10. Hitchhiking to Singapore

Merlion Singapore

In late 1970, my Singapore pen pal invited me to her party. I decided to hitchhike from Taiping to Singapore and invited Chong Beng, Yeap Min, and Kok Wah along. We paired up - I with Kok Wah, while Chong Beng went with Yeap Min.

We most likely started from Simpang and easily got rides from lorry drivers, thanking them with meals or drinks. In Kuala Lumpur, we reunited with Chong Beng and Yeap Min and stayed a night at the former's brother’s house. Before leaving, we agreed to meet at the Merlion once in Singapore.

The next day, Kok Wah and I headed straight for Singapore, while the other two went to Johor Bahru to stay with Chong Beng’s uncle. We reached Old Airport Road in Singapore smoothly and arrived at my pen pal’s house just as her party was in full swing - music, slow dancing, and new faces. I met my pen pal for the first time and enjoyed the night.

Then came a problem. Due to a miscommunication, Kok Wah and I had no accommodation. We left the party, and with Kok Wah upset, I could only apologize. That night, we ended up in a 24-hour coffee shop at Kallang Basin.

The next morning, we went to the Merlion but couldn’t find Chong Beng. I had written down his uncle’s phone number incorrectly, so he probably assumed we hadn’t arrived. We spent the day exploring Chinatown and slept on a park bench that night, since we hadn’t budgeted for hotels. Kok Wah was getting increasingly pissed.

The following morning, we tried the Merlion again - and there was Chong Beng! We were overjoyed. Soon after, we went to his uncle’s bungalow in Johor Bahru. It felt heavenly: showers, home-cooked food, and real beds.

I don’t recall exactly how we returned to Taiping, maybe by train, but the Merlion in Singapore will always remind me of that adventure. Lesson learned: always double-check phone numbers.

Chong Cheng Yan

7th September 2025