“The capacity for friendship is God's way of apologizing for our families.”

― Jay McInerney, The Last of the Savages

I didn't realise it at the time, but the times were changing. The nature of childhood friendships was about to change. But for us, it was fun as usual.

For 2 years running, Prai Baptist Church had been champions of a regional Christian football tournament that brought together the youths of the churches for a healthy bit of sports activity.

The church had been generous in providing us with kits for the games. We modeled ourselves after the West German Euro 1980 kit and the 1982 England away kit for ourselves. The first year had been innocent fun, the second year became more competitive with all the teams getting more serious about the results. By the 3rd year, it was all out win or bust. On the field that it. Off it, things chugged on as normal.

It was also in 1983 that a group of us went on a week-long camping trip in Teluk Bahang, Penang. Inspired by the movie "Breaking Away", we cycled using a motley array of ordinary bicycles, including a gentleman's Raleigh borrowed from Nick's gentleman father at the last minute. Only one of the gang was on a proper Shimano racing bike.

For the last part of the journey, we took the old route up the hills from Teluk Bahang to Balik Pulau. The group had split into two for safety reasons. We were supposed to rendevous at the Balik Pulau town roundabout (that still exists today).

Being in the following group, we found the lead team nowhere to be found! After an aborted wait, we decided to strike out, thinking that we could still meet up at the old ferry terminal in Weld Quay.

Some wise guy passerby suggested using the newly opened Teluk Bahang - Air Itam road, instead of the normal coastal route to make up for lost time. We found out halfway along the way that the "shortcut" included steep 1/10 gradients and similar harrowing descents!

None of our bicycles were equipped for that kind of terrain, and we were carrying canvas tents, and other camping gear on top of it. It was sheer madness. I remember I had my full brakes on all the way down but it made little difference. The bicycle was flying! Amazingly, none of us flew off any of the bikes and we eventually made it to Air Itam town exhausted but safe.

I think we were the first cyclists to conquer that hill!

“Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than the government. It is almost the equal of family.” - Mario Puzo, The Godfather

“Tis the privilege of friendship to talk nonsense, and to have her nonsense respected.”

― Charles Lamb,