Yet again in a spate of less than four weeks, I find myself in Penang again. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that the car broke down here and I left it for repairs a month ago. I am going to pick up the car today and drive around the island and visit those old, familiar places where I used to go back to my days in Sungai Ara twenty years ago. Unlike last time when I had my own house (it was sold in 1998), today I had to stay temporarily at someone else’s place. Just like everyone else in Pulau Pinang Darul CHA YA NUN ALIF, my friend is staying at a condo, which is where I am now.
I am going to pay a visit to my old school if the time permits. I’m anxious to see what changes are afoot there, since the last time I was there was in 1999. Who needs Klang Valley when you already have Penang?
Just got back from Penang last night via the bus. I had the most unpleasant experience of suffering a car breakdown not only once, but twice. Once on my way to Penang with my darling at the beginning of our trip on Sunday, near the Changkat Jering toll exit. Paying for the tow of the car amounted to RM185, including the toll charges for the PLUS expressway and Penang bridge toll. The second time was yesterday at the Seberang Jaya highway when I was heading towards Queenbay Mall from Sungai Petani, again with her along. Bah, it just has to happen does it?
That aside, I did manage to capture a few photos of us on the ferry on our way to Butterworth (when sending her off to SP). I had a “shock” when I saw what happened to the bus terminal at Butterworth, by the way. These were the only ones taken on our trip together since we did not manage to travel to other places due to the unexpected car trouble. Enjoy.
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In roughly 48 hours’ time, I will be off to Penang, visiting my home state at long last after being away for so long from it is certainly surreal. And I am bringing her along as well. The last time I was in Penang was in last September, but I didn’t really visit all those old and familiar places that I wanted to go. How could I ever forget Komtar? Or seeing those second-hand books at Chowrasta? Or remember the time when I watched my first movie at Cathay Jalan Penang (now turned into a…of all things, a Mydin store)?
Selangor may be where I am staying now but Penang is where my heart truly is.
MENJ is 28/m/BTHO. Pursuing a degree programme at APIIT, he is currently a full-time ProBlogger and Web Directory Owner. He is also a Muslim Internet activist and student of Comparative Religion, dedicated to combating misinformation about Islam. 
