Pulau Pinang

I tuned to Red104 one day last week where the DJs were arguing over having a vacation by the beach or in the city. Lucky I didn't have any prepaid credit left then or I might just call to remind them of a place that has both: Penang. Oh, how I miss Penang.


Anyway, yes I just came back from my kampung in Penang. Naturally I would love to say that my kampung is actually in Kedah but looking at things these days, Penang would be a more honest answer.. Tisk, I miss Kedah.

On the way back I managed to drove the Chevy all the way from Rawang to Kuala Kangsar to pick Arif up and then straight to Penang. I remember Mak telling me how my Tok Wan singlehandedly drove from Aloq Staq all the way to KL.. ikut jalan lama. If he can, I can too. Anyway, at MCKK I took the opportunity to pick up my SPM certificate from the office and meet a few teachers. It's sad to know that though they find me familliar, not all remember me all that well. I surely missed MCKK.

The initial reason for me to be back in Penang was to have a medical checkup thing there and since the hospital only opens on weekdays, I have the weekend to kill.. and what better way to do that if not with my good College buddies. Cot was kind enough to pick me up at Pokok Sena and drove us all the way to Queensbay Mall on the island where Ober will be waiting. Though I've met Cot quite a few times after MCKK, the last time I met Ober was March 2006 so I was quite excited. The plan was for us to watch Pirates of The Carribbean 3 there.. a movie which I've watched earlier with Neet. Nevertheless, I did say nothing to Cot or Ober. It's a good movie, I don't mind watching it twice.

Queensbay Mall is one of the new ones on the island but sadly it is not in Georgetown, a city I very much keen on visiting but never really had any chance to. Most of my memories of Georgetown are those when I was still living in Aloq Staq where the family would occasionally visit the island (since Aloq Staq had nothing back then..). I remember a McDonalds drivethru which trully is magical back then at that age, which I now wonder if it is still there, wherever it was. I remember visiting Tok Wan at Saint George's Institution on Jalan Macalister, a Francis Light statue nearby and lots and lots of old buildings along the road. I remember going to Prangin Mall and Gurney Plaza with Munggay and Mujahid last year and.. well, that's probably what I remember about Georgetown. But I do remember Eddy and Am's amazed face when I told them I don't really have a clue where Padang Kota was.. memalukan, since I told them that my kampung is is Penang.

Back in Pokok Sena, life was very much different. I don't know why I noticed it this time but time really does tick more slowly over there. Honestly. Here in Rawang, a day start and ends just like that but in Pokok Sena, waiting for the clock to pass noon was tiring in is own right. I guess it might be that Einstein's Theory of Relativity thing. Reminds me of how addicted I am to the Internet, and how much time I wasted online.. Nevertheless, I really missed being back in the Valley. It might be hectic and good char kuey teows are hard to find but it's home. And oh, I miss home..

Last weekend was indeed a trip of self discovery and I can conclude that I am very much a city person and from where I'm standing, I couldn't see that to change anytime soon..

Labels: travel

Around KL

I just got back, again from our beloved capital city to meet my friend who is in search of a laptop. It would’ve been easy since my dear friend told me that he’s going for a Mac but put mama and papa in the equation, it went complicated. Instantly I understood why the reason I was needed there; to convince them parents to buy a Mac for their kid. I must admit, its hard to convince people especially when they already have a candidate in mind. After looking at a pristine new MacBook at the Apple Store, they took me to look at some Toshibas which I admit to be a well built notebook but hey, the kid want a Mac so get one and make my life easy! So after the Toshiba, we also browse the excessively-expensive-yet-underpowered Sony Viaos (sorry to all those who use Viao, but hey.. its a fact), them expensive and powerful Fujitsus and even some BenQs with me explaining the benefits of Macs over all the competitors at every turn. It’s a hard thing to explain these stuffs actually especially when explaining that anti-virus software are not necessary but I don’t blame them though since we live in a world where the word computer and virus usually coexist in a sentence. So after long last, the family agreed to get a Mac... but not today! It turned out all this was just a window shopping with the real purchase to be done on Tuesday.. Ho hum...

Later I went pusing-pusing in KL. You’ve got to see the cars parked along Jalan Tun Razak, it was crazy! People seems to park their car heedlessly as they scramble to hop a ride on the ferris wheel and the concert later that night. Now, its a known fact that the attraction is going to be there throughout the year so why are this people, most of them with kids still hurdle themselves against the sea of people just to watch KL 60 feet higher? Well.. I guess its the kids kot. Well, I admit I too am intrigued at the wheels. I was at Tasek Titiwangsa on the 5th and took some photos of the wheels but put a sea of people in front of me, with kids and lots of kids, not to mention RM15 for the ride plus the hours in line.. maybe next time, waktu budak-budak kat sekolah and mama and papa are at work.

Since Neet’s college on Jalan Semarak was near the Titiwangsa, I managed to get a glimpse of the light show and the fireworks while I was there. It must’ve been hell for those rich people who live there while the park’s speakers are pumping My Heart’s songs all night long. Nightmare! (sorry but I still think that Ada Apa Dengan Cinta kick My Heart’s balls a few times). If the college a Kilometer away can hear the song, imagine what the folks along the park are enduring. It’s nice though, with all the search lights and lasers but I have some problems with the fireworks. To me, fireworks are climax stuffs which is only launched during a climax. But the folks at the park are firing hundreds of taxpayers money every 5 minutes for god sake! It spoils the kick-ass-ness of the fireworks not to mention membazir. But then again, that might just be me... the folks at the concert sounded like they are enjoying every moment of it. Oh well..

Labels: nerdery, thoughts, travel