Trip to Cameron Highlands... (Monday 11/9/06)

Early at 6am, my dad called to ask if i'm awoke. For now, i've 4 alarms at home, one extra was cy's old mobile phone. I hurried myself to prepare and then i found my shoes were completely dried after it's been shined under minor sunlight since Friday evening...

Considered today i didn't work, automatically approved unpaid leave, with highly authorised by my uncle... Yeah, he's the big boss, who has the whole money made the company running, my cousin brother just as for start, he's still need to struggle and pay back every penny he owes my uncle. Partly he's director of the company, through his experience, it's better off to let my uncle handle... I mean, on financial and advices. I'm sort of a puppet in the company, for now they asked me to learn out the company's goods. I guessed in the end of the day, i'm collaborating with my cousin brother. I don't think i might working as Freelance Immigration Officer cuz maybe my uncle just to lure me to help my cousin brother only. Or it's just how it works, for me, anything la, as long they pay me money and stay out from my personal life...

Together, we went to my brother in law's house and had breakfast. We moved out around 8.30am heading to Cameron Highlands. My brother in law drove, while i took my time taking naps... Save my day of driving...




We reached almost noon, and had lunch somewhere halfway to temple. Foreigns came to pay visits around here. I saw 3 Japanese ladies talked non stop of their discoveries here. Not a happening place, quiet and peaceful. The food? Ok ok only la, i don't understand why they bother to order food that can cook ourselves, also the food are not so delicious. Of course, we paid for it, and it has to be a value there. Maybe my parents hardly eat nice delicious dishes, just as usual, as thrifty as they would...




Then, we left to the temple. The place looked familiar. I came before. Let me think...




Yes, it was last time when i was form 1, before i join Sri Garden, back in 1994. I was with my neighbour together with my 4th sister and her students, we came to this temple stayed overnight for holiday. What's best about this place was the beds were very wide. Once, i got carried away, together with my neighbour, we started running from the left corner, in sudden trembling on the beds, rolled ourselves till almost reaching the end of right corner. We did as much as we could before my sister's students came in. The weather was so cold, we had to take hot baths. There's no electrical hot bath machine, a conventional type, cool one. It's constructed with gas powered hot bath machine. When it's needed, you've to light it up with fire and boil the water contained. Very artistic creation, somehow it's not as safe as electrical type.



I started smoking during school time, so one night we couldn't sleep. We sneaked out from the dormitory and went into the bathroom cum toilet and smoked. The weather at night was extremely cold and we're at our short pants and thin Tee's. Gosh, i can tell you, it's adventurous and we're sinned to smoke at our young age, also in a temple. Besides of these, we really had fun after all. We stayed 2 nights, if i'm not mistaken. Again, i remembered some of the female students quite attractive, me and my neighbour attempt to flirt with them but failed because we're still young... What a sweet memory...




Back to present.

There's stalls selling vegetables, strawberries and some goods beside the road along the way to the temple. Most of the crowds were old folks, together with their young ones. Surprisingly, we had to line up. I never been here, i was told to ask the monk some questions to be resolved by him. The temple's on top of the cliff, and we're not lining up to be there. It's different direction...




Quite a long queue... Then it'll be taking a long time waiting for our turns. The temple even provided stools for those lined ups, to be sure they won't tire themselves after a long journey from their hometown. Soon enough, unexpectedly the crowds left in haste. Hmmm, what kind of procedure was that? One group by groups, within half an hour, it's our turn. We went up the stair, a small temple built at centre while there were stalls selling goods too. The temple was closed, no praying sticks or smokes. The monk stood at the right corner of the line ups, with his hands in his pockets. The lined ups, one by one prayed as greeting, asked the monk about their life's questions. The monk replied short and simple, the lined ups left happily after getting the solutions from him.




I mean, for all the temples built all over Malaysia, why Cameron Highlands? Why everyone eager to seek help from a monk that only answers by simple and short solutions. When it's my turn, my mom said that i'm not in drift of financial and career. He just replied very simple and short...

"Just cut down your problems..."

That's about it.




I already knew what i should do before he said it. When i'm with people around, or going places, i might found myself into troubles, small or big. Was it nice to stay in house watch animes and make my own coffee to enjoy the night before sleeping? I don't mind to have friends coming over at my house cuz my place got plenty space for my friends to sit and stayover. I might be slacked or no fun guy, but i'm through with clubs and happenings out there. Yes, it's fun, but most of my friends diverted to their personal life, some overseas, some married, some rather stay home... When we're in progress reaching 30's, our goals became different and we can't bare ourselves enjoying life as we used to. What's more, those singles need love, in progress they are trying their best to find one and settle their life.




I used to have much problems created ever since i'm working in Meikah... How i wished i could turn back and start my sound engineer career... Do you think starting now could be harder, or impossible?




One specialty i found out from the monk. He's got a pair of feet in reddish color. It's not just a glance, while i'm lining up, i kept looking at his both feet, while his hands were in his front shirt pockets. My mom said he's graduated from University and he can speak English. Everyone's speaking in Mandarin dialect, so as i did.


"

After meeting the monk, we went to the temple on the cliff. I took much pictures of it, can't figured out where i used to stay overnight. The fish pond's full of fishes in different colors. While waiting my mom doing prayers, i played with them. The fishes quite greedy at food, i slightly touch the water surface with just one finger, the whole group came and tried to suck my finger off... Nah, actually they didn't. I pat at their heads as they went joyful.




We left the temple to strawberry garden. Not really a garden, a small stall selling strawberries. Then my mom took out all the coffee instruments and made some for us. What's great about my mom, wherever we travelled, she'll prepare food and drinks, all homemade, rather permit us to spend money at restaurants or coffee shops... Well, she had to do extra jobs after reaching home to clean all the instruments she brought...




It begun to rain, not cats and dogs... Like the end of the world. The rain went berserk and we had to make a stop at Tapah...




You know, if you ever travel north from KL, the best Restaurant and Restrooms ever built was Tapah. The place was huge, so does the restrooms. It's clean, comfortable for those sceptics who doesn't like to shit outdoor. (why bother?)


We had a coffee break while waiting for the rain slows a bit. By then, it's 5pm. Gosh, what time i'll be reaching my place? My parents even planned to have dinner at Shah Alam... Oh man, another laundry delivery postponed till tomorrow, again...

The whole day was raining, until we reached Shah Alam, met some traffic jams, then reached my brother in law's house.

We had dinner at Bak Kut Teh restaurant. After that, we left seperately, i drove and reached my place first then my parents went home.

Surprisingly, more than 40 pictures taken for a day's trip to Cameron Highlands. Although it's just a trip to visit the monk, but then i really did enjoy the trip with my parents. They're happy as i'm happy too.