Weekend Getaway

This weekend, my aunt, dad, sis and I had a short getaway. We went to visit an uncle and his family in Ipoh. This uncle had lived more than half his life in Penang, getting married there and having his four children borned there as well. But when his new job posted him to Ipoh, he had no choice but to move there. Initially, he had stayed by himself in Ipoh and traveled back to Penang every weekend. However, with the petrol costs rising and having to drive to and fro just to spend what little time he had with his family, he decided that it was best that the whole family followed him to Ipoh. After much discussion and planning (and protest from the kids!), the whole family moved to Ipoh at the end of 2008.

Since he moved there, everyone except my family have visited Ipoh. For my family, work commitments and with everyone's different schedules, there was not one time available when everyone could just leave Penang for the weekend and make the trip there. Even this weekend's trip was impromptu. Everything was discussed, argued, negotiated and planned on Friday before we left on Saturday morning. The problem was, my sister and I had thought that it was to be a day trip, with us travelling there in the morning and returning that night. But everyone thought that it would be just wasting time.

When we found out it was a one-night stop over, we were reluctant to go. Furthermore, my sis has her mid-term exams next week; with four papers held over the entire week!! Travelling over the weekend would be wasting time and she would not have the comfort of studying in a comfortable and familiar place. Nevertheless, since we have not visited my uncle since he moved there, we decided to compromise and go. (Plus, another aunt and uncle from KL were going to be there as well.) That way, if ever there was a time that needed us to go, we could always say..we compromised the last time!! Hehehe....very sneaky of us.

Anyway...we left at 10.30am on Saturday morning. The journey was expected to take around 2.5hours. However, as luck would have it, we missed the Ipoh toll and ended up going all the way to Simpang Pulai, extending our journey by another hour!! After numerous calls to my uncle and then waiting for him to guide us back to his house, we reached the house at 1.30pm. Just in time to have a wonderful lunch. After lunch, we had a feast of locals fruits (mangosteens, rambutan, langsat). Then it was time for the customary afternoon nap.

Tea came and we had cendol and various types of keropok. There was also fried nuggets and sausages cooked in BBQ sauce. Then...while the adults watched the MU Vs. M'sia match on tv, some of us played badminton, some played video games and some just hung around. My sis took the opportunity to do some revision.

Dinner was at a Chinese restaurant, paid by my generous uncle. After filling our stomachs with butter prawns, Thai-style fish, petai, vege and Japanese taufu, we all went for a drive around Ipoh town. We then adjourned back to the house. Everyone changed into their PJs. Some slept early, some watched tv while my dad and uncles chitchatted. They chitchatted till 4am!!

I was the first one up the next morning. Then slowly, one by one, my aunts, cousins and uncles woke up. My two aunts and uncle went to the market, while the ones at home just lazed around and ate a breakfast of tosai and coconut chutney.

My sis and I had initially compromised with my dad that we would only agree to the trip if we could leave on Sunday morning. But lo and behold, when Sunday morning came, we were still in Ipoh!! After breakfast, my uncle took us (the Penangites and KLites) to Taman Rekreasi Gunung Lang. We spent about an hour there, taking the boat ride to the park on the other side of the lake, and explored the place.

After that, we went to get the famous keropok that Ipoh is famous for. Back at the house, a lunch of briyani, mutton, fish and vege was awaiting us. After tucking in, we finally left Ipoh! We left at 3.15pm and were home in Penang by 5pm.

Although we had complained and were reluctant to make this trip, I must say that I enjoyed myself. One night is definitely not enough. The next trip (yes..the next trip!!) we would need at least 2-3 nights to fully enjoy ourselves.

It is tiring travelling over the weekend and then rushing back on Sunday so that we can make it in time for work on Monday. Plus, the weekend goes faster and I hate the feeling of "Tomorrow's Monday again!". Oh well...that's life...