Single-handedly eating Penang

Unsurprisingly, I spent my last full day in Penang revisiting some of my favourite foods. I found a well-hidden banana leaf restaurant and decided to finally try eating with only my right hand (the normal way of eating rice here). I'd been planing to anyway but I don't think they had any cutlery even if I'd wanted it. I then found a new cendol place where a sweet old man took his time to prepare a big bowl of it while I watched life go by on the streets of Georgetown. I think it might have been the best one I've had!

Late afternoon I got another free Uber taxi over to Bayan Baru, an area of Penang where Emily lives. We got a drink and then tried to visit the local Ramadan bazaar (apparently the largest on the island) but found all the stalls packing up only an hour after it had opened. I guess when people have been fasting all day, they eat as soon as they can! Instead we walked to a food court and had a selection of dishes including char kway teow, murtabek and roti canai. We finished with a beer on a bar balcony and I got yet another free Uber back.

I chatted to the driver mostly about football but then the subject turned to Uber. I found out that it only officially launched in Penang last Thursday which is why they're giving away free rides. I also learnt that the drivers keep 80% of the ride fare (even when the promotion means that I don't pay) and that sometimes during busy periods the drivers are given an additional 60% to encourage them to be out on the road. So normally a RM10 ride would earn the driver RM8 but during periods with the bonus they'd get RM12.80! Not a bad way to make money.