FAMILY DAY OUT

Sasha trying to build a sand castle using Lok Lok as foundation

I drove quite a distance of some 580 kms over the weekend in my Ferrari. I feel lethargic and wanting to fake another medical leave from work today, but I decided against it. It was tiring, yet, a fun weekend.

My sis and I planned for a family outing for months and we finally decided to go to Port Dickson and Melaka – to cater the needs of everyone – the old, the young and the monsters. Sasha and Lok Lok’s parents were happy that we would be bringing their children for an outing – it is weird to have kids when you have no time for them. Might as well don’t give birth!! As we had taken them in as our very own flesh and blood, we didn’t really mind. Anyway, it was good to have toddlers to go on outings with us – they would be the center of attention and the 10 of us would fuss over them.

This outing consists of 10 adults, 2 children and 3 cars. Adults consist of my first aunt, mother and third aunt, (Fourth aunt could not join us as she has to work), nomadic cousin brother and girlfriend, tarot reading cousin sister and her garbage manager sister, my char siew brother, stick insect sister and myself. Father and uncle as usual would shy away from traveling with us as they could not stand waiting for 2 hours for their turn to go to the loo.

We shared a two-bedroom apartment in Teluk Kemang – which I got for a cheaper rate for contributing RM5 (per month) religiously to my company’s club fund. We are simple people with simple needs, so the facilities, even if not as good and cozy as the other apartments, we just made do with whatever we have. The ultimate motive is, to get our families together and have fun.

The first day was spent entirely on the beach. The kids had so much fun and kept on playing by the seaside under watchful eyes of the adults. My aunts took turns to have a picnic on the grass. There was a baptism ceremony taking place at the beach near Bayou. Sasha was particularly delirious. We practically had to drag her off the water.

The famous salted steam crabs

We had our dinner at the Kedai Makanan Seremban – the famous salted steamed crabs. I suggested crocodile meat, but was scolded by the elderly for eating wild beasts not meant for food. I am not a fan of “yeh mei” but this shop is also famous for its farmed croc meat – taste like chicken, some of my friends commented. I never had it before, anyway.

Child Labor – Sasha peeling her own boiled egg

On the second day, after an agonizing 3 hours spent, waiting for my turn for the loo – the 12 of us took turns to go to the ONE loo in this two-bedrooms apartment, we made our way to Melaka. This time, the trip to Melaka was spearheaded by my nomadic cousin brother; who seems to know his way very well through trunk roads to avoid the jam and toll. The scenery throughout the journey was simply breath taking.

We had nyonya lunch at the over commercialized restaurant, Ole Sayang. Frankly speaking – the assam fish which was their signature dish, is such a let down. I still prefer the itik ponteh in Makko Restaurant but didn’t know how to get there. Next time, I will do some homework before leaving home.

Melaka

Because my third aunt had a bad knee, we decided not to venture too far in Melaka. We just took some pictures at Stadhuys and walked about Jonker’s Walk before calling it a day. My first aunt decided to have her holiday to the fullest by entering almost every shops along Jonker’s Walk and sampling every dish on the way. My third aunt was amazed that people could practically sell anything along the side of the road in Jonkers’ Walk. She was particularly tickled by the sight where a stall was set up right in front of a temple, selling shrimp paste and sambal belacan. So I told my third aunt jokingly, “You are not trying to picture yourself, selling your famous rojak here, are you??”

The two kids were screaming for ice creams at almost every corner of Jonker’s Walk to add to my pounding headache. At times, you just feel like leaving them there, right on the spot where they screamed and go home. Ha ha. Children will always be children.

Then, we bumped into this man who made beautiful little figurines out of soft steel. I suddenly thought of a dear friend who passed away. We came with her to Melaka a few years ago with my sister’s university mates. This nice man gave her a bookmark, molded in her name for free as we chatted with him while seeking a shelter inside A Famosa from the basking sun. He had shifted his little stall to Jonker’s Walk.

We went to Auyin Resort Hill after basking in the hot sun, thinking that the resort would provide a better-shaded area for us to walk about. Instead, the place was infested with mosquitoes!!! We ended up being feasted over the ferociously blood suckers and decided to leave the place immediately. We should have gone to the Safari.

I guess our next trip would be planned based on levels of comfort – meaning to pay more for apartments with more toilets, and be more organized with the activities and less nature outing to avoid mosquitoes. Everything was quite haphazard this time round, nevertheless entertaining.

When we finally reached Kuala Lumpur, we had our dinner in Puchong, where my brother stays. Syabu Syabu, the steamboat place is very unique and the selling point of this outlet is the personal steamboat pot to oneself, the ambience and ultimately, its dip made of fried onions, sesame oils, peanut oils, spring onions, etc.. which deserve a post entirely by itself in this blog. I will do so in due course.

I felt lethargic throughout the day today in the office, but was lethargically happy. There will be more trips with the family in the future, before the elderly no longer capable to walk about that much. We were already thinking of a cruise in the near future.

I guess our parents just prefer us to spend more time with them, irregardless the place/destination. Even if by merely staying home on weekends, that would have make them very happy.

We could never thank our parents enough for what they have done for us. Our parents know that we had to work hard to earn a living and they understand if they only get to see us occasionally or only during festive seasons. I guess we should try our best to spend more time with them, or give them a call, as their time in this world is slipping by each day. We will never know when it will be the last time for us to show them our utmost love and respect.

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