Sue Wass

Gosh where to start...Had to dust off the memory cells for this one.

My family went to Penang in June 1964 we left Sydney by boat to Singapore and by plane to Penang. I turned 11 on the way with my brothers Douglas (8)Ian(6) and Geoffrey (6 months).

You know it's funny what you think you have forgotten.

I remember the oddest things, like the smell of the rubber plantation not far from the school our Amah use to live there and we would often go to her house and visit, smelly drains, durian fruit in Georgetown.

Debra Jones use to live near me and we'd often head to the Kampong near her house to see our friends. There are multi story apartments on that Kampong now. I remember jumping into the creek one day to rescue a bag full of kittens I'd seen someone throw in. Took them home (mother was not impressed).

I remember bicycling everywhere. I can remember we use to cycle to the top of the reservoir hill and then come screaming down there so fast I couldn't catch up with my bike chain. I went back to Penang in January 2007 and visited all the old places I remembered. Can't believe I am still alive after looking at that skinny road how I hadn't come off my bike an ended up head first in the Jungle.

Our parties...wouldn't the kids of today think we were a load of jerks. The biggest party rage was "spin the bottle" and the limbo. Ah, wasn't life simple then.

I remember visiting the Botanical Gardens and getting mugged of my peanuts by some overzealous monkeys. Scarred me for life.

What else: Oh, getting chased by a sea snake after crossing a creek at Batu Ferringhi Beach.

Great memories of the Penang Swimming Club. I was really chuffed to see the old orange temple style roof there we had some great times there with the school carnivals.

I was first introduced to Softball at school. The other girls were in Form 3 and Correspondence (Sonja Cosgrove, Jill Gocha, Julie Cook, Anne Lowe, Maxine Wheaton, Anne Ellis, Judy Radford and Kathy Fehily) but I really enjoyed it and after my return to Australia we went to Darwin where I played rep softball for the NT until 1980. Also did some coaching for TBall/Baseball and the U-18 Darwin Girls Rep Teams.

Sport has played a big role in my life.

Natalie Sutton and I were always competing in high jump and Hurdles and relays. We both represented Penang in the Malaysian Games in 1965. I can remember we had to travel to Seremban about 40 miles from Kuala Lumpur. We had a sleeper carriage(asian style) which was just bunks with a pullover curtain and everyone could walk past you all night. Must have looked odd this arm hanging out from under the curtain to make sure no one nicked my bag. Like they would have cared probably would have taken my arm as well.

Scariest experience I have had apart from the fish heads they served up at the athlete dining hall.

I also learned to play badminton and competed in competitve games with other Malaysian students. They are very good players I learnt a lot.

I can remember when we used to have dancing lessons at school that was fun but I always got into trouble for leading. Can't remember who my partner was pretty grumpy about me leading.

My favourite teacher was Mrs Rose, loved her French classes.

And to Penny Barrett, yes everybody had a crush on Gary Kitchenside.

I remember one school lunch time Mr Mills took a kid into the lunch room for the cuts and was yelling at him to put his hand out. He got so mad he raised the cane so high he broke the big lampshade they use to have over the lights. Boy was that kid lucky he got away with it as Mr Mills had to clean up the lamp shade he'd broken. We all pretended not to notice.

Its funny isn't it. I can remember some names like it was yesterday.

When I look at the Form 2 Photo 1966 now and look at all those cheery faces I can recall good things about nearly everybody.

I returned to Penang in Jan 2007 and although it took a while to get my bearings I could recognise lots of places even though the roads had changed a little.

I found my old house at 29 Jalan Osman Bin Abdul Rahman although now it looks like a fortress. When we use to walk to school Jalan Azyze seemed to be miles long and its really only about 100 metres. Where the rubber plantation use to be there are lots of houses. (Ah progress)

It was sad to see the damage from the Tsunami, it didn't really get a mention at the time. Also sad to see some of the beautiful old colonial houses left to rack and ruin. I have fond memories of the old style shops now looking a little worse for wear as the multi storey shopping complexes take over.

Took a taxi over the new bridge to Butterworth and came back via the old ferries. It is a contradiction in terms to see some Malay people still living like I remember and others in modern condo's and flats.

I had a great time re-visiting and I am very pleased I went. They reckon Penang is the new Bali for Australians. There were certainly plenty there.

1966 to now (short and sweet).

Dad was transferred back to Richmond and then to Darwin in 1970.

I joined the ANZ Bank in Darwin after leaving school moved to Brisbane after the cylone and then to Tasmania in 1986 where my husband and I worked for a mining company of the West Coast. I am married to Mike with 2 girls Lara 31 and Louisa 30. I have 2 grand children as of now and another expected in May 07.Lara lives in England and Louisa is in the Airforce currently at Parramatta in recruiting.

I currently work for the local newspaper in Burnie (5 years), grow native plants for cut flowers for the florists and export.

I would be nice to hear from anyone of my classmates who remember me.

Thanks for the memories.