Weekend Genting Highlands Stay (Part 2): Having Fun on a Budget
Read Part 1 of Genting Highland trip here.
“Which Genting Highlands attraction should we go first?”
While we were having iced coffee in Starbucks, I proposed to find somewhere for us to have fun. A week earlier, I had placed every Genting attraction into a Google Doc for easy navigation. My friends looked through the list, but their expressions showed otherwise.
“The entrance fee is pricey,” Tiffany swiped the screen. “40 Ringgit for SnowWorld.”
“Welcome to Genting,” I flashed a sarcastic smile.
“I don’t feel like getting on a roller coaster,” Eemaau let out a groan. “Also, the indoor park is crowded.”
“How about the bowling arena?” Kylie showed us the pricing. “It’s the cheapest one out of all the attractions”
“Do you know how to bowl?”
All of us shook our heads. Great, we were on a mission with no prior knowledge or basic skills.
“We’ll figure it out,” Kylie said. “It won’t be that hard.”
Bowling vs. Noobs
The bowling arena was on two floors above the Skytropolis indoor theme park. From above, we watched the dancers performing at the SkySymphony square, accompanied by loud acoustics and cinematic visuals. The suspended balls followed to the rhythm as they swayed up and down. Tiffany swayed her hips while recording the complete performance.
Neon lighting ignited the dim bowling arena, befitting the ‘glow-in-the-dark’ theme. We had to change our shoes and enter our names before starting our one-hour bowling session.
“These balls are so heavy,” Kylie searched for a light-weighted bowling ball. “How do we even start?”
“Just throw?” Such inexperienced advice from a new player like me.
For complete amateurs without proper training, we struggled in the beginning. After a few tryouts, we somehow grasped the basic technique for a smooth bowl.
My arm moved thirty degrees backward before tossing the ball onto the smooth lane. Please don’t fall into the drain, I pleaded. The ball made a turn to the middle and bam, all pins fell in one shot.
“Yeaahh,” our cheering noise echoed through the chamber. So whenever someone struck in a row, we just applauded.
After ten rounds of tossing around, the game came to a halt. We groaned, since we were just warming up.
“Let’s play another ten rounds,” Tiffany called. Thus, we topped up for another session and continued our crazy evening. We either laughed when the ball dropped to the drain or squealed when it hit one pin. All ended when the screen stopped displaying our records.
As we walked out of the dark and quiet arena, the bright lights and high-pitched screams almost blinded us. We were not hungry yet, so we brought the excitement to the arcade with several rounds of dancing and basketball-throwing.
After-Fun Amusements
We could not afford to queue in front of Burger & Lobster or any Italian restaurant. Our solution was having a quick dinner in a food court.
We walked around the area to look for some after-dinner entertainment. It was a pity that the karaoke bar’s pricing was way out of our league. Soon, one thing near the bar caught Tiffany’s eyes, the infamous nightclub across Southeast Asia, Zouk.
“I’m curious,” Tiffany headed to the large wooden entrance door with bouncers guarding at the sides. “I want to know what’s inside.”
“What,” Eemaau cried. “Kylie and I can’t go in.”
“Yeah, I don’t think you should be in there,” Kylie hooked Tiffany’s elbow and moved away from the entrance. “Nightclubs are crowded.”
“I can go by myself,” Tiffany pouted. “It’s just a peek.”
“I can’t guarantee what’s inside there,” I added. “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
The three of us had to drag her away from the area and moved to a mini mart. Soon, Tiffany was soon distracted by a few cups of instant noodles and snacks. The snack hunt concluded this day’s trip, and it was time for us to chill in our hotel room.
Eemaau turned on the TV, then Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper appeared on the screen. The four of us opened the sealed packets and indulged in the salty and sweet refreshments while watching the lead actors making out.
Way more relaxing than the flashy neon lights and ear-deafening cheers.
Eemaau let out a yawn. “I’m sleepy.”
“Are we going to bed soon?” Tiffany wriggled herself into the sheets.
“Will we be seeing ghosts, then?”
If it was not Kylie, we would have forgotten about the paranormal talk. The night in First World Resort can be dead silent, a contrast from the theme park and casino. You could only hear the sporadic footsteps in the hallway, or the whistles of the boreal wind if you opened the window. Some people claimed they heard whispers in the middle of the night, or indistinct shadowy figures crawling around in The Yellow Wallpaper style.
“We’ll see tonight,” I smirked, before resting my head on the pillow.
Date of Visitation: 28th-29th Sep 2019
SkySymphony
Location: Level 1, Sky Avenue (same floor as Skytropolis)
Genting Bowl
Location: Level 3, First World Plaza
(this attraction is temporarily closed until further notice)
Bigtop Video Game Park
Location: Level 2, Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park
Operating Hours: 12noon – 9pm