Although Sunway Lagoon was launched much earlier, the theme park was reserved for special occasions, such as birthdays or short school breaks. The young me was always excited for the wave pools, water slides and the thrill of feeling like a tourist in my own backyard.
While Singaporeans would most commonly associate Sunway with its mall and theme park, to Malaysians — or a former Malaysian like myself — the Sunway name has been a backdrop to my life for as long as I can remember.
In primary school, when weekends were still about renting video tapes and riding bicycles around the neighbourhood, the hot new opening was Sunway Pyramid. Everyone wanted to see the sphinx, take photos by the golden lion and, most importantly, try the ice rink. My friends and I would spend Saturdays wobbling through the rink, then thawing out over food court noodles, and then doing it all over again the following week, which became a weekly routine. It felt a little glamorous, a step up from the neighbourhood shops our parents favoured.
