Bunch of peanuts visiting Kulim and Penang

You don't know the joy of having worked so hard for few months straight and then finally granted the ticket to a one-month semester break. That is called HEAVEN, if you don't already know. The feeling of finally able to throw away every single weight you're carrying on your shoulder, and go on a VACATION! Me and the squad (we call ourselves the watermelon gang) had decided to visit one another's hometown when we can during every semester break, we are made up of people coming from Selangor, Malacca, Teluk Intan, Sabah, Sarawak, and Kulim / Penang. And this time, we all agreed that it's going to be Penang. The friend guide will ultimately be our Alvin Goh and Abel Goh.

In the train from Kampar to Penang Butterworth, obviously very happy. 

 As we disembarked from the train, Abel and Alvin's brother, Terrence came to fetch us, with two cars, we went to have some really delicious supper together. Then head home, where we crashed at Alvin's. His mom even offered us mooncakes! But all in all, it's comfy and everyone called it a sleepover. Legit, sleepover. 

Don't get all jelly welly about how comfy we are. Just sneak a peak at Stella beside me, she's already fast asleep. Or maybe trying to sleep, whichever. 

We all slept after 1am that night, and Alvin gave us a heads up that we will be waking up 5am in the morning tomorrow to catch sunrise on top of Tokun Hill, Bukit Mertajam. Hiking eh? Coolz, i like. You know how you're always so determined to wake up early on the next day? I don't know where I get that, but the next day, when everyone's awake, i dreaded every moment of it. I literally dragged my body, that indescribable weight off myself and went to wash up. No, i don't bath, because why? You'll just get sweaty after all those hiking and sun-gazing shizzizle. 

We arrived 6am in the morning, everything was in pitch black, we didn't have any torchlight with us, so we used the flashlights from our phones, good that. It reminds me of my prefect camp days, i remembered the time i walked alone, where we are expected to walk alone in the night, test our bravery, it was pitch black as well, surrounded by trees, forest, silence, and insects buzzing their wiggins off.

We eventually reached the top safely, missed the sunrise, but doesn't really matter, we went way up than we were supposed to, hiking more than we should, that's some accomplishment too! Like we deserve some 'extra effort' awards or something. But the scenery, the view, and everything that appears in front of our eyes, are to be devoured and gaped with awe at, with our gadgets and phones. Snap away, watermelonians!

Here's a visual picture of what i meant. 

 You would think, or even imagine that we are on top, screaming our lungs out about the dreams we have, or just plain screaming to release all the stress built up in our body, or maybe just shout someone's name to tell them we love them (because courage, duh) BUT NO, we did something even cooler than that, we dabbed.

Good that.

 As if the way up isn't torturous enough, we still had to make our way to the bottom of the hill, where we started. And man i hated every step of the way, I think Stella had it worse, she was having a pee-is-coming emergency, and halfway down the hill, what we thought was a toilet turned out to be faulty, or not available for use, so she had to hold it in all the time until we got down the hill. I wished there was an elevator or something, like hey, we reached the destination, we achieved our target, we did what we're supposed to do, now GET US DOWN, with a helicopter, an elevator, ANYTHING BUT OUR OWN POOR FEET. But of course, wishes don't get granted. What do you think, Santa Claus? 

Some selfie-happy moment with my white colour leaf. They're all the way down the hill. At this moment, this smile is a lie, "My feet hurts, my toe hurts, my leg hurts" is all i think about. REAL. 

 We eat after that, then sleep.
Because we're not robots. We can't rush off to the next agenda on the list because we have to, then VACATION is not a vacation, it'll be a duty, a responsibility. So, we did the right thing. We slept. For hours and hours, we slept. Because who said hiking is easy? No one. Who said hiking is not tiring? No one. Even the strongest person you know, after hiking, it will definitely tire him/her out, no way they don't burn calories from all those walking and all.

Once we replenished our energy, we are up and ready to go. We visited a cafe in Kulim, Anak Kulim. Just have some cake there, slack, and have fun talking to each other like we're meeting up each other after a long time.

