The Journey Up...

Dear Diary,

I set my alarm at half past five today and I was surprised at myself for being able to hear the alarm went off. I usually have a difficult time waking up in the wee hour of the morning but not this time. I supposed it was because of the excitement I was feeling to bring Hippo and her family to my vacation house. It was their first time coming over and I assumed every one of us was thrilled especially her kids and her husband. It was also their first time travelling with their car further than Johor Bahru. Almost everything was going to be their first time, even to Mount Ophir.

They are probably one of the few Singaporeans who have never or hardly travel to Malaysia. It is not surprising because there are quite a lot of Singaporeans who just do not travel to Malaysia. Unlike myself, I grew up in a family who travel frequently to Malaysia. Mum has seventy percent of her relatives in Malaysia. My grandparents were Malaysians and so do my aunts, uncles and cousins. Even though dad does not have any relatives in Malaysia at all, we often travel to Malaysia for holidays when I was young therefore, it is not a big deal for me to travel between Singapore and Malaysia.

It is a good thing that my house in Singapore has centralized water heater so I can take my shower without much hassle. I always have a fear with cold chilled water touching my body. Hippo was punctual and she got to my house as scheduled. The ride to Tangkak was smooth and hassle free. We took the highway and had breakfast at one of the Rest & Relax stop point. I had some western breakfast courtesy of Hippo. Throughout the journey, she always insisted to pay even after I declined. I supposed she was feeling indebted to me for letting her family spends two nights in my house. Well Diary, even if I had let them spend the whole week, I would not want them to feel indebted or whatsoever but I guess it is just natural for everybody to do feel that. All of us are brought up with manners and we have cultures and customs that we still practice even though we are living in the millennium years.

The kids are very well behaved and courteous. I did not find them irritating or annoying at all. They are living proof that Hippo really disciplines them. I tried to make them feel comfortable as much as I could. There was not much activity on the day we arrived since all of us woke up in the wee hours of the morning to avoid paying extra to travel after seven in the morning. You see Diary, Hippo drives an off peak car (OP) with the red plate. OP cars are only allowed to be on the road after seven in the evening to seven in the morning. If any OPC cars need to be on the road during the prohibited time, owners have to buy a coupon from the Land Transport Authority for exception on that day. The coupon cost SGD20 per one time use if I am not mistaken. That was why we had to be up early in the morning and be at the immigration customs before seven in the morning. It would be a waste to buy the coupon since we will be away from Singapore.

I brought them to my favourite ‘Asam Pedas’ stall for lunch and we went shopping for our picnic by the waterfall at mount Ophir (Gunung Ledang). It was fun and a happy outing. The kids love it from the climbing and swimming. Hippo had a difficult time climbing up the mountain. I saw her sweat it out like she has never before. Drops of sweats streaming down from her forehead, she was panting as she tried with all her might climbing every step there was. I looked at her and I thought oh my God, I do not ever want to be overweight like that. I did nothing but just laughed at her. Honestly, I could not do much. A dozen words of encouragements would not help if a person’s mental strength is still weak. As usual, she just laughed it off too. That is the best thing about Hippo. She really understood me and could not care less about how I am with her. I think our eighteen years of friendship has made us grow accustomed to each other’s ways and teases. She made it to the destination even though she was the slowest.

Looking at her speed, I was actually having fear to bring her hiking Mount Ophir this March. I just do not know if the guide has such patience to wait on her. With the new one-day hike up and down rule, I have lots of doubts Hippo will make it. it is not that I am underestimating her, but reading between the lines, as a seasoned climber, I know what I saw. Even if she makes it, she will probably take twice as much time as ever than other regular climber and that means, climbing down the mountain in the dark.

I set out at eight in the morning the last time I climbed. I reached the summit at half past one in the afternoon. I started to climb down at half past two in the afternoon and got to the foot at half past five in the evening. So you do your Maths Diary, how many hours did I take to climb up? It was five and half hours to the summit and two and three hours to climb down. We could have reached the foot of the mountain earlier but the group of students slowed us down. If Hippo were to climb it, she would probably take much more than five and half hours and that can really be a test of patience for her hiking buddy at that time who I am sure is going to be her husband.