorite airport.  His criteria: no lines and empty, so that all your 2.5 hours may be spent waiting at the gate.   Come to think about it, "no lines and empty" is my criteria too.  Its just that I like to push it to the last minute so I finish up mission-critical tasks at work--like aligning the bullets on my powerpoint--and missing one-in-ten flights if left to my own devices.

We flew Malaysian Airlines and unlike every other airline carrier I've ever flown on, this one was intent on NOT starving you.  Our flight left at 3:30 pm, and over the course of our brief 1 hour and 20 minute flight, they served a complete dinner (Fish Curry or Chicken Pasta?). In the middle of the afternoon.  Think about it-- you can fly on a 4.5 hour evening flight from NYC to SAT--and only get a begrudging bag of peanuts thrown at you.  Not even the honey-nut kind.  Nope, those sweeter days are gone, and you are left with a fussy little bag of "ballpark roasted" that you struggle to open embarrassingly.  After having eaten your last nut, you furtively search out that last granule of salt in the corners too.  Damn airlines.  

Well this one was pretty good, and despite the part-time pilot (T kept saying "jeez, this guy's a cowboy"), seats that looked like they had been ripped out of a party bus on its way to Tulum, and lack of jet-way on deplaning (more on that soon), I would highly recommend it.  Plus, you don't have to fume over those ironic little napkins -- "meals at mealtime" my ass.

So the Langkawi airport was a small one.  So small apparently, that there are no concerns with letting a bunch of tourists scurry across the tarmac, all eager to get their sunburn on.  Good fun!

When we arrive at the hotel, we are overwhelmed by how beautiful it is.  The resort is new--maybe 3 or 4 years old-- and has been designed to reflect a "Moorish influence," according to Fodors.  Wrong continent, but whatever its called, its lovely.  

T and I have a drink at the bar to watch the sunset.  Caips are good here--with brown sugar, and a proper amount of lime.  I was a bit disappointed, because I always like to prove my multi-culti sensibilities by pouting over a poorly-made Caipharina, which I then inevitably ask them to remake to my specifications.    That being said, it went down nicely, as I sat with my husband watching the sun slip behind the islands, and the rain start, then pick up and spit ever-so lightly on us beneath the awning.

Dinner was indulgent.  For one, neither of us were really hungry.  For two, we were sleepy too, so we quickly ate the two course dinner for which neither of us were hungry.  And for three, I order the "Crispy Snapper Filet with Mango Chutney."  It arrives, and I realize "Crispy" is code for "Fried"-- and not just the whole fish has been fried. The whole fish, plus bite-size pieces of its filet that were individually battered, then mounded back up in middle.  Add on top of that sweet mango strips and a slightly tangy sauce.  I ate almost the whole thing.  Did I just get away with a Popeye's Chicken Fingers with Honey Barbeque sauce? I think i did.  Like I said, dinner was indulgent.