DG Outing - Sg Lembing Part 2

We left for Sg Lembing Museum at 11:30am.  Sitting on top of a small hill, the museum is housed in an old bungalow once used by the mine manager.  It offers a comprehensive overview for this historic small town and the mines.  Sg Lembing was once the deepest mining area in the world (vertically downwards – around 27-30 storeys below and mostly submerged).  The museum houses a collection of mining artifacts.  All the exhibits were well laid out and have clear explanations displayed in English and BM.  Very informative indeed.  

After the museum, we headed to a famous Bak Kut Teh restaurant.  The place was crowded and the service was poor.  We were even told to wipe our own table!!  Nevertheless, I still prefer and missed my PJ old town Bak Kut Teh.  Anyone please ‘ta bao’ for me?

Our group was divided into three groups as some of us would like to hibernate in the house/room; the youth preferred to hang out at Lembing Riverview Resort for a tournament; while the remaining 8 of us would like to visit the Underground Tin Mines.  We stopped by at one of the hanging bridges before the Underground Tin Mines.  There were lots of visitors and the bridge was wobbly.  Well, that’s the fun of it!  Once you crossed the bridge, the path takes you to a few local shops that sell local food/products.  

The Underground Tin Mines is situated not far from the Museum.  The journey started with a short 'train' ride followed by walking in the long tunnel which is well lit and ventilated.  Guides are stationed at certain points in the mine.  Some parts of the walkway are wet.  There's a simulation, games and informative signboard retelling the golden days of the mine in English and BM. Stalactites and stalagmites adorn the “ceiling” and “ground” respectively and are still growing and forming.  At the end of the tunnel there is a steep flight of staircase to see the kiew (lift that miner used) after which we walked back to the exit. The tour is quite an experience.  One gets a glimpse of how the life of a miner of yesteryears working laboriously under the harsh environment.  

The tour soon came to an end and we departed back to our comfy nest, spending some time bonding with each other.  Our dinner was a big feast of instant noodles!  We intended to clear off the supply before departing for home the next day.

Most of us went to bed around 11pm.  It was a long day and soon I doze off to slumber land.  However, I was awaken around 1:30am.  I felt itchy around my neck, arms and thigh.  It was still early and I wanted to fall sleep again.  But the itchiness kept me alert.  Finally, I got up and checked and realised that there were rashes all over my body.  Took a bath at 2:30am and the swelling went down a little.  Lie down again on the bed but I was wide awake.  “There goes my sleep”, I’ve decided to just hang around until it’s time to get ready for the waterfall adventure.

The 4WD picked us up around 5:30am and took us to the morning market for breakfast.  Our group was divided into two as one 4WD could only accommodate 16 pax.  Siang Ling, me and the 3 kids were in one 4WD while the rest of them in another 4WD.  We departed the town at 6:30am and the journey took around 45 minutes.  There were some youngsters in our jeep that were making lots of noise.  I felt a little annoyed by their dirty jokes.  But turned out they created some excitement in the next 45 minutes of a boring ride.  Well, to consider it as a ‘boring’ ride may not be fair after all.  In fact, the 4WD took us through the jungle trails, crossing several streams, driving up and down the hill slopes and muddy path in full speed.  My daughter commented that the ride was like a roller-coaster. 

I enjoyed the chill morning breeze caressing my face as the 4WD drove pass the bumpy road.  It freshen me up as I was beginning to feel a bit tired.  After all, I have had very little rest the past two days.  We stopped by at a designated area to watch the sunrise.  I reckon the sunrise here is better than Panaroma Hill.

The 4WD continued to drive on the uneven trails until we reached the river bank.   We waded through the waist level muddy river assisted by a rope.  Then slowly and carefully, we made our way through the rainforest.  The first part of the hike was quite straight forward and relatively easy for my girl.  I held on to her hands and kept her distracted by talking to her.  The second part of the hike was slightly challenging, where we needed to walk through shallow water, on mud and rocks where small waterfalls form.  There were ropes tied from one tree to another, assisting the climbers to cross over certain tricky path.  Elyse was doing fine, although a little slow at times, with some assistance.  Well, it is one thing to hike by myself; it is another thing to assist someone in hiking.  Of course the later consumes more energy and hard work.  I am grateful for Irene and Colin to see to the needs of my little princess and offered a helping hand.

