Genting/Ipoh Trip

25-27 January 2020   -  Genting/Ipoh Trip

I was happy that this year my disabled friend Teik and my darling plan our Chinese New Year outstation trip on the first day of CNY. Mostly every year we travel on the second or third day

Why? Because I don't have to meet all my relatives and cousins as they come to visit my mum on the first day of CNY. This year, we have less visitors as we are mourning for Julie. Only our close relatives and cousins came to visit us.

Sat 25 Jan 2020

Teik, my disabled friend, her 2 daughters and my darling came to fetch me. We took only one car this time. After fetching me, we went to their center to fetch another 2 disabled friends before we started our journey. There are 7 of us in the car with 2 wheelchairs and our baggages'.

We stopped in Petronas Station, Green Lane to fill petrol and reload Touch & Go card. From there, we started our journey with smooth drive all alone the Penang brigde and on the highway without many cars.

It's a sunny morning. With trees on both of the highway and a smooth drive. A few of us fell asleep as we woke up quite early that morning. Halfway through, Teik stopped at the back of Petronas Station as few of them went down easy themselves.

From there, we continue our journey. We listen to music in the car, chit chat, I, myself continue writing my journal. It was at Tapah rest house when I ask to stop as to ease myself. My darling pushed me to find the disabled restroom. We parked our car quite far from the restroom, so we took a long walk to find the disabled toilet.

When we found it, I entered the disabled toilet, it wasn't DISABLED FRIENDLY. Even though the toilet was spacious and big but railing on the wall was very small and short. Due to my weak body, I was unable to hold bar and transfer myself over to the toilet bowl. Luckily, I took my bedpan along as easier to do my toileting. Thank God for helping me with my toileting. After done, we walked back to our car.

We continue our journey and reached Batang Kali and went to find a hotel. Due to CNY, most of the shops and coffee shops were closed, so the place were very quiet.

We found a Hotel Batang Kali 88, a budget hotel and book 2 rooms. We went inside and check out our rooms and leave our baggage inside. The rooms were very small and narrow, but luckily my wheelchair was able to move around. The hotel people were very friendly and greeted us Happy New Year and gave us 2 oranges.

                                                            

After arranging everything at the hotel, we went for lunch at the nearest coffee shop (luckily it was open). As it was lunchtime, many people were inside eating, luckily we found ourselves a table. After our meal, we headed up to Genting. It took around 20mins drive up as there not many cars.

When driving up, we felt the cooling air and happy upon reaching Genting Highlands!  As we drove into the to parking area, thank God it wasn't hard for us to find a parking lot.

After parking our car, we headed to the 1st floor where all the game were there.  Teik bought games ticket for the 2 disabled friends and his daughters. While waiting for them, I saw the place were crowded with people many men, women, and children wear red T-shirts with mouse picture on it. The mouse symbolizes Year of the Rat.

If I was given a red T-shirt like that, I wouldn't want to wear. I don't like red color and I don't like cartoon pictures

After arranging everything for them, we left them with their games. After few hours, we arrange to meet back at the lobby.

Teik, my darling and myself went to Sky Casino on the same 1st floor. While entering the main door, a police guard opened the side door for us. When we entered the casino, I saw a very whole place was very big and spacious with a lot of people and there were type of games. The ceiling lights was yellow in color and it was very beautiful and elegant.

Teik saw an empty seat and started to play Roulette game. A while later, a man next to Teik got out from his seat. My darling tried his luck on the game. I watch them and tried to follow and understand the game but wasn't able too. It looks easy to play, but I couldn't get the idea how the game.

I felt bored sitting there without understanding, I wheeled myself around the place. Many people were playing same too. In front, there were a lady and man staff uniform announced the game to all the players. 

After tried his luck, sadly my darling lost in the game and he stop playing. He pushed me around to see the other games people were playing. There were  card's and slots games too,  There were many other games on the other side, we didn't manage to see other games.

I needed to go to the restroom. We searched for the OKU toilet and thank goodness there is a disabled toilet inside the casino.The toilet was very big and clean. I was able to transfer myself over with the railing help. After doing my toileting, I heard there were people outside the toilet. When I came out, an elderly man on a wheelchair was waiting to go into toilet. He was talking to darling while waiting for me. 

