Happiness is going to PD

Many years ago, I worked as a Head of Department in a 5-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur. My job was hectic like hell. Every day, I'd be at my office by 8am. Often I won't be home until past midnight. By the time I get home, everyone would already be in bed. Sometimes, when my mum had made some nutritious herbal soup, she'd leave a note on my bedroom door and tell me to warm the soup left in the fridge and drink it before going to bed.

But no matter what time I get home, there's always one member of the household who is always there, wide awake waiting for me. Yup, that would be Raja. By the time my car pulls up at the gate, he would be standing there quietly waiting to greet me in the darkness. Before getting into the house, I would play with him for a while. Sometimes, I'd quietly sneak him into my bedroom and let him sleep on the floor. Somehow I sleep better with Raja beside me.

Weekends to me is time to detox from my crazy career. Different people do different things to relax. Some would play weekend golf, some would go fishing or hunting, and yet there are others who'd do nothing but stay home and watch TV. My work involves managing or meeting people, lots of them. So, for me, my idea of relaxation is to get away from people. And Port Dickson offers the perfect getaway.

Port Dickson, or just "PD" to the locals, is a beach resort about 2 hours (back then there was no North-South highway, so driving time is much longer along the federal trunk roads) from KL. By 9am, I'll be all set to go. With Raja in the front passenger seat, we're off! By the time we reach Seremban town, it would be around 10am. I'd usually stop by the A&W hotdog joint to have breakfast. We'll both have a corny dog and root beer with ice-cream in the car. Normally I'd feed Raja first as I can't eat mine peacefully with a hungry canine fighting for his share. In any case, Raja would finish his breakfast in under one minute. Then I'll have mine, and he'll just sit there salivating.

Another hour later and we're there - beautiful PD. Back then PD don't have all those big holiday resort hotels crowding the beach area that we see today. But still, many parts of the beachfront are quite populated by weekend tourists; mostly Malaysians from other towns or cities. Some would be there who came in their own cars, while many were groups that came in hired buses presumably organized by their companies or schools to spend an overnight weekend by the sea. But there's a particular stretch of sandy beach way beyond all the regular pinic spots that's surprisingly very quiet. And that's where we'll disembark.

Raja needs no introduction to the sea and soon we'll both be frolicking in the water. Once in a while, we'll meet one or two small families who are there with kids. Somehow, they would be dog lovers too, and before long, all fears of a big German Shepherd dog are gone, and they, especially the kids, would be playing with Raja barking in happiness. Make no mistake, Raja is a fearsome looking and HUGE dog, and he can be REALLY intimidating if he detects an unfriendly stranger. His two longest teeth in front is about half the length of my thumb and unless you are made of steel, you'll have to go to the hospital if those two teeth happened to be clamped around your arm or backside! LOL!!!

Anyways, by 4pm, both Raja and I would be quite happy to leave. We'll both have a shower in one of those "pay-to-shower" facility before we hit the road for home. This weekend fun by the sea would remain for a long time until one day I found a job in another part of Malaysia.

Do you have similar happy memories that you would like to share with me?

Warmest regards