After 52 Years

After 52 years I visited my old college buddy who now resides in Kota Bahru, the capital of the state of Kelantan on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. This was not the best time to visit as it was December, the monsoon season when rains would deluge the east coast states and cause widespread flooding. I decided to chance it so I hopped onto the plane for a short visit.

This was my first visit to the east coast. As the plane was landing I saw how flat the whole area was.  It was very pretty, with the rivers and green patches.

My friend was there waiting for me and it was good to see her again after 52 years.  We were in our teens when we first met in college in the UK and we lived in the same house and hitched hiked together throughout the British Isles.

She whisked me off to her house which was situated in the middle of a small secluded village with narrow winding lanes. She had a huge garden with two other houses apart from the main one in which they lived.

 Interesting varieties of plants and trees populated her compound which ran right down to the river bank.

                       The Buah Katak tree. Its fruits grow from the trunk and branches.

                             The Neem tree whose leaves have medicinal properties.

It was very cooling to sit on the river bank watching the river flow past.

At night we went up to the balcony on the roof of the guest house for drinks and to view the large golden moon.

  Her house is in such an idyllic spot, very tranquil and relaxing. It was a great change from the maddening traffic jams and noise of the city. We had good weather throughout my stay. All too soon I had to return home and as I waited for the plane to take off, the rain clouds were looming dark and it had begun to drizzle.