A Stroll Through a Durian Orchard

This past (is it "past" yet? It sure feels very "past") season, Penang had a very lean durian harvest.

I currently reside in a place in Penang renowned for its durian, Balik Pulau (well, I don't really reside IN Balik Pulau, per se, but according to my address, the small remote fishing village I now live in belongs to the Balik Pulau precinct), and, well, the saying is true: you won't appreciate something until it's gone.

Well, not gone, exactly, in this case. It's just that there will be a few more month's wait for the next season.

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Last year, from I think around June to August, there were so many durians being sold here and there and everywhere, I hardly really looked at them (we only bought it once, during the three long months of abundant durian harvest).

This year, it seemed that with just a blink of an eye, the so-called durian season is suddenly over. Gone. Not a single durian to be seen anywhere anymore.

How sad. Just when I suddenly have this maddening craving for it.

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Some weeks ago, I had a chance to take a stroll in a durian orchard near our village, and I took some photos, as you can see below. It was supposed to be the durian season then, but as you can see from the photos, hardly any spiky pungent king of fruits hanging from the branches.

The sceneries were beautiful, though. And although it was almost noon, it was still very cool under those wonderful canopies.

In case you were wondering: NO, I didn't take the stroll in the orchard with the intention to pick some FREE durians. =.= Our pastor and I were visiting one of our sisters in Christ, and her husband took us to visit the pallet-making workshop he works in. The workshop sits smack in the middle of the orchard because the owner is the brother of the orchard owner. Besides, the trail is also frequently used by the villagers for trekking.

Still, despite the scenery and cool ambience, I haven't been there since for a second stroll, because, after all, no matter how lean the durian harvest may be, there is still no guarantee that you won't have a falling one land on your head...