Cairo, Al-Qahirah : The Finale

I continued to visit a few more equally interesting places on my last day in Cairo. We started the day visiting Saqqara where the Steps Pyramid is situated. Unlike the Pyramids of Giza, the Steps Pyramid or also known as the unfinished pyramid, was made from smaller bricks which over time turned into dust. It's actually quite a huge complex with several temple and wall ruins around the pyramid. Mum and I decided to 'tawaf' around the pyramid where we saw entrance into the pyramid which was unfortunately closed from public due to safety reasons.

Our next stop was a complex consists of Ramses II Museum, Mummification Temple, Hathour Temple among others. It sounded misleading but the complex is actually an open museum with a lot of statues exhibited including several huge statues of Ramses II. Ramses II is one of the famous paharaohs particularly for his long reign and notably famous wife, Queen Nefertiti. We were supposed to visit other areas within the complex but decided to pass as what we will be seeing will be more statues and we had seen enough statues for the day.

We then went to Imam Syafie Mosque which is situated in between residential buildings occupied by locals. We were pre-warned by our guide not to give hand out money to the locals in the area as once you give to one, more will come and ask you for money. I guess that place was not a popular tourist spot as we were the only ones there. Imam Syafie's Mosque is merely a small mosque and the his tomb is situated in the middle of the small praying hall. We peered through the glass and wooden structure housing his tomb and could see a lot of things strewn around the tomb from papers, 'sejadahs' and cash notes. I guess some visitors just went overboard worshipping the late Imam. Another interesting about this mosque at a corner under the old worn-off carpet lies what believed to be Rasulullah s.a.w footprint.

Next, we went to another famous Islamic sites i.e. Sultan Hasan Mosque and Refa'e Mosque, located opposite the Sultan Hasan Mosque separated only by a small passage. I spent more time in Sultan Hasan Mosque admiring the beautiful ancient Islamic architecture. We were privileged that the Imam himself spent time telling us about the mosque and we could sense pride in his voice. He recited outloud the Kursi verses inscripted around the base of the dome attracting the attention of other non-Muslim tourists and 'azan' in the mosque and we could hear the call for prayer echoing in the mosque. Such a soothing feeling...The mosque is also a madrasa shared by all the four mazhabs - Hanafi, Syafie, Hanbali and Maliki with each has a separate courtyard to its own. I spent a brief moment a Refa'e Mosque famous for being the final resting place of the former Shah of Iran which is equally magnificent in its own way.

On the way to Cairo International Airport before leaving for Dubai, we stopped at Anwar Sadat's tomb and site where he was assasinated which is just across the street from his burial place. He was assasinated for signing Egypt's peace treaty with Israel while watching a military parade. His tomb is underneath a pyramid like structure and guarded by 8 - 10 guards dressed in either modern military uniform and the ancient Egyptian attire.

I left Cairo with wonderful memories not only of the places I visited but also the people I met and befriended. It is definitely an interesting and exotic place to visit with the richness of her history, culture and mysterious past.

Background Song : We Maloh By Amr Diab

Cairo, Al-Qahirah : Day Three

Our first destination on day three was the Egyptian Museum a.k.a Tahrir Museum. Just like many places in Cairo, we had to go through security checks and despite that I managed to smuggled in my camera. Not that I wanted to use it but was concern of losing it. We were given 3 hours to tour the museum but then again I knew the time given would not be enough as the museum consists a huge collection of objects and artifacts. It was impossible to read all the descriptions about the exhibited objects, so I decided the best was to focus on the main artifacts particularly King Tut's golden mask, treasures from his tomb and of course the mummies although I had to pay additional LE100 to enter the Mummies Hall. It was a bit creepy looking at the mummies placed in the glass in the As I expected, we took more than 3 hours touring the museum and before leaving, I left a short note in the guest book at the museum.

Next, we headed to the Paharaoh's Village, a living museum complete with the exact reproduction of houses and temple during the ancient Egypt with actors and actresses performing the daily activities during those time, among others pottering, perfume making, weaving, mummification process and agriculture activities. An English speaking guide took us through the tour which originally was supposed to be on a motorized barges sailing down the canal with these activities being acted out along the canal. Unfortunately, we had to go on foot as the water in the canal was too shallow for the barges. We were then taken to the reproduction of King Tut's tomb where his coffin and treasures were arranged exactly like when the tomb was discovered. Although all these objects were merely replicas but it was amazing to see the exact details that have gone to make it look so much like the ones we saw at the museum.

When we arrived at our next destination, it was already closed to public. It's a holy place to the Christians where in the church courtyard stood Tree of Maryam and Maryam's well. The Christians believe that Virgin Mary sat under the tree with Jesus and quenched their thirst with water from the well. Somehow, our tour guides managed to negotiate with the guardian to allow us in but it was quite dark and we relied on the streetlights to see the tree and the well. There were stone carvings on the wall of Virgin Mary and Jesus and a beautiful statue of Virgin Mary in the compound. We had to be quick to avoid being caught and questioned by the authorities.

Before heading back to the hotel, we stopped at the largest shopping mall not only in Egypt but in Africa as well. The CityStar Shopping Mall looked exactly like any other typical shopping malls and packed with locals particularly the youths. I guess that's the only shopping and entertainment centre available for them to hang out. I was not interested to browse the shops but headed straight to Virgin Records to buy a few more Amr Diab CDs original from the birth country of the singer himself.

Once back at the hotel, at around 11 p.m. all 18 of us including our tour guides gathered in my hotel room to joinly celebrate Kak Rosni's birthday which fell on December 31 and Mom's birthday on January 1. Before the small birthday celebration, we watched photo slideshow of Cairo taken by a member of the tour, Richard complete with background songs. They were indeed beautiful photos. The birthday celebration was a small one with a chocolate cake, some puffs served with tea. Mum had received her birthday present earlier i.e. the fully paid trip to Cairo and I gave mum a hug and wished her a Happy Birthday. There were tears in her eyes. The night ended with a group photo as Liza and 3 of her friends had to leave for Dubai the following morning.

Background Song : Betkhaby Leh by Amr Diab

Cairo, Al Qahirah : Day Two

Idul Adha fell on the second day I was in Cairo i.e. December 30, a day earlier than Malaysia. Sejak ketibaan aku di sini, kelihatan di sana sini binatang korban either kambing atau lembu dikumpulkan di tepi-tepi jalan atau diangkut dengan lori. Apa yang mengejutkan aku, binatang-binatang korban ini disembelih dan dilapah di tepi-tepi jalan sahaja. Tak sanggup aku nak tengok tapi selambanya kanak-kanak menyaksikannya. A little after 8 a.m. kami dah bertolak ke Malaysia Hall Abbasiah untuk solat sunat Idul Adha. Dalam perjalanan Bob selepas menceritakan sedikit sebanyak mengenai sejarah upacara korban dan erti pengorbanan dalam konteks sekarang, kami diceritakan juga latarbelakang tentang tapak dan bangunan Malaysian Hall. Tanah di mana bangunan Malaysian Hall itu dibina dihadiahkan oleh pemerintah Mesir (tahun berapa tak ingat) kepada penduduk keturunan Melayu dari Thailand, Malaysia dan Indonesia yang telah membantu beliau dalam peperangan sehingga mencapai kemenangan. Bangunan yang dibina di situ asalnya diduduki oleh students Melayu dari ketiga-tiga negara ini sehinggalah Kerajaan Malaysia menyumbangkan sejumlah wang yang besar untuk membaikpulih bangunan ini dalam tahun 1990-an. Sejak itu, bangunan ini dimiliki sepenuhnya oleh Kerajaan Malaysia dan diduduki oleh students Malaysia.

