The Bugs are back!!
The annual Bug-O-Rama organised by the Volkswagen Beetle Owners Club Malaysia was held for the first time at The Mine's, specifically the Malaysia International Exhibition and Convention Center (MIECC) on 16th September. If I'm not mistaken this is the largest event so far with well over 100 classic VW vehicles taking part
This year, I had the opportunity to be a judge along with my dad after one of the regular judges wasnt able to come.
First, we checked in to our hotel, the Mines Wellness Hotel which hides far behind the shopping mall.
The view from our lobby.
Without wasting time we had to help my dad's friend and also the man behind the whole event, Uncle Vincent to set up the hall, arranging tables and all that other stuff. Right after we finished, it rained, no thanks to the current wet season. And because there's no sheltered walkway between the MIECC and our hotel we had to wait there until about 5.30 when it was light enough to go back. We shared our room with Uncle Yap, also dad's friend. In fact all the judges and Uncle Vincent have known each other since they started working.
The room was decent, nothing so special but no complaints either. I had a glance at room service and one plate of chicken rice costs RM21 excluding taxes. Goodness.
After we had our rest we went over to the mall for dinner.
I've been to 4 different hotels so far, this one's got the best looking lobby. In the background you can see a little bit of the view which overlooks the former tin mine pool.
One small problem was that 3 people with only 2 beds meant one of us had to sleep on the floor. I obliged of course. The floor wasnt really that bad, but the not-fluffy-enough pillow, and the freezing air cond, and my dad's loud snoring made sleeping difficult.
7.30am the next day, and before we even had breakfast the first few participants started arriving. The buffet-style breakfast with nasi lemak and all the eggs/ham/sausages/chicken you could ask for was really, REALLY good. I wish I had brought a big tupperware to bring back some chicken.
And then.......
It rained again. Quite heavily.
Luckily it wasnt too long. After the rain stopped at about 9.30 the cars started filling up the roadsides really quickly. In fact there were so many of them some had to double park from entry to exit. later at about 11 we started our judging duties. My dad and I judged the "Best Restored 1968-1977 Volkswagen Beetle" category, assessing criteria such as bodywork and paint, engine, interior and overall presentation.
We went through 30 cars, although there were a lot more which did not display their official receipt showing they were taking part in the competition. By about 1.30 we had finished compiling our scores and selecting the winners. 12 of the highest scores received prizes. There was one Beetle which scored a perfect 100%, so congrats to the owner on keeping the car in pretty much perfect condition.
After lunch (I was terribly tempted by all the leftover chicken) and taking our souvenirs we left. And then I just crashed on my bed.
It was nice to change venue after 6 years at The Summit in USJ, but with the allotted space just barely enough to hold all the cars, Unc Vincent may need to look elsewhere for next year's Bug-O-Rama if there is one.
3 units of the New Beetle were on display there
Turbocharged. Dont mess with this Bug.
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