02 September 2006

Memoirs of A Boy With Memory Retention Problems Part 4

Two other things I looked forward to on the Redang trip was the night sky and the sun rise.

The beach we stayed on faces east, so it was supposed to be the perfect spot for catching the sunrise. Unfortunately, it was always cloudy. So on the second day when Jackson and I woke up at 6am, we were rewarded with a mediocre sunrise. In fact, I couldn't see the sun at all! We were too bummed out by the trip that we didn't even bother to try again the following morning.

The star gazing was markedly better. As you should probably know, there are infinite twinkling stars above us but we can't see them at night because the city lights drown them out. But, in deserted places like Redang, all the stars come out of their hiding and brighten up the night sky with their own shimmer.

At least, that was the theory.

Throughout our trip it was cloudy but never rained. This is great when we were out in the sun, but was a nuisance when it came time to star gaze. The first night was really cloudy and we could hardly spot anything. Luckily, we were treated to a clearer sky on our last night. And man - what a feeling!

Imagine if you will - you are sitting on a deck chair looking up at the vast sky. Then, you gasp with awe as you realize just how many stars there are up there. Back in the city, you can sometimes spot the "Archer" star arrangement but over here you can't see him because there are so many stars crowding the sky! Eventually, you smile to yourself as you spot that familiar sequence of three stars.

As you continue gazing up, the soft breeze from the sea washes over you. All the tensions you were feeling just vanished as the sea breeze carasses your body. At the same time, the relaxing sound of the waves breaking upon the sand fills your ear. You wonder how a sound so loud can be so calming all at once.

Suddenly, you spot a tiny streak of light in the sky. A shooting star! You quickly ask your friends, "Did you guys see that?" Everyone else did not, which made you even happier that you did. Quietly, you made a wish upon the shooting star. You close your eyes as the happiness of the moment overwhelms you.

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