Selepas solat sunat Idul Adha bersama dengan students Malaysia di sini, kami dijemput menjamu selera dengan students yang lain. Walaupun juadah ringkas terdiri daripada mee goreng, nasi lemak dan kuih muih, tiada ketupat, lemang dan rendang, suasana Idul Adha tetap dirasakan. Lagu nasyid dan Hari Raya berkumandang dan ada students dan tetamu lengkap berbaju Melayu beserta dengan samping dan yang wanitanya pulak berbaju kurung. Actually terasa kekok dan segan juga sebab we all bukannya students kat situ and we had had breakfast at the hotel tapi sebab dah dijemput makan dan juadah pun nampak tempting, so we went ahead and digged in.

Lebih kurang pukul 10 a.m., we left Malaysia Hall to witness and set foot on the oldest, yet the only surviving of the seven ancient wonders of the world and the original reason that prompted me to go on this trip. From afar, I could see the Pyramids of Giza which consists of three pyramids of different sizes, Pyramid of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. My excitement built up as we approached the pyramids and finally stopped in front of the biggest pyramid of the three and the one which is actually called one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, Pyramid of Khufu and not the other two pyramids. As I stood at the base of the pyramid, touched the ancient stone and looked up at the piles of blocks rising to the sky, I find the structure was a bit plain but what was playing in my mind was the picture of how the ancient Egytians then transported the blocks which were at least 5 feet high and stacked them up into this pyramid shape. Of course, these pictures were fed by my readings on the pyramid and Discovery Channel, but still those theories may not be accurate, but logical yet still shrouded with mysteries.

I climbed up the small steps between the blocks towards the entrance into the pyramid but was told by the guard, tourists are allowed to enter only at 1 p.m. and it was too early then. So, after snapping a few shots there, we headed to a plateau to get the panoramic view of the pyramids.Di sini, we got some nice shots of the pyramids in full view in the background. Tapi, di sini juga kena watch out sebab banyak 'periuk api' i.e. najis unta dan kuda. I took the oportunity to ride on a camel for the first time. Nasib baik Liza sounded awal-awal suruh pegang before the camel raised to its feet, if not mesti dah jatuh terjelepuk. Our final stop at the Pyramids of Giza was at the Sphinx. I was a bit suprised because it was not as big as I thought. Hidung Sphinx ni sudah rosak kena bom semasa peperangan.

Next, we headed to The Citadel, famous for Mohamed Ali Mosque and the Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi's Fort. This landmark is visible from any part of Cairo and forms part of its skyline as it is situated at a high ground. When I first saw this landmark from afar, at a glimpse, it resembles the Blue Mosque in Turkey with its great dome and towering twin minarets. I must say as I entered the mosque, pictures what more words do not really do justice to the Mohammed Ali Mosque. To truly appreciate the beauty of the mosque especially the impressive interior one will just have to be there. After marvelling at the beautifully decorated high ceiling in the mosque, snapping as many photos as I can and performed Jamak Takhir in the mosque, we walked out to the open courtyard of the mosque to a spectacular view of the city of Cairo.

Then, we hurried back to the plateau of the Pyramids of Giza to watch the sound and light show. On the way there, we stopped at a fruit juice stall by the roadside where some of us dengan beraninya ordered and drank juices from there despite the stories we heard about drinking from the stalls by the roadside. We arrived there early so that we could get the best seats and indeed we did. With the Sphinx and the pyramids as the backdrop, dazzling lights and images projected on the sphinx and the temple wall, the storyteller narrated stories about ancient Egypt. I was a bit lost in between the storytelling especially with the names of the Pharoahs unfamiliar to me and also distracted by trying to keep warm. Even the three layered thick clothing and a rented blanket were not able to keep me warm. I was shivering especially when the cold wind blew. I practially let out a sigh of relief when the show was over and hurriedly headed to the bus coach and eventually to the hotel.

Background Song : Agheeb By Amr Diab

The Sweetest Thing

Those who have been waiting in anticipation for my entry on Cairo, Al-Qahirah - Day Two will have to wait for a few more days. I have just finished downloading pictures from my gmail sent by my sister and currently is uploading it to slides. It has also been a hell of a week at the office with multiple deadlines to meet. Bear with me for a few more days.....

Anyhow, this is just a brief and quick entry to thank a fellow blogger, Xis for posting a special entry on his blog sempena my birthday siap dengan a custom-made pic and a lovely poem. I didn't plan to make any entry on my blog on my birthday as it has never been an important and celebrated event for me. Kadang-kadang aku sendiri terlupa sampailah family and friends hantar birthday wishes. Anyhow, a heartfelt thank you to Xis for the sweet thought and kind words. Also, my appreciation to Rush for his thoughtfullness mentioning and wishing me a happy birthday in one of his entries. Definitely this is one of my memorable birthdays which I will truly treasure.

And of course, I truly appreciate the birthday wishes from others - family, friends and bloggers who have sent their birthday wishes via smses, e-mails and comments on the blog.

Cairo, Al Qahirah : Day One

Memang sukar hendak summarize about my 4 days and 3 nites trip to Cairo in one single entry kerana on each day I covered several places and there are so much to tell about each places I visited. I guess for the next couple of weeks, I'll have to post serial entries on Cairo and hope I will not bore anyone to the brink of insanity if not to death.

Ketibaan di Cairo on the evening of December 28, 2006 disambut oleh four Universiti Al-Azhar students yang menjadi tour guides selama tempoh kami di sini. Selepas makan malam di Nile Restaurant, kami checked-in di The Golden Tulip Hotel Flamenco yang terletak di Zamalek. Awal pagi selepas bersarapan di hotel, kami bertolak ke tempat pertama di dalam itinerari, kilang pengeluar kristal yang kedua terbesar di dunia, Asfour Crystal. Showroom belum buka lagi, kami dah tercongok di situ. Apabila masuk ke kawasan showroom terpegun melihat crystals yang dipamerkan berkilau-kilauan di bawah cahaya lampu. Aku bukanlah peminat crystal sangat, yang ada dalam simpanan pun hadiah dari rakan (which I truly treasure) tetapi bila melihat crystals pelbagai bentuk dari figurines, jewelleries, chandelier, rosaries, vases dan macam-macam lagi, hati tertarik juga lalu aku membeli beberapa buat koleksi peribadi dan souvenier. Harga memang unbelievable! and you have to pay in Egyptian pound or credit card as US Dollar is not accepted here.

Kami makan tengahari nasi kerabu di sebuah restoran Kelantan berhampiran kawasan hostel Malaysian students di Universiti Al-Azhar. Di sini memang senang cari makanan Malaysia sebab Malaysian students di sini ramai dan restoran menyajikan makanan Malaysia pun ada. Sementara menunggu yang lelaki pergi solat Jumaat, kaum wanita bertanggak di Rumah Negeri Sembilan, to be exact, rumah warden Malaysian students dari Negeri Sembilan. Semua hostel penuntut Malaysia si sini dibiayai oleh kerajaan negeri, oleh itu dinamakan dan diduduki oleh penuntut dari negeri masing-masing. Kami disambut oleh isteri warden tersebut, Ibu Noraziyan yang merupakan seorang Cina mualaf. Kami tumpang solat Jamak Takdim di situ dan dijamu pula dengan teh/nescafe panas dan biskut. Memang lega dapat menghirup teh panas memandangkan suhu di luar memang sejuk.

