3 days 2 nights in Banting

Date        :    15.5.2009 -17.5.2009
Period    :    3 days 2 nights in Banting

A trip that was planned years ago and finally able to make it comes true. He is Keng, one of my best partners while I was working in Genting. He lives in Banting and that is why we went to his hometown for a visit. I hadn’t been there before. I could say it was a great trip and really fun!

Yuen fatt and I took KTM to Serdang to wait for the arrival of my friend to fetch us back to his hometown. I guessed of being excited, we were there much earlier than expected. After my friend reached at the Serdang KTM, we kick started our wonderful journey and heading to his hometown-Banting. Before that, we were fetched to his university for a brief one round tour. I found that University Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) is such a huge campus and the buildings are well designed as well as with modern sense. In comparison to my university, I would say UNITEN far more concern about the architectures of its campus.

In order to go to Banting, we need to pass through Putrajaya and follow the signboard to Dengkil. I was told that Dengkil is a town but relatively small than Banting. I could say it was a short journey drive from Serdang to Banting as my friend said it merely required about an hour similar travel to Genting or even lesser time. Along the journey, we have a chat and gossiping news that happened around us. It was such a long time we never met each other since last year. Even though we were not studying in the same area, we did keep in touch with each other through msn and blogging. Today, while chatting with one of my university’s friend, she was surprised we still able to keep a close relationship even after many years.  Indirectly, it shows to us how’s magnificent blogging power in playing a role to maintain a friendship…

A short while, we reached in Banting. Firstly, we had our lunch in a roadside hawker stall. It was a stall that order fried dishes. Keng ordered for us the 3 dishes, one of them is the chief’s recommended dish in this stall and got reported in the newspaper. The dish sort of like fried mushroom with meats and it is tasty and delicacy and the other dishes are full with style of hometown. “Three dishes and one soup” is a typical Chinese diet’s culture,  hence I really felt like at home.

After had our lunch, Keng fetched us back to his house for a rest. It is a single storey house and with garden like semi-D in KL. Keng told me that it was his grandfather’s land and owing to his ancestor was from China and at that time when arrived in Malaysia, they brought the land. Hence, a raw with consist of 5 houses all are his relative. Keng is the eldest son with two sibling- one younger sister and one youngest brother. His grandmother and grandfather live with them. I was so embarrassed to say throughout the period in Banting, I never able to talk with neither grandmother nor grandfather due to communication problem. They speak Hokien the only language and I really had no idea how to converse.

After sufficient rest, we went to his father’s wood factory. It was located in the palm oil farm and was surrounded with palm trees. Keng introduced us his mother, a friendly and a nice mother as well as a competence officer. She takes control over the office and the workers there. A lot of information was obtained from his mother as she explained to us while bringing us to visit the factory. To determine a good quality of a wood piece, it must not consist of any holes due to woodborer and growth rings as they will cause break of wood piece while further process into furniture or others. From Keng’s mother, we were told that the wood sources are usually from durian trees and manggis tree.

I was shown how a tree can be processed into pieces of wood. It was through efficient machine to cut them into pieces. When I was young, I used to wonder how tree in round could be produced as rectangular shape. And now I finally saw in front of my eyes, just like cutting cake. However, if you do any mistake in cutting cake, perhaps you might just get injured and with wound. But here, you might lost your precious hand due to high speed rotation of the saw chain functioned by machine.

A tree can be cut into pieces and the remaining part of the tree still can be sold to get money. The corner part of the tree which cannot be cut into pieces will be piled up as woodpile to be sold as combustion source. Even though the sawdust consist its value that is to be sold and further processed as fertilizer due to it is a best habitat for earthworm. In addition, it can be sold as hamster’s sawdust. The prices of the tree is calculated in tonne, each tonne yield about few thousands ringgit depends on the quality. Keng’s mother said, the whole tree can be sold into money, none of them are wasted. It will be exported out to Japan, China and others countries to yield a better price by normally it will be done by the agent.

She even told us that the problem that had to face in doing business, quite “kacau of the GOV people loo…”, again cour_ption my dear! You should know what I am meant! Really a tough job to be accomplished! However, Keng’s mother said all these need practices and once picked up, you will know the way too. That is why I described her mother as competence woman. This factory is run by his father with his uncles, hence it can be considered as familial business.

After the tour to factory, we were fetched to Morib near the beachside for a drinks and leisure walk. His grandfather was once lived in this area before and later moved into where they live now. Although we cannot find crystal clear water here, but teh tarik colour seaside can still be observed. Blow of humid wind carrying smell of sea salt can be felt here. A few couples are playing near the beachside and had a wonderful period together. We drunk coconut water and ate a traditional cooked style for squid-chip which can only be found in Banting. We waited until the sunset and chatted while waiting as well as took photos together. It was a romantic day while observing the sunset but it will be better if the one sit beside is your lover. Hahaa…

The sunset, dark had covered the sky and Keng fetched us to buy souvenir- i.e. kerepek. The owner is one of his relative who is Malay. After that, we had our dinner in as western restaurant and had our steak meal. I found that the stalls in Banting are like KL, they opened until 10pm plus. After the dinner, we went back to home and got rest for the challenge tomorrow-hill climbing.

We started our journey to Bukit Jugra at around 8am. The hill is a military hill that is used by the armies for practice. Besides that, the downhill is a grave site for Chinese and just felt a bit scary when I was traveled down alone after being abandoned by my friend. Haha… The hill is not difficult to climb and I will label it as morning walk rather than climbing hill. However, the scenery there is fascinating and beautiful as shown in the photos. Owing to I am a city boy, the natural view is seldom observed in the city and I felt like really coexisted with the nature once I stepped on the hill.  Anyway, it was really a fantastic feeling.

