Silent Tears Heavier Than The Rain

It's one of those weeks again... where everything seems to be going wrong. It also happens to be the week I say my 'goodbyes' to my Form 3 students who will be facing their PMR next week. These 'goodbyes' are easier to handle since most of them will return next year (well, at least I can only hope). Some have already told me they won't be coming back to my class next year, although they never really tell me why. It leaves me with a saddened heart... it makes me feel as if I'm not good enough.

You'd think I'd be used to facing these short-term goodbyes by now but I don't think I can ever get used to it. I will really be facing an uphill battle in November when my Form 5 classes graduate 'cause then it's 'goodbye' forever. Yeah, some will say they will come visit from time to time. Some will say they will ask me out for dinner when they're free. Well, for the past 8 years, experience has told me that 'Actions Speak Louder Than Words.' Of the many who have proudly boasted they will be my good friends, well, less than 10 percent actually do what they promise. I would rather they not promise me anything.

And so my week started as such. A simple promise from one of my ex-students whom I count as a true friend, was broken even before I had a chance to respond. We were supposed to watch a movie together. Nowadays, it's hard for me to find the time or the friends to watch a movie with. So, I value these moments very much. Perhaps she didn't know that I had rejected other people's invitations to watch that movie since I had promised her. Perhaps watching a movie isn't such a big deal to her, as it is to me. On the day I so badly needed to be with a good friend, to watch a movie that would make me laugh despite my tears inside, I found myself abandoned, alone and awake.

Then comes one of my favorite classes of the week and a familiar face is missing again. This is someone I call my 'sister'. Someone I care a lot about but I guess my class is not worth coming to if there's shopping fun to be had. I really can't understand how teenagers think these days. I remember how I would hate missing my English teacher's class every Thursday night. Mr Gerald is one of the greatest lights in my life and my inspiration to be the best teacher I can be. I would try my best to attend his classes simply because he was such a dedicated teacher who communicated so well with his students. He was more than a teacher. He was a friend. And that's what I've been trying to be for the past 8 years of my teaching life. Yet, I have students who can't seem to grasp that. Am I pissed? No. I'm brokenhearted.

Already, my entire week is filled with that tinge of temporal sadness of not seeing my Form 3 students. I really could have done without any more sadness nor disappointments and yet it happens. Seriously! I feel like breaking something and screaming!

After all the 'goodbyes' have been said and the guitar laid to rest, I just wanted to make myself happy. For a single guy of my age, there's really not much I can do to make myself happy when I'm alone other than pampering myself with an expensive and delicious meal. So, I head over to a fancy restaurant nearby for some wonderful western steak. Well, what a nightmare meal it turned out to be. The waitress got my order wrong one after another. The corn came despite me requesting it to be substituted with vegetables, two sets of steak came when I only ordered one, my butter was taken away when only half-finished and I had to request for another one (I hate wasting food), my steak was more like medium rare when I wanted it to be medium well, some parts of the steak were inedible as it was so hard, my coffee came without any sugar and I had to go to the counter myself to get it. In the end, even my favorite dessert - chocolate ice-cream wasn't the least bit satisfying. Despite my complaints to the supervisor on duty, I had to pay the full price of 81 ringgit (service tax included). That's when I swore I would never go there to dine again.

And so it was... driving back home after a long day, tired... my tummy filled yet unsatisfied, my heart all but an empty shell... and tears of loneliness streaking down my veins... I am left here alone... abandoned... with only my shadow as my only friend... and even that, will soon leave me as I put myself to bed... with silent tears heavier than the rain...

Somewhere In Between

I'm back. Yes, back to blogging more regularly (hopefully), back to Wing Chun after a month-long break and most definitely back in da club. *wink*

It's been a whole year since I last stepped into a club. Last night, I came out of retirement and burned the dance floor. Well, it wasn't a really big fire, not even a flame... perhaps just a tiny spark on the little spot I was dancing on. But nevertheless, I got my groove on and it was good to be back.

A lot of people have misconceptions of why I like to go clubbing but people who know me, know that I go there for one thing alone - dancing! I've been a natural dancer since my kindergarten teacher commented how I could almost move like the late great Michael Jackson. I still remember the song - 'Beat It'. I do not pretend to be the best dancer out there cause I know I'm not even close but what I do know is, I enjoy good music and a good time on the dance floor. It's never been my foremost passion but it definitely is one of my favorite things.

