At first i thought of spending only 1 day in Taiping and the rest of the holiday in Penang. But then i thought to myself, i practically lived 2 years in Penang, nothing i want to see that i haven't seen. My logic talks to me that i should spend more time in Taiping since i have travel great distance and apparently fly through the South East China Sea just because i wanted to see Taiping once more. In the end, Taiping won over Penang. I have a lot of great memories in Penang, but i feel that great memories are to be reminisce and not to be re-lived. So, i'm spending only a quarter of my time in Penang.
One thing that makes Taiping a bit more interesting than the other old towns in Malaysia, is because of it's "First 40s". Means, Taiping has the first school, first museum, first prison, first railway, and many more. And i intent to visit at least 50% of that First 40s. So, i can imagine there's gonna be a lot of walking on this trip. I have no trouble of walking long distance. And also my definitions of travelling would include a lot of walking. But i'm worried about my sister. I know for sure that i had to face a lot of sulking in this trip.
I discovered Taiping by accident. I was studying in Perak that time, and it was 1 month before exam week. I was under a lot of stress and i don't handle stress that good. If you'd see me at that time, you would thought that i am an institutional mental patient on the lose. I'm a mess. I would woke up in the middle of the night, went to sit in the park alone at 2 am, jogging at 4 am and finally continue my sleep at 5.30am. And day time was no better. I hated being in my dorm, i would rather spend 10 hours sitting in the library rather than relaxing in my room. My room mate, one of the most beautiful girl in the campus, was no fun to be with. She is what i called "Grade A" kind of girl. She's pretty, smart, nice, and down to earth. And you think that is one jackpot combination? NOOOO! You're dead wrong. Remember Barney Stintson's crazy scale? Well that applied to her. For one thing, she is a control freak. Her version of normal is, 6.30am wake up and take a bath, 7.00am breakfast, 7.30am off to campus, 8.00am - 5.00pm study, 5.30pm go back to dorm, 6.00pm take a bath, 6.30pm getting ready, 7.00pm dinner, 8.00pm - 10.00pm study, lastly, sleep. And did i mentioned that she's a church goer? We are room mate for 3 years, and during that time never once i missed church. And all that thanks to her. I can take the hell damnation but not her Sunday morning lecture. Sound scary, right? That's why i called my dorm room an army camp. But i never hated her, she is still special to me, in fact i consider her one of my best friend.
Anyway, i have strayed away from the main topic here. Let's continue. So that day when i had enough, i told myself that i should get out from that room. So i went to the nearest bus terminal, i thought of strolling around town, but when i saw the ticket booth lining there i decided to change my original destination. I had one glimpsed of each destination and finally i chose Taiping. Bought the ticket and board the bus. There was no worry because that time my mind was not there to do the worrying. Once on the bus, i actually bumped into one of my classmate who are apparently going back to his home town. There's no doubt it was surprise on his face. After a few minutes of awkward silence he finally ask the question.
"What the hell are you doing in Taiping?"
I told him that i was just looking to blow out some steam.
"Alone?"
"Yup, it was last minute"
"Where's your bag?"
"Don't have"
"How long are you gonna be there?"
"Few days, maybe"
"How are you going to change? Where are you gonna stay?"
"I will look for hotel and buy new clothes once i get there"
"Oh, okay then. Enjoy yourself. Don't forget to check out the lake"
"Thanks, i will"
Once we reached Taiping, my friend and i say goodbye to each other. He got to catch another bus and i start my hotel hunting. Once i secured one, i went out to buy toothbrush, pair of undergarments, and a t'shirt. So that night i spent the night alone, in a hotel room and away from all the things that i'm hiding from. Next morning i woke up early took my breakfast and then head for the lake. As i stroll along the lake, peace come to me in no time. That time, i realized that trouble is just distraction, anger just a feeling and stress is just what i created on my own.
After few hours at the lake, i went back to the hotel, checked out, and boarded on the next bus to campus. I was ready to go back because i've found out where i went wrong. I was too focus on hating the world that i forgot to stop and smell the roses.
So, that's why Taiping will always have a special place in my heart. I was lost once, but i found myself back in Taiping.
