A chance meeting

Smile at a stranger. See what happens.
~Patti LuPone

When you travel routinely long distances then the odds of you experiencing new things gets higher. I'm cool with that, in fact I welcome it. It is good to have something now and then that challenges your day to day routines and shake your streams of thought.

Today I was on a flight back home from Kelantan (I go there all the time for sampling and data collection for my thesis) and was lining up to board the flight. As I was walking, I noticed the airline officer helping a foreign-looking mother to store her baby stroller. It can't be brought up as a hand luggage, you see. But the officer was very helpful and I can see that she was very thankful.

When I got to my aisle seat, I sat down straight away as I was feeling nauseous. The airport was full of people wanting to send their relatives to go perform Hajj so it was quite crowded and difficult to breathe. Add that to the fact that the plane hasn't started the air conditioning yet, so I was feeling a bit hazy. Then a voice said, "I'm in 7A" and I look up to see the mother smiling at me with a baby in her arms. "Oh, ok" I said as I stumbled out of my seat to give way for her to pass. It was quite difficult for her because she was carrying a backpack and a shoulder bag together with her baby boy. But she managed, as only a mother can :)

After she settled down the stewardess came to give her a slip for the stored stroller, and I said, "It's for the stroller". She only smiled and nodded. Encouraged, I asked more, "So where do you come from?" and so begins another friendship forged up in among the clouds.

I found out she's from Hungary and she's here to visit her in-laws as her husband is a Kelantanese. She wants to be a teacher and can speak Japanese. I also found out she used to be a travel agent. Haha, a nice surprise eh? These coincidences only fuels up my desire to make the Eurotrip a reality. Then after that, maybe a trip to travel the middle east. And then trekking all over Asia. And then.. haha,ok, sorry. That's another dream, another story ;)

She recommended me to a website named couchsurfing.org where they provide a platform for people who love to travel to connect in the truest-sense: to share/lend a couch or a place to stay and maybe even come with an unofficial travel guide: all for free!. The idea kinda reminds me of the movie "The Holiday" starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black but it's not the same. She said she have hosted many travellers before, even from Malaysia. Hmm..is this independent travelling thing big in Malaysia now? It comforts me to know that, somehow the knowledge of fellow countrymen and women doing it before makes it less apprehensive.

She gave me her email and I've emailed her already, hoping this could be a start for a meaningful friendship. C'mon, everything has risks but the hard thing is to figure out is whether the risk is worth it? And the bigger question would be: as I am all for challenging myself now, am I up for it this time?

Time, as always, will tell ;)

Everybody needs a holiday to keep us sane

Yes, and after that you can revert back to your crazy life...heheh.

I had a great and fulfilling holiday: it started on 2nd - 8th June 2009.

2nd June 2009
Lili's convocation. It was a moving event, especially when they awarded the Emeritus Professor to Prof Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi from Faculty of Law. I think he really deserved it! He looked and sound so humble eventhough he is the best in his field. These are some of the quotes I managed to pick from his speech:

Mempermudahkan yang sukar dan memperindahkan yang biasa

I may be retired but I am not tired

Kalau kita buat sesuatu kerja, mesti buat dengan cergas dan bergaya

I personally like the last one: even if we fall trying, then fall with style ya ;)
Truly, just by hearing his words, you know he's a great academician and a great man.

Then, after the convo event we went to eat nasi beriani Bukhara because Lili was pining for some. Ye la, orang convo bagi la can kan..haha.
After that, the whole family except Lili went straight to Kelantan for Kak Ann's wedding. I really can't say what went on during the trip as I slept the whole time as if drugged!
yeah, I admit that I do have motion sickness but to sleep the whole trip is a record even for me. Hmm..maybe lepas geram kot sebab hutang tido buat labwork (budget kerja keras la konon :p).
At around 9.00 pm we arrived at Manik Urai. This is actually not our main destination, we just stopped there so we can meet up with Mok Chik's family and also so that the journey wouldn't be too taxing to Ayah (he is the only one driving).

