For everything there's a first time. My holiday to Melbourne, Australia last week was my first (sadly without my wife. *sigh*). I was like a monkey straight from the jungle of Malaysia. Everything was delightful to behold, to try, and to meddle. But it was great to have a fellow monkey coming along too!
It was a hectic 7 days trip but enjoyable all the way - the people I met up, the family I stayed with, and all the tours that we signed up for. I have never walk so much in my life. Probably Thean Khee would be laughing away because I had stopped going for our regular walk for more than a year. This is probably a payback time.
Let me relate one incident: I was standing on the pavement waiting for the city tram, and due to my carelessness of not paying attention when I step backwards that my right heel hit the slightly raised pavement that sent me falling down like the Jericho Wall. What happened next was the most disgusting thing ever - the embarrassment of being a Humpty Dumpty was minor in comparison - I fell onto the most smelly and dirty drooling dog ever. The drool was all over my shirt and my hand. The stench was beyond intolerable - cruelly intolerable. I had to go to the public toilet to have a thorough wash up, got rid of my shirt (threw it away in the dumpster), and ended up with wearing my wind-breaker jacket without my shirt underneath. Even with that I still smell awful. What an experience! I commented to Cowan that I had contributed a shirt to the City of Melbourne!
Well...more stories to come......
It looks like my plight (the dog story) has turned out to be a joke. Well, at least I made some people laugh. Today is the 15th Day of CNY (Chap Goh Meh) so the Chinese saying goes like this: Got 1st Day of the Lunar will definitely have the 15th Day of the Lunar too.
On a more serious note, the holiday has turned out to be very therapeutic for me - emotionally, spiritually, and physically too. I think this is the longest time I ever had where I didn't think of work, of ministry, and of people that I am concerned about. I was able to hang loose - eat heartily, enjoy the scenery with much appreciation of the wonders of God's creation, breath fresh air, fantastic weather, and great fellowship with friends. Where can we get all these at one time. I thoroughly enjoyed my one week of break. I am refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to continue serving God. Father, I thank You for making it possible for me to have this holiday.
One of the highlights of my trip was the opportunity to view the great Australian shore line named the 12th Apostles from a helicopter. Yes, you read it right - on an helicopter. The view was more than amazing. We knew that we would never have such opportunity to be on a helicopter back in Malaysia.
Let me list all the wonderful experiences - great fish and chips, good Vietnamese and Japanese food, great wild life, beautiful country farm house, amazing gold mining town, great shore line, cool weather, cute penguins, wallabies, kangaroos, koala and black swan - not to mention platypus. The fall, the dog and Pastor Cowan Yuen are just my "cross to bear" (just like Pastor Charles Curtis would say: JUST JOKING!) - cannot be compared to a most wonderful holiday that is God-given!
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