The quiet idyllic life...that's the way to go in life?
Last weekend saw a number of us flocking to the island of Pangkor for some last minute instructions on school administration challenges and it got some of us tired souls wondering if life should be as simple as it seems on the island. Simple jobs for simple living - fruiterers, fishermen, farmers, poulterers, restaurateurs,.barbers, masseurs, artists, and teachers of course albeit in a less hectic scenario.
The town of Lumut boasts of her noble standing...a military base in the northern part of the nation...it has been ages since I last saw a military ship standing tall in the open sea.
The jetty at Lumut is the connection point to Pangkor and the it has improved since I last saw it in 2007. There has been effort to landscape the jetty and it seems more ready to greet both local and international tourists.
We got into the ferry after a 4-5 hour journey from Shah Alam and the half an hour ferry ride was pleasant. It reminded me though of my childhood days when I had to use the ferry to get across the Tanjung Agas side of the town before the Muar bridge was erected.
As always, when I ponder way beyond the horizon, reflections on God's creation and purpose in my life go through me...how should I respond to such and such....
On reaching the island, a fleet of vans was ready to greet us ; all waiting to grab as many customers as they could. We spoke to a young, handsome, cheeky and chatty guy who seemed misplaced on the island..."Kenapa masih di pulau ini ? Tak ada ke bandar?" What was he doing on this sleepy island? He reiterated that he had tried bigger towns down South but his heart is on the island which he calls home. Nothing is like home...mama's home-cooked meals beckons him home. He sees himself useful and loves picking up customers to holiday resorts. Perhaps, he is wise in his own way...why the need to meet the hassles of a city? The Chinese saying goes...hung hung chut chuan yuan...there is a master in every trade. He may just be the boss of the fleet one day; that strong young man. It's good to be youthful as time is on your side.
Away from the more posh Berjaya resorts, this side of the island is dotted with less classy chalets and resorts...I would rate them 2 stars. Equipped with the bare minimum, the rooms are only good for a max of 2 nights after which you will long for home. I do not wish to describe about it anymore because I would then seem ungrateful.
We were all crammed into this place...nothing to boast of except for the decent meals and a place to meet. Fortunately down the road we were entertained by the many activities created by the local folks who were counting on the tourists for a living.
Boat trips on the relatively calm sea was an outlet to enjoy the island's nature.
This is to attract foreigners ; mainly Caucasians who normally savour in the relax atmosphere with more enthusiasm than the locals.
I thought this was symbolic of childhood, relaxation and an evergreen icon in the memory of the many in my generation. Entertainment was cheap and even free. How we pamper the young today...minimum... a hand phone as early as 7 years old. We do not talk of computer games, barbie dolls and digital gadgets...yet. I wonder if they have lost out in terms of struggle and an ability to fight against challenges. In the name of love , parents are the first on the front line ...guilty.
One of the participants got her ankle twisted and so she went for a local treat...local nutmeg oil for the hurt ... by the expert. He looks good and convincing with his hands, doesn't he? ... a physiotherapist who need not go to school ; self- learn art passed down through the generations.
Many who came could not bear to go home empty-handed...anything they could get as long as they are cheap and affordable for loved ones waiting at home...unlike Sara...who scorned at me when I said I wanted to get her something..."Ma, what can they offer?" Arrogance.
Some master pieces they are...not too bad.
I know city folks do not consume this type of bikies anymore. Oreo is more like it. But I remember long, long ago, when I was a little girl, I would very often pop over to the grocery shop next door and buy this type of biscuits. I was so glad I could see then again. Who owns them these days? ...only on Pangkor Island...cheerio !
Yes...there is internet service...for a small sum. Not too lost yet.
Food for the simple man...enough for the palette.
Must acquire the art to relax... like him.
In this sleepy cove, what else do the residents do for a living ?
The special corner houses wholesalers of processed sea food !
So, it was a buy, buy, buy frenzy !
Dried cuttlefish in yellow, green and red! Many bought in many kilos!
Fish, prawns, sotong keropok were a popular pick and many hope they are as good and fresh as promised by the vendors..."don't go over to the Lumut side ; they don't provide goods as fresh as what we give" claimed a lady proprietor and boldly added that only the less fresh ones are sent to the other side of the ferry.
The blue-eyed anchovies are snatched up...oh the Selangor crowd was a happy catch for the day !
Mee Suah in green...must be the pandan influence ; the first ever time I have seen in this form...but no, no, no...I am not gonna get it. It looks strange.
So... dried and processed sea food in all colours, shapes and sizes...the packaging caught the customers aghast and temptation to buy, buy, buy was enormous.
On the way home, we witnessed the ordinary crowd of the island doing their daily, mundane chores...getting across to the other side for purposes of their own and we envied the slow nature of their routine.
This man must have served the ferry for a good part of his life as with his swift gestures and movements, he got the crowd and their goods into the ferry promptly and confidently. I guess the sea has been so much a part of his life so much so that no where else in the world would he ever exchange for a living.
Bicycles, motor bikes and other forms of vehicles were brought along for use over the other side...we even saw a family taking advantage of the facility as they venture into a project that was supposed to allow them see the length and breadth of the country...
Yes...cycling from the North to the South on the 2-wheeled vehicle ! It's really good to see the family...father, mother, son taking time off for it. This is life; making time for one another.
These folks grew up and old with the island ... waiting to get off to the other side. The man in the blue shirt may look humble but he is the owner of a big seafood business.
He brought in freshly processed salted fish and what do you think is packed in the polysterine boxes? Soft shell crabs...fit for a king! Yea, they supply fresh fish, crabs, prawns, cuttlefish in bulk to the restauranteurs for weddings. Pangkor folks are fussy about sea food...they only consume the best from the open seas ... unlike us who will make do with whatever we are served.
Like most jetty towns, the people here are involved in jobs related to the sea and shipping industry... a ship repairing entreprise to see to the needs of the local folks.
Of course, on the island we were attracted to the freshly-plucked coconuts. Coconut drinks to cool our bodies and they have good effects for the system...claimed by many.
Some of us cheered to the stay there...we were told that due to huge cuts in funds, we may not see such trips in the near future ; perhaps some of us may even retire by then. So here's to Pangkor...
It was double celebration as one of the teacher's son passed the UPSR exam...set the mama in a good mood throughout the stay !
We bid farewell to the sleepy cove after 3 days and 2 nights...good enough for a long while.
Some of us felt that we should attempt the simple life again...get a plot of land. Plant your padi, vegetables, rear poultry and have a pond for fish There...rice, vegetables, fish, chicken, beef, pork,duck, ostrich, venison and ikan telapia...organic food without harm for the body.
How about it?
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Don't they remind you of the late Steve Irwin and his crocodile farm in Queensland ? Yes it is a real boomerang express to Australia that the children will be on for the next 5 days !
The Mission Harbour reminds me of Byron Bay...the most easterly point of Australia ! Even the props are first class and so real!