And so, there I was... with a bunch of college teens, on my ex-student's birthday bash. I promised her I would take her clubbing when she reached 18. It's taken more than a year to fulfill that promise but I was there, finally, in my dancing shoes... and it felt like I was coming home. It's funny that the last time I clubbed, which was more than a year ago, was also to fulfill my promise to another ex-student to take her clubbing when she reached 18. I reckon there'll be a few more such promises to be made in the coming years and I'm not complaining.

Clubbing is great fun if done responsibly and this is where people don't get it when I say I go to the club just to dance. For most, it's about drinking (and perhaps getting laid) but not for me. I don't like to drink (never been drunk before) and I hate the smell of smoke, so let's not talk about Marlboros. As for that little matter of getting laid, well, as honest as I already am - I'm not the sort to do that. Not saying I'm an angel or anything. Just saying, that's not my purpose in the club.

Chillin' out after some intense grooving on the dance floor, I watched from the balcony of the club. I saw all those teens jumping about, waving their hands like they just don't care (oh OH! oh OH!) and ladies shaking them asses up on the stage, teasing the guys with every move... and then it hit me - "my little girl", my ex-student, was up there having the time of her life. I mean, I know she's 18 but when I saw her being 18 with my own eyes, it hit me - real hard. She's grown up now. And to jolt my senses further, I ran into another ex-student at the club - this sweet girl I taught when she was just 10 and then from 16 through 17. I looked at her and she's all grown up as well, make up and everything. I guess she was more surprised to see me there than I was to see her there.

And so it hit me - I'm old. Well, I'm not that old but I'm not that young either. Sure, I felt at home, singing and dancing away but there were times when I looked around and saw all those fresh-faced teens jumpin' around, I said to myself, "Man... I'm getting too old for this." But when I get on the dance floor, I realize I'm not that old either cause I've still got my moves. And just to emphasize the fact that I'm really not that old, my ex-student's friends thought I was her college-mate! I'm not pretending to be young - I just feel young and I look young too! (Er-hmm!) So, I end up in this strange place of having been there, done that, yet somehow, I still enjoy reliving that part of my life. But if you asked me if I still have the energy to go on dancing forever like how I used to, then I'll have to admit that I can't anymore. I'm somewhere in between.

As she twirls and sways, her feet moving to the beat, her hair effortlessly flowing in the pounding explosion of rhythm... I see "my little girl" all grown up. I've never been a father before but I can imagine how it feels like. Seeing her there made me happy yet a little reluctantly sad at the same time. She's not a woman yet of course but she's also no longer the little girl who sat down in my class, with her eyes fixed on me as I taught her English and about life... no, she's exactly where I am right now... just somewhere in between.

That's What She Said

"It's okay, I understand that you're trying to be responsible. You don't have to apologize. We can go our separate ways. Thanks anyway...."

"Don't you know we could have gone all the way? I'm sorry but I don't feel the same way about you anymore. Please, stop coming to see me..."

"I'm sorry but I don't want to hurt anymore. I want to break-up with you. This is where it ends..."

"Thanks for the wonderful times. It's been great being with you. I hope we both find our own places in this world. Take care and hugs..."

"Why don't we just break-up? I can't love you as much as you love me. It's unfair for you. So, please, just let this go..."

"I think you should stop seeing me. It's not fair for you and I don't want you to sacrifice more than you already have. I will always be your friend and always remember that you'll have a special place in my heart..."

These are the words I still keep in my heart. It's not that I want to but for some reason, they remain there, in the deep recesses of my broken heart. I've been through quite a lot in life. Some would say, I've already been through more than some would have gone through in their entire life. Yet, of all the disappointments in my life, nothing depresses me more than the fact that I still haven't found what I'm looking for. Well, actually, I did... once... but that true love was lost in all the uncertainty... lost in all the sacrifices... lost in all the confusion and regret - a regret that I once held her in my arms... a regret that I didn't hold her longer... a regret that I cannot share my life with her anymore...

Love has a way of lifting you up to the clouds and then letting you fall. You might be lucky to fall onto the rocks. All that it will do is break you into half. It is a death, no doubt, but a quick one. It would almost be painless as your head cracks open and your brain gets splattered all over in an instant. The only bad thing is that you won't look very good in your coffin, brainless and all.

If you are less lucky, you might fall into the water. Though depending on how you fall, the water may soften your fall but it will nevertheless drown you in all its sorrow. It would be like drowning in an ocean of tears. That wouldn't be very nice if the last thing you taste is the bitterness of your tears. The pain of it would pierce right through your heart and you would bleed a horrible and painful death.