Finally, we saw the magnificent waterfall.  It was truly a sight to behold. There were a lot of tourists who reached there before us and have found a nice spot to rest, while some choose to take a dive in the pool. The waterfall is about 150 meters high and the water was cold and refreshing.  There were cheers from the crowd as the beautiful rainbow made its debut. The exhausting journey up the waterfall was definitely worth it! 

The guides prepared instant cup noodles and Milo (water taken from the falls) for the tourists to quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger. 

Elyse wanted to dip into the water but the coldness frightened her off.  At last, Tay carried her on his back in the pool so that she can waddle her feet in the chilly water.  I joined in the fun shortly as she was desperate for her mom to be with her.

My only regret is I failed to swim nearer to the rainbow and see it at different angles as some bloggers described it as transcendence.  

Fun time sure passed by swiftly.  Soon, it’s time to hike back down.  A group of us had left earlier and faster.  I assisted Elyse almost one quarter of the journey, then we met a Kuantan guy who called himself a lone ranger.  He offered to carry Elyse at the back as we passed through those slippery rocky boulders.  I was a bit reluctant to accept the offer, as I wished for Elyse to experience hiking by her own ability.  On the other hand, I did not want to cause human traffic jam as there were many other tourists at the back of us.  Also bearing in mind that there’s a group waiting for us way far ahead.  The gentleman moved speedily though he’s carrying an 20kg load on his back.  I followed him closely.  Without assisting my girl, I hiked pretty fast too.  hehee…  *shy

At last, we crossed the muddy river again and crawled back into our 4WD.  There goes another 45 minutes of a gruelling journey back to Sg Lembing town.  We washed up, packed our bags, and headed back to the town for lunch.  Next, we drove to Kuantan to fuel up our car.  Did I mention that there’s no petrol station at Sg Lembing?  We separated into two groups again as 2 cars were driving back to Malacca directly, while the other 2 de-toured to KL before heading home.

As Siang Ling did not rest well the past two nights, I took over the wheel for the first 3 hours.  Perhaps it was a long weekend, the traffic was awful.  Thanks to Siang Ling’s F1 driving skill, she manoeuvred her car in between the snail traffic and brought us back home safely by 11pm.   The rest of them reached home earlier at about 7:30pm.

It was so much fun hanging out with this awesome group of folks.  Personally, I love the Rainbow Waterfall – it is definitely a hidden gem in Sg Lembing.  What an amazing experience exploring the natural beauty in this old little mining town!  And to all my DG members, I look forward to our next adventure!

p/s: Majority of the photos are contributed by my DG members.

DG Outing - Sg Lembing Part 1

The much anticipated outing of the year for my DG finally unfolded from 29^th till 31^st August.  I have never heard of this quiet little town, Sg Lembing, until Irene brought it up at one of the DG meetings.  

Irene’s description of this place quickly caught my attention.  The Rainbow Waterfall and the sunrise at Panorama Hill … just the right cup of tea for me.  After discussing with hubby, we’ve decided that Elyse followed me to Sg Lembing; whilst Erwyn stayed behind with Ah Gong and hubby.

Of course, there were some hiccups along the way.  We found out about Ah Gong’s illness and I was at the edge of pulling out.  After the funeral, I was anxious as hubby needed to handle Erwyn all by himself.  It shouldn’t be a major issue, knowing that hubby has been actively involved in raising and taking care of the kids.  But how about Sunday morning service and evening service?  Hubby assured me that there would be more than a dozen church members who are willing to ‘baby-sit’ Erwyn.  After all, he’s such a cutie pie, right?

After my KK hike, Elyse has been pestering me to bring her for mountain climbing.  The 45minutes hike up the Panaroma Hill and Rainbow Waterfall (the two main attractions at Sg Lembing) seem like a perfect starter for her.  Nevertheless, I brought her to Botanical Garden for some walking exercise a month before our outing in preparation for the big adventure.  The first week, it took her 90 minutes to complete the 6km walk.  My DG members were so considerate, they slowed down their pace and waited for my girl.  The second week, she completed the trail within 60 minutes.  The third week, I forgot to keep track of her time but she managed it at the same pace as the other adults.  My guess is around 45 minutes.  The fourth week, not only did she maintain her pace with us, she did another 6km!  In total: 12km within one and a half hour.  I am totally amazed at her progress and am proud of my little princess.

