GEORGE TOWN, March 13 ― How do you experience a place if you can't see or hear? Through smelling and tasting, of course.

In Penang, it can be the spicy delicate scent of nutmegs, the strong pungent stench of belacan and of course, the burst of flavours that come with the local food.

Travelling for the visually and hearing impaired can be challenging as they are unable to capture the sights or sounds of the places they visit.

When Malay Mail Online went on a trip to Balik Pulau with a group of these people, we realised that though they can't see or hear, they can still experience Penang... in a way that most of us very often take for granted.

Full disclosure: The trip was mapped out and planned by my food explorer husband Steven.

It started with a visit to the Ghee Hup Nutmeg Factory where visitors ― including visually impaired Wong Yoon Loong, the Penang Deaf Association chairman Chung Kim Cheong, Japanese deaf blind social worker Akiko Fukuda and Malaysian Federation of the Deaf president Mohd Sazali Shaari ― were given a chance to feel, touch, smell and taste the nutmeg fruit.

Wong Yoon Long tasting the nutmeg at the Ghee Hup Nutmeg Factory. ― Picture by K.E.Ooi

"I've stayed in Penang many years before and I've never visited Balik Pulau and never knew so much about nutmegs," Wong said as he excitedly held a nutmeg in his hands and sniffed it. He also tasted a fresh nutmeg and remarked at its chalky sourness.

Akiko, who was in Penang for a conference, was similarly fascinated with the fruit as her assistants, Al Ichimura and Meono Keuchi, touch signed to her the explanations for the process of making nutmeg products. She, too, got a taste of the nutmeg and nutmeg juice. Later, she bought a number of nutmeg products to take home.

The next stop after the nutmeg factory was the Saanen Dairy Goat Farm, about 10 minutes away from the nutmeg factory.

The wheelchair-bound Akiko, who travelled on the Rapid Penang Mobility van for the disabled, brought along her own mobile ramp that could be unfolded and placed on any steps for her easy access but the goat enclosure was too steep and narrow for her.

Akiko touching a kid at the goat farm. ― Picture by K.E.Ooi

Instead, a farm worker brought a young kid out of the enclosure for her to pet. Akiko laughed with delight as she felt the soft fur, touched its head and petted it. She even asked her assistants to take pictures of her with the kid as she cooed over it.

The rest of the small group was given vegetables so that they could feed the goats in the enclosure. After feeding the goats, they were treated to a taste of goat's milk though some of them did not like the taste or smell of it.

Next up was a belacan factory, about 20 minutes away, where the pungent shrimp paste is still being prepared using traditional methods.

The overpowering pungency of the belacan greeted the group as they alighted from the vehicles because trays of belacan were being dried out in the sun outside the small factory.

The group got to touch the newly processed belacan, which is soft, damp and grainy like caked sand, and even to taste the roasted shrimps that were used to make the belacan.

"So far, I find this trip really interesting... I personally have not been to this belacan place before," Chung signed through an interpreter.

Akiko trying out as many different types of dishes as possible to form more taste memories of Balik Pulau. ― Picture by K.E.Ooi

Wong agreed that the trip was different from normal tours as it was catered for the deaf, blind and deaf blind.

"I like that we get to touch, feel, smell and taste so we can 'see' with our other senses and there was also a lot of descriptions of the place as we travelled from spot to spot so we could visualise it on our own. This is a side of Penang that I have never experienced," Wong said.

He believed that more blind and deaf blind can visit Penang and truly enjoy it if they were shown the same courtesy as that by the workers at the nutmeg factory, the belacan factory and the goat farm where they were allowed to touch, feel, smell and taste the products.

“It is how we experience a place and it is really good of them to let us touch and taste,” he said.

The four-hour trip ended with a big lunch at Nasi Peladang where Akiko and her assistants tried as many dishes as possible to form more “taste memories” of the place.

“We, the deaf blind, love food because it is the one thing that we can enjoy and have good memories of the tastes and flavours,” Akiko said.