No, I would much prefer to die in the arms of the one I love. At least then, I can leave this world with a smile on my face and sunshine in my heart. Knowing that I had found my one true love, I would gladly leave this Earth. But that's not the case. No, far from it.

Until today, I still can't forget her. Until today, I still can't find someone to replace her. Until today, I still can't find that one true love that I once had and am still looking for and every day, life gets that much harder to live. So, if you find 'LOVE', please tell her that I'm here, waiting for her... or sometimes I wonder, is she even out there at all?

"You should forget about me. I'm not good for you. You'll find someone better, I'm sure."

That's what she said.

Life... As I Know It...

I've been having this on my mind for a couple of weeks. "To be or not to be, that is the question...". Just as Hamlet once said of his dilemma, so now am I, the Hamlet of the modern times.

I love my job. That says enough about why I do what I do and how I do what I do. I teach; but as any of my students will tell you, I teach different things, differently. Not all students can accept my method of teaching but those are the same students who do not realise the point of my teaching. Those are the same students who miss out on so much that I have to offer. The majority of my students who stay with me until they graduate, realise and understand the point of my teaching. These are the students who will later go on to college and university and thank me for preparing them for their future. And really, a simple, 'Thank You', is all I ever hope for.

Recently, I've been faced with a choice that has been unexpectedly set before me. It is a choice for me to widen my circle of students and to push myself even harder than I already am. As it is now, my schedule is almost full. I'm currently teaching 20 classes from Monday to Friday, from as early as 8:00am to the late hours of 10pm. Only Friday night gives me some much needed rest and time off for myself. Of course, there is also the weekend - a precious time for myself that I cherish so deeply. Well, it won't be the case anymore.

Ive always been proud to say, "I don't teach on Saturdays and Sundays. Those are my off days." Now, I might have to rephrase that to, "I don't teach on Sunday. That is my off day." The question that has been burning in my mind, has been whether I should take up the offer of teaching at a new place. This was the unexpected choice that presented itself before me. It was something I never thought about but in the circumstances that it has presented itself, I find myself considering something which I thought I would reject outright. Maybe I'm still considering to reject this offer... I don't know. That's why I'm still awake at this hour. I usually am awake at this hour but that is due to me being full of energy and happily commenting away on facebook. Nowadays, I find my energy escaping me. Where it is escaping to, I have no idea and I'm desperate to find it again.

Life, as it is for me now, is good. I'm busier than I used to be but I still have time for myself. I live an active life and most people are surprised to hear that. For most people, the sporting activities I do on a regular basis would seem almost impossible at the age I am and for the hours I work. The sad thing is, I used to do more than this. It used to be gym four times a week, futsal once a week, swimming twice a week, and Wing Chun once a week. Starting from next month, I fear it might turn into this instead - gym once a week, futsal once a week and Wing Chun once a week. That is far from what I would be satisfied doing for myself. I have personal targets to achieve and this new venture means I will have to give some of them up. And for who do I give up my personal goals? My students, that's who.

I don't have anyone else to love besides my family and friends, and so I love my students. I love them because I treat them as my friends. I only wish they would treat me the same. Recently, there have been a few times where I've lost my temper in class and if you know me, you would know that is something that doesn't happen. I used to joke that I would lose my temper once a year. Now, some unappreciative students are trying to break that record and some, unfortunately, have actually succeeded. I hate getting angry and I don't want to get angry - ever.

So there you have it. With my new classes adding onto my already full schedule and with students nowadays behaving worse than before, life... as I know it... is about to change... for better or worse? I'm praying desperately that it is the former.

No Joke

April Fool's Day is such a fun day. It's a day for watchful eyes and ears, quick hands and quick feet, and an even quicker mind. It's especially fun if you're still a student because of the numerous opportunities that being in a class of 30 can throw up on this 'dangerous' day. Well, I might not be a student anymore but I still get to be in a class of 30. One of the perks of being a teacher, I guess.