Tempat berikut yang dituju ialah Masjid Hussin, Masjid & Universiti Al-Azhar dan Pasar Khan El Khalili yang terletak berhampiran di antara satu sama lain di El Hossein Square. Halfway perjalanan ke sana dari Asfour Crystal, kami diiringi oleh kereta peronda polis. Hairan juga pada awalnya kenapa kereta peronda polis ini membunyikan siren di hadapan bus coach kami. Rupa-rupanya di sini, adakalanya polis akan memberi khidmat escort kepada kenderaan tourist for safety reasons. Terasa macam VIPlah pulak bila kereta yang lain kena beri laluan kepada kami. El Hossein Square ini memang sesak dengan bukan sahaja tourists tetapi the locals as well bersantai, kanak-kanak happily berlari ke sana sini, the cafes filled with people dari yang tua ke muda berbual-bual kosong or just seating there doing nothing. As a matter fact, everywhere we went and passed by in Cairo seemed to be full with people seperti berpesta tapi kemungkinan juga kerana keesokan harinya Idul Adha.

Tempat tujuan pertama kami ialah Masjid Hussin, di sinilah dipercayai kepala cucu Rasulullah s.a.w., Saidina Hussin ditanam. Kami kaum wanita pada awalnya tidak dapat menziarahi makam Saidina Hussin kerana waktu Asr sudah masuk dan kami tidak dibenarkan masuk ke makam semasa waktu sembahyang. Kecewa juga hati kerana sesiapa yang ada hajat, boleh bertawassul di makam Saidina Hussin dan aku memang berhasrat untuk mengambil kesempatan itu. Allah itu Maha Pengasih, sebelum pulang dan sementara menunggu yang lain habis membeli-belah di pasar Khan El Khalili, aku dapat memasuki dan menziarahi makam Saidina Hussin. Setelah menghadiahkan al-Fatihah kepada Saidina Hussin, aku menadah tangan bermunajat kepada Allah. Aku bisikkan suara hati dan hajat aku berulang-kali di sisi makam. Aku beredar dengan rasa syukur dan tawakal kepada Allah s.w.t. semoga doa aku dimakbulkan olehNya.

Masjid dan Universiti Al-Azhar terletak across the road from Masjid Hussin. Seperti yang diketahui umum universiti Al-Azhar merupakan universiti yang tertua di dunia, dibina more than 1000 years ago. Mengikut penerangan Bob (one of our tour guides), Oxford University dibina untuk menandingi Universiti Al-Azhar dan menghapuskan pengaruh Islam tetapi uasaha ini gagal. Untuk ke Masjid Al-Azhar, kami melalui tunnel di bawah tanah dan apabila aku menaiki tangga keluar dari tunnel, I was mesmerized by the sight of the mosque emerging in front of me, subhanallah. As you entered the main door, you will walk in to a marble courtyard and the feeling and ambience memang sukar nak disuratkan. Terasa sungguh tenang berada di dalamnya despite the fact that masjid ini terletak di tengah-tengah kesibukan kota Cairo. Memandangkan Asr telah aku jamakkan, aku hanya melakukan solat sunat Tahiyatul Masjid di tempat solat yang tertutup di sini sebelum further melawat sekitar masjid. Memang perasaan rasa tenang dan syahdu sewaktu menunaikan solat di masjid yang menyimpan dan menyaksikan pelbagai sejarah dan kisah riwayat Islam sejak lebih sekurun yang lalu. Selesai solat, aku joined the rest melawat dan bergambar di sekitar masjid. We then took the spiral staircase leading to one of the towers untuk menaiki ke bahagian bumbung masjid. I went further up the tower eventhough I had to climb up in total darkness led by an Egyptian lad. From the balcony of the tower, you can see the city of Cairo, terasa seperti you travelled back in time because unlike Dubai, buildings di sini memang mostly look ancient.


After a while at Al-Azhar Mosque, we returned to Pasar Khan El Khalili untuk aktiviti apa lagi, shoppinglah. Like the pyramids, pasar Khan El Khalili is a must destination if one goes to Cairo. The market is not just any market, being one of the oldest markets in the world, this sprawling market played an important role in Egypt history. Barangan yang dijual di sini dari alabaster, jewelleries, gold brass, goods made from mother of pearl and papyrus, museum replicas, leather, essential oils, perfume, perfume bottles, crystal, home decor items and a whole lot more. I must say perfume made from Lotus flower memang mempunyai bauan lembut yang wangi believed to be worn by Queen Nefertiti. Most of these items are available at other tourist spots but at pasar Khan El Khalili, you can do some serious bargaining and the prices are cheaper. So, kalau nak shopping, do it at Khan El Khalili. Having Arabic speaking Malaysian students as our tour guides helped a lot whilst bargaining. Do not be surpised kalau ada shop owners there speak a few words in Malay to you as they pick these up from the Malaysia students there. Tambahan pula tourists dari Malaysia pun ramai ke sana. Since it was eve of Idul Adha, ada kedai yang tutup especially those selling precious stones but kedai yang buka pun dah cukup banyak and tak terlawat. Anyway, most of the shops here sell the same thing, it's just a matter how much less they are willing to go down for the goods that you want to buy.

Our tour for the day diakhiri dengan cruising Kor nish El-Nil over dinner on a ship. Sebelum dinner, kami dihiburkan dengan pelbagai persembahan dan sudah pastinya tarian gelek included. Ironically, tak seperti tarian gelek yang aku saksikan di Dubai, di sini pakaian penarinya lebih seksi dan tarian lebih raunchy. Halfway through her performance, aku joined some of members of our rombongan di atas dek untuk menikmati pemandangan Cairo di waktu malam sambil mendengar cerita tentang sejarah Islam dan kehidupan di Cairo dari our tour guides. Memang kurang jelas kota Cairo di waktu malam kerana dari sungai Nil, hanya cahaya suram sahaja yang menerangi kotanya. Bila dah tak tahan dengan kesejukan walaupun dah berlapis baju dipakai, we all turun semula ke restaurant for dinner. Dinner adalah secara buffet terdiri mixed of makanan Middle Eastern dan Western tapi kena beratur panjang juga untuk mengambil makanan kerana malam itu memang restaurant tu full house. The cruise lasted for about 2 hours and we headed back to the hotel after that. Sampai di hotel baru terasa kepenatannya tapi nevertheless it has been an exciting day.

Insyaallah, coming soon entry Cairo, Al Qahirah : Day Two about my visit to Pyramids of Giza.

Background Music : Aiam We Ben3eshha by Amr Diab

Dubai Revisited

It's now 7.17 a.m. in Cairo and about 13 degrees Celcius. I am sitting at a cybercafe opposite the hotel I am staying. I planned to post something on my few days in Dubai whilst in Dubai but the internet connection was so bad and I could not gain access to my blogger account, frequent interruption to internet connection etc etc. It's too early to tell about my Cairo trip as we have actually not started yet except that we had dinner at Nile Restaurant last night after arriving from Dubai and a brief glimpse and tour of Cairo city on the way to our hotel in Zamalek.

