Scenic Malaysia on a whim

Driving the length and width of the peninsula sounds like a long, tiring journey     <img src="https://t1.daumcdn.net/cfile/cafe/22089037536B925937" class="txc-image" style="FLOAT: none; CLEAR: none" exif="{}" actualwidth="454" border="0" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="454" id="A_22089037536B9259373266"/> The VW Touareg TDI cruising along an abandoned sugar cane plantation in Chuping, Perlis. Pictures by Zalina Mohd Som <img src="https://t1.daumcdn.net/cfile/cafe/244B1639536B929901" class="txc-image" style="FLOAT: none; CLEAR: none" exif="{}" actualwidth="454" border="0" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="454" id="A_244B1639536B929901974B"/>     <img src="https://t1.daumcdn.net/cfile/cafe/2646D539536B92CC32" class="txc-image" style="FLOAT: none; CLEAR: none" exif="{}" actualwidth="454" border="0" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="454" id="A_2646D539536B92CC32026A"/> A colonial-looking building by the highway and the strait that separates Penang island and the mainland. <img src="https://t1.daumcdn.net/cfile/cafe/23043B34536B92FD06" class="txc-image" style="FLOAT: none; CLEAR: none" exif="{}" actualwidth="454" border="0" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="454" id="A_23043B34536B92FD067F11"/> The cone-shaped packets (inset) that made us stop for breakfast at Penaga (top), about 12km from Butterworth <img src="https://t1.daumcdn.net/cfile/cafe/27755536536B933313" class="txc-image" style="FLOAT: none; CLEAR: none" exif="{}" actualwidth="454" border="0" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="454" id="A_27755536536B9333133F46"/> Even looking at this photo of fried catfish, served at Pokok Sawo in Perlis, makes me salivate   <img src="https://t1.daumcdn.net/cfile/cafe/242C4233536B93691A" class="txc-image" style="FLOAT: none; CLEAR: none" exif="{}" actualwidth="454" border="0" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="454" id="A_242C4233536B93691AF22F"/> GPS and road signs help when an old-fashioned atlas fails.   <img src="https://t1.daumcdn.net/cfile/cafe/25134133536B93B607" class="txc-image" style="FLOAT: none; CLEAR: none" exif="{}" actualwidth="454" border="0" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="454" id="A_25134133536B93B607C869"/> The natural beauty of Tasik Timah Tasoh in Perlis has us making a quick stop   <img src="https://t1.daumcdn.net/cfile/cafe/27044535536B94002A" class="txc-image" style="FLOAT: none; CLEAR: none" exif="{}" actualwidth="454" border="0" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="454" id="A_27044535536B94002A536C"/>                                                              Dusk welcomes us to the East-West Highway