My 'dangerous' day started way earlier than expected. I got fooled soon after midnight on April 1st, by an innocent-looking girl on Facebook of all people. I now have serious doubts about innocent-looking girls who appear somewhat nerdy (in an adorable way) - Beware folks! They are not what they seem to be! ><

Aside from that minor 'casualty', I managed to start my day pretty well. My first class at 8am were ripe for the picking as blurry eyes and ears at such ungodly hours of study made for the perfect 'set-up'... or so I thought. Boy, were my 13-year-olds quick to lay the trap for me as soon as I stepped into class. Needless to say, I was well-prepared and did not fall for any of their 'amateurish' attempts. Forgive the egoistic remark but I do pride myself on being a 'professional prankster'. =p

One down, three to go, as my next class came thick and fast. 14-year-olds were just as easy to fool as their younger species. Again, no problem - piece of cake. I waited another two hours for my next class and I plotted my next scheme as I had lunch. I was even able to squeeze in a prank on an ex-student while at it. Damn, I'm good! Class number three came and again, my 15-year-olds were no match for me. Muahaha!

Finally, the last class of the day was in session and this would be the toughest of all targets - my 17-year-olds. Midway through the class, I tried my first prank... it failed. However, it just goes to show how good I am when I managed to immediately fool the student who'd just called my bluff. That was some bit of awesome recovery! I'm sure my entire class would agree. Hehehe!

To make the day even better, I had the good fortune of having dinner with my ex-student and it was great catching up on each other's lives. Just having dinner with someone these days is already a blessing, what more with a cherished ex-student of mine. It simply fills me with pride when I see my ex-students succeeding in life and pursuing their dreams. It kind of makes me feel like a dad, even though I've never been one before.

Then, as I was driving home, with a wonderful smile still etched on my face, my phone alerted me to a new text message received. When I read it, all my cheerful glee evaporated into thin air and a deeply disappointing cloud of emotions rained down on me. One of my favourite students told me that she had made the decision to stop coming to my class. She cited tiredness as her reason. I put away my phone, disbelief shaking my head, as yet another case of 'tiredness' or 'time clashes' robbed me of a student who always brought a smile to my heart. Someone who has a wonderful learning attitude and is a really nice person overall. Yes, these are the ones who are my favourite students - the ones who show a willing effort to learn and improve, the ones who are sincere about it. For me, straight A's mean nothing if you lack any of these attributes. I'd rather teach a student whose best effort results in C's but has the attributes I admire so much than a straight-A student who fails to display any of those attributes. This student was the third I've 'lost' this year due to 'tiredness' or 'time clashes' and it really bothers me that I can't do anything about it. I'm so frustrated! Argh! And at the same time, so sad...

I've always mentioned to my students that I disagree with the tuition scenario in our country. I know I sound like a hypocrite since I'm one of the participants in this scenario but I teach in tuition centers only because I disagree even more with our school scenario. I would love to teach in schools, if not for the restricting, suffocating and passion-killing nature of the job.

Teaching in tuition centers is the only way I can do what is right and best for my students. However, as hard as I try and as much as I give myself to this cause, there are forces beyond my control that leave me helpless to change things. I'm helpless to give my students the energy they need to attend the numerous tuition classes and I'm helpless to give my students financial assistance if that were ever their need. Yet, one lingering bitter after-taste remains... it is the bitter question that has long eaten into the core of my heart and all that I believe in. When there are so many classes that a student could give up, why do they give up mine? Why English? Why me?

As I drag myself into my room after a long fun-filled day, suddenly April Fool's Day doesn't seem so much fun anymore. No joke.

Getting Over Is Hard To Do

Wow. Has it been THAT long since my last post?

Sigh... so much has happened since that wonderful day of January 1st. I met someone whom I thought could be more than just a friend. She was someone whom I really liked and someone whom I was willing to give my all for. In three weeks, it grew into a whirlwind romance and ended with a huge hole in my heart, before the cracks started to appear before nearly every part was shattered into pieces... pieces which I've painstakingly tried to recover and mend back into a whole again.

Within those three weeks, I had to get over the loss of my dear grandma - my last surviving loved one from the first generation of my family. And in the midst of tears, there was joy too as the celebration of my birthday arrived only a week after - a birthday that I could finally celebrate with someone special; something I haven't been able to do for four years.

But people change, and some faster and stranger than others. On my supposedly happiest day, she broke my heart with three simple words. No 'I love you', that feeling was certainly missing. Not even 'I like you' as I could vaguely guess by then. But these three - 'Let's be friends.' Words which would cut so deep into my heart because I had thought otherwise with hopes placed so high.

It didn't help much that my ex-students gathered in one huge group to surprise me that night - a surprise which I'd figured out earlier. On other days, I would be so happy but on this one day, my lips tried in vain to stretch a smile. Even if I did, it was laced with irony and pain. And so my birthday came and went...

