Chapter 4: Storms and HospitalityStorms and Sanctuary
The Penang Bridge stretched 13.5 kilometres across the sea, and
cycling it felt like floating above water, exhilaration coursing through
every pedal stroke. On the mainland, mangroves and bird sanctuaries
framed the road until the sky darkened and a monsoon storm
unleashed its fury.
I found shelter beneath a flimsy umbrella at a roadside stall, where a
kind woman offered food and laughter. Hospitality became refuge,
and the storm passed with warmth rather than fear.
In Taiping, colonial architecture whispered of another era, and the
zoo’s nocturnal symphony added enchantment.