Seperti selalu, kedua-dua anak lelaki saya, Ariff dan Soffian kena bekerja pada hari Raya. Walau macammana pun terubat juga hati saya apabila anak bongsu saya, si Sara dapat balik bercuti selama empat hari. Saya pergi ke stesen keretapi Kuang untuk menjemput dia. Nampak saja dia turun dari tangga stesen keretapi tu, saya perasan dia agak kurus. Memang selama ni pun dia dah kurus, tapi nampak semakin kurus. Kesian anak mak ni! Bila dah berjauhan dengan famili, macam ni lah jadinya.
Raya Haji jatuh pada hari Ahad, Sara balik pada hari Jumaat petang. Pada mulanya kami ingat tak mahu kemana-mana hanya duduk dirumah saja.
Jadi pada pagi Sabtu selepas Subuh, saya mengadap desk top saya sambil menjawab email yang perlu di jawab, komen sikit sebanyak di face book, kerja-kerja offis yang harus dipantau dan check blog saya. Bila dah habis semua tu, saya jadi boring. Nak buat apa ni?
Lepas tu saya terfikir, jeep Prado ada dengan saya. Saya pinjam dari kakak saya, Mariam. (Kakak saya ni kerap membantu saya dalam apa-apa hal pun) Since jeep dah ada di tangan, kenapa tak pergi ke mana-mana kan?
Dengan semangat berkobar-kobar, saya kejutkan suami saya yang dah pun separuh bangun, kemudian saya kejutkan pulak Sophie dan terakhir Sara. Dengan cerianya saya cakap "Jom kita pi Pahang tengok gajah." Dia orang dengan mata separuh buka dan masih mamun setuju jugak la dengan mak depa ni.
Dalam pukul sepuluh macam tu, kami keluar rumah dan berenti kejap untuk sarapan. Dah siap makan, semua ready dan excited nak memulakan perjalanan, tiba-tiba jeep tak mau start. Hah punah. Try dua tiga kali tak boleh juga, tak ada bunyi apa pun. sah bateri weak. Saya call kakak saya cakap jeep tak boleh start. Dia suruh saya tunggu sat, dia minta anak dia, Musa tolong mai tengok and jump start jeep tu sat. Semuanya siap lebih kurang pukul 12 tengahari.
Suami dan anak-anak saya nak pergi melawat tempat pemeliharaan gajah di Kuala Gandah, lanchang, Pahang. Tapi itu lah orang kata kan, kita hanya merancang, Tuhan yang menentukan. Perjalanan yang seharusnya mengambil dua ~ tiga jam sahaja menjadi empat setengah jam. Mau nya tidak, semua orang nak balik kampong, esok raya. Yang kami tak ada sebab-sebab konkrit pun sibuk nak pergi time tu jugak. Terhenjut-henjut Prado tu bergerak, gear satu gear dua, gear satu gear dua. Masuk gear tiga henjut makin teruk. Gerak perlahan, naik bukit pulak tu.. Kami sampai ke Kuala Gandah jam 4.30petang. Pak guard yang ada di situ dah tak benarkan kami masuk sebab time melawat dah nak habis. Tutup jam 5 petang. Ada sikit rasa kecewa tapi kami buat plan lain pulak.
Sebelum bertolak pagi tadi, kami terfikir nak camping kat Kuala Gandah ni atau mana-mana tempat yang provide camping site. Tapi kami lupa nak masukkan dalam plan kami kebarangkalian ada nya hujan. Ya, hujan sepanjang jalan. Lebat pulak tu. Saya memang sukakan hujan jadi saya tak berapa kisah sangat cuma plan kami harus di tukar. Jadi saya cakap dengan dia orang jom kita pusing-pusing menikmati keindahan negeri Pahang. Bunyi macam penyair la pulak!
Hampir jam 6.30petang, selepas kelaur dari Karak Highway, sedar tak sedar, kami dah sampai ke Temerloh. Kami nampak sebuah masjid, berenti sat nak buat 'Asar, takut terlepas pulak nanti. Kat depan masjid ada orang jual lemang dan rendang. Kami beli satu tiub saja, simpan, mana tau malam nanti kalau tak dapat cari makan, belah saja lemang tu dan makan untuk menyambut raya Haji.
Bila dah siap 'Asar dan lemang pun dah dibeli, kami tak ada hala tuju sebab dah semakin gelap sangat. Akhirnya kami semua setuju untuk ke Melaka sebab kalau nak cari camping site time tu pun dah lambat sangat. Saya tengok papan tanda ke Taman Negara pun agak jauh lagi, ditambah pulak dengan hujan.
