It would be a perfect arrangement. She would paint and I would play. My only pre-condition was that I choose the hotel. I have long dreamt of staying at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel, the magnificent white building that harks back to the colonial era. Viv would have settled for one of the backpacker guesthouses, but I stood my ground. I felt like being pampered with breakfast in bed, high teas in the afternoon and a 24-hour butler service.

It was pouring with rain as we arrived at Penang Airport, but by the time our limousine had whisked us to the hotel, the sun was out. Later, as we enjoyed a cup of tea on the balcony of our suite – there are only suites in the hotel – Viv admired the spectacular view of the sea below and admitted that the E&O was a perfect choice. She had drawn up a list of things she wanted to see in Penang. The plan was for me to join her whenever I felt like it, but I would also act as a scout. While she was working, I would check out other vistas that might inspire her.

Often called the Pearl of the Orient, Penang is a smallish island (about 100 square miles) located just 3 miles off the west coast of peninsular Malaysia. It has a remarkable history. In 1786, Captain Francis Light managed to persuade the Sultan of Kedah to cede the island to the British East India Company.

After landing, he reportedly fired gold coins into the jungle to inspire his men to clear the area. He named the first settlement Georgetown after King George III and it grew to be a major trading post in tea, spices, china and cloth. For more than a hundred years, it remained under British Colonial rule until 1957 when it gained independence. It joined Malaysia in 1963.

Today Penang is a melting pot of colours, sounds, aromas, cultures and traditions, reflecting the Chinese people and the influence of the settlers over the centuries – Indian, Dutch, Portuguese and British. Their presence is found in the architecture, churches, temples, mosques, food and monuments on the island.

Although there are many tourists who head straight for Batu Ferringhi and the other beach resorts, we were more interested in soaking up the diverse cultures that make Penang such a fascinating destination. Our first stop was Chinatown. Walking down the little lanes, I felt like I was stepping back in time. As I passed the quaint shophouses and temples, I could imagine the lives of the Chinese settlers who arrived here in the 1800s. The quiet streets are still lined with many beautiful old buildings, arches and shutters.

Many shophouses have a rundown appearance, but this only adds to the charm. Apparently, this Chinatown survived intact because of the restrictive zoning/rent-control that kept many of the historic shophouses in family hands for generations. Viv’s eyes were scanning doorways and lanes for the one image that she could capture on canvas. For a few minutes, she stood and watched a wizened old man seated in the doorway of a house, seemingly happy to while away his day in silence. I thought she was about to start sketching, but she moved on.

Finally, she found the scene to capture – the Khoo Kongsi clanhouse. The house was first built by the forefathers of the Khoo family who emigrated from South China. It features a magnificent hall embellished with intricate carvings and richly ornamented beams of the finest wood bearing the mark of master craftsmen from China.

As Viv worked, I explored. I hired a trishaw (a three-wheeled bicycle taxi) to see the sights. The driver did his best as a tour guide, taking me to the star-shaped Fort Cornwallis, built on the site where Francis Light first landed. Then we headed for the Indian Quarter, which is loud and lively.

Neon lights, blaring music and countless shops selling Bollywood DVDs overwhelm the many interesting temples and restaurants that beg a visit. My guide told me I should come back for a coconut festival in February, when thousands of coconuts are smashed as a Hindu offering. Apparently, the white is to show one’s purity and the juice shows that one’s heart is wet and not dry.

That night we dined at the popular Mount Erskine Hawker Centre. Stallholders sell traditional dishes at bargain prices, giving visitors the chance to taste many of the local dishes. Among those we liked were Hokkien Mee (prawn and noodles with ginger), Lok-Lok (a skewer of meat and fish), Char Koay Teow (fried rice noodles with prawns), Ice Kacang (shaved ice with syrup over red beans, jelly, sweet corn and evaporated milk) and and Mua Chee (fresh dough mixed with ground roasted peanuts and sugar).

The first day set the pattern for every day of our week-long holiday. Viv and I would sightsee until she found something to paint. Often I was stunned by her artistic vision. Where I would have attempted to capture the whole vista, Viv would focus on one corner or a tiny object. I guess that is why she is the artist and not me!

While she worked, I would continue my own explorations. I swam at the remote Monkey Beach, checked out the view from the 55th floor of the Komtar building, shopped at the fabulous Sidewalk Bazaar in Batu Ferringhi and visited the eerie Snake Temple. In the evening, we dined out at one of the many places recommended by our excellent concierge. My favourite meals were in the Indian Quarter, where you eat delicious curries and masalas off a banana leaf as the plate, using your hands.

Viv found artistic inspiration at the largest Buddhist temple in south-east Asia, Kek Lok Si and at the magnificent Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, the indigo-walled residence built in accordance with the strictest Feng Shui principles. She rose at dawn to capture a minaret bathed in sunlight at the Kapitan Keling Mosque and an afternoon sketching the Victorian-style City Hall. She will get the glory when her exhibition opens next month, but I feel that I may have got the better end of the deal. For once, I preferred being an ordinary holidaymaker to a creative artist with a daily deadline to meet.