Fast forward to night time, Alvin suggested that we go to Auto-City. He told us that it used to be an automobile city, where they sell lots of cars and all, but now it had become, dum dum dum dum.... A lover's park. I'm kidding, but it seemed like a romantic getaway spot, i googled it up, they called it Food & Entertainment (so that's what all this is?). They have real romantic lights in the shape of hearts and love hanging around, on trees, on bikes, beside the walkway, they have really cute bird cages where they lit up bulbs in the cages and then hang several of them on trees, to create mood you know, so people can have a taste of what it's like to kiss under the mistletoe bird cages. That place is full of lights. It may be a suitable spot for young lovers, that explains why we quickly moved on to the next spot after that. They have a lot of shops and branded shops lying around waiting for customers to show themselves, but we totally skipped that, we broke.

I put this picture up because i was born in the year of the pigs. So it somewhat represents me, not that i'm pig-like, or whatever characteristics a pig displays, i just happened to be born in the year of the pigs, that's all. That's all this picture is all about. 

The bird cages i was referring to. 

What an interesting way to take a picture, with handphone still attached on selfie stick, and the mandatory leg to get a stable shot for your friend. Mmmmm, elegant. 

Moving on to the next day. We don't want to linger too long in the night, do we now? Because everybody loves to see some SPADE'S BURGER Subway sandwiches we delightfully devoured in Penang! Yayzaaa! Just located beside Spade's burger, Bukit Mertajam, how convenient. It wasn't operating hours yet, we were there early, so we hopped in to Subway! We all ordered somewhat similar sandwiches, and they really fill your tummies. It was a bit saddening when we know it's one hour away from the operating hours of Spade's burger, but we'll meet again soon, i'm sure, considering myself a frequent Penang go-er.

Here's a really pleasant looking subway sandwich that i ordered. One of the food that kept me alive, up until today, that i am able to share it with you. Irony, isn't it? 

 After filling in the gaps and spaces of our famished intestines, we all happily hopped into Alvin's mom's car and cross the Penang bridge into Penang Island. YAS. WHERE ALL THE GOOD FOOD AT. We wasn't really happy with the thought of going under the sun, getting ourselves burned into charcoal skin colours, so we parked at Queensbay Mall, one that I went before with my family and started window shopping (because broke) while waiting for the others (Ernest, Melvin, Abel [who left us in the morning to attend to some private matters]). When we all got together, we headed for the food court. This isn't some cheapsy bitsy typical food court, it looks, GOOD. And most importantly, they have GOOD CHILLI PAN MEE.

The boys queued up big time to get us these Pan Mees. Apparently many people liked eating it. Cos it's good. Do you think people would want to eat it if it isn't good? Stating the obvious. HOHO. 

After eating, Stella was really hyped up about this "ABOONG" dessert she saw on our way to the food court, so being the angelic me, i accompanied her back to the way we came and bought this delicacy. Yoghurt, Nutella, marshmallow all stuffed into this edible fish. This Instagram worthy food ain't cheap, you pay for what you post up on the social media, that's why kids, social media ain't cheap. This thing costs RM11+, didn't mattered to me anyway, because Stella the goddess told us that it's on her (Wan sui wan sui wan wan sui!)

Needed a little bit of dramatic effect before we see the expensive food.

Drum rolls pls. 
dum
dum
dum
dum
dum
dum
dum
dum dum
dum dum dum
dum dum dum dum 
dum dum dum dum dum dum dum...

Behold the almighty ABOONG....

Looks like a three tipped mountain. Safely digested by my intestinal systems, happy that. 

I wasn't kidding when i say "All these food are not eaten by me, and only me alone", like the four of us girls are always sharing food, to just get a "taste" of how they taste like, instead of eating them whole, we don't have big tummies like the guys (intended), like the Pan Mee? That small bowl of Pan Mee was shared amongst us four, that Aboong as well, and we shared SO MANY food together, we didn't even truly eat a whole meal by ourselves often (And that, ladies and gents, is how i keep sli...fit). You know, i kinda regretted not eating the Pan Mee alone, I am drooling as i typed this, legit. *muffled sobs* Gawd bring me back! 