Chinese New Year soon arrived and I had hoped it would add some much needed fun and colour into my life. At least perhaps, just to paper over the recent cracks of my life. But then comes the fun killer - traditional Chinese superstitious beliefs which forbid me from visiting friend's houses due to my grandma's recent passing. I was deemed to be a bringer of bad luck. Being a Christian, I do not hold to any sort of superstition or 'pantang', as it is called among our community but respect their beliefs, I had to. What other choice did I have? And so, there went any potential saving grace to my recent heartbreak. I was cut off from having any sort of fun I would have had from visiting my friends and being with my ex-students, who I missed so dearly.

If that wasn't bad enough, my mother's side was also forbidden to give 'ang pao's this year. What I received from my father's side amounted to no more than RM 50. Would you believe that? While most people my age would dare not complain, well, I figure, if people are so steadfast about certain Chinese traditions, then according to Chinese tradition, I'm still considered a kid since I'm not married and so I deserve my 'ang pao'. What's there to be ashamed of? Sure, on the surface I say stuff like, 'It's okay...' or 'There's no need to...' or 'Oh come on, I'm already thirty so and so...' but deep down, I'm all for receiving 'ang pao's during Chinese New Year. Who would say no to that, huh?

And so, tomorrow is Valentine's Day. The plans I had, the gifts I bought... now all thrown into the thrash. For there will be no special someone to celebrate with me this year, as it has been for the past four years. So, why don't I just go to a corner and cry?

Nah! It's much more fun celebrating the fact that I'm still single, that I've got no beer belly, that I'm still fit as a twenty-something and that I still look and live like a twenty-something. Getting over is hard to do but baby, is it time to partay!

And So It Was

And so it was... the year 2010 ended just like that... a sparrow in full flight across my window, disappearing beyond my bedroom wall. It's going to be hard to recollect every single moment that transpired in my life this year so I'll just take a look at the last week of my life in 2010. Short as it seemed, it was eventful, nonetheless.

I celebrated Christmas eve by going to church, which is really the one the place anyone should be if they were serious about celebrating an event which marks the birth of Jesus Christ. Gone are the days where I would celebrate Christmas Eve in some hip and happenin' club like Zouk or book a room in Genting. I'll save those places for other celebrations. For now, I want to be where I should be on Christmas eve and it wasn't as dull as I feared it would be. Sounds like a sin to say that but what's worse is that I've turned into the very thing which I used to abhor - the annual Christian. Sigh... well, that's a story for another day.

From the quiet and peaceful celebration of Silent Night, I found myself queuing up with a bunch of other strangers the next night. Going to the movies? Nope. Getting into da club? Uh-uh. This was something way better... a once in a lifetime opportunity and the realization of my dream - tonight, on Christmas Night, I was going to meet my dream girl, Tien Fu Chen! My dream girl was in town to promote her debut album, 'To Hebe', and I wasn't going to let this chance slip away. All those years of saying how I would one day meet her, well now was the time to make it happen.

I wasn't alone though, as I was ably supported by my trio of ex-students. It's so nice to have friends who appreciate the beauty, talent and personality of my dream girl. Haha.

... and my dream girl appears...

Getting my 'To Hebe' album and 'To Hebe Live DVD' ready to be autographed.

My attempt to proclaim my love for my dream girl. Haha! Too bad she was too preoccupied with my good looks to notice my t-shirt.

Mission Accomplished! I finally made my dream a reality! Tien Fu Chen, you are so sweet and lovely in person... I melt every time I think of you... Sigh...

After the beautiful night that was Christmas, I looked forward to my next adventure - my year-end holiday away from the city. I was going to enjoy a refreshing three days by the beach and boy was I excited! I try to make it a point to visit the beach at least once a year. I just love the feeling of touching the sand with my bare feet, looking out over the horizon as the sun sets and listening to the recurring sound of crashing waves. It's one of the most beautiful places in the world.

The journey on the bus seemed to take forever but it was punctuated by a delicious stop at Bidor for some duck noodles at that grand-old famous restaurant - Pun Chun. That was nice. Finally, after some 4 hours, we reached Lumut and was greeted by a foul odour. Apparently, that was the dump site and not the sea, thank God! As we waited for the ferry to take us to Pangkor Island, my ex-students and I decided to snap a few photos. Here's me looking every bit the beach traveler.

... as well as going crazy on the ferry. The retarded side of me has a tendency to surface whenever I'm having fun.

