Balance

Actual location stops: (in that particular order)
KL - Ipoh - Georgetown - Batu Feringhi - Teluk Bahang - Seberang Perai - Sg Petani - Lembah Bujang - Alor Setar - Jitra - Gurun - Sik - Baling - Pengkalan Hulu - Gerik - Lenggong - Chenderoh Dam - Kuala Kangsar - Taiping - Kuala Sepetang - Ipoh - KL

Total cost of trip:
Petrol Consumption : RM244.02 Highway Tols : RM97.70

Morals learnt from trip:
1. Life is a winding road, but eventually you will get there. (the winding trunk roads between towns)
2. When you reach a dead end, don’t be afraid to turn back. (there’s always a reverse gear in the car)
3. When you feel something is not right, don’t be afraid to ask. (not getting lost … for more than 10 minutes)
4. Give clear indication to others on what you intend to do. (car signals la …)
5. There are things in life which you can and cannot do. (such as tresspassing into a hidroelectric dam)

Reason why so few photos taken:
1. It was a driving trip, not a photography trip.
2. It is very hard to hold the camera while driving.
3. Remembered to take all my chargers except my camera charger. So need to control camera battery.

Saturday Evening (8 August 2009)
2.30pm - Last minute shopping for a pair of sneakers.
4.00pm - Sent the car to the Peugeot Service Center to have its first service check up.
5.00pm - Last minute packing of bags. Damn … remembered to take every charger except my camera charger!
6.00pm - Drove the car back to Ipoh after that.

Sunday (9 August 2009)
After having some vegetarian breakfast with the family, start my journey up north.
First stop, straight to Georgetown. It’s been a long while since I’ve been to Penang.

Welcome To Penang

I dont even remember the Penang Bridge. I thought the Komtar building was metalic in color but how weird it looked like to me in real life. It looks like a highrise apartment with its yellow coated paint.
Wanted to stop by Fort Cornwallis to have some photoshoot. Just as I step out from the car it started to rain! Bad luck…
Got back into the car and drive on. No longer than 10 mins, the rain stopped. What the hell …

Backdrop - Mainland Malaysia

Next plan, take a drive up Gurney Drive. It’s a different experience driving in the day when there’s not much traffic and people at all. But at least I got to see the actual buildings standing there.

Driving Along Gurney Drive

Then continued on my journey to Batu Feringhi. So many hotels & high rise condos along the beach line that there is rarely a sight of beach from the road.

Hard Rock Hotel Batu Feringhi - Still Under Construction

Stopped at Teluk Bahang to have some laksa Penang for lunch. I hope I don’t get diarrhea because I can never stand strong spices. After a short lunch break, head back to the mainland.

Teluk Bahang

Met up with Tong Wei in his Seberang Perai’s home. Dinner with him and his wife and a jug of beer later, watched Chelsea beat Man United. Well, it was a tiring day … and it was more like watching a football match til I fell asleep. Only found out about the score the next morning.

Thanks to him for his hospitality and his sharings. Since his wife is almost due, need to think of a gift for his first newborn pula …