Penang - Sunrise at Penang Hill

It was beautiful, standing up there at the top of the hill, setting your gazes on the island as the sun began to shower its warm to the island. It was so breath-taking that all the hard works during the ascending seem to worth it. A plus point was when we managed to surprise our friend with a birthday surprise. Shocked would be an understatement for her I think.

Since I want to practice more on my fiction writing skill, I wrote a fictionalized account of the climb. Well, more or less a fiction, with a blend of truth in it. It has been quite some time since I wrote something resembling a story and it was not really of any good (and I am too lazy to edit it further). Comment away.

P/S As this entry (which occurred end of last year) was posted, I will be most likely again heading up to Penang Hill, this time, to watch the night scene. We were going to try the newly installed funicular train to ascend up to the hill. More info will be posted soon Here is the views of Penang Island from Bukit Bendera at night.

To Penang Hill

The Hike

               We should have noticed that something was amiss with her that day. Well, at least, the other twos should have, considering how often they called me inattentive and unobservant. Well, aren’t we all? I guess when one wants to hide her feelings and emotions, all one has to do is just to be as normal as one would be, just like what she had done. Had she not written about it in her blog the following day, we would not have even known about the problems she been through that day.

               When we went to pick her up that morning, she was like her usual self, all smiles and laughs, yet there was clearly something in her mind had we had looked closer in her eyes. Maybe we did but we just brushed it off, thinking of it as fatigue. After all, it was only about four in the morning and all of us barely slept more than eight hours in total. 

               It was our second attempt at the climb, after the failed first attempt just a week ago. We were almost three quarter to the top of the hill when the power that be up there showered us with heavy rain. We thought of making it through the rain but it was getting heavier and in the end, we began to head back down. Luckily, or unluckily, a jeep was driving down and was kind enough to offer us a lift back ground. But had it not for the jeep, maybe we might hike back up again for the rain stopped right after we reached starting point of the climb.

               There were not much people when we reached the place. Morning or night was just a technical term as it made no difference with the darkness. It was pitch black in the forest, a perfect match with the black mortar road that we were walking on. Even with our combined torchlights, it was barely enough to light up our surroundings. Tall tree clustered around us, further blocking whatever light may be from penetrating it. When I looked up into the sky, it was deep blue, with countable shiny spots scattered around. The moon was noticeably absent for the day. There was still no sign of the impending sunrise.

               The road uphill was a steep one. We often made stops along the way on the flatter ground to catch our breaths and cool down our rising temperature. Somehow, everyone was rather morbid and quiet which were unlike us. Talks about ghosts and spirits were strictly prohibited by my friends even though the mood and the ambience called for it. Only our heavy breaths and occasional sounds of rushing water could be heard.

               Once in a while, the sound of cars engines could be heard ahead of us and we would move to one side of the road, allowing the cars to pass us by. Residents living along and up the hill were getting ready for their day ahead, heading downhill, while the four of us were embracing the beginning of it with our hike uphill.

               The sky had began to change colour after awhile. A tint of purple had been added to the palette, followed by some yellow and gold. The ray of light from the emerging sun had turned the deep blue sky into a multicolor painting, truly a sight to behold. We were already almost at the top of the hill and we quickened our paces so that we can catch the rise of the beauty.

               Standing on top of the hill, overlooking the whole Penang Island, watching sunrise, was amazingly a great way to begin the day. The sight of the rising sun spreading its love to the island was truly breath taking. We all smiled. She did too. As rays of light seeped into the sky, splashing it with joy and vibrant, so too were our hearts and minds. Everything evaporated into nothingness, just like water into mist.

               Her eyes sparkled as she smiled and laughed.

Some of the shots of the rising sun

The sun has fully awake

A beautiful flower to end the post with

Sharing is caring. A word of advice and a piece of information.

If you plan to climb Penang Hill or any other hills/mountains, make sure you bring yourselves water and torchlight and have something to eat for the whole hike. And do some research first and foremost on the route you are to take so not to get lost in the jungle/mountain.