OUR BUSY CHINESE NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS

We went to Seberang Takir, to my wife's sister's house in Taman Permint Jaya, during the Chinese New Year holidays.


Her daughters, Kak Long, Mek Na and Baby were very happy to know that we were coming. They were very close to my children, especially Diyana.


I was very tired. My hemorrhoids were still troubling me - the after effects of the recent bouts of shooting diarrhea that I had.


Diyana took over driving chore from me. She was busy driving around KT - taking pictures in Taman Syahbandar and enjoying delicious cake with ice cream topping in a Bistro in Batu Buruk.

MA, my senior in SDAR called me. Once again, he was in Chukai Utama Hotel and I was away in KT. Don't know when we could meet!


KT roads were jammed with tourists. All roads leading to Pasar Payang were packed with vehicles. I decided to just parked in front of Maziah Palace and let them walk to Pasar Payang.


A tourist bus from Perlis parked next to me. Luckily, there were no traffic police to chase us out.

Back at Taman Permint Jaya, ten Tabligh groupd resided in the Surau next door. I was never against their movement, it was just that cleanliness was still an issue they have to improve if they want people to respect them. The sight of bags placed right smack on the floor on the entrance and sarongs hung haphazardly were eye-sore to the other users.

The story of ghosts in the house next door never failed to interest us. The house, just renovated, was inhabited by 'ghost children'! Even in broad daylight, there were giggles and sound of children running around. The owner's handphone clicking on its own scared even the toughest.

Cik Su was still as usual, very unfriendly towards my sister in-law's family. Her facial features reminded me somewhat of Pak Kob's wife (read their story in my earlier posts - Moments of My Life)...keeper of Hantu Raya.

On our way home we stopped at a famous keropok lekor Fish rods) joint in Pantai Kelulut. It was packed with keropok lovers.

While waiting a herd of buffaloes, cows, bulls and calves (an indication of productive herd) casually and intelligently took their time crossing the busy road. Curious children from stopping cars took pictures of the animals. It was once-a-life-time thing for many of them.

Reaching Taman Samudera Timur, and on my way to a grocery store, I saw two buffalo calves dead on the road and next to them was a badly-wrecked car being hooked to a wreck-truck.

In Chukai wet market the next day, I was surprised to see a Chinese vegie seller already selling.

"Selling already on the second CNY?"

"24 hours is enough for me. 24 days if my financial situation is strong!" He answered in a way describing the present economic situation.

At the parking area in front of Terminal Makmur, Kuantan, a man tried to con me by claiming that he and his friend had been mugged by Indonesian illegal immigrants early that morning. Their lingo and body language did not reflect men who were just been robbed of RM300 as they claimed. They were more of desperate drug addicts looking for easy money.