Mood: Festive
Music: Tell Me What to Do
By: Metro Station
La la la la laa~
The year of the ox. I've a feeling that I'm gonna work like an ox this year too. Like I said, when the going get's tough - just chew like a cow. Surely the troubles would slowly disintegrate like the cud right? Heee~ XD
Baliked kampung to Kedah like always. Though this time I traveled back on my own. My
own weh! It wasn't exactly exciting though I must admit there's a tiny thrill at the thought of it. Traveling independently for a few years now must've took the
oomph out of traveling alone. On the other hand, it'll be the first of my many soon to be travels! =D
Anyway, KL Central was packed tighter than a can of sardines that night I was traveling back. For some odd reason, I saw more immigrants and Malays than Chinese. Or maybe that has always been the norm I can't say. Typical of Malaysian timing [or maybe I'm pretty early], the train hasn't arrive yet. Some Chinlay looking guy asked me something about the train's destination. After a somewhat answer from me, he said thanks and spoke to his friend before leaving her with the bags. I thought I'll strike up some conversation with the girl and found out she was a Filipino instead of Malay. She looked like one of those fair-skinned ones. Apparently Kelantan ladies are rather fair and she did mention that she was going there. Plus her was English was broken too. Talk about major misinterpretion.
Pai sheh.
When the KTM fella announced the arrival of the train, she started to look around worriedly. I asked her if she knew where her friend went and she tartly replied that was her husband. I nearly gawked. She looked so young! But then again maybe not. I'm 17 and I don't exactly look younger than my age. [Note: don't you
dare rattle on my looks.] Nevertheless I suggested that she called him to tell him that the train has arrived and stayed with her until her call finally came through. Once done, I took my leave and down the stairs towards the platform. The escalators was incredulously packed with travellers but the stairs was stark empty. Hee, must be their heavy luggages. It is quite a long way down. Hence, it pays to travel light people. =P
I somehow managed to sleep most of the way though I keep waking every 3 hours. Must be the paranoia that I'll miss my stop and ended up in Hatyai instead of getting off at Sungai Petani. Sounds funny but it ain't funny if you woke up the next morning a little too far north and out of the country to boot. I managed to arrive safely at SP station in the wee hours of the morning. It's astounding that I arrived 10 minutes earlier than schelduled time though the train left KL 10 minutes later than schelduled time. Talk about miracles. KTM arrival times are actually
punctual. Wow. Papa picked me up at the station and we promptly headed back to my uncle's house in Taman Patani Jaya. Instead of sleeping as I intended, I ended up finishing some of my homework. Didn't get to finish it as much as I would've like but who am I to complain? It's Chinese New Year soon! =D
I know I did have a great Chinese New Year of sorts. Plus, I'm a hundred ringgit richer. LOL.
The first day I was back, I went to my grandma's house in Tanjung Dawai to pick her up for New Year's. Prior to that, I took a little tour around the small fishing town on a bicycle courtesy of the sea products shop owner. I cycled all the way through the small town to the dock, then further in to LKIM then made a trip through the kampung area and is short of fascinated by the kampung life. I somehow ended up on a very long stretch of road which seems to lead to the unknown. On either side of the road flanked the mangrove forest [lots of pokok bakau & nipah] in all their grnarled, knotted glory basking in the mud under the hot sun. Rupa-rupanya the long back road led back to the main road. And I discovered that it's impossible to get lost here. All the roads seem to lead back to the main road. If only KL was this simple. HAHA. I cycled along the dirty beach of Tanjung Dawai and headed back to the shop. I was surprised to find myself a little tanner before I set out on my little expedition.
Upon our return to SP, set a cake to bake. Then I followed Aunt May, Uncle Phillip and popo to Gaint. Shopping with my half deaf non-English speaking grandma isn't exactly a pleasant affair. Especially when she asks me in Cantonese to compare prices. My numbers in Chinese (whatever the dialect) is atrocious. Eek! Then we were at the detergent section when she asked me to look for Fab soap. She picked up one and asked me if it was Fab. I told her yes and she glanced at it and shook her head saying "No-lah, cannot be. You sure it is Fab?" I assured her it is but she didn't believe me even after I pointed at the big bold print 'FAB' across the wrapping. Talk about denial. She ended up buying Top soap instead.
