People from all over the country come and study in the Central. This semester, I came up with the plan for the family to follow me North to Penang during the semester break, and along the way, to stop by two places in Perak, namely Ipoh and Taiping, before going to the most famous, tiniest, most happening spot in the map of the world - Penang Island. Sing Shia, Sue Zin and Wen Chian came along this time...
We started off on the 4th of May 2006 at 11:00 a.m. in my father's SLK (Stupid Little Kelisa :p) and reached our first stop at about 1:35 p.m. - Ipoh, the Mighty Kingdom of the Cute Fair Girl, the White Lady Sue Zin. As we ventured into the Kingdom of the White Lady, hilly and slopey landscapes could be seen and oil-palm plantations could also be seen. Hence, there were ooh~ aah~ as these sights can never really be seen in Cheras... The White Lady Sue Zin's home is in Southern Ipoh, and is very near to the North-South Highway. As we reached White Lady Sue Zin's home, nobody was at home except for one of her brothers, who had just finished his SPM, but not rotting at home I suppose. Her mother was out fetching another of the White Lady Sue Zin's brother, who is still in school...
What I did was bathed first as I was sweating like hell. Then, just in time before all of us were to go out for lunch, the Lady's mother came back. Her mother is really a nice lady and she treated us well. The White Lady's brother also was nice to us. Then we set out to lunch. After lunch, we went down town area and visit the Sam Poh Tong (Sam Poh Cave). Along the way, I saw Politeknik college, and one person came to my mind - he is my old friend, Ong Cheng Wei. The cave was a beautiful place, and it really captured my mind - the caves, the woods, the glades. There was a cave where Wen Chian and I climed up to have a look. There was an opening up a dark cave, but it was blocked. It led up to a wodden bridge to areas unknown. I was mistified by this but I couldn't possibly go into it as it might be blocked for some reasons.
After the cave, we went to Jusco, and of all things, they bowled there. As for me, I am known for sitting at the background and watch only. Speaking of 'watch', remember the movie UltraViolet? Her favourite line is 'Watch Me!' Sing Shia, who is so so soooooooooo into Violet, used the line frequently. I can remember at one time, when she was about to bowl, she held the bowling ball, and turned to the three of us and said 'Watch Me!'. When she turned back facing the lane and pins, lowered her hand holding the ball, PIANG! There was a PIANG-ing sound - the ball slipped from her hand and dropped hard on the ground. What the rest of us could do is - Laugh!
Of all people we met there, guess who - our seniors, our UCSI-USM Pharmacy seniors. Of course they came over and talked to us, bla bla bla... Violet TSS emerged as the greatest in bowling (among us only of course... hehe...) while Wen Chian followed the queue while the White Lady, being a great, kindly and generous host, allowed everyone to go first while she goes last... Then, after bowling and having a great laugh, we left for dinner (or ninner as our Ultra-Violet Tan Sing Shia pronounces) having the famous beansprout/taugeh/ngachoi chicken. Of course the seniors asked us to join them but for my part, I was reluctant to join as I felt that we were outnumbered. So we went to dinner on our own. After dinner, we went to a shop to get some biscuits... hiao pia... lao borr pia... lao ang pia... kae kia pia... koe-ah... bla bla bla...
At night, we went back to the Lady's house for a while before setting out to Tesco there or Eastern Garden if I'm not mistaken, for me to meet my friend, Cheng Wei, as I have some talking to be done with him regarding our good friend, Han Chou... Cheng Wei and I sat by the side to talk while Violet TSS, the White Lady Sue Zin, and Wen Chian played pool. Long we talked but to no avail as all of us cannot come to council together - Leonard was in Setapak, Cheng Wei and I were in Ipoh, Geok Im was in PJ, and Han Chou was in Penang.
After long talks, we saw that it was quite late and decided to end our meeting just like that. We would meet up in Penang and talk further about this when all of us would likely to be able to gather and call for council. I returned with UVTSS, the White Lady and Wen Chian to the Lady's home and found that nearly everyone had already slept except for her brother. I went online for a while and then straight away went to bed.
