In the invitation card for the wedding reception last Saturday night, it was indicated that guests were supposed to arrive at 7 pm. I knew obviously the function wouldn’t really start at 7 pm but I decided to go early anyway and have my Maghrib prayer at the hotel’s surau. Leaving my house after Maghrib would mean I’d have to rush.
Just as I was getting ready, my friend called. She was already on her way to the hotel but the junction leading to the hotel from the roundabout was closed by the police. This friend, a single mom, was the type who’d panic easily and so if the road she wants to take is closed she wouldn’t be able to think of options. She was with her son then and they parked at a nearby church. She then told her son she’d just try to call me and see if I could help fetch them, otherwise they’d just attend the church’s service for that night.
Since I was not out of the house yet, I promised I’d fetch them at the bus-stop across the church. At that time, I myself wasn’t really sure of what other option to take to get to the hotel. The hotel happens to be on the same road as Istana Kinta, and the road was closed to traffic since Friday morning for security reasons.
After fetching my friend and her son, I decided to try to get into the road from the other end. But, as expected, the other entry was also closed. So, how were we supposed to go to the hotel? I decided to stop right beside the police car and asked the police…
Me: “Macam mana nak pergi Casuarina?”
Policeman: “Ada apa di sana?”
Me: “Ada wedding.”
Policeman: “OK takpe, boleh masuk ikut tepi tu.”
Oh well, all I had to do was ask lah…
Anyway, after the buffet dinner, there was supposed to be a second segment of the reception which was supposed to be something traditional (the bride, a catholic, married a Hindu guy). But my friend’s son was supposed to be at his school by 10 pm. It was Anderson’s 100 years celebration and the countdown was on that same Saturday night.
As we left the hotel I was thinking of the shortest route to the school. We had yet to reach the nearby roundabout when the jam started. You see, on one side of the roundabout was the MB’s official residence where PR supporters were keeping virgil, and on the other side was Yuk Choy school where the DPM and state BN leaders were for the Chinese New Year celebration. So it was such a massive jam, something you don’t usually see in Ipoh, especially at night. Aduuuh… tension betul!
Initially I wanted to send both my friend and her son to the church where their car was parked before my friend would send her son to his school. But that road was so jammed, and to add to that it’s a one way road, as such I’d have to go around quite far getting there. Based on the traffic, I wasn’t sure how long it would take me to get there. So I decided to help send the boy to his school first before I send my friend to get her car.
As I was about to reach Anderson School, another jam started. Cars were parked on the roadsides. I thought many of the parents decided to join the celebration at school and so they parked there. Where I came from, the school was on the other side of the divider, so I was thinking I’d go around the roundabout (laaa… roundabout lagi??) in order to drop him off right beside the school without him having to cross the road. As such I stayed on the right lane. But just as I was approaching the roundabout, I realized that road too was closed. Alamak! I forgot about the Thaipusam procession la!! No wonder la so many cars parked by the roadside. The procession would follow that route going to Gunung Ceruh which was right after that roundabout… aduuuh!!!
Like it or not, I had to drop my friend’s son near the hospital across the school and he’d have to cross the road. But I was on the right lane and getting to the left lane was quite a task. But I managed after getting to the junction leading back to town. And right at that moment the Thaipusam procession was at the road across the divider. I think it has been ages since I last saw a Thaipusam procession live before my very eyes. Usually I’d avoid big crowds and would only watch the processions on TV. Sorry folks, no photos… I was driving lah!
I then headed back to town to send my friend to the church where she parked her car. Under normal circumstances, whenever I knew a particular road was jammed, I’d avoid that road. But that night, I actually drove right into the traffic jam knowing what was coming. I dropped my friend off by the roadside on the right lane as the church was on our right. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for her to cross the road. That was about all I could help her with. How she was going to drive her car out of the church area into the already jammed road, may God help her…
Too bad the wedding was planned for that night. Of course, when it was planned earlier, nobody had expected the political hullabaloo in my home state. Add Thaipusam and Anderson’s 100 year celebrations, it was a perfect night of closed roads and traffic jams in Ipoh.
My only consolation was that there was no football match or any other events at Stadium Perak, which is very near my kampong. Otherwise there’d be cars parked by the roadside leading to my kampong and I’d probably be facing another jam.
Aduuuuh… TENSION BETUI TEMAN!!!
Just as I was getting ready, my friend called. She was already on her way to the hotel but the junction leading to the hotel from the roundabout was closed by the police. This friend, a single mom, was the type who’d panic easily and so if the road she wants to take is closed she wouldn’t be able to think of options. She was with her son then and they parked at a nearby church. She then told her son she’d just try to call me and see if I could help fetch them, otherwise they’d just attend the church’s service for that night.
Since I was not out of the house yet, I promised I’d fetch them at the bus-stop across the church. At that time, I myself wasn’t really sure of what other option to take to get to the hotel. The hotel happens to be on the same road as Istana Kinta, and the road was closed to traffic since Friday morning for security reasons.
After fetching my friend and her son, I decided to try to get into the road from the other end. But, as expected, the other entry was also closed. So, how were we supposed to go to the hotel? I decided to stop right beside the police car and asked the police…
Me: “Macam mana nak pergi Casuarina?”
Policeman: “Ada apa di sana?”
Me: “Ada wedding.”
Policeman: “OK takpe, boleh masuk ikut tepi tu.”
Oh well, all I had to do was ask lah…
Anyway, after the buffet dinner, there was supposed to be a second segment of the reception which was supposed to be something traditional (the bride, a catholic, married a Hindu guy). But my friend’s son was supposed to be at his school by 10 pm. It was Anderson’s 100 years celebration and the countdown was on that same Saturday night.
