There were smiling children all the way. Clearly they knew at what time the train passed their homes and they made it their business to stand along the railway, wave to complete strangers and cheer them up as they rushed towards Penang. Often whole families stood outside their homes and waved and smiled as if those on the trains were their favorite relatives. This is the simple village people of Malaysia. I was moved.
一路上都是微笑的孩子，很明显，他们知道火车什么时候经过他们的家，他们的任务就是站在铁路沿线，向陌生人挥手，在驶向槟城时让乘客开心起来。通常全家人都站在家门口，挥手微笑，好像火车上的人是他们最喜欢的亲戚。这就是淳朴的马来西亚村民，我很感动。

I had always traveled to Malaysia by plane or car, so this was the first time I was on a train. I did not particularly relish the long train journey and had brought along a dozen magazines to read and reread. I looked about the train. There was not one familiar face. I sighed and sat down to read my Economics.
我以往总是乘飞机或汽车去马来西亚，所以这是我第一次坐火车。我不太喜欢长途火车旅行，所以带了十几本杂志供我阅读。我环顾了一下火车，没有一张熟悉的面孔。我叹了口气，坐下来读我的经济学。

It was not long before the train was across the Causeway and in Malaysia. Johore Baru was just another city like Singapore, so I was tired of looking at the crowds of people as they hurried past. As we went beyond the city, I watched the straight rows of rubber trees and miles and miles of green. Then the first village came into sight, Immediately I came alive; I decided to wave back.
不久，火车穿过堤道，进入马来西亚。柔佛巴鲁只是另一个像新加坡一样的城市，所以人群匆匆经过时，我有些厌倦。随着我们走出城市，一排排笔直的橡胶树和绵延数英里的绿色引入眼帘。然后第一座村庄出现了，我立刻恢复了活力；我决定挥手回应。

From then on my journey became interesting. I threw my magazines into the waste basket and decided to join in Malaysian life. Then everything came alive. The mountains seemed to speak to me. Even the trees were smiling. I stared at everything as if I was looking at it for the first time.
从那时起，我的旅程变得有趣起来。我把杂志扔进废纸篓，决定融入马来西亚的生活。然后一切都活跃起来了，群山似乎在对我说话，连树都在笑。我目不转睛地看着一切，仿佛我是第一次看见。

The day passed fast and I even forgot to have my lunch until I felt hungry. I looked at my watch and was surprised that it was 3:00 pm. Soon the train pulled up at Butterworth. I looked at the people all around me. They all looked beautiful. When my uncle arrived with a smile, I threw my arms around him to give him a warm hug. I had never done this before. He seemed surprised and then his weather-beaten face warmed up with a huge smile. We walked arm in arm to his car.
时间过得很快，我甚至忘了吃午饭，直到我觉得饿了。我看了看手表，惊讶地发现已是下午3点。很快火车在巴特沃斯停了下来，我看着周围的人，他们看起来都很漂亮。当我叔叔微笑着走过来时，我张出双臂，给他一个温暖的拥抱。我以前从没有这样做过，他看起来很惊讶，饱经风霜的脸上露出了灿烂的笑容。我们拉着手走向他的车。

I looked forward to the return journey.
我期待着回程。