Trip to the North - Day 1

December 26th
KL – Ipoh – Kangar

0840 hrs : Bags all packed. Engines started.
0845 hrs : Last minute excursions to the toilet. Final checks on all doors and windows. House alarm switched on. Catfood left with the usual kid next-door, ration enough for three days and a half at least.
0855 hrs : Cars can finally move after long goodbyes to the house-cats and the neighbors across the road (who just happened to be in their garden). Number of people in cars - Car #1 (three), Car #2 (three), Car #3 (two). Total : eight.
0900 hrs : Arrived at the bakery to pick up the cake. Bakery appeared to be still ‘closed’. Called the phone number in order receipt. Was assured by person on phone that somebody was already in the bakery, will tell her to open the door.
0910 hrs : After a second call, a bakery staff appeared and opened the door. Looked grumpy. Picked up the cake. Reminded them to open shop punctually next time.
0930 hrs : On to the highway!

[ Some big, big labus of Ipoh ]

1220 hrs : Arrived in Ipoh. Brunch. Rest awhile. Driver of #1 had forty winks. Drivers of #2 and #3 had more than one serving of fried beehoon each.
1402 hrs : Back on the road. Number of passengers now plus two (both in Car #1).

[ 1640 hrs : Kita minum dulu!! ]

[ 1645 hrs : There was enough time for the ‘baby’ to have a go at the playground ]

1900 hrs : Arrived in Kangar. Went round and round a particular area of town four times before finally finding the place for the night. Serves them right for depending on a directionally-challenged passenger to show the way. Car #4 reported arriving at 1500 hrs and had already sampled the chicken tandoori at the restaurant next-door.

2105 hrs : Out to dinner. The place was at the roadside on the way to Kuala Perlis. Order included listed items on signboard except one - nobody felt like going for the taste of ‘stim boot’.

[2130 hrs : The first item to arrive after the drinks. Uber-crunchy ‘sotong goreng tepung’. Two whole platefuls cleaned in 10 minutes.]

2245 hrs : Car #2 off to Uitm Arau to pick up another passenger. Had to hurry, gate closes at 11p.m. Made it just in time.

[ Ted's room ]

2330 hrs : Safely back at the inn. Cars #5 and #6 had arrived. Total no. of rooms booked for the night – eight. Maximum no. of people crashed in a single room – five.
0100 hrs (next day) : Finally in bed after impromptu session reminiscing of old times and catching up on the latest family gossip.