We set off for Sg Lembing and left Melaka around 1pm.  There were 20 of us, squeezed into 3 cars and 1 four-wheel.  Heading towards Segamat, the traffic was quite smooth.  We stopped by for toilet break and had tea at Nanyang Coffee Shop.  It was by accident they stumbled upon this famous kopitiam.  But their service was disastrous.  And many of my friends commented that their food is not as good as it used to be.  Though I stayed there for 5 good years, I have lost touch of that place.  But Segamat will always remain a special place in my heart; as this is where I came to know Christ, and this is where I met some of the most incredible people in my life.

As time was catching up, our initial plan of stopping by Kuantan was abandoned.  We drove straight towards Sg Lembing and reached late in the evening.  After checking in, we roamed around trying to hunt for food.  All of us were starving and exhausted after the long drive.  Filling up our stomach with some of the famous food at Sg Lembing, we retreated to our paradise to rest.

Many of us did not sleep well the first night.  And we needed to get up as early as 5am to hike up the Panorama Hill.  I was already wide awake at 3am and my heart sank when the rain started to pour.  At 4:30am the rain stopped and I was overjoyed but not for long.  It started to rain again heavily.  Amazingly, it stopped at 5am and we rushed off to get ready.  Haha… such an exhilarating morning.

After a strenuous climb up the concrete stairs for around 45 minutes, we reached the hill top of Panorama Hill.  A few of us did not make it though.  Elyse was doing well, with a little help here and there from Irene and her sons.  The view was spectacular.  The sea of cloud enveloped the mountain and the cold refreshing air was rewarding after the climb.  We lingered around for quite awhile, taking lots of photos.  Just when we thought there won’t be any picturesque sunrise, the golden light gently shine forth its radiance and pierced through the cloud.  Mesmerized by the beauty of nature, we stayed behind for another 10-15 minutes, God’s masterpiece is indeed remarkable.

Good job, Elyse!

Finally the sun appeared

Elyse with her two favourite jie jie

Sea of cloud

Group photo

Going downhill was not as tiring as climbing up, yet one needs to be careful as some steps are broken and the path are quite narrow.  One of my DG members, Cornelius, accidently sprained his ankle.  He was all well initially, but the swelling overpowered him and he was left limping for the rest of the trip.

Our stomach was growling after we descended down the hill.  All of us went to the morning market to grab a bite except Elyse and I.  We went back to our cosy homestay to wash up and had a simple breakfast.  After a much needed rest, the children were running around the compound as though their energy bar have charged up to the max and were waiting to explode.  Feeling bored, I took a walk around the house enjoying the scenery and the quietness of a small village.

Our homestay

 

Lots of fish... children enjoyed feeding them

Originally Irene wanted to stay at Lembing Riverview Resort but it was fully booked.  The owner recommended this homestay which I find it equally as pleasant.  The house has three bedrooms which could easily accommodate more than 8 pax.  It is fully furnished with washing machine, cooking facilities, air-cond, TV and water heater.  The best thing is: free supply of mangosteens from our next door neighbour who is a local here.  The uncle said if we were there two weeks ago, we could enjoy some mouth-watering Lembing durian.  Well, I am not complaining since I ain’t a fan of durian.  LOL

The Final Days...

His last words to me...

On Thursday morning, Andrew helped Dad to rest in the living room and then he left for work.  He was supposed to come back around 10am to pick Dad up for hospital check-up.  A short while later, my FIL was struggling to get up from the sofa.  I held up his arm and offered him a helping hand.  He politely turned to me and said, "Thank you, Shally."  I know he was weak and every words took a substantial amount of energy.  Yet in his distress, he had never forgotten to say 'Thank you'.  Such a gentleman he was.




The time has come...

After returning from the hospital, Dad was feeling very weak.  He was fine during the visit to the hospital, even talking normally to the doctor and walking by himself.  By evening he seems totally exhausted.  Andrew just let him rest the whole evening.  We did not even wake him up to take his pain killers as he seems peacefully sleeping.

The next day, Friday, Dad was semi-unconscious the whole day.  Yesterday, when Dad was talking to Dr. Francis, he asked what are they to do if he becomes unconscious or no longer able to take the medicine orally.  Dr. Francis pointed out that there were options of admitting Dad and putting him on drips to provide the necessary nutrients and medicine for Dad.  However, Dad declined.  He was determined to make sure his journey on earth to end as fast as possible.  He did not want to prolong "life", or in his own words - suffering.