On my second day in Dubai, aku menjadi 'chapperon' kepada golden citizens yang terdiri daripada Mak and parents housemate Liza sightseeing in Dubai city. Since all of them are in the sixties, taking the public bus or going on foot were out of the question and taking the city cab was just too expensive. The best alternative was to take the Big Bus Company tour. This is a hop on and hop off tour service on a double decker bus which covers 23 tourist stops in Dubai through 2 bus routes, the city tour and the beach tour. We managed to cover only half of the entire route when after shopping at Dubai Old Souq, some of the golden citizens dah nampak penat memicit-micit kaki, so we stayed on the bus for the rest of the stops and headed home. Aku dan Mak tak rasa ralat sangat because both of us have been to most of these places during our last trip to Dubai in May 2006

The following day, I decided to wander off on my own in Dubai, mainly because I need to get some souveniers and some barang kiriman relatives and friends. Using the same Big Bus Company tour ticket (it's valid for 24 hours from the time of purchase), I took the beach tour route to Souq Madinat Jumeirah. This route will pass through Jumeirah Road and you will stop at some main tourist attractions like Jumeirah Mosque, Jumeirah Beach Park, Jumeirah Public Beach and Souq Madinat Jumeirah. The bus stopped at Jumeirah Public Beach for 5 minutes where you can see Burj Al Arab from there. The view at Jumeirah public beach was exactly how I remembered the last time I came here, breathtaking, undescribable beyond words. Pasir yang halus, the clear water in shades of emerald green berhampiran dengan pantai dan turned into darker shades of green and blue towards the sea.

After a couple of hours shopping at Souq Madinat Jumeirah and Zuhr prayer there, I walked back to the Jumeirah public beach and just sat there looking out to the sea with my feet buried in the cold sand, my iPod playing my favorite numbers, a cup of hot chocolate and my travel journal penning stories of my journey so far, my thoughts, hopes and dreams as the new year approaching. Pemandangan laut yang indah dengan angin sejuk bertiup buat aku leka sehingga tidak sedar sudah lebih sejam aku duduk di situ. Gathered my stuff and decided to walk along the beach and feel the water, it was icy cold but bearable. Continued to walk for the next 30 minutes and finally took a cab to Mall of Emirates where I bought a few more things mainly perfumes yang dipesan.

Lambaian Cairo ex Dubai

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go

I'm standing here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breaking, it's early morn'
The taxi's waiting, he's blowing his horn
Already I'm so lonesome I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
I don't know when I'll be back again

Just like the starting of Chantal Kreviazuk's Leaving On A Jet Plane, I am all set for Dubai, leaving on a jet plane at 0030 hours before flying off to Cairo on Dec 28. Preparation for this trip is the same as my other previous trips except kali ini kena bawa baju tebal. It's not-summer season di Cairo where temperature could go as low as 7 degrees Celcius and maximum 20 degrees Celcius. A good time to travel there.

I started my packing last Friday night. As usual memang konon-kononnya nak travel light tapi I always end up packing more clothes than I actually need. Most of the time ada yang tak dipakai langsung, I call it emergency clothings (or maybe just an excuse!). Anyhoots, I am carrying max two bags, a trolley bag and a backpack. Whilst packing, berbalas-balas SMS sekejap with Yusran, a 'thirsty' traveller currently travelling with Zura (his wife cum one of my usual travelling buddies) to Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and China for a month. Yes, you read me right, a month! Aaaargghhh...best nyer!

22-Dec-06 11.11 p.m.
Hi Nurul, Grub Gott. Truly forgotten about Arabic CD titles as I was so busy with work till just b4 left 4 KLIA. Fr sea we r headin 2 the mountains SAPA via Lao Cai (near China). Appreciate if u cud get latest 5 CDs fr 1)NANCY AJRAM 2)AMR DIAB & 3 other singers. Willing to spend RM200. Sorry to trouble u. Danke schon.

22-Dec-06 11.16 p.m.
OMG - sounds adventurous n interesting. The other 3 CDs r 4 which singer?

22-Dec-06 11.25 p.m.
Just grab based on their Top 10 which had the longest run in terms of popularity. Kalau dapat beli music DVD ciplak lagi bagus. BTW, my Yang is already zzz we r in the overnite train. VIET Train r not as sophiscated as the sleeping berth in China or even KTM

22-Dec-06 11.30 p.m.
Wokey - she must b dead beat. What r u doing still up? Not sophisticated. That's the interesting part of travelling, isn't it? I tgh packing my stuff 4 my trip.

23-Dec-06 8.00 a.m.
Arrived safely in Lao Cai. The temp is below 10C. Ahlan Wasalan.

23-Dec-06 8.08 a.m.
Alhamdulillah..hope u guys hav clothes 2 keep u warm. Expecting that kind of temp in cairo esp at night.

On Saturday, I ran a few more last minute errands. Pagi-pagi ke Taman Tun Dr Ismail to collect sambal tumis Kak Nor yang Liza pesan and whilst at it, stopped by at Maxis centre to configure my mobile phone MMS setting. Since I changed from Nokia N70 to Sony Ericsson K750i a few months ago, the MMS setting has not been working properly. Rupa-rupanya ada masalah dengan my SIM card and it was changed and configured in 15 minutes. Superb and prompt service because ada orang dalam kat situ.

Headed to Kema's place for brunch with Mak and in the afternoon ke KLCC to shop some trivial stuff but ended spending more than I planned/should at La Senza. The price slash and sales offer there was just to tempting for me to ignore. Sebelum balik, exchange Malaysian Ringgit into UAE Dirham and once in Dubai, I'll exchange some into US Dollar and Egyptian Pound.

Now the final hours, going through my checklist to make sure I do not leave out anything important:-

• E-ticket print out
• Passport
• International driving license
  
• Travel journal
  
• Books to read in the plane
• iPod
• Camera
• Shopping list from relatives and friends

OK, I have to shut down now as I have to leave for the airport in an hour or so. Thanks to those who smsed, called and personally wished and prayed for my safe journey and return. If everything goes well as planned and I return home safely, there will be an entry and pics on my trip, insyaallah.....I am now leaving you with a song from Amr Diab - Tamally Maak.

A Banana A Day Keeps The Doc Away!

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at wor k leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

A banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!

Apples of My Eye

Weekend at Port Dickson

Hujung minggu lalu dihabiskan di Port Dickson dengan aktiviti teambuilding yang diadakan oleh my department. It was actually a mixed of teambuiding and bersantai since for the past few months it has been a stressful and hectic period with a lot of operational issues. We departed from the office on Friday dan pagi itu masing-masing sibuk menghabiskan apa-apa kerja yang patut. At approximately 3.30 p.m. kami bertolak menaiki bas tetapi hanya sampai di Port Dickson at around 6 p.m. kerana di Lebuhraya Sungai Besi, fan belt bas tersebut putus menyebabkan terkandas selama lebih kurang 30 minit.

