Seremban: Day 4

今天是我留在芙蓉的最后一天。早上赖床了，毕竟这几天的出游消耗了我不少体力，未能及时回复。虽然是傍晚的飞机，但为避免碰上堵车而必须要提早到机场，今天就没有安排任何其他的行程。吃了旅馆提供的免费早餐就退了房，到主人家那里闲聊消磨时间。她之前有听我们说旅馆前早提供的粥没有皮蛋，就特意煮了皮蛋粥给我们。

到机场时我还有充足的时间通过关卡，逛逛免税店，吃吃三文治。到了闸门，竟然被通知班机误点了！结果是迟了一个小时登机起飞。

Seremban: Day 3

今天的行程带我离开了芙蓉，到镇外不远的文丁（Mantin）和波德申（Port Dickson）。上午我跟着主人家到文丁送货去。文丁是个比芙蓉还小的市镇；或许我应该称之为村会更贴切。

下午我们到波德申的非常豪华酒店Lexis® Hibiscus Port Dickson参观。它有些房间是建在海上，是仿效马来传统的海上建筑（码头和房屋）建的现代水上度假屋。我们无法窥探到房屋里的模样但单从外观来看，应该相当舒适。它也有一座大楼的客房在旁，果然是豪华，没有六星也有五星吧。

之后我们到海边吹吹海风……

然后去吃有名的面包鸡。我们去的还是创始店哦！

晚上和朋友看了场电影：Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Seremban: Day 2

朋友寄宿家庭的主人不但好客更好美食，是个名副其实的老饕。哪里有好吃的，她不只能一家家点出，还能告诉我哪一道菜是必吃的，哪一道可以舍弃。她一大早就带我们去吃这里有名的早点：姨婆老鼠粉

中午由于主人家有工作要忙，我们就在她的家休息聊天。她家是从事中药材买卖的，因此也让我见识到各种药材的原本样子。受人款待就不能闲着，我主动要求事情做，被分配到包装枸杞子。

晚餐主人家带我们到一个神秘的地方。这里既远又偏僻，不过到达时却又觉得熟悉，才猛然发现在电视上看过这个地方；“阿贤好介绍”这个节目有介绍过。现在就让我这个“阿贤”再介绍一次。

这次由我做东来答谢主人家的招待，谢谢她花时间又花精力载我们到处遊。

Seremban: Day 1

我又再一次出走。这回的心情和上一次出走时截然不同。这次是来到了马来西亚的芙蓉镇。我是应朋友的邀请来到这个正在慢慢繁荣的淳朴小镇。位于首都吉隆坡大约一小时车程的芙蓉的马来名为Seremban，但并非直译，而是因为原来市镇的地形像芙蓉花。

从机场到芙蓉的高速公路交通顺畅，阡陌小路也不拥挤。沿路看到的是一座座尚未完工的新市镇项目。从开发的痕迹可以看出人类对原始森林的破坏何其大。除了山与森林，我也看到了每每在马来西亚小路驾驶时会看到的棕榈种植园。听说种植棕榈对环境的污染也不小，因此只能说为了一代人的生存和发展，我们无可避免地牺牲下一代的幸福。

到机场来接我的除了我的朋友，还有她暂时寄宿在的地方的主人俩。他们非常好客，一路上都很会聊，还没到旅馆就迫不及待带我去吃好的。我们来到了一个相当偏僻但环境优美的餐馆。它以自己种植的有机蔬菜和自由放养的土鸡鲜鱼闻名。

琳琅满目的菜单

肉质扎实的白斩鸡

下榻的旅馆是当地的星级旅馆，房间摆设简约却很舒适。我住的房间和厕所空间都很大，又没有多余的家俱阻碍，非常适合给轮椅移动，应该是一间专门给残障人士住的房间。我相信是地主向旅馆特别要求预定的。

芙蓉镇跟许多马来西亚城镇一样，公共交通不发达，因此没有汽车便难出得了门。所幸旅馆是和购物商场并联的，而今晚也不想劳烦地主带，朋友又并没有对这里非常熟，我们就决定在商场找了一家餐厅解决晚餐。

It's time to wake up, FAS!

When I read that the match between Singapore and Philippines for the South-East Asian Basketball (SEABA) Championships was sold out at the OCBC Arena, I realised Singaporeans are avid sport fans deep inside, regardless of the sport as long as Singapore athletes play at their best at the highest level of competition available. Hence there is no excuse for saying our fans are not supportive and certainly no reason why football cannot do better for them. So my question to the FAS is: 

"Why are some of our best young players playing in M(inor)-League when they should be playing in bigger leagues and tournaments? The Malaysia Cup days are over; done and dusted, so please stop romanticising about it. The standard of M-League is no better than our S-League so stop wasting resources on LionsXII. The national coach should also look at players beyond LionsXII who are willing to work harder and potentially better."

Kuala Sedili - where my childhood memories were

 

Jetty to Sedili Besar

The only Chinese restaurant still there

I managed to hitch a ride by my uncle-in-law (a last minute rush decision) to go back to Kuala Sedili of Kota Tinggi, Johor, West Malaysia, on Friday. It is a small fishing kampong (village) where my maternal grandmother used to live 20 years ago. My last visit was also more than that, and no one in the family has visited since my grandmother moved out to Johor Bahru. I still remember the 2-hour journeys we had to endure to get there from Singapore, with my dad being the sole driver. We used to go there every Chinese New Year and every alternate school holidays. The Chinese New Year trips were the most trying as they usually involved embarking just past midnight to avoid the massive jams at the Woodlands customs at the causeway. However, all the hardships were worth it as I had some of my best childhood living in the rural environment: looking at the cows and goats, fishing at the jetty, and playing on the secluded bay beach.

The kampong is now a slightly bigger town. There are more people and better facilities though developments are still modest. There is now a bridge linking Kuala Sedili and Sedili Besar where only ferries could reach just a few years ago. Our old house has been taken over by an unknown owner and is in a dilapidated state. What a shame that I wasn't old enough to be able to do something to preserve the house then. Besides, it wouldn't be practical to keep it anyway. There are chalets and resorts at the Jason Bay we used to have so much fun and near the village now so we still can stay the night if we do visit again. Some of my grandmother's neighbours still live there and they do remember my parents well enough so the place is not entirely unfamiliar to us despite the changes.

Childhood memories in an old place...

Fishing boats at the jetty

May Day Trip

It has been a long time, about three or four years, since I last crossed the causeway. Hence I decided to organise a trip with my parents to visit my grandmother in Johor for the Labour Day holiday. It felt so wonderful to be out of the city and be with my grandmother, aunts, and cousins. One and a half day of eating, mahjong and shopping following an hour of driving.

Speaking of shopping, we went to one of the two shopping malls, Jusco @ Bukit Indah. Though only three storeys high, it occupies a huge amount of land area, giving rise to a large floor space of about 70-80 stores per storey.

A point to note while shopping in Malaysia though. If you want to pay by credit card, ensure that your credit card is one that contains a smart chip. Singapore does not have this requirement yet so my only card that has such a chip is my Citibank Dividend which I conveniently didn't bring along. The cards I had with me then could not be used so I had to ask my aunt to pay for my purchase first.