As we reached Pangkor rather late in the evening, there was nothing much to do except spend a few hours viewing the sunset by the beach before enjoying our first meal on the island. We were each given a packet of chicken rice by our tour guide on our arrival but I wouldn't call that 'enjoyment' as I've had better. Our dinner was at a typical small town seafood restaurant and though it wasn't the best on the island, it was good enough for the most part.

After that, we were itching to do something fun and decided to head to the beach again. It was nearly 10pm when a crazy idea struck our minds - night-swimming! So, we returned to our rented house, which was only 5 minutes away on foot and rushed back to the beach in swim-wear. I've never gone night-swimming before and it was certainly fun! After some hours of playful fun, we decided to surface from our seaside adventure.

What happened after that was certainly unforseen and left a negative mark on our holiday experience. While we were swimming, we'd noticed a group of unruly kids on motorbikes, setting off firecrackers. They were just a few meters away from us, on the road above the beach. As we set foot for home around 11pm, the group of young bikers left too. As we walked through the narrow path that linked the beach to our rented house, the bikers turned away from us, onto the main road.

My worst fears were confirmed when we reached our rented house and this group of about 10 Chinese youths without helmets, stopped their bikes right outside. One of them confronted my ex-student, accusing him of complaining about their firecracker activity. My ex-student was bullish in his reply and I sensed this could turn ugly. I quickly stepped forward and announced my position as their teacher. I stated we were here to relax after a stressful exam period and apologized for my ex-student's remark. I played the race card, saying we were all Chinese here and there was no need to fight amongst ourselves. I did this all in Ip-Man style and thankfully, they took my polite apology and left us alone. For a moment there, I was dreading having to finish all 10 of them off with my Wing Chun moves. Thankfully, there was no need for battered bodies and broken bones.

Our second day was the most exciting as we would be going out to sea. The weather was wonderful! Just a little bit of sunshine passing through the cloudy sky. We also had the good fortune of not facing any rain despite weather forecasts saying otherwise. Our boat tour guide was a real joker. Time and again, he would surprise us with his humor. He should do stand-up comedy.

Our island hopping adventure took us to several spots and we managed to do a bit of snorkeling and sun-bathing as the sun finally came out after noon. It wasn't long before it went back in for a nap and left us to enjoy a cool day out at the sea. Once we hit the shores, we went for a variety of rides, of which I only took one - the Banana Boat. It was an exhilarating first experience for me and it's something I'll definitely do again.

After cleaning up, we decided to explore the island. We rented mountain bikes for a ridiculously cheap RM 8 each, for as long as we wanted. The nice elderly uncle said we could return them before we left the island and wouldn't even mind it if we rode them until they broke down (seriously). I have to admit, it was a return to my childhood days once more as we huffed and puffed up the slopes and zoomed back down across the seaside. It must have been more than 10 years since I'd ridden a bike! Oh what fun it is to ride a bicycle by the sea!

Our bicycle adventure brought us to Eng Seng Satay Fish Factory, where I met two lovely sisters working there. I accurately guessed their school-going age and they were surprised to discover I was a teacher. They told me, "Itu semua kamu punya murid? Kamu nampak macam sebaya aje." Haha! I always get a kick out of that! I then told the younger sister, who I believe has the looks to be a movie star, "Bila kamu dah besar, jaga-jaga tau? Nanti ramai lelaki akan kejar. Semua berbaris dari sini sampai ke jetty sana." She laughed and appreciated my good-natured humor and promised to add me on Facebook. Haha. We'll see...

After returning from our tiring escapade with bagfuls of delicious dried seafood snacks, it was time to really enjoy a rare dinner experience - barbecue on the beach! There's nothing quite like fanning the flames over the barbecue pit with the smell of roasted chicken and fresh seafood permeating the air to the sound of crashing waves. Ah... this is the life!

Everything seemed to breeze past so quickly, we soon found ourselves getting ready to leave. Our last day was spent touring attraction spots around the island and guess what, it finally rained. Nothing too heavy, just light drizzles which didn't dampen our spirits too much.

By evening, around 4:30pm, it was time to head to the jetty and off we went, back to Lumut, back onto our bus and back home to the city. I miss Pangkor already.

Well, at least here's something for me to remember Pangkor by - a shark bite. (Hah! Just kidding!)

In the span of five days, I'd experienced a star-struck Christmas and an eventful island holiday. What next for New Year's eve? Well, that's for me to know and for you to find out...

Here's a hint...