Selepas makan malam, aktiviti pertama bermula dengan icebreaking dan pembahagian kumpulan. Tugasan pertama ialah menamakan kumpulan, mencipta slogan, sorakan dan merekacipta bendera dalam masa 20 minit. After much of cracking our brains branstorming, we came up with the name of 'Happy Hooligans' and honestly by now I vaguely remember our slogan and cheers. Each group presented and introduced their teams with much cheering as well as friendly jeering from other teams, the spirits were high that night and semua orang berkobar-kobar as the facilitator briefed us that for each activity and task, points will be awarded. The first task that we had to do to accumulate points was to play charades. Although the words given were common words and easy but acting it out was a totally different ballgame altogether. My team was leading even for the start and by the end of the game, we obviously were the winners.

Hari kedua bermula awal pagi where everybody gathered at the beach untuk aktiviti sea rafting. Cuaca cerah tetapi redup, just nice to do this activity but it drizzled soon after that and eventually stopped. We had to build our own rafts using drums and bamboos provided. After a brief warm-up session and water confidence activity, we hurriedly discuss and drew our drawing plan on how the drums and bamboos should be positioned. The raft has to be exactly like our drawing plan. Misi aktiviti ini adalah untuk berdayung ke tiga lokasi berlainan untuk mengumpul tiga belon yang berlainan warna. Selepas melihat demo yang diberi oleh one of the instructors on how to tie up the bamboos and drums together, everybody went to work and started to assemble the pieces together in 30 minutes. Kalau salah ikat atau ikatan tu terlerai, jawabnya capsize le raft tu. Jenuh juga membuat ikatan sambil cuba mengingatkan ikatan reef knot yang diajar semasa demo dan mengejar masa hingga kena blisters di tapak tangan. Nasib baik tak teruk tapi pedih juga bila kena air laut.

Selepas wisel berbunyi, semua mengangkut raft ke air untuk memulakan perlumbaan. It was difficult at first getting everybody to synchronise the paddling and manouver the raft but we got the hang it after a while. The mission was to collect three balloons at three different locations. Our raft started to fall apart as we were heading to get the last balloon. We had no choice but to head to shore for safety reasons as two of our female team members already looking panic.
The next activity started at 4 p.m. on the same day. We were instructed to make a reef knot which we learnt earlier from a rope. The rule of this task were everybody's hands have to be on the rope, we can't lift even a single finger from the rope and we are given only three attempts to complete this task. Percubaan yang pertama berakhir even before we started when one of us lifted his index finger. Percubaan yang kedua lasted for almost an hour but not after some of us got squeezed and almost trampled by other especially those yang pegang di bahagian hujung tali. Aku bernasib baik sebab I was holding on to the center of the rope and some of us siap bersembang trying to kill the boredom. Initially, some of us tried to give suggestions and guidance to those holding to the rop ends but it was impossible for them to manouver around other people and this created a lot of confusions. My colleague and I got a better picture and plan on how to complete this task and decided to implement it in our last and final attempt. And we officially became the 211th team to successfully complete this task and we did it in less than 15 minutes. How?.....those you out there yang mungkin kena buat this task in your teambuilding exercise have to figure this out yourself ler...

Sabotage! That was what happened to my team when we had our treasure hunt the following morning. Our last clue which was supposed to bring us to the treasure box was taken by someone. The culprit was not our colleague(s) but most probably someone from other companies who were doing similar activity there. Nevertheless, my team came in third. After short de-briefing, we killed several hours playing water polo, had lunch and headed back to KL 3 p.m.

Eventhough a little bit tired tapi bila balik tengok anak-anak buah aku, hilang segala penat tengok keletah mereka.

Tomorrow Can Be Too Late

Someone sent this to me via friendster and the recipient is supposed to mail this to every person one care about including the one who sent it to you. You will then know that there are people who cares about you that you didn't know. But I thought this is something I should share with everybody and you may be one of those I care about.

If you're mad with someone,
and nobody's there to fix the situation...you fix it
Maybe today, that person still wants to be your friend
And if u don't, tomorrow can be too late.

If you're in love with somebody,
but that person doesn't know...tell her/him.
Maybe today, that person is also in love with you.
And if you don't say it, tomorrow can be too late.

If you still love a person
that you think has forgotten you... tell her/him.
Maybe that person has always loved you.
And if you don't tell her/him today,
tomorrow can be too late.

If you need a hug of a friend...ask her/him for it.
may be she/he needs it more than you do.
And if you don't ask for it today,
tomorrow can be too late.

If you really have friends
whom you appreciate...tell them.
Maybe they appreciate you as well.
And if you don't and they leave or go far away today,
tomorrow can be too late.

If you love your parents, and
never had the chance to show them... do it.
Maybe you have them there to show them how you feel.
And if you don't and they leave today,
then tomorrow can be too late.

Background Music : Kata By Hazami

Saturday 'Wasted'

I woke up early today at 5.00 a.m. to perform Isyak prayer and waited till Suboh azan. Thought I could stay awake but by 6.30 a.m. I couldn't keep my eyes opened as I was still sleepy and tired after late partying at my boss's year-end party last night. I will save this story for my next posting. Went back to sleep and dozed off till 9.00 a.m.

Started the day with work around the house starting with my laundry, separating the ones that could go into the washing machine and those which have to be handwashed. Bukannya banyak pun because I tend to do my laundry every other day. Swept and mopped the floor and arrange apa-apa yang patut. Whilst in shower, scrubbed the bathroom floor and toilet, threw all empty shampoo bottles, cleanser tubes or anything else yang dah luput jangkahayat out into the dustbin.

Folded my dry clothes in the living room and once in a while glanced at the idiot box. 'How Do I Look' was on. I find the program revolting because the host, Alex Liu and those interviewed on his program, who are obviously his cronies never fail to look so superficial and pretentious. I am totally oblivious what's the message this program's trying to deliver, just like whoever is in the program, superficial and the kind of Q & A were insulting my intelligence.

It has been a while since I last buy groceries, my fridge kinda empty. Furthermore, I don't eat heavy dinner. It will be a waste to buy groceries if they are going to end up rotten in the fridge and landed in the dustbin. Kalau nak masak selalu pun, tak berbaloi masak untuk seorang. Nak pergi keluar beli breakfast, malas pulak. Found there are enough basic ingredients for fried meehoon. That's my brunch with a mug of hot nescafe. Kalau ada biskut raya ni best juga. Teringat cake yang Tyah bagi kat office.

It's starting to rain heavily outside. The more reason to stay at home and maybe catch up on my reading. Recently received the December 2006 issue of Reader's Digest. I have been subscribing to this magazine for several years now. Full of enlightening, amusing and interesting real life stories. Kadang-kadang they enclose small prizes like bookmark, coasters or diary with the magazine or even contest information where you have the chance to win like a few hundred thousand ringgit. Most of the time, I didn't bother to read the contest brochures, tapi kadang-kadang saja-saja hantar. Who knows....tiba-tiba lucky pulak.

Malam ni nak ke KLIA to pick up my buah hati pengarang jantung. In the mean time, need to start finishing some office work so that tomorrow I can spend my entire time dengan my buah hati. Siapa yer, tunggu ajer ler....

