THE TRIP

KUALA ROMPIN,  here we come.............
The trip back to Pontian was done via Rompin, Mersing and Johor Bahru. It was exciting but rather tiring for me. My son Amirul drove the car, but all the same I felt a little tired. I promised myself to get back to my Tai Chi routine in the new year. I left it over 5 months now and my excuse has always been that I have a logistic problem. I stand to lose whatever the excuse.

It was an easy drive most of the way except for the stretch between Senawang and Kuala Pilah and a little further until the junction to Bandar Muazam  Shah and Kuala Rompin. The road sign does not help much if you are a foreign tourist but the fact that we could get some help through Google, it was a fairly pleasant drive.

The lush green we saw along the way was indeed amazing. Alhamdulilah, Malaysia could still enjoy the beautiful jungle / forest scenery.

In between the secondary forests, are the oil palm plantation. Malaysia is endowed with fertile land and palm oil export is one of our biggest foreign exchange earnings. It must be timber before the oil palm and the people of Malaysia has a lot to thank for. 

However, I would like to put a small footnote into this trip. As we drove we needed to stop by some place to ease ourselves and look for refreshments. This trip did not see the comfort of the R&R of the North South Highways.  There is hardly a "decent" place by my standard requirement as a tourist. The Department of Tourism must do their homework a little  more conscientiously to keep up the good name of Malaysia. Besides, we noticed that many refreshment centers are closed and we have to look high and low for such convenience.

This is the "R&R" area on the way to Kuala Rompin. Not a conducive area to take a rest.

When "Rest" areas are almost deserted, and "coffee shops" are closed, it could be an indication that our economy is not doing as well as it is reported. Or is there another reason for this phenomena.

I would like to leave this subject here and move on to Endau and Mersing. We stopped at Tanjung Gemok and I was playing tourist guide to my Azrul, Amirul and wives. This is the place where boats are anchored and it is an exit point to nearby islands like Pulau Tioman.

My big boys and wives at Tanjung Gemok

We arrived in Mersing at Maghrib time, about 7 in the evening. We checked in at Hotel Seri Malaysia and had a good rest. Mersing today is bustling with a lot of activities. The City Centre is busy and the roads are rather congested. We had seafood dinner at "Brother Joe" and the next morning we walked by the seaside enjoying the fresh air. Here are some snap shots to remember by.

Waiting to be served at "Brother Joe", Mersing

Just after the sunrise

Beginning of the sunshine at the beach

The scene against the sunrise - - Cool

By the seaside behind the Hotel - The fishing boat going out to the open sea.

As I walked along the seaside, I remind myself that the trip would not be possible without the Grace of Allah alMighty. And on getting home I looked through the Quran that says:

" Hast thou not turned thy vision to one who disputed with Abraham about the Lord, because Allah had granted him power? Abraham said: 'My Lord is He who giveth life and death . He said: "I give life and death. Said Abraham: 'But it is Allah that causeth the sun to rise from the East; Do thou then cause him to rise from the West.' Thus was he confounded who (in arrogance) rejected Faith. Nor does Allah give guidance to a people unjust."

                                                                      Chapter 2, Al Baqarah, Verse 58

" Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth; In the alteration of the night and the day; In the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; In the rain which Allah sends down from the skies, And the life which He giveth therewit to an earth that is dead; In the beasts of all kinds which He scatters through the earth; In the change of the winds, and the clouds which they trail like slaves between the sky and the esrth;- (here) indeed are signs for a people that are wise."

                                                                     Chapter 2, Al Baqarah, Verse 164.

And I shall close this entry by reminding ourselves:

"THEN  WHICH OF THE FAVOURS OF YOUR LORD WILL YE DENY?"

OR

"WHICH THEN OF YOUR SUSTAINER'S POWERS CAN YOU DISAVOW?"

        Chapter 55, Ar Rahman (repeated verse)