Morning Travels

Went for a site visit in Johor on Wednesday, and had to get up early, rendezvous at 7:30am in the heart of KL to go down via MPV (the merchant banker rented a Toyota Estima). Got my younger sister to wake up early to send me to the Universiti Putra Station. Actually, could have walked down the hill to the station, but been hearing stories of the occasional early morning robberies as people walk down the hill before sunrise. So, better safe than sorry. Been a while since I went on the train, and was pleasantly surprised that it has still been kept quite clean.

Boarded the train around 6:48am, and was still deciding whether to alight either at Pasar Seni or Masjid Jamek station. The train carriage had a few passengers, but not as packed as I have seen it before, as the morning rush has not yet begun. Didn’t get a seat though, but it was ok, as the journey was quite short, and gave me the chance to stand and look around, enjoying the early morning view.

Took about ten minutes only, and since I was early, went out at Pasar Seni station. Decided to take a brief stroll around Petaling Street to experience the early morning life before the ever present hustle and bustle of business begins.

Whilst walking, passed a few landmarks which reminded me of past times. As I was coming out of the Pasar Seni station, momentarily stopped in my tracks, looked up and saw the Putra line train carriage moving on the rail track nestled between some buildings. Quite a nice sight, just imagining how the area has developed since I first came to KL over ten years ago.

Just beside the station, I saw a river (don’t know name’leh! – didn’t do homework!), and recalled past flooding incidences further down the road where Masjid Jamek station is located. Used to work at Wisma Lee Rubber (yeah, was with a foreign back for a bit), and remembered that the building became like an island surrounded by water, with rescue boats ferrying people around. That was the time of the great flood in KL, twice as I recall it, and watched whiled some firemen waded waist deep in the murky water trying to clear blocked drainage and such. I wonder if there are any crocodiles in the river. There were certainly rumours of some before, but possibly more like human crocodiles who prey on the unwary.

Made my way past Wisma Hangsam, there previously housed the KL Main branch of a now defunct bank I used to work for, acquired by the “Tiger” bank with its logo prominent for all to see. Saw Hotel Malaya, the very hotel I stayed in for two weeks while searching for a place to stay in unfamiliar KL. It looks the same from the outside, not sure how things have changed since then.

Nothing took my fancy (breakfast I mean!), and walked towards the scheduled meeting point. Still had some minutes to spare, so I made my way to the Starbucks outlet which I saw before crossing the road. The sign was lit up, so I guessed it was opened for business. Enjoyed a hot cup of coffee, and sort of reflected in the quietness of the moment over what I saw whilst walking.

Yes, must really appreciate and be grateful for the good things in life. There I was, with a steaming cup of coffee costing over RM6, and just before, I saw:

a. People sleeping on the streets, whether by design or by unfortunate circumstances, possibly wondering where their next meal will be coming from.
b. Students in uniform getting about ready for class, deep in thought. At that age, possibly thinking about what to do after class later, and for the more serious ones, what’s in store for life ahead.
c. Small peddlers, setting up shop, servicing early morning customers for local breakfast. Possibly earning heaps of money with their kids driving posh cars. Ah, the vagaries of life, with the parents slogging so that the children can have a better future.
d. Unsighted or semi unsighted folks standing around selling tissues. I sometimes wonder if they belong to a organized group of people who exploit them, or whether they have no other opportunities in life.
e. Early morning busy bees getting into offices to avoid traffic congestions. Do you get up early to get to the office to read the morning news, have a cuppa, and chill before starting work? Or are you one of those who just make it in before the cut off log in time? What? No log in time? Lucky some! :)
f. Early office people mulling over a cup of coffee, pondering if this is all there is to life? Where, when, and why has the monotony set in? Are you working for a living or are you working for pleasure?

And before I knew it, my cup of coffee stood empty on the table, and time for me to begin my journey south. Lots of “car time” expected, what more with the site visit which would entail me and a few others traveling by 4WDs to check out construction sites and progress of development over a 2-day period, to ensure the investments in the project made by the respective companies we work for, are well justified.