While I Was Gone

Sudah lebih dua minggu sejak kali terakhir aku post an entry on 'Life As It Is'. Main reason for absence of any new entry - work, work, work.....At times had to come very early to the office just to clear a few to-do list without interruptions. Rasa lega sebab one major report is out of the way after endlessly chasing a few people for information to complete the report. What have I been up to during this period? There were strings of events, incidents, revealations for the past 2 weeks - not sure where to start, how to start and where to begin but in random order :~

1. Had lunch with my 'jiejie', Helen and ex-boss, Kasuma at Bukhara Restaurant, KLCC last Wednesday. Kebetulan, Kasuma pun baru habiskan puasa enam, so it was kinda 'Raya' for both of us as aku pun baru habiskan puasa enam that Monday. It was my first hearty meal after Ramadhan. Both Kasuma and Helen ordered lamb and chicken beriyani which came in big serving. Luckily I did not order any main dish for myself but just vegetable with mushroom and fried prawn as side dishes. All of us decided to share the food so that we could have a taste of everything. Even that pun we all tak boleh habiskan semua. Anyway, Kasuma was generous enough to pick up the bill.

2. I lost weight during the Ramadhan month as I notice most of my clothes dah longgar especially my pants. I did not weigh myself until recently - 5kg gone. Nak beli entire new wardrobe, bankrup ler aku, maybe kena alter whichever I can. I am now at my ideal weight for my height. How I did it? I did not starve myself or resort to diet pills like some people I know. During Ramadhan month, berbuka dengan kuih-muih and ate rice only for sahur. Now I continue to eat moderately and avoid rice for dinner. Hopefully I could discipline myself to follow this routine so that I could maintain my weight.

3. Met 'Tan Sri' and S for dinner last Friday night. Dah lama juga tak jumpa 'Tan Sri' sampai he did not recognize me when I was sitting like 2 metres away waiting for him. We had dinner at House of Fishball in Subang Jaya before adjourned to Gazebo for drinks.

4. Relieved that after months of preparation for the company first annual dinner, it finally came and over and done with on November 10. The theme was 70s and 80s with a tagline 'The Funky Town'. Everybody had a good time and we received positive feedback from the employees especially on the entertainment lined up for that night. Other than performances by the employees themselves, we had Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson impersonators as well. Everybody dressed up according to the theme sampai aku tak kenal even my own boss. They really let their hair down especially on the dance floor. The dance floor was opened at 11.30 p.m. and we all danced till 1.00 in the morning. I had never danced the way I did that night from disco dance, twist, cha cha you named it. Had several dance partners, actually I tak kenal pun sebab I just joined the company about 5 months ago and I hardly knew all the 300 employees but there was one mamat ni yang jadi steady dance partner. He's a good dancer, our dance moves kinda synchronised easily as he twirled and swirled me on the dance floor. Dia ajak aku pergi hang out dekat club after that tapi I turned him down sebab aku dah letih organizing the annual dinner since early that day. Nak balik and tidur aje. Anyway, aku bukannya kaki clubbing.

5. I finally confirmed my travelling dates to Cairo ex Dubai. Called the travelling agency to issue the tickets. Asked them to charge to my credit card. Initially they said I will be charged 3% for that but the agent decided to waive that. Dapatlah save a few hundred ringgit. This time I decided to fly with Emirates Airline. Cukuplah pengalaman naik Gulf Air ke Dubai last May sampai stranded a few hours kat Muscat, Oman sebab nama tak listed for connecting flight to Dubai. I pinned up the flight itinerary at my working desk and counting the days to that trip. At least there's something to look forward to.

6. I collected my car after more than one month at the workshop. However, I had to send it back after one week. There was a rattling sound coming from the compressor and I asked a cousin to look into it. Obviously there are a few more other things which need to be rectified further inluding the absorber as a result of the accident. Nothing major though but I hope to get my car back in a week's time.

7. Received two calls from headhunters about job opportunities in Putrajaya and another in the city centre. Yang satu ni I flatly told them I was not interested to pursue esepcially when whether I am wearing a tudung or not became of the selection criteria. They prefer someone who is not wearing one and eventhough I don't, I find that offensive and I definitely do not want to work in an organization where one's religious beliefs and practices are more important than the person's ability and capability. Anyway, one day mungkin aku akan pakai tudung.

8. Have been having a few weird dreams. The only thing I could tell is, it's something to do with nakedness, baring it all... Itupun belum habis cerita, 'Tan Sri' dah teased teruk-teruk. So, terbantut nak cerita selanjutnya.....

I'll Be Here Tonite!

I was busy making final preparation for the company annual dinner yesterday morning which will be held that very night when when n ex-colleague called and said she has free tickets for the above play. We got good seats as one of the sponsors is my former employer. I have read about the play in the local newspaper and found it intriguing but just did not have the time find out more about the play and organize with the usual comrades to go and see the play due to my busy schedule with office work and personal matters. Not exactly a cultured person who religiously follow and watch whatever play which is on but once in while the usual comrades and I will just catch several interesting plays at these theatres. Below is the synopsis of the play:-

"Florence unexpectedly breaks up with her husband. Despondent, she determines to kill herself but is saved by her friend Olive. With nowhere else to go, Florence is urged by Olive to move in with her, at least for a while. The only problem is that Florence is anally retentive, neat, tidy and neurotic, whereas Olive is slovenly, casual and an absolute slob. In adapting this script from the play that made his career, Neil Simon investigates the conditions of friendship minus testosterone. The end result is this rare, side-splitting version of two completely opposite characters trying to share the same apartment"

What I think of this play......wait till I watch it tonight.

November 12, 2006 @ 9.22 a.m.

We arrived at KLPac just at the nick of time as when we left my friend's house after my Maghrib prayer only to find that there was a bit of jam on the road going out of Subang Jaya. The initial plan was to have dinner before the play but since we were running late, we skipped dinner and went into the theatre with empty stomachs. Dinner will have to wait.

Although I do not know how is the original version of this Neil Simmon's piece but obviously, the director has incorporated some local elements in the play. Yeah....it's funny and I particularly like Olive's witty character played by Bernie Chan and one of her kaki buddies, Veera, the sweet, naive and so 'duh' character played by Elaine Daly. I wouldn't consider it as a MUST SEE play but only if YOU-HAVE-NOTHING-BETTER-TO-DO. I'll give it three stars out of five.

Egyptian Dreams Come True

December 28, 2006 - January 1, 2007

Sebelum ini ada several travel plans yang telah dirancangkan pada hujung tahun ini termasuklah ke Sarawak dan Indonesia, tetapi kita yang merancang, Tuhan juga yang menentukan. Tempat yang langsung tiada dalam perancangan tahun ini yang bakal menjadi kenyataan - end of this year, tempat yang bakal aku jejaki ialah Kaherah, Mesir. Ini gara-gara ajakan dari Liza sebelum Syawal dahulu kerana dia dan rakan-rakannya termasuk A (ehem! ehem! bakal abang ipar aku ke?) telah merancang untuk ke sana pada hujung tahun ini. Liza memang sudah maklum hasrat aku untuk ke Mesir yang aku suarakan semasa aku ke Dubai Mei lalu tetapi tidak kesampaian sebab Liza pun masa itu sibuk dengan kerja. Lagipun, tidak selamat kalau wanita travels to Mesir alone. I of courselah, bagai pucuk dicita ulam mendatang terima pelawaan itu. Memandangkan January 1st is also Mak's birthday, aku ajak Mak sekali where all her trip expenses shall be borne by the children as birthday gift ler kiranya.

