Genting

Well, well, well. My first record of my journeys and it starts with Genting - a place where I thought the most notable attraction was its casino. At least it'll be something I am familiar with. Or so I thought.

Well, the whole journey started on 8 July 2002 with the trip to Goldhill Plaza where a Grasslands bus was waiting to bring us to Genting. While the feeling of excitement is always present before a trip, the first thing I felt when I sat on the bus was the feeling of boredom. Nothing to do, seated on a green seat (a colour i don't really like) and staring into space. Not for an hour, not for two, but for about 5 or 6 hours! How exciting... now if *I* was the one doing the driving, the trip would be much more exhilarating. Heh!

Anyway, after the initial boring staring at the 'sights' of S'pore, we finally reached the customs where somehow, I managed to get myself stuck behind an obviously couldn't care less customs officer who took his own sweet time scanning the passports while I watch my parents, who were in a different queue, zoom past me at the ratio of 5:1. Somehow I managed to give my little tormentor a sweet little smile when he's looking at me and an evil squint when he's not.

So then off we continue on our journey. Now there arent even any sights to see as the roads quickly descended into darkness. The driver rightly showed a movie at this time. Unfortunately, it's an old, heaven knows how long ago movie staring Samo Hung, Samo Hung and Samo Hung as the dead and now spirit grandfather who wants revenge for his death, the father who keeps scolding his son and the son who always gambles and never keeps a job and hence always being scolded by his father. How nice... again I wished that I was driving.

So my attention went to the skies where stars are abound. It's really funny how a causeway makes it look different. Where light pollution, buildings and the daily rush and stress for material success masks the beauty and mystery of nature in spore, the 'backwards' country of msia displays them in abundance and pride, placating the sense of anomie in us and keeping us in awe, allowing us to forget our dreary existance and drawing us into its infinite world, embracing us through its comforting warmth and beauty.

Although of all the constellations, I only recognise Orion, the vastness and clarity of the enormous piece of art is not lost on me. One does not need to be an artist to appreciate the beauty of a painting. Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one on this Grasslands bus who was interested. The rest were either in dreamland (at 12am?!) or appreciating the other 'star' on TV (must be the radiation from the TV screen affecting their brains). So there we have it: the evil effect of materialism - rape of the human soul and mind until one loses even the simple ability to appreciate nature's beauty. I guess unless it's something advertised as a tourist attraction, Sporeans won't bother. After all, where's the social status in that?

So to fast forward a long journey, we finally arrived at Genting Highlands. Somehow, my dad decided that it would be better not to book the rooms in spore, so we ended up with no rooms at 4.30am. Typical of him, he went with my mom to the casino. Me, with nothing to do, followed suit. So a tourist of the casino I became, wandering the many wings and going to the reception to check for room availability and being embarassingly roused from my sleep in the lounge.

Finally, we managed to get a room and got a much needed bath. With my parents keen on hitting the casino scene once again, I'm left to wander the grounds of Genting by meself. Of course, the first thing that I wanted to do was to take the Skyway down to Awana. I had really wanted to go for a little horse riding. As luck would have it, the darn skyway was under renovation and I had to take the cable car instead. Needless to say, the queue was long and it would later prove to be useless too. As I arrived at the termination point, I wasnt too sure as to which shuttle would take me to Awana range and so I asked a guy for directions. As it turned out, the bus shuttle only goes to Awana hotel, not the range because the Skyway's closed and the horse range is too. I could instruct the driver to specially bring me down for a look but there's no guarantee that the range would be open and if that were the case, I would be stranded at the range with no way of transport up to the Genting hotel.

Ah well, I thought to myself, I can still take the cable back to the hotel and head for the theme park. So off I went to join the queue and when it came to my turn, guess what? The complimentary ticket which brought me down was a one way ticket, not a two way one as my mom told me.

Smart mom and even smarter daughter.

The guy who answered my query turned up again. Turns out that he was a cab driver and for RM5, I could get a cab ride up Genting Hotel. Just RM2 difference between a cable car ticket and a cab. Why not?

Big mistake.

What I thought would be a faster mode of transport turned out to be slower one as he would only go up after he had gotten at least 4 passengers. And the best part? It started raining. Well, call it a bad trait, I could have left him high and dry and just bought a RM3 cable ticket up but I said I would take his cab and I actually waited for him to get his other 2 passengers.

While waiting for the buses to come in (with the potential customers), we had a little, what seemed to me, like a casual conversation. Small talk. I was on auto mode, giving him patronising answers, making lame jokes and asking things about him so that he can talk about himself more and I can keep my mouth shut and get some rest. Besides, guys like talking about themselves. 2 stones with 1 stone. Thinking back though, I suppose that was his way of trying to make a pass at me and me actually seeming like I was receptive!

