Paul Lindberg

June 19 Overland across Malaysia
06-27-06 | 09:59

My high and low came from a preacher who happened to sit across from me on my third train ride. I also walked around an island that time and globalization forgot, Penang.

Let's start with my sleeping berth which was way too close to the end of the train. I spent most of the night closing the door which goes to the other train where there was a bathroom. The train was loud especially with the door ajar but I somehow enjoyed the ruckus and slept soundly on and off on two hour stints.

Upon arrival to Butterworth at 6am, guess what it was raining. Yes, the rain has been following me or was it just everywhere? I decided early to store my lot of bags at the station and explore the island of Penang. The guide book I had said that it was a testament that globalization is not a new idea.

Penang was the headquarters of the East India Trade Company back when government, military, and corporations were more loosely defined. Leave it to the British for that subtle 19th Century art of imperialism. It seems a little less cloak in dagger than the 21st century. Penang was a bustling port city but it seems that Singapore has taken Penang place. The place had a provincial feel to it but I guess my last stops of Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, and then Kuala Lumpur would make any place look like a sticks.

My reference to globalization is more that this place is a testament how the importance of the city is more timely than spatial. This city was a vital port in the 19th century but now it seems to be off the map from most import/exporters.

Where will the important cities of the world be in one hundred years from now?
Excuse these thoughts and passing question. These are the muses of a man riding a train for two days. The short ferry ride which took me across from Butterworth to Penang returned me with out the buckets of rain which took me there. The thundershowers did go on and off but I did see a little sun light.

I boarded the train and passed out. When I woke up, I began speaking to a fellow traveler. He broke down all of his travels to Hong Kong and Tawain for forty days, across the US on the greyhound for forty days, by train across Europe for thirty eight days, and around China for forty days. He travelled most heavily in the 1990s. This 70 years young man was filled with stories. I just thought that he had a gift for gab. He was from Malaysia but his family was originally from China. So I guess that he would be Chinese Malaysian or is it Malaysian Chinese?

After some chatting, he started explaining the Bible was the mother of all books. I told him that he should be a priest but he said that he wasn't. After some hours later, he continued on that I must first read the Bible and then I would understand much better. But he wasn't pestering me, his reasoning was right if it was a search for knowledge. We continued in this vain until I told him that I would look into reading the Bible. He said that it wasn't good enough just to read. You must read it knowing that it is the word of God. I don't know why I continued the conversation as long as I did about this. He was knowledgeable and spoke english very well but I am in search to listen to all people from all countries. There is no one answer.

I read somewhere about the mistake of found truth. The preacher who believes he has found the truth has stopped looking. I don't want to say anyone is wrong or right. It is not about that but if you say these people are saved and those damned. It seems more akin to scare tactics than faith. I believe faith is intangible in any religion but I have faith in humanity not in dogma.

Finallly surprise surprise, I discovered my new train buddy was a preacher. He was a reverend not a priest, verbal semantics. Rev. Pang was a good man and wish him the best to visit his son. He did not pester me but only wanted me to learn more as I would like the same for me. I told him about Awake and he seemed to find it interesting but the Bible was still the ticket in his book.

We converted out bunks and went to sleep my second night on the train.