On Thurs, we had it all prepared, we were gonna go in on friday morning, reach JB at 7 am. Then have breakfast there before moving off to Genting. What i wasn't prepared for was that my malaysian counterpart had informed me that all the hotel, toll fees had to be borne by me cause he lent money to somebody else and is now broke.
That definitely caught me by surprise. Ok, so be it, i'd just have to come up with the extra dough one way or another. Later on, he told me that since he was hard on cash, we might as well cancel it. CANCEL ???? The 3 of us, my 2 friends and I, had to take leave at least 1 week in advance to prepare for this trip. Cancelling it would be a total waste. One of my friends had actually told me that taking leave on fri and sat would have cost him a loss of about 800 bucks revenue, so is it justifiable to cancel his plans?
Ok all set, i was to bring them into JB on Friday morning and meet him before setting off. Later at night at 8, he messaged, suggesting that i stay in JB the night before and in the morning, meet them at the Causeway, either that, get them to stay in JB as well and move off in the morning. But, since everyone is already on a shoestring budget, that wouldn't be a fine idea.
11 pm. I received another message, to tell me to go ahead to Genting first, because my malaysian counterpart said that he had to do something for his mum, and could only reach Genting at night. Good excuse. However, all i got during the journey was where we were ( and even in the late afternoon, a singapore telephone number message), and to inform him of the hotel when we reached. (Doing something for his mum actually took the whole morning and late afternoon to accomplish even though he was scheduled to go on the trip?) After i sent back a confirmation message of the hotel we were staying, no more reply. The best thing was, he was the organizer and the mastermind of the trip to Genting.
What a big kite he has flown. Of course that made me freakin pissed. First and foremost, if he was already set on going, he would have already taken leave knowing full well that we have also taken our leave, and informed his parents that he would be away on a short holiday. Cancelling at the very last minute would be unacceptable! My mood was totally stucked up.
During the journey there, we set the GPS to follow its recommended course of direction. What it did was to lead us off the highway, and go straight through all the small roads along the way. Total time for journey. 7 hours. I took the first 2 hours, until my friend switched and that was when the GPS told us to go off course into the smaller roads. True, it did save us 40 RM of toll payment, but i think i'd rather have paid the 40 RM and save off the 3 hours extra journey. Worst part was, my Touch and Go card went missing during the journey. Looked through the car but we couldn't find it anywhere in the car.
When we reached the foot of Genting, we had, at 4 pm, McDonalds for lunch. Rather disappointing though. Then we set off up to Genting. It was a long hard road. winding and steep, my engine was screaming its lungs out. But we managed to get up to the top, and it was cooling.
Off we set to find a place to stay. Tried First World hotel. But since it was the cheapest hotel up there, normally, the place would have been fully booked. Then we looked around to Hotel Resort. Fortunately for us, there were 5 rooms available. We took one room because i was unsure that if i had taken 2, i'd end up keeping my place to myself.
Placed all our stuff in the room, realised that there wasn't any airconditioning because the air outside was already cool enough, about 22 degrees Celcius. Cool.... Then we headed off for dinner at a buffer restaurant. Cost was about 40 plus RM. Food kinda sucked according to my friends. Then it was off to shopping at First World Plaza. In the end, i ended up with 200 RM worth of clothings, my other guy friend has also about 100 RM worth of clothings, but his gf was the disappointed cause the guys were the ones enjoying the shopping instead. We took the roller coaster too in the building, but it wasn't that exciting cause it was kinda meant for kids.
Later in the night, we went off the the Casinos to check it out. What's a trip to Genting with a trip to the Casinos? First time there and we decided to play a less stressful game of roll the Dice on the machines. Playing Roll the Dice with the House was a little intimidating, so we opted for the safer approach. I think we spent 2 hours there, trying to observe the probability of the numbers that would appear, i was right on a few occasions, and wrong on many. Eventually, we lost about 90 RM, then decided to call it a day. Went to the convenience stall to buy some cup noodles and beer. Then brought it up to our room. It was close to 2 am when we finished our food, and our talk Cork session, before we went to sleep.
Woke up at around 830 am, then went to eat Dim Sum. later on, we slacked till it was book out time. Headed down to KL to see if we could find a place to stay another night. We did find a place, at the Palace of the Golden Horses, but after some thought, i had blading lessons on Sunday. So i felt i had to be back home otherwise i would have to forfeit 40 bucks.
Going back home was a little troublesome, because i dropped my HTC on the carpet floor, and the next thing i saw when i looked at it was that half of the screen was just plain white. Still, we found our way to the highway and got on our journey back to SG. Took us just above 3 hours from KL to reach JB.
Then we went taman sentosa for some fried duck and kway chup. What a sumptuous dinner. After that, i went for a car wash, then it was back home for us. Sent my 2 friends home, and FINALLY my friend's gf found the card. It was hidden in the carpet, flat on the floor of the car, and that is why initially, we couldn't find it. I kept thinking my car was broken into and the card stolen. What a relief. Then i went off home while my 2 friends went down to Oriental hotel to meet some other friends.
What a day.
5:18 PM
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Kelisa Modification plans (Updated as of July 2008)
Waiting impatiently for Friday. Why? Because i'd be driving to Genting that's why. Yesterday was a real stressful day. Did 1 single mistake that required almost 4 hours to rectify. Actually it was more then that cause i had to wait for the backup tapes in office, but, at least i spent that time strategizing on how to go about doing the restore job. Now i know why, Database Admins are paid well. Unfortunately for me.....
Oh well, just went to register for Salsa earlier at JJRengue. Always wanted to learn professional dancing. In fact, i always wanted to perform. Singing, Acting, Dancing...
The accolades, the applause. Are they really important? Were they really given because they appreciated you, or because their just part of the act? For me, it doesn't matter. I thought it mattered when i was performing in TP. I thought it mattered when i was in TPJC. I thought it mattered when i was in MSC. But now, i realize, it doesn't matter anymore. I don't perform because i want their adoring gazes on me, i perform because it completes me. It is a gift that God has given, and i know, i can perform because of Him. I'm just wondering, if, those gifts have really been put to good use.
Gonna be playing basketball tomorrow evening. Been a long time since i met Heng Hai and the rest of BCS. In actual fact, Heng Hai will be BCS. The rest of the players are strangers to me. Can't believe i've actually been working for 6 years. Haven't accomplished much, just living day to day. Is that enough? For some people, it is, for other more ambitious characters, no.
Do i consider myself an ambitious character? Well for one, i want to earn more. Of course to provide for my daily living, expenses, and also to save. But what about status? Power? Do i yearn for these things? It makes a person feel good to be powerful, to be waited upon, like a king in a castle with servants. But these people are lonely. They don't get to mingle, talk the way they want to talk, laugh the way they want to laugh. They need to set a certain standard of character and behaviour. Just like they say, its lonely at the top. Am i that person, who seeks these things?
I'd rather be a commoner, someone normal, average. Where no one would care less what i wear outside, or what i eat and drink. I'd rather be someone simple, with true friends by my side. With not a care in the world.
On a lighter note, i've gotten stickers for my bonnet...