Almost the entrance of the Bukit Jugra, there is a farm which was specially built for the Sultan of Selangor for deer’s meat supply. Due to the Sultan has passed away; the site was abandoned until now and left no deer but bushes. A thought just ran through my mind, what’s a luxurious lifestyle for a Sultan.

After the tired exercise, we went back for a shower and later Keng brought us to have our breakfast. It was a unique meal that only found in Banting. It is almost similar with “Ma Bu Teh” but not really the same as it consists of two colours- white and dark black. The taste is slightly less strong if relative to “Ma Bu Teh” but savored with home style favor. The white soup was tasted a bit bitter as it was cooked with bitter gourd. In short describe-“Hochak!”

Another tourist spot in Banting is……Police Station. You might be wondering why is the Police Station became tourist spot, the reason being that it is grand and well architectural building like palace or hotel.  After breakfast, we rest for a while and continue our journey to Bukit Tinggi where is closed to Klang for a movie. The cinema is located in the Jusco and the Jusco is considered as big as Pavillon in KL. Hence, don’t you think that town area is not well developed or not concerned by the government nowadays! The movie we watched was Angel and Demon. If really want me to rate, I will give about 90% as it is directed adventurously and full of critical thinking. Briefly saying, it is a movie that worth to be watched in the cinema. The cinema was damn cool until my fingers were nearly frozen and hard to move. Luckily, I was wearing long pant, if not I guess I might got into sick already…

Right after the movie, we rushed to the toilet and went out straight to outdoor to regain our body heat regeneration. Looked at the time, is tea break time and we decided to high-tea in Old Town Restaurant. I have tasted espresso mocha in Sg. Wang and it is really suitable drinks for all walks of life as the taste is commonly acceptable by the public. However, espresso mocha is not the same as coffee mocha. The coffee mocha is far more “weird” taste than what I had as espresso mocha. So, ladies and gentleman please don’t mix up these two and thought that they are the same.

After the high tea break, we walked around in the shopping mall and my friend, Keng bought himself a cap. He told me that for guys, we only required an item in our dressing to look nice and presentable and one of the items is cap. I felt agree too when started observing the guys around the shopping mall. An item is sufficient enough to carry a guy’s character. Later on, we went back and had our dinner. We had a new guest with us in our dinner; he is Quan, Keng’s youngest brother. He is currently student and need to face for SPM exam. Retrospect the past; we had gone through that level nearly 4 years ago. The kind of fears during SPM examination was not there anymore and without realizing we are now at the level of university, taking degree course.  I could only able to comment, time flies.

We ordered a chicken, a fish, 1kg crab and clam/ “Lala” as well as a dish of vegetable which was an abundance meal for 4 of us. The fish was among the tastiest dishes which the method of cook was new for me. “Oil soak” is the term and it is a new term for me too, but anyway it is delicious to be tasted. The clams also taste not bad and one of the factors that contribute to the savor is freshness. The seafood was caught and cooked at the same day, thus freshness is the biggest advantage here. There was a small trouble for me as I was spilt over my face and shirt -the juicy from the crab when Quan tried breaking the hard shell of crab by using an instrument. However, I did not get angry as I knew that he did it with no intention.

This meal was sponsored by Keng’s mother. I should say quite cheap as it only cost us about RM60+. If we ate the same meal in KL, I will say it must be up to RM 100+ with the minimum. After the meal, Keng fetched us back and owing to his friends from Sarawak came to his hometown, he went to meet them for a short gathering. Yuen Fatt and I were in his house and we started to discuss back some of the Mathematic knowledge. I had been one year plus never touched Mathematic as most of my subjects require reading and understanding as well as memorizing but not figures solving. Even though I left Mathematic for long period of time, but I still be able to catch up easily as the fundamental was taught and saved into my memories years ago and I just need a starter to combust and ran the machine only. You might be asking me, “Why are you studying back the Mathematic?” The reason being that would like to be a part time tuition teacher and this is must knowledge for me in order to grab a seat as the position of teacher.

Last night in Banting, we felt tired too. Hence, we bed early than expected. A silent night and peaceful surrounding caused me to fall asleep until morning without awake. It was a sweet sleep and day of unbearable sorrow as we were required to back to where we from and lead back our real life. A town gave us an environment that is closed to nature and freedom. We were isolated from the noisy city, heavy vehicle such as bus and sound pollution. The lifestyle here is slow yet with high productivity. The people here are friendly and nice to be interacted. The rate of carrying living is relax and less stressful than in town. Once, I asked myself, “Is this what I am looking for?” —I don’t know. However, I am sure that this is a place I will be back in someday for me to search for the answer. Thank Keng for organized this wonderful trip for us and I really appreciate what’s you have done. Thank Keng’s family for treating us and gave us place for accommodation in your house as well as treated us a few meals.

This is a wonderful journey. In fact, we need not to have any modern or sophisticated environment for a first class tour. There is always something top of materialistic satisfaction… it is the sincere heart. I am glad to say that I found it in your home and I am really glad to be there. Although there were neither crystal clear water beach nor exciting theme park, but the culture of this town is much more valuable than the others.

A journey should not be leveraged into first class or low class. Some might say, a small town, there is nothing much to explore. In fact, it is you to determine where to explore and what’s to explore. The great of world, there are always things that we have not even seen. Even a small town could have its unique culture and tradition. If you are a good traveler, you will never miss the chance to experience it and took as many photos as possible. If you would say the trip is boring and without any excitement.  I will say that you are a part of the journey and playing a role in it too. If the trip is boring that is you did not carry out your responsible well enough. You have 100% control over a journey and to make it to be interesting. Hence, even a small town can mean a lot for an enthusiastic traveler.

At last, Banting trip- Mission Accomplish!

~ by Willam on May 18, 2009.