Stopover at Selangor......

For the first time, we managed to have a nuclear family photo......that of my mom and my siblings! Dad had passed on in year 2001.....

The extended family ...... with several others out of town or abroad at work!

Chiew's latest interest in feline breeding......

The adorable kittens....

Kiasu!

Since student days, I had not been on a bus, so I thought it was fun when Adelyn, my sister, suggested we board one to Genting Highlands. "Standing! Standing!" chanted the attendant to all of us waiting to board the already fully seated bus. The ride up to Genting would take approximately an hour and yet I noticed senior aged commuters scrambling towards the bus.

Standing? Won't it be dangerous? I questioned. Soon, I saw these people, regular guest members of the resort, I suppose, seating themselves well prepared they are, on papers they laid on the aisle and steps on the bus! I took a quick shot, afraid that they might bellow at me! Gosh, they couldn't even wait to board the every half hourly departing coaches! Well, I told Adelyn, I'm definitely not going to offer my seat! If they were rushing for ailment treatment, I would.... but to a gambling resort...no way!! Youthful, ahem, though I may look, I'm almost a senior citizen myself!

We checked into First World Hotel and then, queued up to be seated for our lunch! Yes, you bet, because of the holiday season, the resort was a sea of local and foreign tourists!

For the first time, in Malaysia, I felt like a tourist. The air was chilly with people around me donning winter clothing...woolen scarf and all, while I was draped in, merely, t-shirt and jeans!

We went around the shopping outlets scouting for bargain purchases and ended up with only 2 bottles of nail varnishes...green and cobalt grey!!!


After a cat nap, we made our way to the casino. There were so many people?..no gamblers?.... I found myself a comfortable seat and within minutes, lost Rm100 in four consecutive bets in the game of Big & Small! Talk about first time gambling luck!!

I was reprimanded by Aderlyn for failing to comprehend the game despite her numerous explanations! "You're worse off than the grandpas and grandmas here!" she grumbled impatiently.

Shrugging and not wishing to be a generous donor towards the casino, I went around watching as others played. I came upon a table playing cards of Three Pictures. The croupier was an attractive young girl. Minimum bet....Rm100! The demon must be at her back, for, she lost, as a dealer in seven consecutive games with the cashier topping up her chips three times to be paid the players! I was so tempted to place my bet hoping to make up for my loss.....and.....thank god, I didn't. At the eighth game, lady luck went to her rescue, she won all! The players left the table instantly having lost in just, that one game! Smart, eh? Wonder if the croupier will be sacked for the heavy losses?......
Since the crowd dispersed, I went to yet another table of Big & Small, witnessing a gambler with high stakes of Rm3,000 each bet!!! I ached at losing Rm100 and he lost Rm9,000 in three rounds and abruptly vacate his stool!!! How is he gonna sleep?

It agonize me observing the players' losses and their grim faces and feel sorry for their family members.......

I surely do not belong here.....