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Rupert decided that it has been too long since he last took a break. In fact it was over a year since he had lived a carefree existence. It was in Italy the last time and it had been over a year since Rupert had felt anything akin to happiness and inner peace. It was time to lean back and view the whole life thing from another perspective, to take stock of where one was coming from, where one was, and where one was heading. Very pseudo-philosophical no? Anyway, it was a dark and stormy Thursday night when I departed Kuala Lumpur with several friends(1) . We left at the unearthly hour of 1.30 a.m. so it was technically Friday morning when we left… but that would be pedantic, wouldn't it? I drove down the North-South Expressway past Seremban and exited at a place called Senawang. I swear that there are so many places in Malaysia that I've never been to or even heard of. Sometimes I think my world geography is better than my Malaysian geography and I wonder whether it's the result of a deficient education or a general apathy. I don't think I can even describe what Senawang looks like. When you're driving late at night the traffic may be sparser but everyone tends to drive a little faster and fatigue can be a killer. I had four other lives to be responsible for and one mother had even reminded me of my onerous duty. "I hope you had a lot of rest." Nod nod nod. "And make sure you get some coffee or high-caffeine content drink for the trip." Nod nod nod. "You must keep alert at all times, you hear?" Nod nod nod. "Be responsible and don't speed. It's not a race." Nod nod… "Aw come on Mum. I'm old enough to take care of myself. Heck, I'm old enough to be married and to have children." A parental pause. "That has nothing to do with it Rupert." "Mumblemumblegrumble." Anyway, I zipped from Senawang over to Kuala Pilah, zoomed past Bahau, lots of kampungs(2) , Kuala Rompin, and finally hit Mersing. It was a pretty uneventful drive. The road is rather winding in between Kuala Pilah and Bahau but the rest of the route is relatively easygoing. It got quite foggy at that time of the night but the only other episode worth mentioning was when my right leg cramped up before a sharp corner, forcing me to downshift rapidly instead of using the brakes. We ran onto the gravel and skipped a few heartbeats but I think I handled it… pretty well. Considering that we got mildly lost at one point and took several wigwam breaks(3) , we still made it to Mersing by 6.30 a.m. This is actually an alternate route. One can drive further down the North-South Expressway past Malacca into the state of Johor and exit at Ayer Hitam onto Highway 50. Then you drive all the way to Jemaluang and take Highway 3 northwards to Mersing. This route would be faster by approximately an hour. When we arrived in Mersing, one of Rupert's friends who is a Muslim had to say her morning prayers. We drove to the local mosque, which had a grand view from the top of a hill. We watched as the sun gradually rose and burned up the atmosphere. We sat there and waited as God poured on the paint and slapped his paintbrush across the sky. And then after a brief stop for breakfast where no one was really hungry, we took a speedboat across to Tioman. A speedboat ride takes about an hour and a half. You can opt for the ferry across, which would take an hour or so longer. As I sprawled out at the back of the boat, shades on and eyes shut for an early morning siesta, I thought about how I was about to visit an island for the first time in my life… OK… so maybe Singapore is an island… and so is Penang where I was born… and the UK and Australia. But that's not the point, all right. Don't be such a nitpicker. You know what I mean. Just in case you don't, I mean that I've never been to a resort island. Or rather I don't remember ever being to one. My parents tell me that I accompanied them to one when I was just about a year old, so that may count technically but I don't remember it. It didn't happen… Never mind... …To be Continued… (1) Who are also friends of Rupert and who shall be introduced in due course. (2) Malay villages. (3) For some Tea and Pee. Tepee. Get it? Get it? … Never mind.
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I
was in heaven for the weekend. At least I think that that is what heaven
should look like. At times I would stare so hard at the horizon that it
would blend the sea and the sky together. Then I would turn my head upside
down and wonder, as the blood rushed to my head, which was the sky and
which was the sea.