As we left the hotel I was thinking of the shortest route to the school. We had yet to reach the nearby roundabout when the jam started. You see, on one side of the roundabout was the MB’s official residence where PR supporters were keeping virgil, and on the other side was Yuk Choy school where the DPM and state BN leaders were for the Chinese New Year celebration. So it was such a massive jam, something you don’t usually see in Ipoh, especially at night. Aduuuh… tension betul!
Initially I wanted to send both my friend and her son to the church where their car was parked before my friend would send her son to his school. But that road was so jammed, and to add to that it’s a one way road, as such I’d have to go around quite far getting there. Based on the traffic, I wasn’t sure how long it would take me to get there. So I decided to help send the boy to his school first before I send my friend to get her car.
As I was about to reach Anderson School, another jam started. Cars were parked on the roadsides. I thought many of the parents decided to join the celebration at school and so they parked there. Where I came from, the school was on the other side of the divider, so I was thinking I’d go around the roundabout (laaa… roundabout lagi??) in order to drop him off right beside the school without him having to cross the road. As such I stayed on the right lane. But just as I was approaching the roundabout, I realized that road too was closed. Alamak! I forgot about the Thaipusam procession la!! No wonder la so many cars parked by the roadside. The procession would follow that route going to Gunung Ceruh which was right after that roundabout… aduuuh!!!
Like it or not, I had to drop my friend’s son near the hospital across the school and he’d have to cross the road. But I was on the right lane and getting to the left lane was quite a task. But I managed after getting to the junction leading back to town. And right at that moment the Thaipusam procession was at the road across the divider. I think it has been ages since I last saw a Thaipusam procession live before my very eyes. Usually I’d avoid big crowds and would only watch the processions on TV. Sorry folks, no photos… I was driving lah!
I then headed back to town to send my friend to the church where she parked her car. Under normal circumstances, whenever I knew a particular road was jammed, I’d avoid that road. But that night, I actually drove right into the traffic jam knowing what was coming. I dropped my friend off by the roadside on the right lane as the church was on our right. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for her to cross the road. That was about all I could help her with. How she was going to drive her car out of the church area into the already jammed road, may God help her…
Too bad the wedding was planned for that night. Of course, when it was planned earlier, nobody had expected the political hullabaloo in my home state. Add Thaipusam and Anderson’s 100 year celebrations, it was a perfect night of closed roads and traffic jams in Ipoh.
My only consolation was that there was no football match or any other events at Stadium Perak, which is very near my kampong. Otherwise there’d be cars parked by the roadside leading to my kampong and I’d probably be facing another jam.
Aduuuuh… TENSION BETUI TEMAN!!!
Thank goodness today is a public holiday so I have an extra day to relax.
11 comments:
Ha, ha, ha.... Pi. Ramainya org susah. Semua gara-gara jantan-jantan GILA KUASA!!!! Nak sorok perasaan tamak depa, they all katalah buat untuk rakyat. Podahhh!!!! Sama je Pakatan ke, BN ke, parti cap apa-apalah.... Macam jantan-jantan dayus yang pemangsa wanita-wanita yang you tolong tu. Jantan-jantan aje ke yang ada? Tak ada lelaki lagi ke kat Malaysia tu yang boleh memerintah? Boleh kita undi ramai-ramai. Ini tidak, we have to choose between the jantans and hope that the one we choose dah evolve advance sikit untuk jadi lelaki. Bangang!!! Tidur atas jalanlah... Tinggal anak-bini jadi Pak Pacak lah... Tak cukup Bangla/Myanmar ke nak jadi jaga kat rumah MB tu? Kah, kah, kahh...Jantan,jantan....
Nenek Rock
Congrats Pi! Despite the crazy jams sana sini you remind me of that trapezee kat circus! Flip! Twist! Turn! Twirl! Macam2 lagi! Done! Standing beautiful on the skinny swing! hehehe
All together now..
To know Malaysia, is to love Malaysia......
:D
Nenek Rock,
Inilah dianya manusia-manusia who were voted in to work for the rakyat but ended up menyusahkan rakyat. Buang masa gi mengundi je...
Mamasita,
Itu lah, terpaksa jadi trapeze artist malam tu sebab ada 2 groups of badut sarkas buat lawak bodoh.
Naz,
Lagu seterusnya...
(ikut irama keroncong okay?)
MALAYSIA... OH TANAHAIR KU...
Kak Pi,
You're very funny la :D
BTW, I hope the food was gooood!
Naz,
Ahh... I was so tensed up about being caught in the jam, I forgot to mention about the food, didn't I? Well yes, the food was yummylicious but myself as always, sebab tangki kecik, I couldn't eat much although banyak choice.
Those traffic jams, nasib baiklah dah macam kenangan aje. Kalau i lah dah lama sumpah seranah entah kat siapa dalam kereta tu. But I know you're not that type. lol.
Tapi hujan tak malam tu? Kalau ye memang lengkap lah penyebab jam.
Farina,
Kalau I keluar sumpah seranah I malam tu, rasanya politicians yang akan kena sumpah dulu!! But like you said lah, am not that type... cuma KALAU je... ;)
No, it didn't rain that night, Nasib baik!! If it did, memang lagi bertambah jam lah jawabnya.
kak Pi,
i yg membaca ni pun dah rasa stress .kalau i lah yg kat dlm kereta tu mmg alamat tak baik.tah2 bertih mulut i ni meyumpah seranah...blood pressure naik mcm roket lah jawapnya haha
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