Mr Nordin Ahmad, fisher extraordinaire

I first saw him as Zaid and I were beachcombing the beach. He was putting his rods into the water. Wow, what a way to fish...

Went back to wait for Muaz's return from school, and back to the beach with him to have a chat with the fish guy. We saw him under the fish landing shack. He was smoking as he waited for the bite. Already, there was a tenggiri beside him...

I really wished I'd written it down, but I think his name was Muhamad Nordin Ahmad, of KT. He fishes in the Joran GPs and he talked the local lingo. We exchanged stories and tips; mine on landlocked fishing, he on casting from the seashore. He's basically a sea shore fisher because he couldn't stand the waves, he said. I'd like to see him again one day...

The KT Experience (1)

Most beautiful day! Sunny, sunny, and more sun...

KT Bus Ride

The bus ride:
Not a bad ride, but I needed to sleep anyway so in between shut-eyes and half-awakes, I saw the Twin towers, KLCC and KL Tower in the horizon as the bus approached Puduraya for the final passenger pickup. Then it was off to the races, into the KL-Karak hiway. I was not in the mood for anything else but rest. Even then, I took a few pics just so that I remember this trip. We stopped by Sungai Lembing at an eatery at about 1:20, and wow, was it a long water break, but it was also the second driver's turn to drive the final lap. At 2:20, we moved on to Terengganu, and I knew we were in Kertih by the magnificent show of light and gas fires all over the place. Kertih is the Dallas of Malaysia, btw..
Then it was more colorful lights at PAKA, where the electric generators were situated. This one's new to me. So yes, we were in Terengganu already. The coach went through the night effortlessly and when it reached a roundabout made of two lobsters in a bowl, I thought we had arrived. But it was Dungun, and hour from KT...


KT was marked by the replica of the Batu Bersurat roundabout, and at 5:30, I was calling Abang Azhari to let him know that I had arrived. By 6:15, I was drinking hot tea, and then completed my fajar prayers. A few words to Abg Azhari, and off I was to the sea -- a 100 yards or so away from the front door. Oh, what a sight! The sun was not visible and the waves were rough, but it was the most beautiful sight for me in a long, long time....


It was 7:15 am when I got back to the house. I'd wanted to see Abg Azhari off, and once he's gone, and the kids, too -- Naim and Muaz to school, I went back to the beach and walked the length of it, collecting shells for Muhsin, Hana, Hamzah, Luqman and Wasil, and Mak, and snapping some more pics, before I got back to the house at 9:40 am. Kak Na was about ready to go to get some nasi dagang and nasi berlauk; it's me at home with Zaid...and yes, the place offered continuous cockerel crowings from the break of dawn until dusk. For some reason, they just couldn't stop yodelling...

First Night with the skeeters

July 25th: The Second Day in KL
I have to say that I had a very bad night. My bed was the sofa in the living room and there were the mosquitoes waiting to bite. So they did, even when the fan was oscillating at level two. No blankets; only two towels to take cover my legs and my hands, and nothing on the face since the room was too warm, anyway. I would have loved to have a mosquito net...

