I used to drive up to Malaysia quite often for short holiday. On one particular trip, I was driving to Penang along NS highway late at night. As it was off peak season, for most stretch mine was the only car on the dark road.

My waifu was sleeping when we were approaching Ipoh. Out of nowhere there was this terrible stench that envelops us, right in the car. It got so bad my waifu woke up and asked me what’s the smell. That smell, it was like some carcass or rotting meat. So pungent, so strong…

At that point we sensed something was amiss. Then I remembered a uncle who had a similar experience. Stench smell in the car at night, and subsequently his car broke down right beside a cemetery. It was only after he opened the window the stench went away and his car kick started again. Ipoh highway is quite infamous for their own tales, so I was hoping not here please…

So I told my waifu to go back to sleep, while I open the window abit for “ventilation”. But the smell lingered but all I hope to make it to the tolls area where there will be people and lights. And thankfully, just as I approached the tolls, the smell dispersed.

Just strange, inside the car with aircon on and windows open, the stench can be so strong. Thankfully nothing happened for the rest of the night. I recounted the story to my uncle. He said “a spirit might have hitched a ride” and the smell was due to rotting corpse… nothing sinister but still scary thinking back.
[Posted at: Malaysia Road Trip]