In the 1940's before the Japanese arrived, my mum in her teens, would row a small boat, with her sister, courageous, from SJK Kai Nang area to SJK Boi Ing to visit her good friend.
Both of them have since passed away.
They were best of friends and she would come by my grandfather's house every morning during school days and the two of them would walk to school in Kwong Nang (now Chung Cheng). They both completed Junior Middle before the arrival of the Japanese.
Aunty was married off to a man not of her choice because it was the done thing to save her from any Japanese abuses. Mum instead volunteered to be padi farmer, dressed as a young man, practising breast binding for 3 years and 8 months. She harvested 38 dan of rice , a record she was very proud of.
During the holidays before the war, Mum visited Aunty and she followed the tide so that it was not difficult for her to paddle. Probably she visited her friend once a month or less.
In those days, she was probably already very well aware of Sun Tze's teachings and the Art of War. Know your geography. A lot of her knowledge came from teachers who "lectured" and she "absorbed". She laughingly told us once, the students had very little paper, and they had to listen carefully (sometimes she fell asleep). And note taking was not part of Junior Middle school then.
The natural formation of the country is the soldier's best ally.
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