We offered him sips of water throughout the day.  However, our hearts sank knowing that his time would be due soon.  For the very first time, we told our little girl that Ah Gong was dying.  Elyse cried.  She was upset the whole day and kept repeating, "I don't want Ah Gong to die."  That affected Erwyn as well.  Innocently, he asked us:"Ah Gong going to die ah?  I don't want Ah Gong to die."  It wasn't easy for both for us to withold our emotions while explaining the recent events to the little ones.  But we know that it is necessary to prepare them for the worst.

Late that night, after returning from my DG, I was doing some work on the computer.  I could hear the heavy breathing sound coming from Dad's room.  I peeped on Dad whenever I came in and out of the computer room.  He was lying still; one would thought that he was just fast asleep.  I was feeling tired and hoping to finish off the last few power-point slides that I was working on.  Suddenly, it daunted on me that I did not hear Dad's breathing.  I suspected something amiss, but I thought perhaps Dad's breathing has calmed down a little.  "After I finish this one then only check on Pa", I thought to myself.  It didn't take long.  In less than 5 minutes I shut down the computer, switch off the light and walked right into Dad's room.  Fear gripped my heart as I looked at the once-familiar-face.  There's no life in it.  I hurried to the bedroom and woke Andrew up.  Somehow, he knew it even before I whispered a word.  Andrew called the ambulance and they verified the death of my FIL.  At 12:30am, our dearly beloved had gone home to be with the Lord.  He left this rotten body, re-joined the thousand of other saints, especially his beloved wife whom he missed so much, in a place called heaven - our eternal home.


Breaking the news...

After confirming with my sis-in-law and aunt on their flight back to Malaysia, Andrew decided to have the Wake and Funeral on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning respectively.  He sent out an email to the church leaders while I updated the news on FB.  As much as we wanted to keep it a private event, we realised there are many people who care and love my FIL.  Within hours, the email was circulated all over the churches, from Malacca to PJ to KL to Teluk Intan.  Whatsapp and smses flooded Andrew's mobile.  Many were surprised by the news of my FIL's passing.  Who wouldn't be?  After all, my FIL had been keeping everyone in the dark for the past three weeks. 


The Wake and the Funeral Services

Andrew had decided to preach on both the Wake and Funeral Services.  His commitment to do his best drove him to burn two nights of midnight oil.  He was pushing himself so hard that after the creamation, he was coughing and feeling nausea.  He slept for two days and finally recovered from his exhaustion.

Both Services were well attended by church members from near and far.  Many friends came from TMC PJ.  I know of one couple who hired a shuttle van to drive them to Malacca as they both are in their 80s.  Some of them stayed overnight in hotels so that they could attend both services.

Dad had asked one of his DG members, Ai Leng, to give a eulogy at his Wake.  Yes, he even had this prepared.  But we wanted to give Elyse a chance to say something in the Funeral as well.  She was so upset when we told her that Ah Gong was dying.  To calm her down, Andrew suggested that she say her goodbyes to Ah Gong during the funeral.  That comforted her a little.  So, she told me what she wanted to say and I wrote it down for her.



Elyse's Eulogy

I love Ah Gong.  I know he loves me, too.  Now that he has gone to heaven, I will not see him anymore.  But we still love each other.  Every time when I do well in my spelling or dictation in school, Ah Gong rewarded me with RM10.  This year on my birthday, Ah Gong promised to give me one hundred dollars to buy what I want as birthday present.  But I'd rather have you Ah Gong than the one hundred dollars.  I miss Ah Gong but I will see him soon in heaven.

Elyse delivered her eulogy excellently.  Not wanting Erwyn to feel left out, we asked Erwyn if he would like to say something as well.  Knowing that he is still young, we taught him to say something simple, eg I love Ah Gong.  He agreed.  But when he was on the stage, I could see him trying to hold back his tears.  I wondered whether he actually understood what happened or he's still too young to comprehend.  But that look on his face broke my heart.  And I know his love for Ah Gong is no less than anyone of us.  Finally, he cried.

Prior to the services, Erwyn asked us to allow the casket to remain at home all the time.  We were surprised by his request.  But that showed how much he loved Ah Gong.  Though Ah Gong was lying still and could no longer play or talk to him, he would still want to have Ah Gong nearby.


