15 Dec 2008

7am and we're all rushing to Golden Mile complex to catch the bus to Grandma's old hometown, Melacca. We get there on time and we ended up waiting for the bus to leave due to some computer problems. This seems to be the start of computer problems throughout the trip.

Once we reached the hotel in Melacca, we were told that check in would be at 2pm, and since we got there just past 12, we decided to leave our bags at the hotel since they had one room already available for us. We then leave to get some lunch at the coffeeshop just a stone's throw away from the hotel. There was chicken rice balls on offer, along with char siew noodles, both of which we ordered as it was Brendan's first time in to Malaysia. Everything here seemed to be tiny (even glasses), which was good as it gave me the opportunity to eat a bigger selection. Brendan, however, could have eaten the all 5 balls and 2 plates of noodles. 

We then headed to Grandma's old playground, along a road which, according to taxi drivers, no longer existed. We took a ride there anyway, and found a block of flats where grandma once lived. The road had been replaced with a grass-lined pathway, and nothing looked remotely familiar to grandma. We then got the taxi drivers to bring us back closer to the hotel as it was already past 3, and everyone could use a shower and lie down.

However, we reach the hotel only to get the bad news that there were no rooms available for us. I found it strange that they didn't have a room for us even when we booked the trip a few months in advance. Furthermore, the excuse they were giving us was that they were fully booked. Finally telling them that the booking was made way in advance, and that they should adhere to their own policies, the manager finally spat out the truth that they couldn't give us rooms next to each other. Seriously, that was the most stupid idea they had. No one said anything about adjoining rooms as we're all adults, and there were 2 old couples. We just want a room to rest. With that cleared up, we managed to get room keys within 2 minutes. After an hour for the old folks to rest, and for everyone to freshen up, we met up and headed out to town for dinner and a quick tour of Melacca.

We basically walked down the road, with no proper location in mind. Along the way, we found a spot selling cendol and had to have Brendan give it a go. They had one with durian added to it, but I didn't think he would enjoy that for a first try, so we offered him the original. He looked skeptical at first, wondering what all the green stuff and gula melaka would taste like. Once he took his first spoonful, there was no stopping him, and soon he asked for seconds.

After the short break, we continued walking and ended up near the maritime museum, which had a market just opposite that big boat. There were still some shops open, selling snacks and strange souvenirs. So after some shopping, we headed up to the food area and got ourselves something to eat. Everyone was quite tired by then, and it was time to head back to the hotel for a good rest before having to pack to leave for Singapore tomorrow.

19 Oct 2008

Brendan had been wishing for a day to chill at the beach for the duration I was here, but whenever he had the time, the weather was bad, and if the weather was good, he had to work. Then my last day here, the weather was great on his day off, which saw him planning really quick to meet with Sam at Scarborough beach, or I think it is called that.

We drove around for quite a while and thought we were lost at one point, but managed to get there in once piece with the handy GPS. As it was the first sunny Sunday in about 3 weeks, the whole of Australia had got themselves down to the beach to catch some rays as well. Parking took us about 20 minutes of hunting, and then it took us another 5 to hunt Sam and his 'accessory-of-the-day' hidden in the sea of people laid out on the sand.

The sun was hot, the waves were huge, and the water was still freezing. How cold was the water? As Brendan put it, "you feel burnt by the sun and you decide to step into the water to cool off, but instead u get knee deep and you get so frozen, you don't have balls left!". Yep, that is how cold the water is, but once you're in there, you don't get out after you get used to it or you have to go through the whole process again.

This time I went in to cool off as I know my skin was already burnt by the sun, and if I didn't have sunblock on, I think I would be hurting when I got back. The water was no shocker, but the current was really strong and the waves were much bigger than the ones at other beaches I've been to. At one point, I had a wave crash over me and dragged me in its sandy mess, pushed me further away from the group and got me choking on sea water. That was rather scary. It was also when I learnt how to get out of the water without getting myself killed again!

Later on, my sis met us after she was done with school and we caught the last rays of the sun after having something to eat when she arrived. Once everyone decided that they'd had enough, we left the beach and drove off in the sunset.

After a simple dinner with instant noodles and left-overs, my sis drove me to the airport to catch my flight back home.

UFO

18 Oct 2008

I was woken up by a really loud cat trying to get the whole apartment block's attention this morning. In my sleepy daze, I was actually looking around the room for an alarm clock! I wished someone would have chased the cat away or just give it what it wanted but no one seemed to be as bothered by it as I was.

So managed to get a bit more sleep after getting used to the cat's cries and then we all woke up and got ready to meet my sis in town for some dim sum. After a short bus ride into town, we walked towards a building that looked like something Hollywood would create when they needed a scene with some Asian mafia was to congregate. I guess Chinese restaurants don't stand out that much in Asian countries as there are too many other restaurants that blend them all together.

Anyway, my sis got there before us and was already waiting at a table. Once my aunt sat down, she started ordering the stuff she really liked and then started catching up with my sister. Even though they live in the same country, my sis has been too busy to catch up with anyone not in the same school. So after a few rounds of the dim sum we liked, we headed back to their house to wait for Shane's son, Elias, to arrive with his mom, Kar Mei.

Warnings On The Buses Too.

Waiting For Her Favourite Dish.

First To Chuck Stuff Into His Mouth.

Constipated.

Don't Know Anyone Now.

Kar Mei arrived with Elias a short while after we got back to Aunty Nene's place, and then everyone focussed their attention on the little one. I held him while they got the mattress ready for his nap, and then once he was laid down, his grandma just couldn't keep her eyes off him.

Until now, I still cannot help but laugh every time I see a picture of Shane holding his son and smiling like an idiot. I thought I'd never see the day, and I guess not many people did either. In the end, Elias needed a nappy change and showed off his lung power, and that boy could cry! So after he was changed and settled back to his nap, we decided to head back to my sister's place to rest and get ready for tonight's party.

Replacing Piglet

Who Is Hypnotising Who?

Later in the evening, we met up with Michelle and WaiLing for a night out with the excuse that it was my choice of party location as I was leaving the next day. We started by having dinner at some Chinese restaurant, followed by drinks at a pub while we waited for the club to open.

Seriously, partying here is a bit of a chore when they only accept your passport as identification. Imagine lugging a booklet around when u wanna go out with as little things to carry as possible.

Well anyway, the club opened up and we weren't the first in, but it was still rather empty. Later on, Charlie joined us and went around the club with WaiLing and Brendan to try and find out if they might be playing some House music in some other corner of the club. In the end, I guess they realised that I didn't really wanna leave the place and was already enjoying myself, and they started to try and enjoy whichever way they could.

Best thing about the night was the cute, overly-sweet, shooter we got at the bar. If I'm not wrong, it is a Buttery Nipple revamped, and renamed as a Jellyfish.

Brain Hemorrhage?

Errm... Nothing Special is It?

Tadah! Jellyfish!

I'm left really sore, but happy.