Chronicles of My Motorbike: First Accident

The amount of motorbike accidents happened daily on the road is so great that people wouldn't even acknowledge it on the newspaper. As a motorcyclist, I agree that motorbikes are at a disadvantage as compared to that of a automobile in terms of safety and protection. A motorcyclist is vulnerable in every direction and one knock from any sides could render the rider incapacitated or even dead. Scary as it is, a skillful rider (like myself) could avoid such a catastrophe with tactical precision and maneuver while on the road. Alas, even I would fall to such catastrophe as there's a first for everything.

On my way back to my new abode, the street of Subang en route to USJ was dark and full of terror in the guise of potholes and inconsiderate drivers. As usual, I humbly zigzagged across the heavy traffic (I do not know why the road home if always congested). Amid the chaos, a car was eagerly swerving to catch the green light a few kilometers in front. Not to be a human pancake, I made way and maneuver to my left. Unbeknownst to me, I hit a pothole at the side of the road and given my lack of balance at that critical moment, I fell and slid across the road in front. Now, good thing it was at the side of the road or I would truly become a human pancake.

By then, I was on the street, grinding in pain. At the very least, the driver came down and checked if I was fine. Coming back to my senses, my body told me that there were nothing but minor bruises and scratches. Unfortunately, my bike experienced some scratches as well but it was still functional. A few construction workers came to my rescue and helped me adjusted my bike before I rode home. It was glad that to know that people still care these days.

Now that I'm thinking back, my bike was not at fault in this incident. I blamed the plotholes. Still, it was something interesting that happened while I was on my bike. Oh well. My scab just came off yesterday morning for those of you who care. Till next time, ciaoz

A Housemate Named Varsha

All this while, I have never shared much about the people in my life (with the exception of Cyren). Most of the post revolved around me and my many chronicles as an average boy who is forced into adulthood. Nevertheless, this post features one of the few special people in my life and her name is Varsha.

She is an islander girl, derived all the way from a tiny African island called Mauritius. Yet, her ethnicity is Indian. So, she's a whole myriad of things to which we both usually made a joke out of. While we were coursemates, we never really got along with each other when she moved into the same unit as I was, back when I used to stay in my old room. I was the typical xenophobic Malaysian but I was eager and curious enough to learn about others' culture, especially the one that's completely different from mine. Now, she's a major bitch but she's a friend I can put my trust on.

Although it hasn't even been a month since I moved out, I felt a void in my daily routine. See, back then, whenever I reached home (whether it's from university or work), I mooched onto her for life force and a sense of sanity from life. Most of the times, I would just knock on her door and she would invite me into her to talk and gossip about senseless things, just so that we would forget about the hardship of life. She was my withdrawal from the stresses and frustration I faced when I was alone (again, with the exception of Cyren).

Of course, I crossed my boundaries with her on a few occasion. For instance, I would secretly snack on her titbits or overstay my welcome in her room. Still, in the end, I would make some lame jokes and that would usually cheer her up. As heartless as I am on several occasions, she never held a grudge against me and we just move on with our life until the next day when we start the whole cycle again.

Don't get me wrong. I am there for her whenever she needed it. The thing about her is that, being a foreigner, she gets sick easily here. Not sure if it's the weather or the food or she is just a sick puppy, I would do my best to help her. Recently, she was admitted to the hospital for dengue (nasty stuff) and she suffered further ailment and complication because of it.

That leads me to her current circumstances. Her doctor discovered lesions in her spinal cord and it might take some time for her to heal completely from it. Meanwhile, she is attending physio-therapy at the local hospital but as her medical bill accumulates, it becomes unbearable to stay back. Thus, she is going back to her home country in a few days time and I would honestly say that, I will miss her.

I never did properly thank Varsha for being there all the time for me and my stay here a little bit more enjoyable. So, thank you Varsha (if you are reading this). Do take care and let's see each other soon. Hope that doesn't sound too cliche.

Chronicles of My Motorbike: Engine Failing

Given the numerous moments of my bike attempting to turn me into a roadkill by failing on me in the middle of the road, it's time that I dedicate a post title specially for the things that happened between me and my bike. Somewhere in my past posts, I have complained about my bike almost ruining my life. Well, here's a continuation from that.

Just a good one week ago, I noticed that the throttle on my bike was stuck while I was on the bike. So I could just let my hand go and the bike would go on. After hitting a bump (I wasn't speeding mind you), the throttle went to the max and I had to maintain my bike at Gear 4 throughout the whole journey to keep its speed at its minimal.

I was completely astounded. I thought the throttle was jammed. Even when I reached home and I switched the gear to Neutral, the bike was still at full throttle. Imagined one of the gangster bikes pulling the throttle to the max without moving while trying to show off their bike engine to others. Yup, the throttle just stayed in that position until I had to pull out the key. There were a few pedestrians around and they thought I was making a full out of myself.

The very next day, I took it to a mechanic and guess what, there wasn't anything wrong with the throttle. Apparently, the engine was on the verge of falling off from the bottom of the bike. Since the engine is connected to the throttle, the weight of the engine was pulling the wires of the throttle, maximizing its speed. Luckily, I didn't have to pay much for the repair but damn, I could have been stranded on the highway if I didn't take it to the repair shop.