                                                     

   

Teik also ended his game and earn some points. We went out from the casino together and Teik change went to his points for cash. There were a lot of people queuing up to collect their money after won their games.

We waited by the side of the counter. I was watching young to old people passing by, all type of religion, locals and overseas. The whole was decorations beautifully. It was nice and fun seeing the things in front of me. My darling came and wheeled to the lobby to find the other friends.

We rang them to let them know we were waiting at the lobby. Less than 10mins, they came down and meet us.

They told us they only played few games as there were too many were queueing for other games. Teik met us at the lobby and straight adjourned to the car park and went down to Batang Kali. There wasn't many then, we had smooth and easy drive down.

When arrived Batang Kali, we searched for coffee shop to have our dinner, but there none open. Then we went to Econsave Hypermarket Batang Kali to see there any food count,  but there were none too. It wasn't a big hypermarket, but there were many shops inside too. We shopped only around to buy some necessary food/items.

Because we couldn't find any eating shops, there were some  Malay stores by the roadside.(It was like night market). We decided to buy dinner at stores. It was cheap and many other people bought from them. We bought lots of food back to the hotel room to eat.

After dinner, my friends helped with bathing. The hotel room toilet/bathroom was incredibly difficult for all disabled but my friends managed to help in. As the toilet steps were more than 2 feet high.

I had travel with my friends too so many places, this bathroom/toilet is the most shocking I ever seen for now. Luckily we spent only a night there. 

Sun  26 Jan 2020

We check out from Batang Kali Hotel and went to the nearest coffee shop for breakfast. There were a lot of people in that shop, but we managed to get a table. From there we adjourn to Ipoh. We had a smooth drive without too many cars on the highway. It took us 3 hours for us to reach Ipoh Toll

At noon, we reach Ipoh toll and went into Ipoh town. We search and manage to book Highway Times Inn Hotel and went in to check the rooms. The room was bigger than Hotel Batang Kail. There was a step into the bathroom/toilet. We tried my wheelchair to enter the toilet, luckily, they push in without difficulty.

After that, we left our baggage's there and went to the nearest coffee shop for lunch. The coffee shop was full with people until we have difficulty finding a table.

After lunch, because the weather was so hot, we didn't go anywhere. We were to visit other places, but we went ended up at AEON supermarket for shopping. That was the coolest place we went. Inside AEON, there were many outlets and restaurants and it was Sunday and also 2nd day of Chinese New Year. There were a lot people were enjoying lunch and shopping with their family.  I had a great time seeing so many branded outlets.

We went into the Hypermarket and bought lots of food and bring them back to the hotel to eat, rest and chit-chat. We enjoyed each others' company. I sat beside them and see them talking. It was great fun.

27 Jan 2020 

In the morning my darling and myself went opposite to the Sun Sun Coffee Shop for breakfast. It was big eating place, full with of people. As there are no tables inside the shop, we decided just to sit outside. There are a few empty small tables. We didn’t know what to eat so we choose western food, which the stall was nearby to our table. The food was quite nice and cheap. Like usual, I couldn't finish the food. our two disabled friends’ were there for breakfast too, so we asked one of them to finish food as not to waste.

After breakfast, we checked out from the hotel and went to the regular shop to buy Salted Chicken.  The nearby parking place was always full with cars, but luckily there were few empty slots. We were able to park near the shop. I went down together as wanted to buy biscuits too. The Salted Chicken shop were always full with people. Every one of us bought the salted chicken and I also bought some biscuits.

After buying everything, we went to town area for some site seeing, but there were not anything much to see. So we went around to search for coffee shops to have lunch but most of shop were all full house. We drove slowly to find a coffee-shop and parking slot too. At last, we found a parking slot nearby a shop. The shop was full with people. Luckily, we found an empty table at the back of the shop.

After filling our stomach, we left Ipoh with a smooth drive back to Penang. It took us 2 hours drive, and everyone fell asleep in the car. We reached Penang Bridge very fast. After pass the bridge, I was the first they drop me home.

I was happy that we had a nice and enjoyable trip, even though we only went to a few places. But I was happy that we went Genting even only few hours there. Thank God for helping me throughout the journey and took care of all of us.