ON this hazy day

Morning has broken to the sound of hammering
The smell of acrid pollutants hang thick in the room
A sense of unease creeps over my tingling skin
Behold, the unmistakable fog blanketing the coastline
Its heavy presence weighs down on my chest
The air is still

Today is not the first
and I know it will not be the last
As habitats bear the brunt of greed
As the excesses of man billows upwards
A smog

Ok, this is depressing.
I'll stop there.

hmmm......maybe it is my imminent departure to Adelaide that is weighing on my mind lol.
So far, I've had a wonderful holiday---a relatively healthy one too HAHAHA.
What with all the hiking (not advisable in hazy weather), canoeing ( again proceed with caution) , caving ( as long as it is not the bat season), gymming ( yay for air conditioning), shopping (AIr conditioning heheheheh) and eating ( erm....guess this one is not as healthy hehe)

Well, here are the highlights :
1. Caving Experience
I would like to ask everyone to put caving in their 'to-do' list ( ONLY FOR NON-CLAUSTROPHOBICS). Firstly, I was Awed by the natural wonders available in Malaysia --guess i never saw M'sia that way or only pretended to believe in it while writing pages upon pages of essays during my time as a high school student. Now, I am a true Believer :P Gua Tempurung had just as much charm and charisma as caves in China which haul in tourists by the bus load....sadly, Gua Tempurung is less publicised. The halls were magnificent and you can definitely let your imagination run wild within the cool interiors filled with stalacmites and stalactites. The pressure difference between the large chambers and the smaller ones serve to give cavers a unique experience because of the constant blowing of wind in certain sections of the cave. Besides, some chambers were shrouded in thick mist , belieing their true depth and posing as a risk to thrill seekers who, God forbid ,may lose their footing on the slippery steps. Into the belly of the cave we crawled and slushed around the seemingly crystal clear waters --however the guide told us not to drink it because it might have some 'added ingredients' such as guano :P. Also , experience TOTAL DARKNESS...now that was freaky.

2.Canoeing
Procured an aching back, tired muscles, shooting pain through the deltoids....but hey, it was fun!
Although I must admit, I was scared out there , thinking about the jelly fish floating around , the unknown depths, the mysterious current which kept drawing our canoe to the wrong side(out to sea), almost capsizing at least 3 times ......Still, at least I learnt how to steer( albeit clumsily) and yup, I know now that when two people row, both have to be in sync to allow easier passage.....haha...

3.Hiking
Hiking up parts of Penang Hill is one of the healthiest activities available in Penang. HIking and then going for breakfast is not as healthy but it allows one to really enjoy a meal in the company of friends. hahahahha.......Winding paths, steep slopes, irregular steps, the occasional stinging insect or centipede, beads of sweat running down your brows---all part of your average hiking experience :) Which I will sorely miss .......

Ok....will blog more soon
TATA