I will be flying to Dubai in Emirates on X'mas Day, spent a couple of nights there and then to Cairo on December 28. I will be in Cairo till January 1 and return to Kuala Lumpur on January 2. Sebelum buat booking, the travel agent said all flights to Cairo on December 28 were fulled and I asked to be on a waiting list. Alhamdulillah, the agent came back to me and said there are available seats on that day. Kalau tidak, I would have to fly there a day earlier. Dah memang rezeki aku agaknya. Cuti juga aku dah apply awal-awal dan telah diluluskan oleh boss.

Look forward to this trip and hope apa yang dirancang akan menjadi kenyataan.....

Open House @ Armanee

From left : Alymiey, Nurul, Rush, Airry

Alhamdulillah, syukur kerana majlis rumah terbuka yang diadakan pada Oktober 31, 2006 berjalan dengan lancar. Majlis diadakan di event hall Armanee Condominium, Damansara Damai where Liza (my eldest sister) has a condo unit. Kalau nak buat at her condominium herself or my apartment di Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam memang tak muat to fill all the guests. I was very pleased that majoriti tetamu jemputan yang terdiri daripada close family and friends dan bloggers dapat hadir termasuk a Sarawakian friend yang dah about 3 years aku tak jumpa.

Early bird guests yang sampai were fellow bloggers - Rush, Xis and Rush's friends, Almiey and Airry (Hope I got their names right). I wasn't expecting guests to arrive till 8 p.m. tapi about 7.40 p.m. I received a call from Xis asking for direction as they were already nearby sedangkan aku masih tengah taking my own sweet time bersolek and yet to get dressed. By the time I reached the event hall, they were waiting in the car at the carpark. Felt so guilty making them wait instead of aku yang menyambut mereka. When they came out of the car, immediately, I could easily recognized Rush as he looked exactly like his pics, just that didn't expect him to be that tall. I couldn't tell which one was Xis and when I asked, Rush suruh aku main teka-teka pula. Sukar jugak nak cam sebab his pics on his blog tak terang and if I heard correctly, when Xis called he introduced himself as Nik. Itu yang confused sekejap.

Baru nak mula bersembang dengan mereka, aku sudah mula menerima panggilan telefon dari guests yang lain meminta road direction ke majlis open house dan had to leave the table several times untuk menyambut mereka. Terkilan juga sebab tak dapat hold decent conversations with them to get to know them better without being interrupted by calls from other guests asking for road directions. Tambahan pula, bila friends yang lain mula sampai, naturally banyaklah perkara yang nak diperbualkan dan layanan and attention pun had to be divided amongst all the guests. Hopefully, in future all of us including bloggers yang tidak dapat hadir dapat meet up and get to know each other better. Dalam pada itu, as I expected, timbul juga soalan cepumas dari a few relatives and friends. Those singles will know apa soalan cepumas itu. Eventhough I told them the honest truth pun, masih ada yang speculate juga.

Anyway, menu that night mainly consisted of typical Raya dishes - lemang and rendang, nasi impit with kuah lodeh and sambal, and other dishes - chinese fried rice, asam laksa, roti jala and kari ayam, satay and kuah kacang, cucur badak, fruit tartlet and kordial and tea as drinks. The food was catered from this caterer I hired whenever I organize functions which involved makan-makan in my previous company. I was relieved that the guests including my relatives commented that the food served was delicious although aku sempat merasa dua cucuk satay dan dua potong lemang dan rendang sahaja. Itu pun sempat makan bila most of guests dah pulang.

As Rush and the gang about to leave, I gave badam potong for Rush, Xis and Tyah seorang satu bekas as diorang pernah cakap nak merasa kuih tu. So, bila orang dah berhajat, aku cuba tunaikan mana yang mampu. Insyaallah, sampailah hajat Tyah nak merasa bila Rush pulang ke Miri nanti. Aku buat additional badam potong ni a day before I came back to KL/Shah Alam. Merata juga aku mencari a couple of bahan-bahan kuih ni di TI sebab dah out of stock at most kedai dan supermarket, maklumlah most of them do not replenish the stock selepas Ramadhan. Alhamdulillah, memang rezeki mereka, akhirnya aku jumpa bahan-bahan tu.

Majlis ended at around 11 p.m. and by the time I reached home it was almost 2 a.m. Aku ucapkan terima kasih kepada all the guests yang sudi hadir walaupun majlis diadakan in the middle of the week and most of them had to work the following day. To Helen, thank you sebab unexpectedly bagi ole-ole - I truly appreciate it. Aku juga ingin meyusun sepuluh jari meminta maaf kalau ada cacat cela, terkurang, terlebih, tersilap bicara atau terkasar bahasa sepanjang majlis yang tak seberapa tu.

Kepada Shahril, another blogger who was invited, I am touched with your politeness making courtesy call and sending SMSes apologizing for not being able to attend. To other bloggers yang tak dapat hadir juga, kalau panjang umur dan diizinkan Allah, insyaalah kita akan dapat bertemu suatu hari nanti.

Coretan Syawal

Today is the seventh day of Syawal and the first day I am back at work. Checked my inbox for one week's old of incoming e-mails and let out a sigh of relief that there was no pressing matters that requires my immediate attention or action. Decided to reply some of the e-mails anyway and get some outstanding matters out of the way as I will be busy with the final details of the company's first Annual Dinner & Dance which is just 2 weeks away. The committee members have decided to do a brief performance as part of the opening gambit that night and we have yet to practise together-gether. Luckily the performers we engaged have agreed to help us out with the dance steps at their dance studio.

Earlier in the morning on the way to work, dropped by at Liza's place to give goodbye hugs and kisses to my niece and nephew before they leave for KK that morning. Asheen was in her usual chirpy mood whilst Noah was grumpy having woken from his sleep very early in the morning. Managed to get to work on time despite of the usual heavy morning traffic.

Reminiscing the last few days of Ramadhan in preparation of Syawal, I started baking Raya biscuits the morning I arrived in TI and Kema took over the kitchen in the afternoon. Started with Badam Potong (2nd pic from left) followed by Mata Kucing (3rd pic from left) and Mandarin cupcake (1st pic from left) whilst Kema made the rest, Coklat Gajus (3rd pic from left) and cornflakes (5th pic from left). Tried to bake marble cake but for a certain reason, it did not turn out the way it was supposed to be. Liza is the one who is good at baking cakes but this year for a reason oblivious to any of us, dia mogok. Luckily there was another cake given to Mak by her friend and a cheese cake from one of Kema's clients.

First day of Syawal was the same as the previous years. The day started with sembahyang Raya at the mosque, asking forgiveness from Mak and my other siblings and headed to onyang's house which is about 15 minutes drive to meet with the rest of my relatives. That night, everybody adjourned to my house and we had belated birthday party for Asheen and Noah. Asheen's birthday was in September whilst Noah's in October. I only went to the cemetry to visit Abah, Onyang, Tok and Tok Alang's graves on the 3rd of Syawal as it was packed with people with cars parked alongside the road on the first 2 days of Syawal.

Started going to my relatives' open house on the Saturday I came back to KL and on Oct 31, I will be holding a joined open house with Liza at Armanee, Damansara Damai. Other than my relatives, I invited a few close friends and bloggers who are in town. Look forward to meeting friends I had not seen for quite sometime except via e-mail or phone and also fellow bloggers I am meeting for the first time.