Arrol and Aaron arrived home soon after we got home from Giant. Arrol changed his hairstyle. Looks more rugged and like Jay Chou. I've a hunch he imitated his style. (=.=") Fried some keropok (YAY! =D). Had dinner at some Chinese restaurant. Should've opted for Yoshina but dinner was good. Ended up reading The Pearl for the rest of the night. Pretty lame right? ._.
On the Eve, woke up pretty early too. Had lunch at 4th uncle's house then they cousins decided to go for a ride in town. Ended up in Village Mall at K-box. Doing what? Karaoke. I like Jay Chou songs but that doesn't mean I know every single word in the lyrics. Sigh. Karaoke ain't my thing. Headed back to the house then. We had steamboat (like always) for dinner. Then came my nightmare - the singing session in the garden. Being the only Malay-educated cousin there, I was utterly clueless about the songs. Instead of feeling like a fool, I joined in with gusto - by lip syncing. I must say my performance ain't half bad. LOL. Then 3rd uncle and papa handed out the ang pow money a day early like a tip of sorts. Once our stint is over, the guys retreated to play DOTA but not before we woke up the whole neighborhood with firecrackers. I must say that the firecrackers in the shape of bombs are the loudest. Isn't it a wonder why Chinese are half deaf? x)
First day of CNY. Again I woke up pretty early. Help Aunt May in the kitchen until well past afternoon. Then headed to Centre Square. Spent time shopping for the perfect t-shirt design for the all of us to buy. Effort was in vain, ain't no available size to accomadate the guys. So we ended up in the arcade on the top floor. I trashed my cousin Jeffrey in a game of air hockey. It felt goood while Aaron sweated it out on the dance machine. HAHA.
Headed home to enjoy a bowl of home made Sarawak laksa. The rest of them retreated up to the bedrooms for a game of Blackjack. Stayed downstairs and finished up my essay. Didn't manage to finish it sadly. Then my youngest aunt arrived and promptly gave me an ang pow. Interesting. My cousin Jia Jia is now as lean as a stick. I like him better when he was chubby but I don't think he'd appreciate that so I kept that thought to myself. Oh well~
After dinner, I watched this movie along with my cousins in Centre Square, Sungai Petani. It was side-splitting hilarious! XD Despite the language barrier (and the lack of good translation) I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even the most stoic of my cousins laughed his head off. As for me, I was slapping my knees and stomping the floor with laughter. And I wasn't the only one either. I can safely say that most of the people that night did the same. XD Plus, it's an experience too - going to the cinema with my cousins. We occupied the entire row!
My second day of CNY was a real drag. I must say that the entire house look exactly like an aftermath of a huge wild party. Though Aunt May digress and said that it was worse before I woke up. The beer cans were strewn all over the floor and someone forgot to lock the doors. Yikes. Thank God I went to bed early. Loitered around the house before heading to Tanjung Dawai to drop popo off at her house. Kinda missed home.
Over the course of the last few days, I think it was fun to go back. I baked like 3 cakes, went head to toe with my male cousins in a game of futsal, beat Jeffrey in air hockey, woke up earlier than usual and went around town with my numerous cousins. By the way, my cousins consist of 8 boys (ranging from 9 to 21 years old) and 3 girls (8, 16 & 17 years old). Ones missing are my brother and Eric's youngest brother, Hendrick. So that makes 2 more boys from my youngest aunt and 2 girls and a boy from my eldest aunt. In total I have about 12 male cousins and 5 female cousins. Can the odds get any bigger? x)
So yeah. I'm now back in KL a shade tanner, a hundred ringgit richer, laden with bags of food, baking-cakes wiser and a bruised knee to testify my 'glorious' moment in futsal & a bruised knuckle as a result of a dirty game of air hockey (which I ultimately won). I'd say it was a good holiday all in all. =D
GONG XI FA CAI everyone! :D
Labels: chronicle, family, holidays, life, movies