3rd June 2009
Everywhere in Manik Urai you can see party flags put up because of the by-election.
After spending the night there and enjoying fresh water fish sponsored by Abe Di, we were off to Kota Bharu!
We went first to the bride's house, Kampung Sireh. There we meet up with all the cousins, aunts, uncles, great-aunts and great-uncles (yes, I have a huge family) and we had BBQ, sponsored by A.Chik n C.Bi.
Then, late in the night we went to A.Chik n C.Bi's house as they were kind enough to give us a place to stay in their house :)

4th June 2009
I woke up freezing, the air con was too efficient that I though I was in North Pole.
After getting ready and wearing baju kurung with the theme colors (pink n grey), we were off to Kg Sireh to convoy to Masjid Kg Sireh for the akad nikah.
The most annoying thing to me is that someone in the Masjid thought it'd be a great idea to vacuum the carpet just as we were trying to get ready for the akad nikah. Kot ye pun, patut buatlah nanti2 or sebelum tu. Ish...
After that is the kenduri! Haha :D. I and Ewi was suddenly in charge of serving the people at the main table where the newlyweds makan beradab. Seriously, with no briefing and no grace at all I think both of us did alright, with special help from Abe Yea.
But we didn't mind, as after that we were the ones enjoying the special menu at the newlyweds table! Haha.
Then the bride and groom sat at the pelamin but there no upacara merenjis. So people just salam-salam and take pictures. Kudos to the photographer, he really knows his stuff ;)
Early that night, there were no specific event so me and Hani decided to sing our hearts out before other people come and take over the mic. Lili and others also joined in and everything just sorta move from there. Eventually people start to come and we sang, we danced and we poco-poco the night away :). I think my cousins were shocked I let it all out that night as I was usually quiet and reserved (perasan) but I think some perspectives must have changed that night ;) and I don't really care. But hey, biasalah, orang tensen PhD mmg mcm tu, everything pales in comparison to the enormity that awaits after the holidays (labwork, supervisor, paper etc.).
Then me and the rest of the girls had a late night out at PCB, enjoying fresh coconut, colek (I think that is what they call it~ it is a bit like rojak singapura laaa) and share stories of various subjects that range from cats to Bali and everything in between ;)

5th June 2009
In the morning we went to A.Su new house to Solat Hajat and also breakfast. Then A.Chik and C.Bi sponsored lunch. Me and my sisters all pitch in to help even though there was a slight crisis ehehehehehe (alia ;) ).
This whole day we just ate, ate and ate nonstop.
We had a wealth of foods: during lunch we had variety of fresh water fish cooked in multiple styles, squid, ulam and of course, budu. During the evening we had ABC (I think me and my cousins should never open a ABC stall or all hell would break loose heheh), chicken, nuggets, fries and cake because it was Yayang's birthday.
During all this time, the singing and dancing session just went on with laughter and merriment. I even did a waltz (well, kinda) with A.Ngah hehe.
That night we had a dinner reception at Renaissance Hotel with the theme "Lagenda Melayu". Everyone was so sporting and joined into the spirit of togetherness by really committing to the theme. Some even rented their songket clothes complete with tengkolok and all, bought fake swords and even used the keris awarded as a trophy as an accessory. Some had their hair done with golden pins and so much more.
During the dinner, I acted in a pantomime organized by A.Im. This is another surprise as I never did these things before. But walawehh..I am just quiet, that don't mean I'm not up to it ;)
Maybe, just maybe I was involved in the play because I danced like crazy the night before and they 'discovered' that I am not that serious? Haha, maybe, just maybe ;)

6th June 2009
This day is the majlis sambut menantu at A.Bad's (the groom) house.
It was so hot! I was thankful for the icy cool syrup they served there.
After that me and my family went to Wakaf Che Yeh to search for keropok ikan emas Lili wanted to buy for her boss. But it was in vain as we were too early and people haven't started selling yet. Then we went to Pasar Siti Khadijah to search for it. We ended up with a bag full of keropok.
That night we went to Kg Sireh again, just to pass our time. A.Chik and C.Bi bought some durians and we all ate pulut durian :)
Originally me and my cousins (mak n pak sedara sebenarnye..but what is the term in english?? Lagipun dengar mcm tua, padahal sebaya je haha) wanted to go to PCB but everyone was just so tired and we didn't get to complete Projek 36. Maybe next time guys!

7th June 2009
This is the trip back to KL. But we really took it easy plus, there were so many cars. We stopped awhile at Manik Urai before commencing our trip. We arrived at home approx. @ 3.00 am.
That's why I am sooooo sleepy now and wasting my time writing this very long post. I can't function to do labwork. Plus, supervisor is not in..heheh ;)
Tp esok, masaklah.... have to tune my brain because....

15th June 2009 -----> deadline!!!! arrggghhhhhh!

p/s: maybe kalau rajin I'll post the pics ok?