So blur me was cruising along until he suddenly asked me for my name, who I came with, why I'm alone and where I was from. Earth to me - guy flirting. Oh and he mistook me for a Taiwanese because he thought I spoke good Chinese *faints* So while I answered his questions with my usual aplomb and a straight smiling face, a little bubble was forming in my head of an 'alternative' scene which included a sentence, a dropped jaw, a look of shock, an attempt at bahaving normally and then a trail of smoke.

After much shifting between reality and imagination, the little quirk of a man finally found the other 2 passengers and (Yipee!) we were on the way up Genting. After the amusing 1 hour I had, the route up turned out to be the opposite - silence. At last! I thought, the guy's finally backing off!

Turns out that he was saving the best for last after I informed him that I had changed my mind and wanted to get off at the Theme Park hotel stead of the Genting Hotel...

"So, are you free tonight?"

"Why?" I asked, trying to stall for time so I can dash out of his cab after I got my change.

"Nothing, just wanted to do dinner with you."

Damn it, doesnt he get a hint?! "Sorry but I dont think so."

Taking his time with my change "So how about tomorrow?"

Tamade! "Actually I have other places to go to tomorrow."

Still fiddling with his pockets "It's ok, why dont you give me your handphone no?"

Shit! "Sorry but I dont have a handphone."

Obviously not getting it. "But I thought I saw you holding on to a handphone just now?"

SPY and an irritating jerk! "It has no reception here. I brought it as an alarm clock."

"Oh, it's ok" flipping through some stuff on his dashboard "Here's my name card. Give me a call when you need me. You know, taxi and *stuff*."

Male prostitute! "Yeah, thanks. I will." Yeah right!

I couldnt have slammed the door hard enough. Good riddance! In retrospect though, it's quite amusing! Now if he's a she... hehehe, I might have flirted back. Too bad partner! :P

With the theme park looming ahead of me, the male prostitute didnt have a chance. First stop... the swirlly ride whose name i forgot. It was pretty tame, though I did see a kid who looked as if he might slip though the seat. They let him in though... wished he had been flung out. Never really seen a human projectile and it should make quite an interesting headline. Too bad, that didnt happen. One can imagine though. heh!

Next, another tame 4 people ride. I got stuck with a group of 3 friends who seem to be having a competition not to scream while taking the ride. They obviously have taken the ride for a few times. All of them failed. I think I even did better than them. I was less screamy. Heh!

Having warmed up sufficiently, I had wanted to take the corkscrew, but of all the days, the weather had to choose that day to fog up and the ride was closed for the day. Interestingly, as I was making my way to the ride, I saw a restaurant with 'Butch chicken' on its advertisement board. Somehow, I found it hilarious. The image of a chicken in leather just popped in my head. Wonder how 'butch chicken' would taste like... heh! I didnt have it though since I was preparing myself for the many rides ahead. Next time though...

With the corkscrew out, I went to the next convenient ride: the Go kart. Yet another funny incident: this time, 2 guys who were in the queue were trying to impress a gal who was with them. Being in a Go kart queue, they must of course talk about the greatest F1 rider at that moment: Michael Schumacher. Thing is, I kept hearing PETER SCHMEICHEL - a goalkeeper - spewing from their mouths. Good god, *I* can impress their gal better *shakes head*

Unfortunately, the go karts decided to follow the bad example of the kiddos. Despite all the talk and promises about an exhilerating ride, the technicians, upon seeing the rain, reduced the speed of the damn karts. So much so that I can *walk* faster than those damn carts. There was 1 cart which they did not adjust the speed though - No. 9. Unfortunately, everyone was eyeing that kart and again, my 'luck' saw me take the last slot and therefore, the last to choose my kart. Although my no. 9 was taken, I didnt get the worst kart. Thank goodness for women who dont analyse their karts before taking them. Still, the 'shiok' factor wasnt there anymore. Hopefully, the next time I come, I'll be able to get dry weather and faster karts. The fun is in the art of overtaking and I cant do that if the karts are slow or if they are of differing speeds. The former is irritating and the latter makes the win hollow.

