Changi Butterflies

  
Faced with a 10 hour daytime layover in Singapore, we'd usually head in to town and explore a bit.  However, we had a perfectly good time just enjoying the free theme park that is Changi International Airport.
On the one hand, Singapore Airlines cheaps out a bit by proving a cushy lounge for their Real business class passengers, and shunts all the Star Alliance Gold frequent fliers into a second-rate holding pen that satisfies their contractual obligations to the scheme.  It doesn't even have toilets, let alone showers.  But it does have lots of free food and self-service drink.  So the essentials are covered...
On the other hand there's lots of free goodies for everyone in the terminal.  There's dedicated darkened sleeping areas with comfy recliners.  There's a free movie theatre showing a non-stop schedule of the latest films.  There's even a huge multi-level butterfly garden to explore.  Not bad.

In Search of Coconut Soldiers

  
 
Phillippa read about some sort of special breakfast popular on the Malay peninsula - "Kaya Toast".  It's basically toasted bread with a coconut spread and butter dipped into a somewhat runnily boiled egg.

We looked in Penang.  There was lots of really good food around - but no Kaya action.  Bussed down to Kuala Lumpur.  Still no luck - though we were only in town around dinner time, to be fair.  Then an overnight sleeper train to Singapore.  Boom.  Coconut Soldiers located at 0900 in the Woodlands shopping centre.  Pretty good, really!

Travelling to Penang from Phang Nga was pretty smooth. However, experiencing Penang wasn't. I didn't warm to the place at all, until we discovered a Chinese food hall which was awesome. It was absolutely packed with people eating all different types of food, drinking beer and listening to a singing competition and had a great atmosphere. Whilst in Penang we also punked into the Eastern and Oriental hotel to have a cocktail and lounge by their pool. I don't think we were particularly welcome as the manager kept his beady eyes on our every move, even double checking the men's bathroom after Ty's visit to ensure that nothing was removed!