Around some time past noon, the guys rushed us to the next destination, War Museum located on top of Batu Maung, some up the hill road, it seems. My dad, who's originated from Penang, didn't even know this place. Later the receptionist told us that this place was found not long ago, it was real fortress left by the British when they ruled our countries many years ago. It was abandoned for good 60 years or so, and then recovered to become a museum (clearly haunted). Considering mass murder, rape, torture chambers, killings happening at that very location, that very museum, it's hard not to think that the fort is very much haunted. There, i said it, HAUNTED. Receptionist did told us, that if we happened to see or hear them, maybe they're trying to communicate with us, maybe they wanted a proper burial for their physical bodies. "We don't address them as ghosts," she said, "We'll call them spirits" 

(I don't know how stupid an idea this is to off your bedroom lights, typing this at 11.50pm almost past midnight, and then my brother's apparition showed up on my door scared the crap outta me). 

Thingie they used to shoot down helicopters, yeap, because it's the normal thing to do, shoot helicopters / airstrikes. Yep, totally normal and acceptable. 

As if knowing that there are presence of spirits all around the fort isn't enough, we had to go through pitch black tunnels. Like seriously PITCH BLACK, like when you shut your eyes in the dark? And you see nothing? Maybe a few images flying around from you imagining too much? IT'S BLACK DARKNESS BLACK DARKNESS BLACK DARKNESS BLACK! Like you can't see your own fingers DARK. I guess i emphasised clear enough. I tried to see my own fingers, to no avail, it was too dark. We hold onto each other's shoulders and waists, and then crawl through the tunnel. The tunnel function to watch enemy from outside, maybe creating an ambush, secret attack, whatever, it's so dark and so .....square for a reason. The walls were the only thing keeping our directions clear, and our minds... sane. As if opening and closing your eyes are just the same. You know how you sleep at night, you can still see your table, bookshelves, walls and all? This? NONE. Just black.

We also get to climb the emergency exists. The only time i noticed how heavy i'd become, to hardly support my own weight as i climb, OH THE STRAIN. Girl, you need to cut off some fats and start building some muscles in there (weak AF). 

We climbed this.

And came out to this.
Food for thought, we should have more of these ladders in modern days, humans are dangerously lacking in exercise, we need to cut off escalators and lifts, and start implementing ladders instead. Sounds good? Probably not, considering how more people will start falling to their deaths. Bad idea. 

I love this place, and I'm not even kidding, even though they are scary, thinking spirits are dancing around us at any moment. But it's like teleportation, it brings me back to the past (Can't help it, I just switched on my bedroom light), it allows me to revisit history like none other. It's a live museum all that i know. And it's knowledge, from how evil humans can transform to achieve their targets, to how civilised everyone seemed nowadays. It somewhat made me appreciate life, appreciate the fact that i was born 100 years after, instead of the years when they had war and killings and bombings going on like it is the normal-est thing to do. The museum was meant to BE THERE to stir up some things from deep within you, some...value. It made me think how women then could be of littlest of value, raped and killed with a snap of fingers, as an object that fulfils diasporic men's desire, to curb men's appetite, to unleash the demons built up from watching people die, and the stress to fight for their country, women...are the ones to suffer from those effects, local not local, they're all the same, as long as they're women.

Half hammock. I looked like I enjoyed it, but i'm falling any moment after the pictures were taken. I wore like how i wore when i attended prefects camp years back. 

Groupfie. Don't bother searching for invisible faces that might appear in the picture. DON'T BOTHER.
But if you do find it (intentionally or unintentionally), you can keep it to yourself, NOT AT ALL INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT YOU'VE FOUND.
You have been warned. 

During our trips in Penang Island, we have been staying in Abel's house. Welcomed warmly by his lovely parents, and cute brother. They brought us out to eat good food after mass on Saturday, gave us some real Malaysian breakfast before we start our journey, sang Christmas songs with us (even though it's still long before Christmas), gave Alvin a braided hairstyle, washed and dried our clothes, AND SO MANY MORE TO THANK FOR. We were probably over staying our welcome (Sheepish giggles). We were truly blessed.