Menjelang Syawal

Dengan Syawal yang bakal menjelang, persiapan raya juga semakin rancak. Dua minggu lalu aku sudah mengambil baju kurung pesak dari songket Pakistan yang ditempah di sebuah kedai di Semuahouse. Aku amat berpuashati dengan hasilnya dan aku turut membeli sepasang brooch untuk dipadankan dengan baju tersebut. Dua pasang lagi kebaya Kema tolong collect dari tailor hari ini sebab aku memang takkan sempat ke kedai itu selepas waktu kerja. Pada hari minggu yang lalu, aku, Kema dan Mak ke Parkson di Putra Place untuk membeli pakaian kasual dan kasut raya untuk anak-anak buah aku. Si Asheen insists baju dia mesti warna pink dan kasut kena ada heels. Noah pulak is just too young to have fashion sense, till then, he'll just wear whatever we buy for him. Hari ini pula, Bobo (nickname for my twin sister) called minta belikan baju kurung untuk Asheen. Baju kurung yang ditempah telah disalah potong oleh tailor di KK. According to Bobo, lehernya terlalu besar hingga belahnya sampai ke perut Asheen. Tergelak bila aku bayangkan rupa Asheen pakai baju tu.

Last weekend juga, bahan-bahan untuk membuat biskut raya dibeli. Biskut raya yang wajib sudah semestinya Coklat Gajus, Badam Potong, Mata Kucing dan Cornflakes. Masa tu mulalah buka resipi yang mak tulis dalam diari. Diari berisi resipi tu dah macam legasi dalam keluarga sebab dah bertahun-tahun dalam simpanan dan dirujuk setiap kali menjelang raya. Sebagai tambahan, aku bercadang membuat Tart Nanas, Mandarin Cupcake dan Marble Cake. Ambitious betul tapi tak tahulah larat ke tidak. Mahu bersengkang mata sampai dua tiga pagi tunggu kuih raya masak dalam oven macam tahun-tahun yang lalu.

Insyaallah, selepas sahur Sabtu ni, aku akan bertolak dengan Kema ke TI. Liza dan Shahrul akan bertolak keesokan harinya selepas mengambil Bobo dan family at the airport that morning. Semoga semuanya selamat sampai ke kampung untuk beraya bersama.

Sick Day

Yesterday morning, I woke up with a slight headache. Went straight to the shower, washed my hair hoping that my headache will subsequently go away. Whilst driving to work it got worse and by the time I reached the office, I felt giddy, lethargic and felt like vomitting. The air-condition at the office worsened my condition as it was too cold and I did not bring my shawl or jacket along. Tried to bury myself into work just to forget the throbbing pain but by 11.oo a.m. it was unbearable. Decided to go the clinic at the ground floor of my office building and got to see the doctor after waited for almost half an hour. The doc was male though I hoped to see the female doctor. Told the doctor my situation but I didn't see this coming..

Doc : Are you pregnant?

Me : Err...no (My eyebrow raised)

Doc : It's just that normally if you are pregnant, you'll feel this nausea, vomitting etc in the morning.

Me : Ooo..ok

Doc : Have you had any children?

Me : No

Doc : Are you married (Ahh...finally the question he should've asked in the first place)

He checked my BP and it was slightly low than normal. Checked my eyes, tounge, the palm of my hands and pressed the tips of my fingers. His conclusion was I am not anaemic but dehydrated. I was given Ponston, T.Moloxon and Oral Rehydration Salt for dehydration and to help increase my BP.

I still continued with my fasting and after seeing the doctor I felt much better even without taking any the medicine prescribed. I think it's a psychology thing. Receiving a call from a close friend during my UiTM days made me felt much much better. Her usual chatty happy go lucky ways made me forget the pain for a while. After breaking fast, took my medicine and went to bed after Maghrib prayer. Missed Tarawih that night....

Dia Dalam Kenangan & Doa

Sejak bermulanya Ramadhan 10 hari yang lalu, ingatanku kepada lelaki ini semakin kuat, sayu rasa hati terutamanya bila mengingatkan saat-saat manis bersama dia. Dan sejak 12 tahun yang lalu, pada pagi Raya, aku akan menziarahi dia berbekalkan air Yassin dan segenggam daun pandan. Di situlah tempat bersemadinya seorang lelaki yang pernah menjadi sebahagian hidupku dan takkan ada gantinya.

Masih segar dalam ingatan peristiwa 12 tahun yang lalu seperti baru semalam berlaku. Tengahari itu, Abah pulang dipapah oleh Mak dan Tok Mat selepas 'collapsed' di sekolah. Percakapan Abah kurang jelas dan pandangan Abah kabur. Cuma mampu menggeleng kepala bila disebut mahu dibawa ke hospital.

Ketika melihat Abah terbaring tidak bermaya dalam ICU dengan tiub, wayar dan monitor ECG disambungkan ke badannya, aku tak dapat menahan airmata daripada tumpah, laju mengalir seperti empangan air yang pecah. Aku genggam erat tangan Abah, tak sangka Abah yang selama ini memang aktif, sekarang ni terlantar tidak berdaya dengan sekelip mata. Aku lihat airmata Abah mengalir, aku kesat airmata Abah dan aku usap kepala Abah. Aku bisik ke telinga Abah memberitahu Abah aku ada disisinya. Pada awal pagi Januari 4, 1995, aku terima panggilan telefon dari hospital yang Abah sudah tiada lagi. Mak semasa itu dalam perjalalan ke hospital untuk memulakan giliran menjaga Abah yang telah dipindahkan ke wad biasa selepas seminggu di dalam ICU.

Apabila jenazah Abah tiba di rumah, aku mampu mengawal emosi, tiada ratapan, raungan cuma tangisan kecil keluar dariku. Aku tatap wajah Abah, ada airmata bertakung di kelopak matanya yang aku kesat perlahan-lahan dengan tisu. Bila adik-beradikku sampai, tiada kata-kata antara kami, hanya pelukan erat dan tangisan yang menggambarkan perasaan masing-masing. Mak, kulihat tidak mengalirkan setitis pun airmata. Aku tahu Mak kesedihan tapi mungkin dia mahu kelihatan tabah untuk anak-anaknya. Sebelum wajah Abah ditutup dengan kain kapan, aku kesat airmataku dan aku cium dahi Abah, terasa sejuk dingin. In spite of all this happening, aku masih berasa seperti semua yang berlaku pada hari itu seperti mimpi even semasa aku mengiringi jenazah Abah di dalam kenderaan jenazah ke masjid dan ke tanah perkuburan. Hanya selepas segala-galanya selesai dengan lancar, pada malam itu aku masuk ke bilikku, aku macam baru tersedar yang Abah dah pergi selama-lamanya. Di dalam kegelapan, aku menangis sepuas-puasnya. Malam itu, aku keseorangan tidur di atas katil di mana jenazah Abah dibaringkan dan kain pelekat Abah menjadi selimutku.

Beberapa tahun selepas itu, Mak beritahu yang Abah pernah berkata kepada Mak yang kalau dia pergi dulu, dia nak Mak pastikan semua kami adik-beradik sampai ke menara gading. Mak bersyukur yang amanat Abah sudah dia tunaikan. Cuma aku terkilan Abah tak sempat melihat kami menerima ijazah dan untuk aku membalas pengorbanan Abah selama ini. Tapi, aku sentiasa berpegang, apa yang berlaku ada hikmahnya.

Al-Fathihah untuk Abah...................