Dawn arrived none too soon. Idah and Zak were up by 6:00 and then, their two schoolgoing kids, Nabila and Zakwan. Not Najib; he goes to the afternoon session.
I have used the bathroom 4-5 times already the whole night and I know I will have a headache soon from improper and lack of sleep. One more night and I'll be a walking disaster. So I told Idah and Zak that I'd like to leave for KT in the morning. Zak said he has time for me, since he was still taking the PTK and it was at 10:00.
So with last minute tips on the cellphone and bus companies to KT dispensed of to me, Idah left home for school. I started packing my bags and had them all stowed into Idah's APV by seven. Then Zakaria took Nab and Zakwan to school riding the bike. I was still in my nightclothes so didn't really help much, but it was already warm at 7:30 am. When Zak came back ten minutes later, Zak took me to Kajang Bus Terminal which was in the heart of Kajang city. The 20 minute ride was moderate but okay, and the bus station was deserted; nobody really travel in mid-week anyway. But the counters were only beginning to open at 8:00 and none that did had KT-bound buses in the morning. There was one 10:00 am departure but the counter wasn't open yet, so we decided to abandon the idea of a morning bus ride at 8:20 (we later leaned that the Konsortium bus co opened at 8:30).
We went to a restaurant in a newly built township and had nasi lemak (me) and roti telur (Zak) with teh tarik. Nice hot meal, all on Zak. Left the place for home at 8:45, and Zak went on to ride his bike to work after leaving me there. At the house, Najib was already gulping down his coco crunch. Seems like he dig that brand of cereal. I went on to get other things done. Then, I received two phone calls; one from Mak asking me what my plans were, and another from Jaa, saying HI and greeting my return. I knew I had to call Fauzi and Aat but I didn't really to sound bad over the phone, and I would be too since my mind and body were still operating in the US Eastern Standard Time zone. Amin called and asked me if I'd done the grades yet and no, they were still being processed. I labored over the grades, and by noon, they were in the system. Najib, in the meantime, was getting ready to go to school. I was already famished and wished that I could find something to eat. But I drowned the thought with lots of water...
Noon, and I was blogging some entries after chatting with Pah. At about 1:40, as I was in the bathroom, Zakwan walked in from school and Nabila a bit later, on her bike that she'd left the day before. I was feeling too sweaty and the shower helped.
At three, I decided to call Pak Jee who I thought would be home. And yes, he'd just came in when I called. Aat wouldn't be home as he teaches the afternoon session at Bukit Jana Junior High, so I'll just have to wait till later.
There was a girl with Nabila who'd forever peer into my iBook just to see what I was doing... So I showed them, Zakwan included, the various pixs and movies I'd taken and stored in it. They were thrilled... Idah came in at 4:30 with blue Nasi Dagang bungkus, and A and W for her kids. That was welcoming and the food was away in a jiff..
Zakaria came back a bit later. We made plans for the afternoon: buy ticket at Kajang Bus Terminal, get Najib home from school, Satay Kajang and then placing me on the bus. We found out that the bus leaving for KT was only at 9:30 eve which is really not enough time for eating out after Marhgrib, so satay bungkus was what happened; take away satay eaten in the home. I stopped by a money-changer and converted $400.00 into RM1,466.50. I felt rich already...
I discovered something really interesting -- with the right tools and skilled machanics, you can drive into a tire store and have new front brake shoes installed on your Kembara in 15 minutes, for RM 65.00 or so. And then you can just drive away... no fuss, no muss. What a place!
Marghrib at Idah's house. I made sure everything mine is in the APV, and satisfied, waited for the folks to make the move. Nabila was the only one tagging along, which was okay by me. The other two boys had other plans, but we said our goodbyes, promising to bring Teri to see them when he comes to KL next week. We were at the Terminal again for the third time today, but this time, the bags came out and ready to be stowed into the belly of the bus. I asked the driver if it was the right bus, and yes, it was, so in went the two huge bags. My other carry-ons were taken on board; the black duffle bag, and the donatable clothes bag, plus a water bottle for my thirst.

Rest Areas, Pitstops and the Food Courts...

Well, it looked like I am writing an all-in-one entry here...and why not!

(need the text here)

That night, at 10:30 pm, we reached Kajang. I was too tired to do anything else except get ready for sleep, but Zak and Najib were both up, so I stayed up and chatted with Zak. Najib was helping himslef to some Kit Kats, and judging from the mountain of red wrappers on the table, quite a bit of helping. I decided to get the rest of the stash to a safer place just in case his hunger pangs get the better of him again... At 1:00, I told Zak that it's time to retire...

BP and Mr. Mahat's Family

The trip went overtime. ETA of 2:30-3:00 became 5:00...

Bunch of Lunches

After Mak Yah's brunch, we had lunch. And another lunch. And another Lunch!

Let me explain....

First Phone Call

The phone rang as I was getting into the bathroom. I so needed to take a shower, but it was Mak calling from Taiping to ask if we had arrived! Hi, Mak! Missed you. And I told her my plans... Batu Pahat, then KT, and then home...

Malaysian Roadside Fare

It was Mak Yah's corner, literary on the corner of the road. She had, by 9:15, only a sparse offerinsg of Malaysian breakfast delectables left..But the signature Nasi Lemak was there, and I asked for one packet. But yes, we have to wait until we reach Idah's place to open the hot stuff... Grrrrr!

The APV Ride..

With the bags all in the hatch of the Suzuki and the one solitary zebra waiting to ticket slow movers, Idah wasted no time to move out of the underpass of the Airport. It would be a ride of a lifetime; my first on Malaysian roads after nine years. And it was sunny enough to make your heart sing...

Waiting For Makteh and Najib Power

The light was already evident even as I rushed to do the Fajar prayers. It's an emergency situation, and we didn't waste time, anyway, so the prayers should be credited fully into our accounts... I asked Amin to call her Makteh to say that we have cleared the Immigrations and Customs and were at Gate 8 at Departures. Yes, she knows the place like the back of her hand...But it would be a wait of 40 minutes...