The next morning, we bode farewell to the White Lady's mother and brother and after brunch, we set out for Taiping, City of the Baroness Min Min.Thanks to the Baroness Min Min for taking us to lunch. How glad am I to step back into the Region where most people speak Hokkien ua... wuah... siah thi siah tay... after lunch, of course went to Taiping Lake... what a beautiful scene... nice serine lake... We paddled boats there, Violet TSS and the White Lady, while Wen Chian and I went on another. After boating, we planned to go to Taiping Zoo, but our Violet TSS was afraid of monkeys... aiyoh... sakai afraid of monkey... die lorrr!
Anyway, after fooling around with pruple flowers outside Taiping Zoo, we bode farewell to the Baroness Min Min and continued our Journey North to Penang Island (or Tao Hua Dao - Peach Blossom Island as I am Huang Yao Shi... hahaha...). It was raining heavily along the way but after leaving the City of the Baroness Min Min, the sun shone, though with a gloomy light. Then we passed Bukit Merah, and then into Penang Mainland, Nibong Tebal. Here, paddy fields could be seen and UVTSS and Wen Chian were like~ oh~ oh~ ah~ ah~ as seldom can they see paddy fields as the Central and Southern Regions are more hilly than the North.
As we approached the bridge, I fear that it would jam, but thank God the traffic was not that bad. Over the bridge, Wen Chian took several pictures but the view on the other side of the bridge was blocked by a separator, CB! CB! CB! CB! However, Wen Chian was happy enough to see the horizon... After crossing the bridge, I felt homely once again to have seen familiar roads and surroundings. A sudden gladness was in me and for a moment, I thought, 'I'm in Penang! Finally!' This is my Realm... I went straight home first before going anywhere because I am already tired and I am sure they are also at least as tired as I am, or maybe more... Dinner with my mother and father at Teluk Tempoyak... aiyoh... not nice one the seafood... terukzz... at night, I slept downstairs at my father's 'office' while UVTSS, the White Lady and Wen Chian were assigned to my room.
The next day, I booked one of my best friend for the whole day... Mr. Yeoh Chin Leng aka 'L-Bird' Albert. Glad was I to see him after one semester not seeing him. I took all of them to Jelutong market, to my father's stall and to have brunch there... there, I met Mr. Khoo, my father's friend who had been a drug addict once... When I was in China with him, we talked about drugs and things like that... after brunch, we went first to beachy (not bitchy ok?) area, that is Tanjung Tokong, Tanjung Bungah, and Teluk Bahang. Aiyoh... ceik ak iao siu o... take them there to see the beautiful horizon and blue sea, mana tau, cannot see... downpour... so what to do? take them to Penang Butterfly Farm lorr... see butterflies... fly fly fly... surprisingly, Chin Leng had not been there before.
Then I took them to the Forest Reserve walk walk... boringzz... then took them round island, since already half island rounded. Along the way, Wen Chian the Small Kid and I started to make cute annoying sounds of 'wee' and 'oh'... and the Small Kid started tyo speak in a cute fashion. Chin Leng suddenly said that her voice is like Mickey Mouse... We crossed Teluk Bahang Dam, and Titi Kerawang Waterfall. I stopped at the waterfall and led them into the woods to see the waterfall. UVTSS waited halfway as she dared not cross the wodden bridge. so, L-Bird, the White Lady, Mickey Mouse and I went in to get a closer look at the waterfall. We saw a few 'la-la' or 'ah too ah kow ah lian ah hua' there also...
We continued our journey to Balik Pulau to eat the Laksa and Paksembur... on the way there, the road was winding and narrow... and it was on the hill-side too, so can see the countryside side of Penang Island. Laksa at Balik Pulau is really aiyoh... Some said nice, some said not nice, others so so... but they enjoyed the Paksembur... yeah! Balik Pulau is not a bad place to stay also... got school, TNB, Telekom, Bomba, petrol station, hospital, bla bla bla... though a small town... but everything is there...
