Wednesday, June 29, 2022

TAT's MY COUSIN!

 

This was exactly how my cousin looked and felt every morning after staying in an Air BnB home in the country side. Last month, we thought it would be a great idea to book into a house in the country to sample some fresh air with NO pollution, NO traffic and NO city sky scrappers. Just green grass, trees and country folks. 
OH WELL, we got all of this and MORE for free! 

We got a FOLK of CROWING COCKERELS for neighbours. In Malaysia, there is NO law against cockerels crowing at unsocial hours, so owners here do not worry that their  "pets" crowing cause a statutory noise nuisance. My bedroom faced the back lane

 and the cockerels were up on the roof tops serenading sun rise every morning just outside my window.

 It would have been alright if their eyesight was at 20/20 and they started their crowing when dawn rose. But, these flock of cockerels needed to visit an ophthalmologist and get some prescription glasses. 

They started their roof top orchestra at 3am. Day light was still miles away, the skies were still dark and their symphony had already began. The orchestra went on till 9am without a hiatus. My goodness gracious, they had strong vocal cords. I was fortunate in having lived in dormitories with students prowling and playing their hi-fi sets at all hours. So after the initial overture of crows, I just slumbered back to sleep, quite oblivious to the ruckus.

But, my poor cousin heard every musical note in the philharmonic orchestra from 3am onwards. She is a light sleeper. We had already booked and paid for 5 days and 4 nights. Oohhhh.... she was a wreck by then!!

 But, I do think that even though we had an unexpected country experience, cockerels  come with country living. These birds have the right to crow whenever the urge takes them, be it at sun rise or at the Devil's hour.

If we city slickers are too slick to accept this, then we should stay back in the city and listen to our neighbour dogs howling! 

Thursday, June 23, 2022

TO KUALA SEPETANG TO SEE THE KITES

 KUALA SEPETANG, a sleepy coastal town where the action is slow. Playing "candy crush" is probably the best sugar rush of the day.

This fishing village is about 74km from Ipoh, the capital of Perak in Malaysia.  

The residents make a living from catching and selling fresh and dried sea food. 



 Bumpy boat rides along the river  

and feeding the Brahminy Kites are main attractions that also bring income. When the boat man stopped to feed the eagles, there was not a single raptor in sight. We strained our eyes and asked, "where got eagles?" He cheekily answered, "they are waiting for my phone call!" 

And sure enough, when he sounded his horn, a soar of brahminy kites flew from trees along the river banks towards us. 

Boat rides go all the way out into the estuary leaving behind wooden houses, 

piers and boats

and mangrove swamps.

 The boat points into the mouth of the river 

 before finally entering the open salty waters.