Penang

Just returned from my trip to Malaysia, Pulau Pinang! It's damn shack especially if you have to carry your luggage from Ang Mo Kio MRT station and walk home to Bishan in the midst of the night to save yourself from the prying eyes of the cab drivers.

I was in Penang for a Karate training camp and mini competition with the locals. It was a great trip up to Malaysia especially so after the CAs, where this trip served as a good 'holiday' break! I stayed in Tanjong Bungah Beach Resort along with the Singapore contingent, but however, this hotel is far from the 3-star tag pegged to itself. It had me waiting and sleeping for 5 hrs in a room beside the reception while the understaffed hotel tries to clean up the rooms! BAD service!

However, that did not mar the entire otherwise pleasant trip. I had learnt quite a handful of Karate skills that I did not absorb in Singapore. Well, I had to learn anyway cos I paid for the trip and I can't possibly waste my money rite? It was so cool to have the Malaysian Karate national coach to teach us some Kumite skills and theory! It was difficult to begin learning because the coach was an Iranian with limited English and I had to first correct all my bloody bad habits in order to fight better. I was awed all over in the Kata segment of the camp. The Malaysian club had invited their SEA Games champions to perform for us and to teach us the Kata moves. They were really graceful, sleek and powerful! Way cool! And they are now my idols to perform better and hopefully break into the national squad!

Of course, stepping into Penang, who can resist the local dishes there? Every night after the last training, we would skip the night activities to munch out at the local food stalls. Penang laksa, Penang char kuay teow, Penang rojak, Penang oyster omlette, chendol, 'gui ling gao', bo bo char char.... OOO...yum yum! I'm salivating at the thought of those food again! It's so darn cheap and good to eat~! Who says food from the road side stalls with dirty hygiene are not meant for the stomach! Food and shopping always go hand in hand and likewise, it was the same in Penang. In our stay there, I got to shop around for Adidas and Fila products that went for up to 70% discount! Got myself a few clothes here and there and nice little presents for my sisters just in time for Christmas! Yeah!

When it was time to head for home, leaving Penang got a little nostalgic and unbearable. Though the place was much dirtier than home, the friendliness of the locals and the cheap ringgit (oops, sounds bad. But indeed I felt I lived like a king there) got closer to the heart. Living there felt so much more natural, with less human/artificial structures, and kind of back to the Singapore in the 70/80s. But i guess what's meant to be is meant to be, and here I am, meant to be in front of my com to surf the internet and check my emails.

Gotta sleep for FRS tmr. That pain in the ass assignment, like the seat shaft in the bus that i accidentally sat on and jumped for my life!