Last evening at 10pm we were picked up for a ‘Visa Run’ to Penang as we had to do to renew our visas. We are only allowed a maximum of 90 days on a Thai ‘Visitors Visa’, and to renew this one has to go to either Penang or KL in Malaysia. After much deliberation about finding a cheaper more convenient way to renew them we ended up going in an organized, mini-bus 'visa run' from Phuket, along with 10 other people all strangers to us and 7 different nationalities!

What a trip, 10hrs in a full mini-bus, and much of the journey in torrential rain, with a driver going at break neck speed and tailgating other vehicles. After the overnight journey, stopping only occasionally for a toilet break - toilets which were about the worst I’ve used, we arrived in Penang at the Thai Embassy at 8am, where we left our passports and completed the necessary paperwork.

From here we were driven to a hotel, which was basic, but was well situated in Georgetown, the old Chinese/British town of Penang. We were dead tired but made the effort to go out and wander around before having some lunch and returning for a siesta.

Photo: A typical Chinese owned shop in Georgetown.