We headed off to Tech Dome located in KOMTAR. And what unveiled before our very eyes, ladies and gentlemen, SCIENCE.

What we did there you asked?
Well, we toyed with robots, passed lasers so we don't get lasered to death (kidding, but we did pass lasers, if lasers detect us, the system will sound), we toyed with Newton's Law, physics and those things you learned in Physics SPM, free fall from 2.5 storeys above, turned 360 degrees upside down multiple of times while solving maths questions or whatever concerning about the universe that moment, saw real human organs, AND SO MANY MORE I CAN'T EVEN FINISH.

Alvin tried to show everyone that he has supernatural powers that made the ball float midair, but really, it's just some air current blowing on the ball that did some physizzizle on the ball that makes it stays midair. Slim it, Alvin. 

Marion suited up ready for her 2.5 storeys high free fall. Trust me, you'll feel like death up there. Like they gave you a stick to hold onto, while they dragged your body weight, or what's left of you up 2.5 storeys high, you might think it's just normal so-so height when you watch from below, but once you're up there, you know how it feels like to jump off a building and NOT WANTING TO DIE. I swear my life flashes right before my eyes when i released that handle and screamed my lungs out. I kept emphasising "near death experience" as i reached the bottom. Good way to destress, i concluded. 

They had 3 walls against each other for mountain climbing, and one more inside, so you could spider climb your way to the top. No thanks, my muscle decided it's enough for the day. 

Great time flies by pretty quickly when you didn't notice. We had to rush off to the next agenda on the list, M Mall, to take some pictures. Like this one right here:

Poor smurf had trouble spotting the pretty lady across the street, with his glasses with me, obviously unfit and too big for my face. For once, i felt that my face was small. 

What is Penang without good food? It'll be called NOTFUN. So we went to eat some famous tourist hawker street food, consisting of Char Kuey Teow, Laksa, Satay, and more fried stuff you'll normally find in Penang, but twice or thrice expensive, because they're mostly targetted at foreign tourists. C'mon lah, why?

Some food to make you drool lots. Typing this at midnight is a bad idea. 

After good dinner, we headed off to another romantic spot - Straights Quay. We were arguing about how to read the word "Quay" in the car. "Key" or "Kuay". We agreed that it's "Key", because Singapore had a "Clarke Quay", and we all read it as "key". Anyways...

So we went there, walked around, enjoying the breeze, feel useless after being hectic for months for assignments and finals, for once, truly and really doing nothing just thinking about nothing. Then, we came up with this idea of doing something with our bodies (pictures illustrated below). Humans never truly rest for a second, do they? Like our systems were never created to rest for a long time. Before we knew it, we're already sweating. But we had fun. The girls were holding hands, being all girly and BFF all the way until we separate to our respective cars for the next stop.

We just couldn't get it right. We've seen it in pictures, how to hold each other perfectly together, but nope, we just couldn't do it. 

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG YAS.
STARBUCKS.
Do i even need to explain?
We went to Starbucks by Ferringhi beach.
I know it's overrated and all, but actually getting one? It's cool.
The girls decided that WE WILL NOT SHARE THIS TIME. Everyone get their own cup of Starbucks, with our own names written on the cups (eyes popping out love love love love emoji) Hello, temporary happiness, which will end the moment i sip the cup empty.

Then we just randomly crashed at some hotel's beach chair, listening to the waves coming from the sea, watching the sky full of stars, and sipping on our starbucks. I was wearing WHITE Uniqlo plain tee the whole day, worried not to stain it with any food that I will eat whilst wearing this shirt. I managed to keep it clean, not a single drop on my shirt until the end of the day. Funny thing happened, at the last stop, which is starbucks-stargazing-by-the-beach night, i finally stained my shirt as i sip on my drink while lying down on the beach chair. Well done Starbucks! You live up to your name. Expensive, and leaving prints everywhere, including my shirt. Although not entirely your fault.

The hotel was situated beside the beach, and the chairs are placed on the grass, which i'm really grateful for, it's all sand on my feet, not good. 