Little incidents...

A week later, my little boy came back home from school and the first thing he asked: Where's Ah Gong? Yes, it has always been his routine to look for Ah Gong after school.  I was taken aback and paused for a few seconds. Then he smiled awkwardly and I realized it slipped his mind. I questioned him back, "Where's Ah Gong" and he replied, "Ah Gong is in heaven".

Two weeks later one evening, I was sorting out the laundry thinking to myself: Better clear all the clothes cause tomorrow when Pa comes back he would have a lot of clothes to wash.  For one second, I was stunt!  Looks like I, too, have forgotten that my FIL is in a better place.



A Note of Thank You...

We are so grateful to everyone who has offered their help in one way or another.

• Pastor Danny who has helped us to call the undertaker and making all the necessary arrangement with the worship leaders and musicians;  
• Douglas and his daughter, Pastor Danny and the Myanmese for worship lead and playing the musical instruments for the Wake and Funeral Services.  They have kindly obliged to my FIL's request that the worship be led in an upbeat mood.
• Koon Roy, Mei Leng and Shawn lend us their office's portable air-cond to cool down the living room which was like a oven that few days.  They also helped us to organise a luncheon after returning from the crematorium;
• Colin and Siang Ling who made arrangement for an air-cooler to be placed in our home as well;
• The church office, ie Karen, Nancy, Pastor Danny to answer hundreds of calls enquiring about the Wake and Funeral Services;
• Tengkera 3 DG for organising and serving the light refreshment after the Wake Service;
• Many church members offered to take care of my kids or send them to tuition.  Although we graciously decline their offer, I was very tempted since both Andrew and I were exhausted throughout the ordeal;
• TMCPJ folks who came all the way from Klang Valley to pay their respect to Dad;
• All who expressed their condolences via wreath, white gifts, smses, whatsapps, emails and phone calls;
• Je Ee, Bi Ee Ean and Audrey for rushing all the way back from Australia to support us in this time of bereavement.  Not only did they take care of the kids, they also helped us to keep the house sparkling clean.  They even helped me to wash the living room after the "mini flood" at midnight on Sunday; and endured the temporarily power-supply cut off for a few hours without complaining on Wednesday early morning;
• My mom stayed with us for a couple of days after the event.  Helping me with the chores, playing with the children and cooking every meal for us;
• The company of our family including the church community for consoling us from the pain of losing a loved and for filling our hearts with the warmth of knowing that we are not alone in such times.
• Most importantly to God for everything. He always know what is best for His children.  

Thank you and God bless you!

Discovering the Shocking News

Dad had been having fever and joint pain for the past few weeks, starting from early June.  Finally after the fourth week, he agreed to see Dr Charles on Monday, 22nd June.   He prescriped paracetamol, antibiotic and several types of medicines for Dad.  He was so kind to check on Dad via sms the following day.  However, the condition remained the same.  So, the following Monday, 29th June, Dr Charles did a blood test for Dad.  The result was back on 1st July.  He commented Dad was super healthy; but there's one or two areas he was a bit concern.  Thus sending Dad to Dr Ng Seng Man to do a chest x-ray and an ultra sound for the abdomen the following day, 2nd July.

We all know how time consuming it is even in a private hospital.  But all three doctors who treated Dad gave him special 'greenlane'.  The ultra sound and CT scan showed that the gallbladder was bloated and the doctor suspected it was caused by the gallstones.  An operation was scheduled on the same day in the afternoon.  After the scan, Dad saw Dr Siaw to examine his heart.  Dad jokingly asked Dr Siaw will his heart endure the operation or there's a possibility he may die at the operation theatre (OT).

The children and I rushed to the hospital after school, wanting to see Dad before his operation.  However, we missed him.   Although the op was scheduled at 5pm but Dad was pushed into OT for preparation around 2:30pm. We waited outside the OT for a few hours until the kids were complaining hungry.  Checked with the nurse and they told us it would be another hour or so, hence we grabbed a bite at a nearby restaurant swiftly.  To our horror, the hospital called us up 30 minutes later and apparently the op was over and we were told to be there ASAP. 

