My ultimate goal for the trip was to visit a friend and also I would really want to experience the most efficient MRT system in South East Asia. I didn't have the chance to try the MRT during my business trip back in July 2011. I hop on the bus in front of Berjaya Times Square straight away to Tuas checkpoint. Singapore's immigration clearance took nearly 2 hours, and I was really annoyed by a Viviet guy queuing in front of me because he pushed his luggage around with his leg all the way for 2 hours. God gives you two hands man! Thanks to Spotify for accompanying my boring queue and I was thinking how the world could improve this immigration clearance waiting time. Can't we build something with the help of Artificial Intelligence to address this problem. I really feel that my time was wasted. Sekian keluh- kesah mak esah.
I arrived Golden Mile Complex around 3 pm. Took the MRT from Nicoll Highway to Clarke Quay Station and checked in at Zen Room. My room is located at 5th floor, hell yeah I had to climb up and down for numerous reasons, and I was dying like a thirsty dog wanting for cold water. I went down to 7E bought some cold drinks and took the train to Bugis Station. Found a nice Musolla at Exit E and performed Solat Jama' Ta'khir, Jama' Ta'payah jangan sekali! And then literally running to meet k.Our at Exit B. k.Our was my senior in high school, a cardiologist in her final sprint finishing Fellowhip in Electrophysiology at National University Hospital of Singapore. May Allah ease her path towards success, amin.
We walk together to Arab Street area finding a good and HALAL certified restaurant for tea time. Frankly speaking I didn't know what to talk about because I haven't seen k.Our since school, that is 23 years ago. So I just eat this nice cheesy dish slowly while trying to start a meaningful conversation. And it seemed not that easy for a shy person like me. Haaa muntah sekarang?
Because it was too hard to break the ice hence we finished all the meals quickly and k.Our went to perform Asar prayer at Masjid Sultan while I went look see look see around the street.
It was an evening with nice weather and the crowd was not that big for a pleasant sightseeing. We stopped by at a unique bookstore and I had a peek at Call Upon Him. This book is not merely a compilation of supplications taken from the
Quran and the Sunnah. It is a book written with the sole intention to
inspire Muslims to have unquestionable faith in the Most Generous Lord,
Allah s.w.t. through the supplications they make to Him.
Right after that we went to the park trying to have even more meaningful conversation and updating each other stories because I couldn't remember any single conversation with her when in school. Or because it was way in dinosaur era and I've lost so many memories of the past in the effort of building a brighter future.
Solat Jama' Taqdim Maghrib+Isya' at Masjid Sultan and then sipping Ginger Tea at Bhai Sarbat right before heading to Bugis Station (me to Clarke Quay and k.Our to her crib in Boon Lay).
tbc
