I am still inwardly grateful that this short trip showed me the extent of how a true friendship can do wonders.
To start off with, the end of August signalled an all time high of patriotic spirit for me. It wasn't just another Merdeka, it is was a celebration of what is good in our country. Starting with our amazing athletes. I felt personally involved and moved as I went to the Games to watch them put on a great show of sportsmanship, dedication and courage. The moment when you have an invincible opponent stronger beyond imagination, but you have to fight with every fibre of your body and energy to get on equal footing and outsmart them. I watched all their battles with passion and fervour, knowing how it felt to lose, and the pressure of performing well personally and as a nation. All in all, these moments fueled my patriotism. I have no fondness for all the naysayers who only know how to criticise our hard working athletes and not offer the slightest praise or feel pride on their wins. To commemorate the great event, I bought SEA Games shirts for almost the whole family and myself.
Flash forward, my SEA Games spirit was still burning when the Penang trip kicked off on the actual day of Merdeka. It was a very curious trip as we were both dearly missing our long time companion Edward the wise and funny, but this was the time to test the depth of our friendship. To both our amazements, we found ourselves compatible in almost every way- from our energy levels to the foods we like to eat (both saying no thanks to Assam Laksa), to the attractions we want to see and the eye candy at the next table. Besides old connections, we somehow both opened up about our unspoken previous interests, and it was really interesting to hear more about her uni days.
Of course, I also made a mental note that she voluntarily assumed responsibilities of keeping count of our budget, road navigation when we were exploring on foot, as well as organising notes on points of interests. She did it all without asking me to share the responsibility, and at that it was a job well done on her part. Most people would either do it begrudgingly or steer clear of responsibilities so they can sit back and relax on the trip. I am grateful for that and want to emulate her good behaviour next time for people who deserve it.
We both cared about the quality of the trip and not to upset the fun and the peace. We internalised our panic and calmly discussed when the Uber driver was confused and could not seem to locate us at the Avatar Secret Garden. Her calm and collected demeanour gets my stamp of approval on what a true friend and great travel buddy is supposed to be like:) I really love the phone casing gift, and the whole trip made us proud that we were so independent.
We had to face some flight delays but time passsed quickly with good company. Also, thanks to the amazing achievements of our SEA Games athletes, I got a day to rest which I am extra thankful for.
