I had an enjoyable and memorable time in Sibu, my hometown, during a short break from work recently. I rode pi l l ion on my best friend’s motorcycle twice; the first time was from her office to her house while the second time was from her office to the hotel where I stayed.
It has been years since I last rode pillion on her motorcycle and it was an unforgettable experience.
In Kuching, I move around in a car or bus. When you are a pillion rider on a motorcycle, you don’t get to see much of the front view as you are busy holding tight to the rider and making sure that you keep yourself balanced on the fast bike. All you get to see are the side views, views of other equally fast vehicles on your left and right sides. Deep in my heart, I pity those who have to commute on motorcycles and fear for their safety.
You see, I work in a newspaper and almost everyday, on the crime pages, you read about motorycle accidents that take away the lives of many young people. The actual pictures of the accidents, which the public do not get to see, are often shocking.
Hence, they are usually heavily censored before publication. Anyway, back to my Sibu trip. My best friend made sure I savoured all the Foochow delicacies like fried mee and kompia (bagel) that I had been craving for. She also took me to the famous “Pasar Malam” (Night Market) where my favourite vegetable “pau” (dumplings) and “Pulut Panggang” (grilled glutinous rice) were on sale.
I also had the opportunity to look at the Sibu Lantern Festival displays with my best friend and take pictures of the interesting displays. I was in Sibu for the District 87 Semi Annual Toastmasters Convention but arrived in the town two days earlier so that I could explore it and take a walk down memory lane.
On my own, I also visited the old parts of the town which I used to frequent when I was growing up. As I walked down memor y lane, I dropped by 31 High Street where my father used to manage a mahjong club and where my family used to live. The lanes leading to our former residence are now very clean and well paved.
When I climbed the steps to the first floor, I was surprised to find the steps were made of steel. I don’t think the steps were made of steel in the olden days. On the first floor, I was surprised to find that the verandah was quite narrow.
I wanted to take a peep inside the rooms but the doors were locked. I remember how my elder sister and I used to plant small pots of flowers on the verandah when we lived there. Because it was near to my hotel, I also had breakfast at the coffeeshop below the Sibu Hainan Assocation. My father worked at the association when I was young and he used to order drinks and food from the former coffeeshop. Since then, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge and the ownership of the shop has changed.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the delicious “Pulut Panggang” and the toasted bun called “Kaya Planta Bulat” on sale there. Things that we remember from the old days sometimes look different now. With the passing time, many things have changed.
This brings to mind a lovely quote by Joseph B. Wirthlin – Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heartwarming! In Sibu, I passed the former Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) building in the town centre several times on my way to my best friend’s office and to the Central Market.
There are many shops located in the former SMC building. When I was growing up, my best friend and I used to spend our leisure time visiting the public library located in the building. Because we could not afford to travel anywhere, books were our best friends then. Until today, my best friend still loves to read while I have no choice but to read everyday because of the nature of my job.
My best f r iend also drove me to a shopping centre far from the town centre. There, I was lucky to grab a few clothes which were being sold at discounts. All too soon, it was time for the Toastmasters Conference. After that, I did not have time to go exploring again. My best friend has asked me to return to Sibu soon so that I can continue my walk down memory lane. It is a good suggestion that I fully support. I definitely look forward to my next date with Sibu.
