First trip to Kampar

Went down to Kampar together with my parents on Friday,7 May 2010.

We went down by bus (cos' we want to experience how it's like and besides,my parents want me to learn where to get the tickets,etc etc...)and as we are travelling like that for the first time,we did not know that we are not supposed to get down from the bus when it stopped at the Gopeng bus station.Thanks to a guy who told us to get down at that station(he himself does not even know where we should stop to go to UTAR...),we,namely my dad,mum and me,blur-ly walked down from the bus.We went round asking people where should we do next to go to UTAR.Haha,you might be surprised,some of these locals don't even know where UTAR is.One of them had thought that we wanted to travel down to Batu Gajah!Does UTAR sounds like Batu Gajah?

Anyways...we were extremely hungry so we went to look for a Chinese kopitiam but at the end,we settled for lunch at one of the mamak coffee shop.After lunch,we asked a girl at one of the nearby bus stop and thankfully,she proved to be quite helpful.We got onto a green-striped bus (the locals called the bus 'Green Bus') and managed to get to the old town of Kampar.Here,we chartered a taxi to the UTAR campus...Phew!To think that we wasted five hours solely on getting to the place!!!!!

Reaching the campus,we went to the Department of Student Affairs and got some information regarding the accommodation.UTAR does not provide lodging for students.Students can either get an accommodation at Danish House (Westlake area,which is nearer to Block A of the campus) or rent rooms from housing estates like Taman Kampar PErdana,Taman Kampar Jaya,Taman Bandar Baru or Bandar Barat(nearby Danish House).We did not have much time,so we called a taxi to Taman Kampar Perdana to meet this girl,who was actually a student studying at UTAR,regarding an available room for rent.We were shocked to see that the house was totally bare except for a few lightings and fans!We had expected to see a fully-furnished house.And the rental is RM170,not even inclusive of utility bills.And it seemed that the house wasn't exactly safe and secure.I was hoping the place to be suitable and okay but it turned out that it wasn't good at all.

Dad was getting restless and impatient.He was expecting to settle my accommodation problem completely when we were in Kampar but it seemed that I'll be left with no place to stay unless I booked a room at Danish House.You might be wondering,why the trouble when you can get a lodging at DH?The reason is...we were afraid that the place there would be very noisy.There are about more than ten students living under the same roof,you can't expect enough privacy and a peaceful yet quiet environment.Moreover,from what I heard from a senior student,electricity and water bills may be high there.Food would not be a problem as there are food outlets nearby the area but it would be costly.You aren't allowed to cook though except for 'simple cooking' like Milo,instant noodles.Haha.What if I'm vegetarian for the day???And know what?If you stay in DH,you have to sign a one-year agreement.In that agreement,it is stated that if you want to move out of DH after staying there,you have to pay a one-year rental before you are allowed to stay somewhere else not under DH!That's why we preferred to search for other rooms.

We could only spend about one to two hours on the accommodation problem.By five in evening,we had to take a bus back to Penang.So,in the end,I booked a twin-sharing room in DH.What to do?If only there's other suitable,fully-furnished,single,small or medium,reasonable room at the mentioned housing estates.I don't mind if it's far and whatnot but unfortunately,most of them have been rented out!!!Padan muka to me for being a Princess Procrastinator...the late bird catches no worms at all.....

Right now,I just wish and hope that there's another better option of accommodation.

Help.

Hello?Can someone hear me out?

Add another sigh to my sighing list.