@emily2u 2 April 2021 more from that month

Today, I reminisce about my pre-COVID-19 life, when I used to take the first train out of Ipoh: 5am South-bound train to KL or 5.05am North-bound train to Butterworth. When I needed to make such runs, I hardly got any sleep as I would work a full day, then pack my luggage at midnight and hop to bed at 1am. Then I'd get out of bed at 3.30am, shower and everything and make my way to the train station. It was physically taxing but I was enjoying every minute of such a life. I cry for the freedom that we have lost to COVID-19 and the situation being declared as pandemic, causing worldwide lockdown. To date, in my country Malaysia, we are still not allowed to travel out of our own state for tourism purposes. Today, my five trolley bags and more than ten backpacks are collecting dust. The happiest people in all of these are my family members, who no longer have to wake up at ungodly hours also to send me to catch the train (sometimes coach or plane) and to fetch me when I return. Picture is of the Butterworth-Ipoh electric train basking in the glow of sunset. #Travel