Flyboarding. That is the first thing that stands out when I look at the itinerary for the Volkswagen Passat Family Media Drive. Do you know what flyboarding is? Until two weeks ago, neither did I. Alas, that is but one of the many firsts that awaits me.
In some ways, it's like going on a first date. You have it all planned in your head - what you are going to wear, the nice restaurant to take her to dinner, the things you are going to say, the makings of a beautiful night. But the truth is that, until the date happens, there is no way of knowing how it will turn out.
Getting accustomed
As I clamber into the driver's seat of a Passat Variant at 7:00am on a Tuesday morning at the Volkswagen Singapore showroom in Alexandra and head out onto the AYE, everything feels familiar enough. I have my iPod connected up to the media unit, the Passat Variant's comfortable, well-built and sensible interior is typically VW, and of course there is the usual morning hour traffic on the expressway.
It is clearing immigration at Tuas Second Link and crossing into Malaysia when familiarity fades. It definitely takes some time to get used to Malaysian roads, and perhaps more importantly Malaysian speeds. And with many kilometres to cover, I don't have the luxury of time. I end up having to be liberal with my right foot in ways that really messes with my Singapore-accustomed mind.
It also takes some time to learn the car's capabilities and how it behaves on the road, but in this case, the Passat Variant proves to be a much smoother transition. It gets up to speed well, feels easy to negotiate on the roads (even in traffic), and is generally a well-cultured thing. Equipped with various driving modes, it is interesting to flick between them and see how the car changes. Sport mode definitely feels stiffer and twitchier, but definitely I wasn't going to put my back through two hours of that.
Having Fun
After taking some time to get used to the car and the roads, I eventually start to have fun and enjoy the journey. Exiting the North-South Highway also helps, swapping the straight ahead highway roads for some twisting and sloping B-roads. There is a disarming ease in which I can take the Passat Variant into bends, with the speedometer reading a slightly disconcerting 90km/h.
On the sweeping highway roads leading up to Genting, as well as the snaking hairpin roads up Genting itself, the Passat Variant really proves itself to be impressively capable. It gives you great confidence to jump into corners, with assured handling and lots of traction. This tantalising first experience leaves me indeed wanting for more.
Day two brings about another first - flyboarding. After driving from KL to Putrajaya (another first for me), we are introduced to flyboarding, what strikes me as people trying to do their best Iron Man impression.
The thing about flyboarding is that it's a very counterintuitive activity. For most sports/activities that require balance, such as skateboarding or ice skating, the advice is always to bend your knees and lower your centre of gravity. However, with flyboarding, it's almost entirely the opposite. You want to keep your knees tight and your body as straight as possible, because any slight movement will have you barreling into the water in an instant.
Just like the morning before, I find myself having to relearn habits and acclimatise myself to this new first. It is initially difficult to get my bearings and even get out of the water, with the first few attempts ending miserably. But like powering through the awkward first moments on a first date, I eventually become more familiar with the board, and that's when the fun kicks in.
Conclusion
Looking back, the Volkswagen Passat Family Media Drive was a novel experience of many firsts. And as with most new experiences, it does take some time to really come to terms with it, to understand it and to appreciate it. But once I did, it was memorable and a whole lot of fun.
As first dates go, this was a good one. Here's hoping for a second date.
