I thought that my life in Penang was monotonous. I did not realise that it can be even more ho-hum in KL. Wuan wakes up at 5:45am to cook my lunch and goes off to work while I am still in bed. I do not get to see her until around 8:00pm when she gets back from work with our dinner. I am home alone throughout the day, surfing intermittently and enjoying the sight of the little patch of unkempt greenery Wuan calls her garden. Since moving to an apartment, which incidentally is close to the hills, it is not often that I am in such close proximity to so many different types of plants.

Outside the compound, beside the road, the frangipani tree shows off her unmistakable maroon blooms. Heliconias, lilies, cannas and a magnolia tree straddle the fence. The pomegranate tree stands tall with its solitary fruit hanging ponderously by the tiny twig holding it. Several bamboo shoots peer out from behind. Birdnest and staghorn ferns look out of place in their pots and hanging on the wall. There are yam plants, ginger shrubs, cekur and pots of adeniums.

Adeniums – two of those I brought for Wuan when I came to see her for the first time five years ago; another two when Mum and I visited Wuan a couple of years later. Mum had a garden full of these adeniums, also known as Desert Rose or fu gui hua in Chinese. These are the only remaining four that Mum had cultivated from seedlings. The rest she gave away when we moved, including six lorry-loads of other garden plants.

This solitude has given me an opportunity to reflect on things away from the familiar confines of my apartment. There are just too many distractions at home, too many memories and too much lingering grief to keep a calm mind. There are memories here too, like the adeniums and the crystal tree Wuan displays prominently on top of her television. Mum had helped me choose that clear quartz tree. It reminds me very much of Mum and brought back beautiful memories, precious and most cherished.

Wuan had been trying to get me to come for a long time. Somehow, I always had something to do. I am glad I made this trip finally. Being away from the comforts of home has posed some challenges. It has also opened my eyes to the kind-heartedness of strangers. Their sincere smiling faces while assisting me along the way from Penang to KL tells that there is hope yet, especially after the indescribably sad catastrophe in the region. The monotony here is just a little price to pay for regaining some clarity of mind and to be reminded of the beauty of humanity.

Venue: Starbucks, New Wing, One Utama
Date: January 16, 2005
Time: 11:00am

Thanks to Mystic for pointing out that there are two Starbucks at One Utama.

Marita, Grace and I have arranged to meet at Starbucks, One Utama at 11:00am this Sunday (January 16). We welcome bloggers who would like to join us for this informal gathering. If you are in the vicinity, do drop by.

1320: I almost always travel with a heavy luggage although that is not a sensible way for a disabled man to travel. I have one backpack for all the essential items that I needed to use frequently along the way and one big duffel bag for everything else.

“Seorang kah?” the lady security officer at the luggage-scanning machine asked as she helped me put the duffel bag on the conveyor belt.

I smiled and told her that I was. She helped carry the bag and put it on my lap after it came out from the other end of the machine.

1323: I had pre-booked my seat and the relevant information regarding my needs was noted when I collected my ticket last week. Checking-in was a breeze. The duffel bad was tagged and sent on its way. A boarding pass was issued. I was to change wheelchairs at the boarding gate.

1332: At the security checkpoint to the Departure Hall where all hand-carried luggages were put through another scanning machine, something suspicious in my luggage turned up on the screen. The officer pointed to what appeared to look like an artillery shell and asked me what that was. I was not sure and asked her to unzip the backpack and check. It turned out to be the packet of preserved ginger that Wuan brought for me from KL that indeed looked like a shell from its side profile.

1338: Gate 7 was at the far end of the terminal. I had a difficult time pushing the wheelchair because of the carpet. I was later to discover that that friction of pushing had scraped a piece of skin off my little finger. I did not realise it at that time because I have no sensation in that part of my hand.

1342: After checking with the boarding counter the time for boarding and found that I had a bit of time left, I went looking for a toilet. The toilet was at the farthest end of the terminal. Again I pushed all the way there. This is the part of going out that I do not like. Looking for a toilet adapted for the disabled in a large complex is already a problem. Finding one that is clean and dry is another. Some are wet and dirty. The airport toilet for disabled was dry but not very clean and not well adapted for the disabled to use.

1352: An aisle chair was waiting at the boarding counter when I got back there. We are usually allowed to board the plane first and the last to leave as a matter of convenience for other passengers and ourselves. I changed chairs just before boarding the plane. The aisle chair is a tiny contraption on small wheels just large enough to fit into the aisles of the aircraft. It was also very uncomfortable to be on, even for that short distance into the aircraft.

1358: The economy class seating of the plane is alphabetized A to F from left to right. My pre-booked seat was 5A, which was a window seat at the front row. Unfortunately, the armrest for the entire front row is fixed. The stewards said it was all right and I could switch seats. I had wanted the window seat to take some aerial shots. Next time I will remember to pre-book seats in Row 6 which had foldable armrests.

1508: It was drizzling when the plane touched down at KLIA. While waiting for the aisle chair to arrive I took a few shots out the window from where I was sitting. A MAS ground crew helped me transfer from the plane seat to the aisle chair and from the aisle chair to my wheelchair just outside the plane. He then escorted me from the plane to collect my luggage and then all the way to the KLIA Express Terminal for me to catch the ERL to Sentral Station.

1347: I got a little nauseous in the train from all the swaying and rocking. We passed some interesting landmarks along the way but the photos did not come out nicely because of the speed the train was travelling at.

1620: When the train doors opened at Sentral Station, a staff of the KLIA Express helped me with the duffel bag and direction to the Arrival Hall. I went to Starbucks to get rehydrated while waiting for Wuan. I usually drink less when travelling to prevent from having to look for a toilet often.

So I made it to Kuala Lumpur unscathed. This was only possible with the tremendous help from the MAS and the KLIA Express crew who went out of their way to make my journey trouble-free. Terima kasih you guys for the exemplary service accorded to me. Syabas.

I have butterflies in my stomach. My legs feel weak and wobbly even though I cannot stand. I feel like a kid on my first day at school. This feels like the time I was outside the room waiting to take my practical piano examination. This feels like the time I was at the 100m starting block waiting for the gun to go off. This feels like the times I was outside the doctor�s consultation room waiting for my medical test results. I am all packed and ready to go. I pray that anything that will go wrong will not. Not now Murphy! I worry too much. One step at a time and a journey of one thousand steps will be one step closer.