My luggage for the trip was only fully packed at around 4pm – about 4 hours before I was to be at KL Sentral. As the convention lasted 4 days, I had Wuan pack 4 sets of clothes and some extras for the other days. The luggage was packed to the brim. Peter, my cousin and personal assistant for this trip, dropped in to go to KL Sentral together with me.

When I checked in at KL Sentral, my request for an aisle chair inside the aircraft and low-protein meal was not in the system. I had to wait a while for the counter staff to send the instructions and confirm those details. That was one of the reasons why I contacted Malaysia Airlines‘ call centre one week before the journey to reconfirm those instructions after I received the air tickets from the travel agency that I bought my tickets through.

The staff at the call centre refused to entertain me. According to him, since my tickets were purchased through a travel agency, he could not access the information. I had to double-check with the agency again. I find this ridiculous as all he needed to do was key in those information again into the system. Nevertheless, I called the travel agency again to confirm my in-flight requests.

Peter and I took the KLIA Express to the airport. When I arrived, I went to one of the check-in counters to inform them of my presence and informed them regarding checking-in my wheelchair just outside the aircraft, the need for an aisle chair for me to transfer into the aircraft and my request for a cabin chair inside the aircraft to facilitate my passage to the toilet.

To my consternation, one of the officers retorted that the request for an aisle chair was noted and that I should check with the cabin crew if there indeed was an aisle chair inside the aircraft. To be told of this at the very last moment before boarding was very unsettling but I had no choice but to try my luck.

So much for my insistence on flying with our national airlines and one that had won international awards. There were suggestions that I fly Korean Air but having not encountered any problem since the damaged wheelchair incident, I reasoned that flying with an airline that I was most familiar with would make the journey more pleasant.

Wuan and I made a quick trip to Penang last Friday evening. I needed to sign some legal documents pertaining to my apartment. We started our journey at 11pm. I drove all the way to this island that I used to call home. Somewhere at the Rawang Rest and Service Area, I nearly crashed into a barrel that was resting indiscriminately in the middle of the expressway. The barrel was used as a barrier for upgrading works along many stretches of the expressway and was somehow knocked off the side of the road and rolled into the middle.

We reached Penang safely at 4am on Saturday. Slept at 5am. Woke up at 8am. Met lawyer at 11am. Signed the documents and left Penang at around 2pm - not before we went to Macalister Road for 2 boxes of Ghee Hiang’s tau sah pneah. The tau sah pneah are pastry balls with green bean paste filling. Peter, wife and their grandson hitched a ride with us. They wanted to go to Kajang where Elaine, their daughter, is residing now. We turned into Ipoh town to buy the famous Gunung Rapat beh teh soh - flaky pastry with molasses filling - the best I have eaten so far.

We then had dinner at one of the popular restaurants in Tanjung Malim. The menu was braised tofu with dried shrimps and minced pork gravy, deep-fried pig’s trotter, steamed fish and sitr-fried kangkung sambal belacan. For the price we paid, I would expect the food to taste better. I will not be returning to that place for food anytime soon.

After we dropped Peter and family off at Kajang, we reached home at about 12 midnight. It was one of the most tiring road trips Wuan and I have ever taken. We covered nearly 1,000km in 24 hours. Nevertheless, it was a trip well worth the time because I have accomplished what I was in Penang for - one of the few outstanding issues that I had promised Mum I will clear up shortly before she passed away.

After two full days of resting, I have finally recovered from my trip to Penang. It was not so much the driving that wore me out but the massive crawl on the way back. The first began right after the Menora Tunnel exit going downhill to Jelapang. It was a 2-car fender bender on the right lane that caused more than a 1 kilometer crawl.

Just after the KM399.1 marker at the Ulu Bernam rest stop, we were caught in another crawl. This extended for 15 kilometers caused by a four-car pile-up on the right lane too. Not far from that point, the traffic was slow moving again albeit a shorter crawl. It was a 3-car pile-up. And we could not believe it when we saw another collision just a short distance down away. Fortunately, this was at a wider stretch of the expressway and did not cause another jam.

Wuan and I had anticipated that we would reach home by 8.00 pm. We arrived at 10.00 pm. Nevertheless, we were glad to be able to reach home safe and sound. We are already planning another trip back for the Feast of St. Anne at Bukit Mertajam later this month.

In a short while, Wuan and I will be going on our second roadtrip to the island I used to call home once. Now I am not so sure. So much has changed in Penang when we were back last month. I was like a tourist visiting for the first time. These are confusing times for me.

Somewhere between Kuala Lumpur and Malacca.

Taking opportunity of the long stretch of holidays for Deepavali and Hari Raya, William, Cynthia, Wuan and I headed to Malacca for some sightseeing last Monday. The story of how the Malacca sultanate came to be and the romanticism of a Chinese princess who came as a bride-emissary made this place a must-visit in the long list of things that I want to do before I die.

When we reached the historical city, we were caught in a jam for nearly an hour heading towards the old town square where Christ Church stood. It looked like people from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor were all there for the same reason as us. Many cars bore Penang and Singapore plates too.

Narrow corridor leading to the old town square.

Festive seasons are not good times to be visiting tourist spots. We had to circle the area for a while before we found a parking spot. It was hot and hazy and very uncomfortable. The 200 meters to the town square was not very accessible to wheelchairs. We had to traverse the narrow corridors of shops and brave the snaking traffic all the way there.

Christ Church Melaka.
Photo by Wuan.

The square was crowded. There were busloads of tourists from Thailand. So, I finally got to see the distinctly red Christ Church up close. I had expected to be awed but what caught my eyes most was not the church structure but the gaily decorated trishaws. They lent a carnival-like atmosphere to the town square. That also reminded me that the last time that I rode in a trishaw was thirty years ago in Penang.

Posing for a shot beside the colourful Malacca trishaw at the town square.
Photo by Cynthia.

William and Cynthia hopped into a trishaw and went sightseeing around the surrounding areas. Wuan and I went traipsing around the souvenir stalls in market next to the church. Halfway through, William called to ask us to wait for him at where he got onto the trishaw. He came back with another trishaw in tow and together with one of the riders, he lifted me onto the trishaw.

At A’ Famosa with Wuan.

We stopped at the A’Famosa and several other museums along the way. Malacca seemed to be filled with all sorts of museums. It has become too touristy to my liking. I had gone there expecting to see quaint little buildings and structures from many centuries ago but was greeted with a very modern setup. Perhaps we were looking at all the wrong places.

Malacca chicken rice balls.
Photo by Wuan.

William wanted to take us to savour the famous Malacca chicken rice balls but the shop near the church had already closed for the day when we passed by. We had it at a restaurant instead. Sad to say, the chicken was tasteless and over tendered. It was an absolute waste of my protein quota. The rice ball was a disappointment as well. It had a coarse texture. I would have preferred the ketupats or nasi himpit for satay. It was a wonder why people were queuing up for a table there. Incidentally, I had chicken rice at Nam Heong in Mid Valley Megamall just the day before. It was nicely tendered and tasted great.

Despite the disappointing food and the touristy atmosphere, I am glad we made that trip. The change from the routine did a world of good to recharge my tired mind. Now, I can say that I have been to Malacca and seen the A’Famosa, Christ Church and eaten the “famous” chicken rice balls. I am already looking forward to another road trip soon. William?