Amin felt hungry enough to have to find some food...and the Burger King in situ was his target for a double fries and hot sauce...And yes, here are some more views of KLIA

Touchdown, KLIA!

The plane's flight path was clearly posted on the screen. I can see Taiping, Medan, and the X that marks the KLIA runway. It looked closer to Seremban than to KL; maybe the should be renamed SIA....what a riot it would be to our SG neighbors if it were so named. I looked through the window into the darkness and saw the storm over the sea, probably near the Straits of Malacca. The last two minutes of the flight. I said it out loud to Amin, and he said in, in quick response, "Welcome Home, Ayah!". Yeah, I'm home. What does it mean, anyway?

We went through the KLIA using the moving pavement, and stopped halfway for my water break, and for Amin to call a few people. Aishah, Pah and Makteh were the three called. And then, it was off to the races with the airtrain, the Immigrations and Customs. No surprises, just smiles to welcome us home.

Flight Home (2)

We were still up in the air, on the second leg of the journey. If the first leg was already too long at 7 hours, the second was even longer at 11. Stockholm's transit was one and a half hour lay by. Security seemed strict. We had to reintroduce ourselves to the Airport Security three time. I have to be proud to show my brown PAS KECEMASAN and the Boarding Pass numerous times, but I wished they'd remember who I was from the checkpoint a hundred feet earlier. And the waiting lounge they herded in was crowded. We had no place to sit except on the ikea flooring by the sidewall of the men's solitary, one person use, rest room.

But soon enough, we were back on the 777. The place looked fresher -- ah, it's a new crew taking over. Amin noticed that first. I just wanted to sit and not move...

I told Amin that there will be no more King Kong for me. He was suggesting Madagascar, and Firewall, but I said no, I just want to sit back and close my eyes... And I did. The meals came again. Seemed like a replica of the first leg. Actually, after the eating's all done, I have to say they were worse. What a sad time for me, really, when I realized that MAS has lost it in the Catering World. Tasteless, bad choices called food being served on the Golden Service. Gonna cry...

As the time grew nearer and nearer, my mind was thinking more and more of the many meetings of the lost and of the new, and of the old. After nione years, I am meeting my malaysian heritage again. Mak, Ayah, adik-adik and relatives on both sides of the family. The Taiping, mine, and Sungai Petani, Pah's. And the new.. the Batu Pahat Family, whose lass is being courted by my firstborn. Yes, I'll be meeting my future biras in less than 24 hours and I'll know for sure then what it will be for the rest of his life...
I told Amin the ETA and he said, "You're coming home, Ayah!" He's right. I am coming home. The reality was hitting me harder and more forcefully..

Flight Home (1)

It was bound to happen. And Amin had a big say in this matter.

I was on my way home, finally. We were seated at 25K and J, and I got the window. It was a good seat, on the fuselage and nothing more than a constant vibration, and away from the rolls and tips the guys at the ends were getting.

A sleepy kid was behind us, and his dad was taking care of the otehr two on the aisle, so there were really no one to bother my back rest! We were treated to a late dinner which I thought was mediocre to the past MAS offerings, but I am not compianing as they were on a recovery from the verge of bancruptcy. Chicken with noodles, while Amin took his fish and rice. He said mine was the better choice...

The first leg was to Stockholm, Sweden. Never been there. It was a seven hour trip with nothing to do but watch King Kong (and I quit it midway), sleep, and get a breakfast of omelette and bagel two hours before touchdown. I traded Amin my bagel for his O, and then wolfed down the two omelettes, with OJ and tea... A good hearty wakeup meal.


And the transit was as bare as well as it was a bore. We thought there would be a Dubai-like scene but no, it seemed to be a scene out of an Andy Warhol exhibit; post-modern chairs, floorings of wood and aluminium fittings everywhere -- so retro 70's.. and it was rainy, quiet and so hushed; a respite from the din of the big bird's cabin...

Travel Day Saturday (2)

After the call home, we made our way to the metal detectors. My stuffs and I didn't raise any alarms, and neither did Amin's. I didn't take my sneakers off and yet I got away with it. Wasn't even aware of the sneaker requirement until after I saw people putting their on, but I was safe then, waiting for Amin to refit his. We went all the way to Gate 56 and choose a distant corner, nearest to Gate 55. Amin proceeded to play a few tricks with a kid next to him, and then he took a break to jama' the two last solats. I did, too, after him, and my doa was for a safe trip home. I am sure it was the same prayer on every waiting passenger that moment...

