Port Dickson, a cool place for a family holiday

Last Saturday, my family travelled to Port Dickson for a wedding in Bandar Springhill before visiting Teluk Kemang.

It has been quite some time since we visited the beaches of Port Dickson, and we were pleasantly surprised at how clear the water was, and how easy it was to access the area.

Parking was a breeze – surprisingly, as we went around 5pm – even though the beach and surrounding areas were packed.

There were pony rides and pony-driven carriages, bouncing castles and electric vehicles for rent. Fun for the whole family!

I recalled spending holidays in Port Dickson while growing up in nearby Seremban, the capital of Negeri Sembilan.

It was always a fun outing with 20-30 or more family members booking a bungalow or several rooms at the nearby hotels.

But over the years, as we got older, we slowly reduced our trips to Port Dickson. But after this brief sojourn last Saturday, the home minister and I resolved to go there for a proper family holiday this year.

However, it was not all good news, as while checking out the food stalls, we saw something on the beach. We initially didn’t pay much attention to it, but eventually became curious as to what it was.

Using our mobile phone’s camera, we zoomed in and, to our horror, discovered it was a baby, covered in a blue blanket with a yellow hat, next to an orange bag.

The home minister flew into a rage and was about to storm the beach when a lady dressed in a blue bathing suit came out of the water to check on the baby.

The home minister wanted to give the lady a good talking to for leaving the baby unattended, but I talked her out of it, although I, too, was furious.

I told her to wait a while and see what happens next. So, we decided to have something to eat and drink, while keeping an eye on the baby. Thankfully, the lady did not go back into the water while we were there.

We also came across the famous KFC – Kemang Fried Chicken – stall. We didn’t buy anything even though the reviews were excellent.

Later on, we went to the famous Batu 4 Pasar Malam where there were loads of goodies, including my favourite – ayam percik.

The best part about the trip was that the toll from Subang Jaya was only RM3.85.

Waze took us via Sepang International Circuit. The journey took about 87 minutes – 10 minutes slower than the usual highway, which costs RM10.25.

It was a nice scenic route and worth repeating in the future. It is also only half an hour from my hometown.

Now, that’s a holiday worth planning.

COVID-19 LOWERED LIFE EXPECTANCY BY 1.6 YEARS

As we approach the fourth anniversary of the first Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia on March 18 – and also the birthday of these Diaries – here is a sobering fact, as reported by the global news agency, AFP.

On March 12, AFP reported that Covid-19 lowered life expectancy by 1.6 years, during the first two years of the pandemic.

The results are from a study by hundreds of researchers sifting through data for the United States-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).

“For adults worldwide, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a more profound impact than any event seen in half a century, including conflicts and natural disasters,” said Austin Schumacher, an IHME researcher and lead author of the study published in The Lancet medical journal.

The researchers projected that 15.9 million additional deaths in 2020–2021 were caused by Covid-19, either directly by the virus or indirectly by pandemic-related disruptions.

UNDERSTAND KL LOCAL PLAN BETTER

Selamatkan Kuala Lumpur is offering assistance to residents’ associations and groups in the Malaysian capital to get more people to understand the content and implications of the draft Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040.

The draft local plan is a document to drive the direction of Kuala Lumpur’s development, until 2040.

If you want to understand the local plan better, do join Selamatkan Kuala Lumpur for its second and third workshop session tomorrow, March 17, and Wednesday, March 20.

Tomorrow’s session will be at Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s branch office in Changkat Abang Haji Openg, Bukit Kiara, Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

The Wednesday session is online, via Zoom. The meeting ID is: 818 5181 8879, and the password is 842760.

HOT CROSS BUNS

A traditional food for Good Friday is the Hot Cross Bun – spicy fruit buns marked with a cross on the top and eaten hot from the oven.

If you want to buy some for this Easter – March 31 – you can place your orders with the Society of St Vincent de Paul Conference of St Ignatius, Petaling Jaya.

Proceeds from the sale will go towards the funding of Rumah Kanak-Kanak Impian.

For more details, contact Sister Annie (012-9189251), Sister Kuan Ee (012-2377333), Sister Tammy (012-2983307) or Brother Joe (012-3645672).

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