Unschooling Taiping & Kuala Sepetang Road Trip 7 May 2010

Friday am.
I had fever late thursday night. In the morning, I couldn't bring myself up. Hui brought me the kid panadol when I told them I am having fever. She said " I share my panadol with you. You need to take two". I said "Why?". Hui replied " Because.. ehm.. because you have two eyes ". I popped two adult panadols and told them to wait for me, another hour, for the medicine to kick in. I slept.

An hour later, I said 'I am ready'. They jumped happily. En said "Let's go to the zoo. Let's take the jeep again to Maxwell Hill!" I told her my other plan and she was thrilled and nodded with a yes.

We drove to Kuala Sepetang again and headed to the town.  Pass by Mr Chuah's charcoal factory and drive straight till the end.  Once you reach the small town, look for police station and mosque that is side by side, on your right. Turn right. At the end of road, turn right again.  Restaurant Tepi Sungai will be on your left. It is famous of cheap and fresh seafood that aremostly from the fishermen's catch of the day. It opens at 12pm on weekday.  The restaurant is on the first floor where you can get a good view of the busy fisherman village. The ground floor is where boats dock in for petrol.

 I walked in and asked a man, who sells petrol if I could hitch a ride on a fisherman boat to see "the village on the sea". I read it somewhere from the internet. I have no idea what the village's name is. He said "Lao Kang?". I was not sure but I nodded. :) He told me to wait upstair and he will ask those fishermen on who is going to that direction when they drop by to pump petrol.

EnHui watched from above, fisherman boats passing by, Brahminy Kite eagles hunting for fish, Kingfisher, fishermen loading and unloading their catch, one loading the mattress onto a boat.

I had the tastiest 'sour plum' drink !

A fisherman pumped petrol.

Check out the heap of cockles.

There are many brahminy kite eagles, gliding and swooping down the water for fish. Finally after 30minutes, the man shouted for us to go down. There was a kind fisherman who is willing to take us to 'Lao Kang'. The man told me to check with the people at 'Lao Kang' for boat heading back here. I thank the man again and again. :) We went on the fisherman boat. I asked him how much is the fare. He said "No need to pay". I tried to take a photo and the boat ride was so bumpy that I quickly stored the camera and hold on tight to En Hui. I thought when will I get a return boat .. then I put that thought aside and drift along with the journey and take whatever that comes next.  

Our fisherman boat heading to 'Lao Kang'

The boat approaching 'lao kang" and the fisherman dropped us here. We walked in..not sure what to expect.

We saw a group of men, mostly without shirt on and two women chatting in front of a house. They were so suprised to see us! En wanted to pee, so I asked them if I could use the toilet. One man pointed back to the way we came from. So we walked out again and found this hole (photo) - the toilet ! EnHui looked at it keenly! En answered the call of nature there. Later when she talked to her dad on the phone, she excitedly described the toilet as "a missing plank and be careful as not to fall in. However if you open your hands wide, you won't!" 

The villagers are warm and kind. It's a tiny fisherman village. I can see the villagers are very closely knitted and they simply leave their door opens. I asked the group of people if there is a boat back to 'Sepetang". They asked me why we are here and where do we come from. They were suprised to hear I drove alone with two kids and came here without knowing anyone. I anxiously asked about the boat again. They said "relax, walk around and have a look. We call you when there is someone going. And surely there will be boat back" 

EnHui jumped into the heap of cockles and picked up so many. The little children was wondering what the fuss is about! :)

Pick of the day.

En found a fisherman net and try to catch some fish. We hang around the tiny shack that serves drink and waited for a boat back to Kuala Sepetang. I ordered two glasses of Ribena, one glass of Milo and a pot of chinese tea that cost RM4.50! Around an hour later, a elderly figure man approched me and invited us to hop onto the boat back to Sepetang. Again, he said "I don't need to pay".

En with her net and the bucket that used to wash the boat.

We passed by the mangrove trees, home to many eagles. This fisherman dropped us at a place where they process cockles, which is two shops from Restaurant Ditepi Sungai. EnHui picked cockles from the floor. The men continue to work unperturbed.

When we drove home, we saw lots of salted fishes being dried and the sky was filled with eagles!  We drove back to KL. EnHui slept and I drove with no stops. :)