The call to move in was at 9:40 and by 10:00 we were taxiing down the runaway. I just wanted to shut my eye(s), and get the sleep I needed...

Travel day Saturday (1)

(I can only muster enough eye contact on Tuesday, three days after....)
It was a late start. We had planned to leave Indiana by 8:30 but instead left at 11:00 am. But the day was cloudy, and a few drops of mist now and then. The kids were not fully aware that we were leaving already but as the time approached, they were all out there wih Pah to bid us goodbye. It was a quick goodbye.
The Bank was our first stop and we got the fresh post 1996 bill we requested for. Then it was all the way to SC where Amin had to do a couple of things. Like buying pretzels and chocos for the biras to be; personal softwear for the groom, and tylenols for Ranjit. Even then, we forgot MakTok's Centrums!
And at 1:30, we were off to NJ. The roads were relatively clear and we reached 1-80's NJ exit 67 at 5:30 after a brief spite of rainfall, and Mutiara was ready with a hot meal for us! I had a shower, and then Mutiara called the cabby for a 7:00 show. It was 6:15 still, and we passed the time rearrangging the luggage, and the Focus to the end of the carport. Azly had left a couple of days earlier, also for Msia, and Mutiara was telling us how he had to rearrrange his pappers to make the 32 kg weight limit. I imagined that it would not happen to me.
The Turkish cab driver took us to Terminal B; it took him 20 minutes to earn his $50.00 and his tip, but we were happy to be at the check-in counter before 7:20 evening.
But aaaghh! My hand luggage was over by 4 kilos, and more bad news; my biggest baggage was over by 15 at 46 kilos... The clothes and other stuffs were all over the floor, in our bid to rearrange things to make the limits, but we were told halfway to make was to the side for the waiting passengers. We obliged, but I was sure there were a few TSA eyebrows raised with three bags all open by the glass wall and two sweating Malaysians trying their best to lighten the load on one bag, and to fatten the other. Finally, at 8:20. we took our bags back to the ticket guy and OK, only one bag was over by 3 kilos. I took out a handful of clothes, reweigh and aaah, the meter showed 28. So we added a few items until it reached 32, and placed the rest in the lesser bag. It worked. I told Gerald, the check-in guy, that he was a good man. He proceeded to give me a few tips in his Filipino slang on how not to get into this situation again. Yea, he was a good man...And the end of this ordeal allowed Amin to call and tell his mom what had just happened...

Pre Traveling Days (2)

Today...Friday. Loads to do! Glad that headache's gone. Good ol ibuprofen did the job the night earlier. Not having food for the whole day yesterday; broke my unintended fast at 5:00 but it was too late to avoid the stress pain that was developing all afternoon.

Began the morning by sending Dean AT an email regarding the grades. Then a few minutes online with Idah, confirming plans, and changing a few items. She will wait for us at KLIA Monday morning, and then off to the US Embassy for the letter of intent to marry a Malaysian, before picking up Zak from his PTK testing depot. Yes, they test 47-year old civil servants before they give you your raise. Then, off to Batu Pahat to meet the in-laws, and for them to meet the future son-in-law. Idah is the designated hantaran organizer -- she'll be getting the gifts for the dulangs ready for the big day... It'll be a day trip for us, back to KL by evening. Amin will be left behind as they need him for costume fittings, signatures and forms. He will take the bus to Taiping the day after. presumably, after all the needful is taken care of.

Breakfast was fried banana fritters -- good, ripe plantains from Patel Brothers and fried by Pah. Then, the two of us went to Walmart for one last shopping spree, to get Opah's Correlle that she wanted and groceries for the week, on the day everybody in Indiana get paid; yes, it was a crowd.

And the storm came in. Pah was already getting dinner ready when the rain poured. Cooled the town by a good 20 degrees, and that was what mattered... and we had tea...

Pre Traveling Days (1)

Yeah, I met my students one last time yesterday. Only half made it -- having the finals a day earlier didn't help! But those who came got their journals back, with comments and a grade. And then it was off to the Dean's office to solve the quirky grades on the roster, but not much progress. A trip to the "dean of grades" at two did it. And guess what; it was human error..and an egg on my face :P.



Maktok's letter arrived. It it, a set of invitations cards she'd printed for the third reception at Sungai Petani. So nicely done, and perfumy; "reminds me of soap", said Pah. I agree on both counts.

Anyway, that was yesterday!

Getting Ready...

Today is the first day of this blog. I am getting it ready for the BIG TRIP home...

Watch this space...