After the slow like turtle ride, I was itching for more adrenaline and what should pop out in front of me but an 18 storey high Space shot ride. I was a bit skeptical at first though as I wandered around the ride, checking it out and seeing the speed of the machine and the screams of the people who went up. The noise made by the machine did not help much. After wandering for about 15 minutes, I decided to be a 'Butch chicken', not a cooked one and joined the queue. The waiting was the worst. Being in the queue, you can practically hear the whoosh of the machine and see the speed of it as it flings the 12 people sitting on the ride up at what seemed like breakneck speeds, coming to an abrupt stop at the very cloud filled top (with sound effects) and then being flung down mercilessly to the half way level before being hoisted up again and then down. Sitting on the seat, being strapped in was also terrifying, especially after you hear the machine's burst of air, signalling the start of the ride anytime soon.

Clinging tightly to my seat and talking to the cute gal who was next to me in the queue and now the ride, calmed me down quite considerably. After all, she had taken the ride before and had given me useful advice as to how to survive it. Besides, it's unbecoming for a 'butch chicken' to chicken out in front of a cute gal. So, with gritted teeth and an act of bravado, I clung tightly to the task of completing this ride without fear. At least not too obvious fear... and just as I was thinking 'act brave, act brave' I was flung up in the air. The ride had begun! I have to say, it didnt feel that scary at that point, though I screamed with all my might all the same. The down part, however, was pretty unexpected. My butt actually left the seat and it felt like i was free falling! Again with all the screaming, but damn it, the sensation was phenomenal! Woo Hoo!!! I was soooo happy I actually made it despite all the misgivings at first. Cute gal did mention that I sure can scream. Well, I dont care anymore if she thought I broke her eardrums. I MADE IT! So, I went for the second and a third. Cute gal was there on my 3rd round, accompanying her chicken friends and she was impressed that i actually went for so many rounds. heh! Now I know a bit on what free falling and possibly skydiving is like and damn it, it felt GOOOD!!!

All good things, however, had to end and needing to meet my parents for dinner, I bid the ride goodbye (and the cute gal too). Dinner, was however, a bit boring. chinese food in a chinese restaurant again. Parents can be so boring with their food. But hey, interesting stuff again! A transexual waiter! He didnt serve our table but well, it's nice to know family is being given the job without discrimination. People always think of trans as prostitutes and low life but isnt that what people always think of things that they dont understand? Besides, for some of the trans, the reason why they are in the sex industry is precisely because of the discrimination they face in everyday life. They need the money for their operations but few companies are willing to hire them or for those who do, they are discriminated against and abused. Really, education on both side of the spectrum is the solution but unless people are willing to open up their minds, accept the fact that they too are human beings and to throw away pre-connotations, this problem will never go away. It's a self fulfilling prophecy and seeing what one wants to see.

Anyway, this trans was serving the table next to ours and again something caught my attention: a man dressed in a what he deemed to be impeccable and respectable suit. Thing is, his behaviour was hardly respectable. The way he eats his food is one thing. More importantly was how he treated his kid while he was greedily gobbling down his food. Unbelievably, he was feeding himself with loads of meat and veges while his tired looking wife was trying to get some dinner. What? Was he trying to hint to her to start finishing soon so that he wont have to carry his kid? Not only that, he was picking grains of rice for his kid who's obviously starving! Talk about being biased, irresponsible and MCP! Nothing I hate more than MCPs!

Anyway, after dinner, I'm left alone to wander again. This time, i decided to go bowling. A staff member guided me to the First World Hotel. Not knowing what to expect, I just followed his directions. Wow, was i surprised to see a shopping mall with all kinds of stores and food! That's when i also discovered the sky diving simulation ride (which again, as my luck would have it, is closed for maintenance till the day i go back) and a cinema.

Being alone, one again has to look for interesting things to amuse myself and again i spotted one. Making my way to the pool section, i saw from the corner of my eye, the back view of 2 gals sashaying to some music i cant hear. So curious me walked to take a look. As i got cloder and closer, the music became louder and louder till I can make out what they were sashaying to: hokkien songs... that's not all! They were sashaying to a crowd size of... 0. Yups. At least the Mediterranean dancers in Genting hotel were shaking their bon bons to appreciative crowds. Guess the pub owner thought that since they were already paid, might as well make them sing and dance to the walls. And on closer inspection, the gals were actually dressed a bit like hostesses... in a Vegas + misc styled mall, this scene looked sleazy and most hilarious.

10/7/2002

mushroom farm ---> bak kut teh ---> swamp of bees 5m tall, 3m wide---> rm50 taxi to KL ---> KL - Genting - rm45 ---> chinatown - pirated dvd. rm350 from KL to JB (neg) - satay - minority report - cheap but poor qualiity sound and image - pirated version better - casino - cute butch at blackjack countter - 1 hour - 1 1/2 hr. 11/7/2002 resistance is futile - pontong and roulette. won rm300!!

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