Sunday 2.1.2022
The two kids, Memi & Dekna, arranged for the year-end weekend in Melaka. We went with Dekna. Memi drove straight from work at about the same time, about 3 p.m., but made it to the hotel, Holiday Inn, hours ahead. Dekna's CCK 57 decided to test our patience along the way.
We decided to leave after the Friday prayers. I even skipped lunch so as not to delay the others. Eventually I had my mee goring lunch at 6.30 p.m. at a Simpang Ampat restaurant, with the stomach rumbling and the rain pouring outside. While waiting for the belated lunch to be cooked, I ran in the rain to the petrol station opposite the road to do my about to be missed Asr prayers at the surau there. Magrib and Isya' was to be ok, because Hanif calculated we had enough kilometrage to qualify for "jama' kathar".
About a kilometer from the Alor Gajah exit a loud sound and a wobbling steering told us something was wrong. Peering out of her left front window, and me from the back leftside window, we saw the culprit. The left front tyre was riding on its rim. Hanif, driving, wanted to wobble to the exiting road. Safer there, he offered. I insisted we stop immediately before the whole tyre got shredded to nothing and damaging the rim. There was space on the emergency lane to do our repairs. The hazard lights were turned on. But we know the danger of stopping, with the heavy traffic wheezing by at breakneck speed. Enough stories have been related regarding avoidable fatalities under similiar cicumstances. I jumped out into the light drizzle that gradually became a steady downpour. So did Hanif. We moved back astern to station ourselves a distance from the stopped MPV, to give space and time for the rushing drivers to avoid the emergency lane. I took the red sejadah that was in the MPV and frentically waved it so that the movement would catch the eyes of the rushing drivers before it was to late to swerve. Hanif just waved his bare arms, him with his dark shirt. The bad weather made sight bad. There were a few close calls from the motorcyclists, as I'd feared and expected, but the lorries and other vehicles obviously saw us and the blinking hazard, and took care to keep away from the emergency lane. Both of us were soaked.
Dekna had called for Plus assistance, and Hanif called his sister, a police inspector with her fellow policeman husband stationed in Alor Gajah. Between them, the 20 minutes promised became 1 hour, the tyre was changed to a spare and we got to the tyre-shop, repalced the damaged piece, and moved via the "Alor Gajah way" to finally reach the hotel before 9 p.m. "Waze" said when we left Seremban that we should be there by 5.10 p.m.
I heard some fireworks in the distance before hitting the hay at past midnight. The whole adventure and the 10 p.m. dinner made sure I fell to sleep instantaneously.
Saturday morning I cajoled the wife to get to breakfast on 2nd floor, so we were there before the crowd. The hotel said there were 500 guests. When the rest got down to breakfast, the whole 500 showed. The fare was good and substantial, though. "Poolside" booked for 1 hour (guests took turns because of the SOP) was eagerly awaited because everybody had brought along his swimming costume. Then off to the Saturday tour.
I just followed the kids and the obviously overjoyed grandchildren for a full Saturday. Planned were museum visits, Jonkers' walk, boat cruise, Asam Pedas lunch and shopping. The rain, the huge crowd and parking woes cut down the itinerary. No boat cruise because, would you believe it, there was "too much water". Kg. Morten was flooded, and the "high water" was considered "unsafe". We made changes to our asam pedas lunch because some favourite shops were either closed or jammed full. We managed to get to one, finally. Jonkers' walk part went on. The grandchildren wanted "becha" rides. I decide to go for a walk-about alone. When regrouped after about 2 hours, we were ready to go back for a rest before the "Ikan bakar" part that night.
Ikan bakar Alai was the choice. I have no particular pick for these spots. They serve the same stuff, taste the same, and outdo each other in scalping the customers. Service was acceptible, considering the insane jostling for parking space. I suppose we have to have "ikan bakar" when in Melaka.
Sunday was checkout day. I came down very early for breakfast, alone. Last night was too much for the grandchildren. All were asleep even before reaching back to the hotel. I thought I would be the first patron at breakfast - it was only 7 a.m. No, there was already one table occupied by a huge party - not a party with huge numbers, but a table with 2 huge patrons - a huger gentleman, and a huge-r woman (must be his wife). They must have been there very early, because the hotel said breakfast starts at 6. I was only into my second menu when they got up and ambled out like 2 giants. My party still didn't show at 8, so I went back to the room. When Idah and Wafa finally stirred at at 8.30 I joined them for breakfast, again.
The plan was for the Air Keroh zoo. They said it's a good visit. Alas, the rain decided otherwise for us. So we went to Dataran Pahlawan and ended up having lunch at "Johnnies'" just like the Seremban one. Except this time a robot served us the "steamboat" raw dishes.
We broke up for the journey home, Memi and Dekna. Memi took the Plus highway via Air Keroh. Hanif took the Tanqerah - Klebang - Kuala Sg. Baru - Mesjid Tanah - Rantau Panjang - PD way. In the end, checking with Memi, we were back in Seremban ahead of Memi. He said traffic was extremely heavy. Normally post-luncheon traffic northward to KL is always very heavy. Today, the New Year Sunday, you can expect the extra congestion.
It was a nice weekend for me. Only 2 of my 4 kids were involved, but the other 2 have their own busy agendas. It was not cheap, I learned. But the grandchildren were happy. Very tired, but very happy.
.......................................................................................................
No comments:
Post a Comment