The trip here wasn't pre planned.
Took the old road through Bukit Gantang . So don't mix that up with the R&R on the North South highway.
The drive itself was very pleasant, very cool, with lovely kampung houses throughout, bringing me back to my early childhood days.Then, the first of the durian stalls started to pop up. As I was already stuffed to the brim, had no intention whatsoever to stop.
After the umpteenth stall , I finally spotted one of my own kind. To tell you the truth, when we see other Chinese people stopping to buy something, we also want to go see what's so good about whatever it was he was buying.
Read : busybody
Reason :our tastebuds are pretty similar, preferences not far from each other and the general mindset is " it must be good "
So, at the next stall, manned by 2 women , I was determined to take a bite.
Her face fell, when I told her I only wanted one. I mean, people buy by the baskets and here, I'm getting just one.
" Mau yang pahit ke ? " ( you prefer the bitter tasting one ? like she knew our preference. I nodded.
Seriously....haven't had a durian as good as this in ages. These kampung species, it's the first break through the membrane that makes you remember for life.
Our conversation is as follows
Me : so....what species is this ?
Her : kampung lah....we don't like the Thai durians, nor do we like to marry the two species. Our durians are "padat " , "beriisi " unlike others places
Me : mmmm....very nice, very " lemak "
Her : sure you don't want another
Me : ( my gawd, the durian was so small, yet, each compartment was a secret chamber of puffed up durian goodness ) em, no, already eaten lunch earlier on, just snacking for fun
Her: (muttering to her friend ) adoi, those 2 are sharing one durian
Her friend : hmmmm ( must be thinking we're "kedekut " )
Me : hear a clinking rythm in the back. What's that ?
Her : you mean the sound ? Oh, we tied bottles and suspended them in mid air to scare away the monkeys
Me : wow ( kampung folk never fail to impress me ) and how many trees do you have out there ?
Her friend : huh, I think more than a thousand
Me : whaaaaaaaaaattttt ???? How old is the oldest tree then ?
Her friend : " entahlah, tapi pokok yang ada dah mati, skang cucunya tumbuh pulak " ( gosh, I really don't know, the original trees died and what you're seeing now is their grandchildren )
Me : ( no sheet, this is awesome ) waaahhh, cucu, omg ( that puts it at around at least 200 to 300 years old or even more ? Lapping it up more heartily, nyam nyam ) Also, when does the season come to an end ?
Her friend : our durians are available all year round , as they fruit in stages
Me : Wow ( goodie, now when the craving pops up, I know where to head )
Conversation goes on for quite a bit but as we're discarding
the husk onto a pile, I'm a little worried about the large
anthill mound beside it. Local superstitions have influenced
all of us to that extent.
Time comes for us to pay up. Expected to be slaughtered in the region of RM20 for such quality durian, but no she charges me an insane RM5 for that one number.
Because of the crazzzy price, I make a mental note to return.
Still, something at the back of my mind makes my google the place up.
Gawdamnit....apparently, if you ever decide to come a durian hunting, make sure you get out before sunset, or else you'll have a whole gamut of paranormal and supernatural creatures even Japanese ghosts to wrestle with.
Not only that, the area is where one of the worst bus crashes and an infamous royal murder occured.
Um, lemme think this through thoroughly first.
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