1,350.9km of goodness! Part Three ~

After saying our goodbyes to Haadyai, our next destination was Taiping, Perak. This laid back town used to be one of stops during our early travels up north. Lately, we have been giving it a miss. So, we decided that the lure of big leaf char keuh teow was just too much to resists. So, Taiping became our last pit stop before heading home after some gruelling driving along the Malaysian highway.
As we exited Bukit Kayu Hitam, it was already 3.00pm and we decided that we would have some Seberang Jaya courtesy of char kueh teow with duck egg and some smooth ambla drink! While we were there , we simply couldn't resists the 20 sen crepe sold by this old lady at her stall. We bought almost 70 crepes [ my family bought 30 while Steven bought 40 ] for our snacks!!! Anyway, I marvelled at the deftness of this lady in handling the small hot wok and also the hot crepes.I guess, when you have 30 years of experience in handling these item, you could have mastered the technique of lifting the crepes or her hands were simply numb to heat!

We arrived at Legend Inn, Taiping at about 8.30pm. One of the evening male senior staff wasn't friendly while I could say that he was downright rude and a racist. I guess, if I were a white Mat Salleh or an "angmo", I would have had a better treatment. Honestly, I find it rather ridiculous to have this double standard imposed on us by hoteliers staff like this person. Truly unprofessional and down right disgrace for the hotel industry. BTW, we do make payments for our rooms and they are not FREE yunno! Honestly, I seldom complain of hotel staffs as I find most of them to be friendly, ever smiling and helpful. Only a handful are in this zoo category~! Honestly, I find the accomodation in this hotel nothing to shout about nor extraordinary and the rate charged is RM 108 per night w/o breakfast!

Well, not wanting to make a scene, we just went to our rooms, freshened up and got ready for some seafood dinner in Matang. After some great night driving, searching, scrounging for the route and fun, we arrived at the seafood restaurant. We ordered some steamed prawns, fried belanak fish, tomyam pomfret fish, helicopter [ spiny shellfish ], lala and sweet potato leaves meals. There was so much to eat and the food tasted really good, fresh and it costs us a mere RM 112.00!!!! Can you imagine this ?!!!After a hearty meal, we shared some old childhood stories and enjoyed the fellowship very much.

The next morning, we headed down to have our breakfast before leaving the hotel. Coffee tasted good while the "yue tiao" and other stuff fills our belly! Again, it was really cheap and we really had a good time. Then we went around to Taiping Lake Gardens and Bukit Larut [ Maxwell Hill ] We were really "semangat" in climbing up the hill and we made it........to the signboard. We were actualy told that it woudl take us at least two hours to climb to the apex and so, I guess, our climb to the signboard was good enough. We then checked out from the hotel but this time the staffs [ 2 ladies ] were more gentle and more courteous. Anyway, before we left, one of the ladies tried telling one of the guest that their housekeeping staff had found that one of the green coloured plastic tissue holder was missing from the guest room. Before she could stop him, he dashed off the door, went into the car with his family and sped off. My God! Green colored plastic tissue holder also want to take away! No standard-lar or mere Malaysian mentality!

Then, it's off to Pasir Pinji in Ipoh for some lunch of yong tau fu / assam laksa before we headed off for home sweet home in Melaka. Yes! It was a tiring and gruelling trip but it was worth it. I know that this trip made our family closer to one another. I know too that this trip made me learn more about our friends, Steven & Wan Sin and why they are so special and dear to us. Being able to travel, stay together and spend time fellowshipping with Steven and Wan Sin has been truly wonderful and a real privilege. They are a barrel of fun, considerate and easy-going. Well, ocassionally they are peppered with disagreements and so on but it's only natural for couples to squabbles over decisions and so on. I would be a nut case if I say I didn't have disagreements with SLing during our entire trip. I guess, a lot of give and take makes up for a great fun outing.

To me, I am just thankful that I am able to share trips like this with my family. It is not difficult to see that both JWee and SYuen are growing up while SLing and me are getting older. I still remembered my promise to SLing that I would show her the places where I have been in my life and start all over agan to visit the places I have been with her. I guess, I am fulfilling some of the destinations that I have been with her. I didn't promise the whole world to her but I did promise that she would be happy to experience those times with me. I am keeping that end of the bargain in my long lst of things I want to do with her before I turn 50! It's a nice way to keep you "young" , actually!

As for the children, I wanted them to experience the different kind of lifestyle, the culture and social etiquette, manners & obligation in each of the places we have been. In that way, they could really appreciate the life they have. They would also be able to communicate better with others and also, be able to share their life experiences with their respective spouses later on in life. To me, being able to pass on this lesson of life to my children is indeed a rare thing in our society today. Maybe, some will say that I am from the old school era but it works, yunno. Somehow, whatever I have learnt from dad , I have tried to pass it down to my son and daughter. Pass on the good things in life unto them and you'll know that they are in good hands before you take your final bow on this stage and meet your Creator, God.

For me, it is so satisfying to me that my children and wife have been enabled to go to places such as this. I am not ashamed to say that I've worked and saved up very hard for such a trip. But to me , it is money worth spending on. At least now, they [ the chidren ] won't send me to an old folks home when I am old !!!!!Ha.....ha....ha......... You'll never know, right?

Five states [ Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak, Pulau Pinang and Kedah ], 1,350.9km and a budget of RM 1,700.00 [ inclusive of hotels accomodations, food, fuel, toll and shopping - 4 of us ], I am proud to say, I have made it from coast to coast with the family and good friends. It was really worthwhile and the memories we shared will be etched and have a very special place in my heart always !

"Kapkunkaa"! [ Thank you in Thai ]