So, yesterday I finally got to transfer all the photos from Mum and Dads cameras, and my goodness there are a few of them. Dad shot somewhere in the region of 900 photos – so you lucky lucky people are no doubt going to be subjected to several days worth of slideshows, ha ha ha. I got the job of going through them in advance and choosing the nice ones, not to mention the ones that mum has told me ‘definitely not to ever show anybody’ and then put them on the web for all to see. Yes, aren’t I the nicest son ever.
In brief, here is what we’ve done over the last 3 weeks……
Kuala Lumpur: They arrived, relaxed and got over jetlag, ate food and then we all took the train down to Malacca.
MOTHER AT THE MOSQUE
MOTHER AT THE MOSQUE
MOTHER MOONLIGHTS AS MALACCA LOLLYPOP LADY
DAD WATCHING DRAGON DANCE OVER A JUG OF TIGER
ESCAPING FROM THE HEAT
ME AND DAD? IN A BAR? NEVER
Malacca: To spend a couple of days over Chinese New Year among some nice buildings. I nearly killed them both, by route marching them in 35 degree sunshine around old buildings.
After Malacca we returned to KL, ate food and relaxed for a night or so. Then we took another train up to Ipoh, for the next leg. Mum and Dad both seem completely unable to trust their ‘little boy’ and I think there was always a certain fear lurking in the back of their minds – the fear that I would drag them for days on end, on perpetual jungle missions, that eventually led to somewhere crap where there was nothing to see or do – and also that I would have left us all stranded in this god-knows-where place with no room to sleep in, thus having to bed down in a gutter with nothing but a banana leaf to keep us warm. Well, despite my not planning very much, it didn’t turn into a homeless holiday, not even once, in fact it didn’t even come close. But that just goes to show how much faith they have in little old me, doesn’t it just.
NO RABBITS? MUST HAVE SEEN HER COMING
DAD AND MR CHIA
MUM AND MRS CHIA
"GOD, WHY ARE YOU TAKING THIS PHOTO TIM? WE LOOK LIKE SUCH TOURISTS"
"YOU ARE TOURISTS, JUST STAND NEXT TO THE BLOODY ELEPHANTS"
HELP!!! A SNAIL ATE 2 OF MY FINGERS!!
Ipoh and Perak: So, in Ipoh we met up with Hong, my friend and a cohort in the film project. He done himself very proud that man, and he sorted us out good and proper with a really nice 3 days. Firstly he took us to some cave temples, in the limestone cliffs around Ipoh, then we bought a couple of Pomellos in the pouring rain, before retiring to spend an evening in Papan, at Sybils clinic. A lovely day, not too tiring, and lots to see. That night Hong and I went out for a few beers, which unfortunately ended in his car window getting smashed by a thief, and his stuff robbed from within. Thus we (both drunk) entered the police station. Hong spent the next hour trying to convince the police officers that I was a friend, and not his catamite (ask dad). It looked like the trip to Ipoh was going to end in disaster, and naturally I said to Hong, "don't worry about us, you go and sort this out and we'll be fine". "NO!! I'm not going to let some filthy Tamil theif swine ruin my plans, I'll pick you up in the morning as arranged". So that was that, what a trooper! He came in his brothers lovely Mercedes, and we continued our tour of Perak in total style. It's a bugger that it had to happen that way though.
So on we plodded. To see the last tin dredge in Malaysia (sadly now it's filling up with water due to total lack of care and the visitors centre is full of flies, urgh), then to Tanjung Tualang to eat delicious fresh water shrimp. The next day we drove on the long route to Penang (Hong being a supreme legend offered to drive us up there) via Chemor - where we saw guys making coffins out of trees - and Kuala Kangsar, one of the most beautiful towns in Perak, made so because the Sultan has boat loads of money and a big ego, but also because the British built some gorgeous buildings there. Oh and we went to see a great old iron railway bridge, built by the victorians. It was here that Dad stated "no, I really am not that interested in trains really, it's the, you know, erm, history and all that", Hong, who had known him for exactly 3 days, raised both eyebrows and went "Hmmm", whilst mum and I exchanged knowing looks. Yes dad, time to admit it, you like trains, we all know, no shame in that.
This was the same place that mum spotted a big pile of rubber, spread out in lumps to dry in the sun awaiting collection. She wanted to have a closer look, and she was warned "don't touch it, it really stinks". What did she do? The next thing is "urrgh, have you got any wet wipes, my hands stink!!!". Can't say she wasn't warned though.
Continued Tomorrow..................... (because today I have a fever and need to go back to bed)
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