Last day in Penang.
Abel brought us around Balik Pulau, his hometown, also my father's hometown, but Abel brought us to places that I'd never imagined existed in Balik Pulau until then. We went to Sungai Burung:

The sun was scorching hot that day, and there were trees around us, as we got into the clearing, with the trees gone, the wind was blowing so strongly onto our faces from the right, and instantly, all the heat disappeared. We were more focused on the stones we're stepping on. This is like a private dating spot, because as you can see, THERE WAS NO ONE THERE.

See, the breeze was so comfortable and nice, even though the sun was burning into our skin, we didn't feel it. I don't know how to explain it in words, about how comfortable it really is, so pictures will do me justice:

She was basically daydreaming while enjoying the breeze. 

Abel also brought us to Pantai Pasir Panjang in Balik Pulau, again, ghost beach, no human detected, just us.
We listened to the waves crashing on the sand,
held our shoes in our hands,
walked all-so-gracefully on the sand,
and enjoying the sun kissed tan.
(OMG I JUST NOTICED THEY ALL RHYMED)

That is Abel behind us. 

Again, the girls decided to go all BFF with the super romantic backdrop.

And i decided to go with the theme 'horizon', sky, sea and sand all in one picture.

To conclude our journey:
This journey is an extraordinary one, we enjoyed ourselves as tourists, and at the same time we learned new things about our country, and about the universe. Vacation isn't just about fun, it's about input and intake as well, and we got that. We're also super blessed to be able to try so many different foods in Penang, all would be impossible if Alvin and Abel's family did not invite us in their warm and welcoming crib. It would forever be imprinted in our memories, the good ones, and the bad ones, and now that the journey had ended, it will be just yet, another dream.

Pa ah...

My father it seems, did not contribute much spatial in my social media circles. Dad's a man of quiet and expensive words.

You know that feeling when you look at something so long that it gradually shifted into something else that it seemed strange even for your mind to decipher?

I mean does it happen to everyone? Like the longer you look at someone, the harder your mind is trying to capture even the tinniest detail and the slightest pore on a face that could alter how you originally perceive things. Like your mind is trying to register new features from the face that was already so familiar yet when you look again, you see new things.

Everyday until now, i learn new things from my father. He'd done countless things it's impossible to keep track of. He's a man full of surprises. My father don't boast. Because love do not boast. And it is the one thing i still struggle with up until today.

But the best thing he'd given to us is education. I can never thank God enough for the opportunities and experiences exposed to me since young. Like every other Asian parents, my father is particularly strict when it comes to our test results. During my upper secondary school days, everyone knew i never really come to terms with my additional mathematics results. My existence is of a total contrast to the invention of add maths. Funny how the connectors just doesn't reach the left hemisphere of my brain where mathematics equations lies, however surprisingly, it coexisted with language and computerisation skills. I guess at the left side of my functioning brain, one skill is dominating the other. And maths was the one that chose to be oppressed. Physics happened to be on the same page.

Dad tried tutoring me on simple and complex mathematics, (though the task of teaching me add maths was later taken by my engineers-to-be brothers, who were really good with add maths, can we just stop and not blame it on gender bias for a sec). But i never really quite grasp the secret to improving my add maths. Dad was on the sidelines, cheering me on, but i kept letting him down, again, and again, continuously for two years. SPM result was a total letdown and i tried fighting back tears when everybody else did really well, nobody have to feel sad for my own underachievement, or at least i didn't want them to. But the saddest part of them all was disappointing my parents, disappointing my father. They were the reason why the tears were boiling at the tip of my eye in the first place. They mattered.

Sad stories aside. Over the years, i had inevitably titled my father as the 'Solution to Everything'. Because from health, to electronics, to education, to carpentry, there's none that he couldn't solve. He's the manual book, always wrapped neatly accompanied by a product, directing you on how stuff works, simplified a thousand times without all the tiny words which made reading a nuisance. This had proven a real challenge for me when i enrolled in UTAR. Dad was my manual, and i'd suddenly grown miles apart from that manual. I was partially lost, drifting in a whirl of independence and autonomy. I thought gaining liberty to pursue self-reliant was fun. It was not. I was lost wandering in the wrong page. Or maybe i relied on my father too much it was hard to let go of his care and constant protection. I dreaded everyday of my first semester in UTAR in hope that i could go home, the place where everything is, where my father is.