We ran back in no time and Dr Francis had a lengthy chat with Andrew in the OT while the children and I waited outside patiently.  All kinds of thought flew across my mind and worry started to build up.  Apparently, Dr Francis discovered that the gallbladder was not bloated, there were extensive tumors all over the gallbladder and liver.  The tumors had rupture with extensive blood and abysses all over the abdomen.  This is the reason why Dad had been having fever non-stop.  A sample was sent to the lab and the result was cancerous.  The condition was so bad that the surgeon decided to just close up the wound as nothing much could be done.

We brought the kids to the ward waiting for Dad to return.  It was another long wait before we saw Dad.  He was in so much pain and could hardly talk.  Finally he fell asleep and we went back home, exhausted both physically and emotionally.

The next morning, we went back to the hospital and Dad was in his jovial mood again.  He was feeling much better and that's where Andrew broke the news to him.  This father-and-son 'serious' talk doesn't sound serious at all.  Dad took it so lightly and he even cracked a joke on it.  He said, "Last time Ma
(my late mother-in-law) used to say that I have a monster in my stomach.  Now we know what is this monster."  My heart was aching listening to him leave instructions to Andrew.  I left the hospital before 11am to resume my duty as a mom.  Andrew stayed with Dad the whole day with his laptop.  I brought the children to the hospital and they were both excited to see Ah Gong wide awake.  Andrew left with us around 5pm as that evening the church had an inter-church event conducted at Wesley.  

Many church members heard the news of Dad being admitted into hospital.  Many expressed their care and concern.  I was caught off guard on how to answer many of their questions, eg. How big is the stone?  What went wrong?  How is your father-in-law?  When will he discharge?  Dad specifically told us that he did not want anyone to know of his condition.  He's a very private man.  He did not want the attention.  Nevertheless, we are so touched by the love that was showered on us by this community of faith.

Andrew went back to office to settle a few things on Saturday since he was out of office for the past two days.  I, on the other hand, was kept occupied by ferrying my daughter from tuition to tuition.  We dropped by the hospital after lunch.  Dad looked well and he was permitted to consume solid food, finally!  Dr Francis thought of discharging Dad on Sunday, however, we were a bit reserved with that.  Sunday was a busy day for Andrew.  In the event that Dad needed help, I alone could not manage with two kids side by side.  So, we postponed it to Monday.

Sunday after church, we visited Dad again in the hospital.  He was up walking around like a healthy person.  In fact, he wanted to walk to the 7-Eleven downstair all by himself before we arrived but the nurse refrained him from doing so.  But the nurse gave the greenlight when we accompanied him.  The children were thrilled, holding Ah Gong's hand and walking by his side as though they were there to take care of him.  Dad even bought a few packets of buah kurma and asked the kids to give it to the nurse-on-duty as a gesture of thanking them for their kindness.  We were surprised by Dad's recovery and regretted for not discharging him on the day itself.

Three days after the operation, Dad was taking a walk at the hospital

It was Monday, Andrew went to the hospital to settle all the bills and discharged Dad whereas I stayed at home.  The procedure might take a little longer and I need to pick up the kids on time.  True enough, Dad came back home only around 2pm.  He looked a bit exhausted and rested in his room. 

The days after his return from the hospital his appetite went from worse to worse.  Initially he could still eat a few mouthspoon of rice or noodles.  Towards the end, he could only consume one or two spoons of soup.  The ulsers in his mouth caused much discomfort as he ate.  The pain in his abdomen was unbearable at times.  He was taking morphine tablets (OxyContin 10 mg) and other types of pain killers twice a day.  It's all about pain management for now.  Dad was trying  his best to be with the family as much as he could.  Spending his last moment with us was too precious to missed.  But there were times he had to hide in his room with his door closed to prevent the children to see how torturous it was with the intensive pain he endured.

Spending time with the family though Dad was weak

Dad went back for another round of check-up on 11th July (Saturday).  The lab report showed that not only did Dad have a very rare type of cancer - gallbladder cancer, it was a very aggressive type as well.  Andrew and Dad mentioned to Dr Francis about his poor appetite and other symptoms;  Dr Francis gave him different pain killers, a higher dose of morphine and medication to help his appetite.


Finally, it was Raya break and Dad wanted to settle a few things in Subang.  We went back on Monday and came back to Malacca on Wednesday afternoon.  Dad was exhausted after the journey.  He rested in his room for the rest of the day.  
 

Three days before his departure