Then it is time to head back to home... but took them to another place, but not sure what the place is called. There, you can see the other side of Penang Island, free from city-pollutants, overlooking Balik Pulau, Pantai Acheh, and Kuala Sungai Pinang. We took pictures there, then I sent L-Bird home. At night, I took UVioletTSS, the White Lady and Mickey Mouse to Super Tanker to eat hawker food... once again some are nice, some not nice... I didn't realise the fried oyster was nice there, I thought it was horrible, but luckily, I ordered and let them eat and they like it...
The next day, we had brunch at Gurney Drive with my mother. Bak Kut Teh... then, after dropping my mother at Lam Wah Ee Hospital, I took UVTSS, the White Lady and Mickey Mouse to Kek Lok Si. Then to Youth Park. Youth Park had changed quite alot. New things appeared, but the archery range is still functioning, thought with less people now... We were supposed to meet up with Joycee but something went wrong and everything went hay-wired. At night, took them to Gurney Plaza to see some lengzai... but not many are there... Had dinner... then went to Revolving Restaurant at City Bayview Hotel. Fooled around there and then return home... My father told me to be careful as nowadays, Penang got alot of PhaiKia...
Next day, I took them to Sungai Petani (SP - SAO PEI!~) to see the two SAO PEI Queens - Sok Nee 'Nee Nee' and Michelle aka Poh Kheng 'Kheng Kheng'... Thank goodness I switched my father's SLK to my Wira as I fetched Nee Nee and Kheng Kheng around. We went to Kheng Kheng's house first with Nee Nee directing us around. Then we went to have lunch at town. Thanks alot for treating us Nee Nee and Kheng Kheng... The we went to Lembah Bujang and the museum to see the Candi-Candi... then went to Tanjung Dawai overlooking to Pantai Merdeka... then after that, we went back to Penang...
At night, my cousin, Liang Wern aka 'Robot' Robert joined us for dinner and took them to Bayan Baru hawker centre... Nothing was nice there actually, but it was their last night in Penang, so simply eat laa since we are all tired of travelling. That night, UVTSS went out with her P friend until 12 something a.m. I waited until I wanted to sleep, while Mickey Mouse too felt sleepy... the White Lady was already in bed while waiting for the return of Violet TSS... In the end, she came back also... we thought she would not be coming back, and ahem~ ahem~ the rest, no need for me to say la horr...
The next morning, I took them to eat Dim Sum at Sg Ara there... was quite OK but I don't like it there... then after Dim Sum, my heart was heavy to send them to the bus depot to depart. UVTSS and Mickey Mouse would be leaving for KL while the White Lady would be departing back to her Fair Kingdom. Unfortunately, departure time for the White Lady was one hour later than UVTSS and Mickey Mouse... so we sent them to their busses and see them leaving then wait for the White Lady's bus.
Finally, the time has come for her to go home also. To see them leave all together, I felt my heart being corrosed... The time has come... the bus the White Lady of Ipoh was on was drifting away... slowly... until at last, beyond sight... then I felt the warm breeze under the hot sun... they're gone... I'm alone... I walked back to my car and got in... started... drove back home and tears flowed gracefully... not of grieve, but something touched my heart... Might be loneliness..
I reached home and found my father there... 'Pa, I'm back...' I said. and my father said, 'oh, your friends went back already?' and I answered 'yes, and they thank both of you alot...'
but I am thankful to God as he sent me such people to make my life colourful... I am thankful to you all as well, each and evey character in my tale even if one is a minor character but one would make a big difference in the tale... I would like to thank especially UVTSS, the White Lady of Ipoh Wong Sue Zin, Small Kid Mickey Mouse Pang Wen Chian, Albert 'L-Bird' Yeoh Chin Leng, Chow Soon Yee, Tang Sia Chin, my Parents and my brotherhood council members - Leonard, Cheng Wei, Han Chou, and Geok Im...
We come to it at last... Everything, good or bad, happy or sad, must come to an end... This is the end... but it is only one part of my life... 
(Version 1 - to be edited)
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