Pa ah... I ruined a fridge. My printer isn't working. My knife is blunt. The stove wouldn't work. The outlet is faulty. The room is fungus-infected. Most of the time, i turned to my mother. And who do you think my mother turns to? My father. He is always working backstage, and my mother is the medium to our communications. "Papa says to..." "Papa says you should.." "You lah, papa says you always didn't....next time you should..."

Proximity made us view things a little differently, it exposes us to nonchalance. I used to be an emotional child. I would imagine my parents growing old, wearing their grey hair and clothing themselves in clothes that no longer reveal their youth, i would hold it in and tried to fight the suffocation. To stop myself from the built up energy which made me dysfunctional, i would hide in my blanket and let the tears filled my cheeks. I asked my brother, do these images ever bothered them? They ensure me it's alright. Up to date, i wonder why the image is still so vividly projected in my mind, however, i couldn't feel how i felt anymore. The materialistic way of living had blinded us from the simplest sympathy we feel for those who are dear to us, the distractions are putting away our focus on what matters. Years ago, i asked dad, "Pa, how old are you?" Dad told me, "50." To me, that's half a life gone.

Today, he's 57. I cringed when i look at the number. I hate having our days counted and seeing his health deteriorating day by day. Three more years and he would reach his 60s. More white hair would emerge from his scalp, thick with hair, envious by many, including his own daughter. My father still display traits of a child. He would smile at his own achievement as he fixed something. He would chase the dog (which i brought home without his consent) around the front porch wearing his formal attire and black sling workbag. He still smiles when he purchased the new family car which could accommodate more bags, and more humans. He still does the little things that made his children happy. He gave us the things he couldn't have when he was our age. He gave us happiness, and most importantly, a family.

I know it's not Father or Mother's Day. But let's take a moment to appreciate all the little things our parents did for us. The hike in your petrol needle indicator, the living fees that you so senselessly spend, the food you're eating, the clothes you're wearing, the book you're studying, the ground you're stepping on. These are the luxurious lifestyle that we so boastfully live in while our parents worked hard to provide. During their times, it was very difficult. Time changes, lifestyle changes, our thinking changes, or we can choose to be sensible children, the one our parents cling on dearly to their hearts during our arrival to the world.

Or you can read it on Facebook, 'The Book of Window' page. Link HERE.

kthxbai. 

Ipoh for Christmas.

The day we arrived at Ipoh is the day of the eve of Christmas. Nobody misses Christmas eve mass, so we all head to St. Michael at Ipoh. As we arrived, there were performers wearing angel's costume dancing around elegantly.

After attending mass, we head for Ipoh Tong Sui Kai, where they have a lot of stalls selling varieties of dessert. We had fruit bowl. But it was so huge. We didn't know it was very huge. Nevertheless, cravings satisfied!

On Christmas morning, mom suggested that we all have Dim Sum for breakfast. And Ipoh have good Hong Kong Dim Sum. So, happily, we went to Ming Court. And our happy mood immediately vanished. There were many people waiting for seats.

Customers are sitting down eating, while the next customer are standing at close proximity. They are literally BESIDE you because the restaurant is really small, even when the aunties who tried to give us food are having difficulty walking, but of course, they're used to it. The place was so crowded, and every table was booked by at least one or two people waiting in line. You're fast, you get it, if you're not, then game-over.

See how crowded this is?

Here's our Dim Sum breakfast.

After that, we went to riverfront, if i'm not mistaken haha.

Poser number 1.

You know what, i'm feeling so lazy to type haha

This Malay uncle we met at the children's playground (who is selling bubble liquid for a living) created his own netting that can blow out big and huge amount of bubble just holding apart two sticks and gostan all the way. 

Good try big bro!

And i'm the one chasing the bubbles.

We went to Nam Heong to have our tea break.

Dry curry mee.

And trust me, egg tarts here are the BEST! Fresh from the oven.

kthxbai.