There's another interesting story that happened in the last few days but I will save that for another post. Hopefully, I don't have to keep this segment alive.

Moving on (July Review)

Think about it. Life is all about moving on, either going from one place to another or transiting from one phase to the next. As we enter adulthood, most of us would move out of our parents' house. Even if we stay in the same spot, our personality can be influenced too. If you can recall how you were when you were but a mere child and how you are now, you might notice a vast difference. It is to my understanding as well that if we carry out similar comparison with ourselves 10 years later, the difference would grow larger. We never stay the same unless we're dead but even then, your body would decompose, transferring the energy to the soil and recycle your life force (my current perspective of life). In a nutshell, nothing stays the same. Change is everywhere.

As I have highlighted numerous times in my previous blog, I found myself changing, evolving (hopefully not devolving) into a person that I would dismiss when I was younger. People around me are changing too. Some are moving on to seek personal goals while others are changing into someone I don't recognize anymore. Of course, new people are disembarking at my doorsteps with open arms.

In the month of July, the major change for me was moving out of the place that I was staying for 4years. Imagine waking up to the same window panels overlooking a god-awful loud water theme park and the same dust bunnies collected at the corners of the room. It took me great effort to initiate a search for new place because I was so comfortable on the same old rickety bed that creaks every now and then. Alas, change was bound to happen because life would not permit it (not to mention the extortionate rent I had to pay).

In truth, I do not like some of the changes I had to go through, especially the one about the people around me. The jokes. The laughter. Even the gossips. All these activities and companionship will be missed but what kind of companion would I be if I forbid them to change, perhaps for the better? I do not like to be a caged bird myself. Funny thing is, these days, I don't mind staying a tad longer inside my cage. See, this is what I meant about changing into someone you never realize you would be.

While my laments may sound melancholic, this post is far from that. I'm still positive and happy about my life and what lies ahead. I admit I may seem frantic or panicky in the face of change but over time, I will adapt to it. Aside from the changes I had to face, I am thankful that certain things in my love life remains the same as evident during my trip to Cameron Highlands.

(P.S. Shame on you if you think this post is about me moving on from my love life :P)

Chilling in Cameron - Part 2

(This a continuation of my previous post)

I think I should just stop apologizing for late posts because of my tardiness. However, like always, I have a good excuse. I recently moved out of my old place and this new abode of mine has no wi-fi or whatsoever. So, my only source of Internet surfing is either at my workplace or random cafes. More on that next time.

I will start off with a LEGO photo this time, featuring Mr Bee again (Cy in disguise). One of the highlights of Cameron Highlands is the numerous bee farms speckled from one end of the valley to the other. The one below was taken at a bee farm near the town, Brinchang.

buzzzz....

The bee farm aside, I have traversed from precipitous forest to posh British-styled cafe. Indeed, it was my opportunity to pretend as an adventurous trekker and high class bloke. Two polar opposite social roles which I was more than eager to become. 

Let's start with the latter. The venue was Ye Olde Smokehouse situated at a wide estate with a goft course to which I presumed was left by past colonists. I supposed in their mind, they were thinking that since the air is cooling and fresh, let's build a fancy house up here to take in this wondrous view of Malayan valleys. If so, I was glad that they did because the place was amazing. The moment I stepped into the house, I momentarily forgot that I was in Malaysia. The interior was decorated with ornaments you would usually find in an old European house, ranging from vintage pictures to intricately designed furniture.

Don't get me started on the food. I actually felt full (which is a rare moment for me). As a matter of fact, I would puke if I did not have a controlled gag reflex. Nonetheless, with such high end ambiance, my wallet endured a third degree burn. For just two people, we spent more than RM120, excluding appetizers and desserts. Still, it was one of those once in a blue moon experience that I don't mind spending.

The Entrance to Ye Olde Smokehouse.

Next stop, I will feature the Mossy Forest. As one of the popular tourist destination of Cameron Highlands, they did not fool around when they called this place mossy. Situated high up on one of the myriad mountains in the area, the environment is cold, humid and wet that just about any mosses grow in every inch and corner of the foliage there. There's this chilly and ominous feel when I was there but it was so cool that I didn't foresee any possible danger from the place. Of course, since it's high up on a mountain, one wrong step and it's hell of a way tumbling downhill.

I took this photo in the middle of the forest. At the entrance, there were stairs and wooden steps constructed to guide tourists into the forest. Halfway through, however, the journey becomes more arduous as travelers need to rely on their own strength to walk and climb. As you can see, the roots just extend haphazardly. For thrill seekers like me, this is a must-go-to place when you're in Cameron.

Besides that, when you all the way up on a mountain, you get to take a cool panoramic shot like the one below, overlooking the extensive hills and valleys of Pahang.

Just to conclude, I didn't do much on the last day since me and Cy almost traveled to every nooks and crannies of the highland. Sometimes, it's just nice to rest in a cafe and enjoy the other person's company (esp, if it's someone close to you).