So I finally went and did it today . Participated in the non competitive walk that is.
Never been to any of these events before but here I was .
Parked across the road from Penang Times Square and the most amazing sight greeted me.A carnival like atmosphere at 5.30am lit up Jalan Datuk Keramat . A row of makeshift toilet cubicles fronted the complex. Gosh, I seriously hoped I could hold it long enough instead of being forced to empty my bladder in one of those thingeys .
First things first, collect my wristband .Made my way up the stairs towards the left hand side of the building only to be made to turn back by one of those in charge of crowd control.
Down the steps right into a sea of humans waiting to report in.We shuffled along, there was no proper queue.Those armed with loudspeakers might as well not have been there because we really could not hear/ make out what the heck they were trying to say to us.
Eventually I exchanged my green ticket for a pink lucky draw coupon and a flourescent yellow hairband ? Hmmmm......
Ok. Now what ? Wait I suppose but where ? After walking aimlessly here and there, I discovered that there was simply no way out whichever way you went, back or front,didn't matter.Once you got in unless you flung yourself over the waist high gates, you were boxed in.
There were no free refreshments or food. Everything wore price tags. On top of that you were a captive kill time audience to the various sponsors with booths. Capital boring.
Somehow we managed to put ourselves somewhere in the front tent near the starting line. When the barricades were about to open you could feel the urgency building. Thankfully no one pushed.
With a bang the gun went off and the swarm began. Various photographers provided some fun moments to remember . One was on an air lift crane close to the Indian temple . Another, on top of a car. Real attention getters who managed to coax the crowd to wave back at them for that great pix.
Once past them, I noticed many schoolkids making a run for it along the pavements. Thought this was a run with rules?
Stopped dead in my tracks just next to Gama, because a little girl had gotten her foot stuck in a hole in the ground due to the fact that some petty thief had stolen its cover. Luckily a group of men including one of our men in blue freed her. Don't know if she was injured but I saw no blood.
Turned right into Magazine Road and had passed the underpass from Komtar where a few cheats broke off when a traffic policeman blew his whistle and stopped the crowd from going forward. It was to make way for the competitive walkers but I could see that it was a tall order as this lone ranger had to muster up some horse muscles in his legs trying to keep them from lunging on.
Amazing that we could walk against the traffic flow past Traders, into the Prangin Mall underpass.Felt like the King of the Road ! From there we headed past the old Sia Boey and took a left at the traffic light after that. Policemen were stationed at junctions to ensure our safety. Really salute them.Downside on this lane, was attacks by hungry mosquitoes until we took a right towards the jetty.
Think we were next to the Nissan showroom when my partner in crime ( who said cheh 6km ONLY ?) said " don't know why my feet suddenly feels tired" Kah kah kah I went, even though the blister on my left ankle was beginning to gnaw through my brain . Two aunties took a shortcut from below the pedestrian bridge. Maybe they were tired.
Here,tourists lugging heavy trolley bags and sherpa like backpackers bravely dived in dodging the overtakers , in order to cut across to the other side of the road where the cruise ships lay.
We passed the clock tower on our right when I stopped to badger a Bulan Sabit girl for a plaster. She muttered (like I had just scared her) she had run out of it. A gallant young boy (aka hero waiting for grislier action maybe )
knelt down to fetch one from his toolbox. Relief !
Down Lebuh Downing we went until a Barkath black bear mascot drew everyone to free Sunkist drinks and freebies. The sir bristled like a porcupine as we were jostling. Gave up and quietly crept into Whiteaways where we took advantage of the clean loos.
Continuing our journey we received Blue (hair)wrist bands this time from a checkpoint that was so so easy to miss . Straight into a road littered with disposable paper cups .
I swear,the smell wafting from a roti canai stall in front of the Kuan Yin temple made many buckle. Because by the time we cut out to Carnavon Street a few aunties were tucking into Hokkien Mee and still others had run across the road for pastries made by an old uncle. "Are these walkers tourists or what ?" a flabbergasted fellow remarked .
Passed the side of 1st Avenue again into the road on the left of Gama . Turned into Jalan Timah where a few stopped to take pics of a primary school named after P.Ramlee. Finally reached the finish line but it was a little stuffy as well as chaotic since many impatient people were trying to get ahead of others.
Having completed the route in an hour and forty, I received a certificate of participation for all that effort. Immediately retreated into the cool airconditioning. It was so nice I felt like sleeping right there on the marble flooring. But we were really hungry and I wanted some Marrybrown fried chicken.
Mission fail. The line was impossible to breach without fainting .
We were tickled when a guy in Spiderman costume started singing. He was actually good
Can't say the same about some outrageously fugly all about their ketiak and big bra belly dancers. Very teruk and very chekai.
Same for the steamy stripper like dancers with chairs whose sexy romp on stage was not suitable for this kind of event. It would have been better if they were in sync but they came off as lousy dancers because they either did not have much practise or they didn't dance as one team. Where do they get these people from ? A dance school. Worst part is I heard they appear every year at this event.Imagine that.
The singers from Soju on the other hand ,I really liked. Pros . Really entertaining and absolutely good at what they do .
Couldn't ignore the stomach rumbling anymore so we went across the road to a curry house for canai only to return for the draw which fetched 20 over k of us nothing. Not even me. Muahahaha.
Surprisingly people who were initially quiet turned into nasty yelling monsters when their view was blocked by those blur about the winning numbers projected onto screens . Heard some really loud heckles when the top and final prize was given out just because the emcee urged everyone not to go back in case the winner had already gone home and they would have to redraw.Never ever be a sore looser.Takes the fun out of everything.
What to say ? Mixed bag of feelings. Will I be back ? Maybe.
What I can say is, it was fun, challenging and the route was really interesting since some of these sights are what I would take for granted every day.
