Gala dinner & cultural show...

“The world has achieved brilliance without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants...” - Omar N. Bradley

In conjunction with the Bosnia Festive Week 2007, we were invited to attend the Gala Dinner and Show at the Manhattan Ballroom, Berjaya Times Square Hotel and Convention Centre. The Tuanku Raja Perlis and Tuanku Raja Perempuan graced the occasion.

After lengthy speeches from the Executive Chairman of Istimewa Restu and his Excellency, the Ambassador of Bosnia & Herzegovina we were entertained with the unique and energetic cultural performance from the Cultural and Artistic Society Borac from Travnik and the lovely songs from the talented young singers from the Elementary Music School Avdo Samilovic from Gorazde. The 70-member troupe had gone for a road-show in Penang, Langkawi and had recently entertained students at the Cempaka School with their songs and dances based on the civil war that broke out in 1992.

We watched a promotional video on Bosnia & Herzegovina. The war-torn country has risen from the ashes of destruction and has changed into a stunning beautiful country with rich cultural heritage.

I have to add this into my list of places to visit!

Pahang - 4x4 to Air Terjun Bekelah...

“Where we had thought to travel outward, we will come to the center of our own existence. And where we had thought to be alone, we will be with all the world…” - Joseph Campbell, 

(Fast flowing water)

(Crossing the stream to the waterfalls)

(A nice stream for a swim)

(Sara and mom taking a rest on the rocks)

(Trekking among the rocky path)

(Panoramic photography)

A minah rempit?

"When you have your nose in the air, it's difficult to appreciate the treasures that lie close to the earth..."

(2003 - Leisure ride to Frazer's Hill on my Honda Shadow...)

I looked up this definition in the Wiki. A Mat Rempit is 'an individual who participates in illegal street racing', usually involving under-boned motorbikes or a kapcai. A Minah Rempit must be the female counterpart…

I love to ride the motorbike even at a young age. I love street racings and skinned knees and elbows a few times much too often. Hubby loves to ride too. When we were in campus we used to own a motorbike. So when we had the opportunity with bikers friends we used to race each other and pushed our adrenalin to the max. A few years back when hubby decided to buy a big bike, I was ok with the decision for I love to feel the wind on my face again...

Was I a Minah Rempit? Am I still now?

When I passed my LCE and got enrolled into Form 4 Science in Sultan Ismail College in the 70’s, my abah was so proud of me and he decided to buy me a motorbike. That was the first vehicle bought in the family. The only ‘kenderaan’ we ever had was the old ‘basikal unta’ used by my abah to transport him daily to work from our polis flat in Wakaf Mek Zainab to the polis HQ in kota Bharu.

I was the first girl in school to ride a motorbike. It was the talk of the town. Helmet was not compulsory. I didn’t even have a full licence then. I began to join a group of bikers I met at Pantai Cinta Berahi. I began to spend my weekends riding and racing with them and we became very close. I began to avoid my girl friends. My boy friend disapproved of my association with the bikers as they were mostly dropouts. I was having a hell of a good time then and couldn’t be bothered with his feelings. Slowly, we drifted apart.

(1979 - merempit with the BBA gang in Langkawi)

After form 5, I was accepted to further my study in KL. With heavy heart, I left my bikers friends. In the beginning, every opportunity I had during semester breaks was spent with them. But slowly, my bikers gang began to split too. We grew older and wiser and had other commitments . I missed them. I missed all the fun. We have not crossed path since then but the memory I had with my bikers friends in KB will always linger in my mind.

p.s. To my bikers friends especially Raja Shah Z, where are you now?

Pahang - Frazer's Hill cool mountain retreat...

“The greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time…”

(A view from BNM top floor apartment)

Iwan and Ella came and picked us from our Putramas apartment. We went to Insaf Restaurant to have nasi bryani lunch before we drove to Frazer's Hill via the Ulu Yam road.

We reached the Gap around 6 p.m. It has stopped raining by then, but it was misty and wet. We bought burger for dinner as we were lazy to come out in the rain again later. We were staying the night at the Pine's Resort. The resort is set amidst the cool mountain tranquility of Fraser’s Hill.

(A western restaurant)

When the children were small we used to come here for recreational activities such as horse riding, archery, roller-skating or jungle trekking. But now it has lacked its attraction. We ended up watching football on Astro and played games on our laptops.

(A cool morning on the hill)

Next morning, the kids stayed in bed till noon. I stayed in front of the heater, wrapped in my shawl and played sudoku.

We had late brunch and packed our things. The caretaker called to warn that there were a few incidences of mud slides and fallen trees. So instead of driving through the Gap, we took the same road we came from yesterday.

(The girls in the family)

Although Frazer's Hill lacks recreational activities, it is still a perfect getaway place to run away from our busy life, to relax and breathe fresh, cool mountain air.

A call for celebration!

"No journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within...” - Lillian Smith

Sara sounded excited when she called at noon last Friday. She received her appointment letter. Effective Monday she will be posted at the Selayang Hospital as Penolong Pengarah, HR Department.

Alhamdulillah, I was happy for her.

On Saturday night the three of us had a celebration dinner at the Italianis, 1-Utama. On Sunday night, another celebration dinner at TGIF, the Curve. This time with Ella and Iwan. The queue was long but it was ok as the food that came after was superb.

Although full to the brim, we shared a plate of choc cakes for dessert….