Jadi, slowly, kami drive balik menuju ke Melaka. Waktu tu dah pukul lapan lebih. Saya pun dah letih. Kalau nak pandu terus ke Melaka ambik masa lagi dua jam. Saya perlukan rehat. Suami tak berapa sehat jadi dia memandu sekejap - sekejap saja.
Tau apa kami buat selepas tu? Kami singgah di R & R Genting Sempah dan bercadang untuk bermalam di situ. Apa susahnya. Bantal dan selimut kami dah bawa dan longgokkan dibelakang Prado. Nak pakai bilik air? Ada. Nak makan? Semua jenis makanan ada. Nak solat? Ada. Nak parking? Ada..free lagi. Nak sejuk? Genting Sempah suhunya memang agak nyaman ditambah pulak dengan hujan. Dah hampir beku saya.. (Saya melebih-lebih sikit...) Tapi memang betul..sejuk.
Suami saya tidur di seat penumpang depan. Kami turunkan penyandar kebawah, letak bantal, tarik selimut dan zzzz...zzzzz...
Sara dan Sophie tak habis lagi bergaduh sapa dapat tempat lebih besar. Suami saya tak ambik pot dengan kami, dia dah lali dengan perangai tiga-tiga perempuan ni.
Sebelum tertidur, saya memandang kelangit dan dalam cahaya oren dari lampu jalan, saya nampak titisan hujan jatuh. Ada sikit perasaan sayu di hati. Tak tahu kenapa.. tapi saya sangat happy waktu tu. Umur dah setengah abad, dapat buat benda yang macam ni, rasa lain sikit.
Seperti yang saya kata tadi, suami saya ni agak pendiam, kat rumah pun kalau kami bersembang dia tukang dengar. Hanya sekali sekala dia mencelah. Ada satu ketika tu, kami semua membuka sikit tingkap untuk membiarkan udara segar masuk. Saya dengan selambanya kata, " Kalau tengah tidur nanti, ada air jatuh ke muka mama, dah tentu-tentu tu hujan."
Sophie tergelak dengan kuatnya, "Ma, memang la hujan. Orang yang tak pandai pun tau tu. Kami semua tergelak dengan lawak yang tak berapa nak lawak tu tapi suami saya cuma senyum sikit. Kesian kat kami..
Kami terfikir nak ke Melaka sebab Sophie kata nak try dia orang punya assam pedas. Sara dan suami saya tak berapa suka sangat tapi depa ikut saja. Mula-mula kami ingat nak buat macam food hunting, Lagi sekali, kami buat plan yang kurang cerdik. Kan esok nya nak Raya? Sapa yang nak bukak kedai makan untuk kami? Jadi lupakan sajalah hasrat nak food hunting, kita ronda-ronda pekan Melaka saja.
Pukul 6 pagi: Suami kejutkan saya dan cadangkan kami bergerak lebih awal supaya tak terganggu dengan jam nanti.Jadi kami bergerak meninggalkan Genting Sempah dalam keadaan cuaca yang sejuk dan gelap dengan jalan yang agak licin.
Kami sampai Melaka pada lebih kurang pukul 9 am. Kedua-dua Sophie dan Sara dah bangun. Saya bagi tau depa, saya nak pergi ke pantai, sebab saya sangat-sangat merindui Langkawi. Saya nak jalan berkaki ayam di atas pasir laut. Saya nampak papan tanda tunjuk arah ke Tanjung Bidara. Sebelum sampai kesana, kami saja drive around melalui, Masjid Tanah, Kem Terendak, Kem Sungai Udang, Alor gajah, Cheng, Ayer Keroh, Bukit Katil dan akhir sekali baru saya pusing pergi ke Pengkalan Balak. Mula-mula ingat nak ke Tg Bidara tapi sebab dah jumpa Pengkalan Balak dulu, tukar fikiran pi Pengkalan Balak saja.
Pantai Pengkalan Balak ni panjang, tapi maaf cakap, air laut kat sini agak keruh dan warna kelabu dibandingkan di Langkawi air laut nya hijau kebiru-biruan. Tapi saya tetap rasa puas sedap dapat sedut angin laut.
Dah habis ronda-ronda Melaka, akhirnya kami sampai ke bandar Melaka. Sophie nak ke Jonker Street. Katanya nak cari rantai-rantai hand-made. Tapi disebabkan ramainya manusia waktu tu, saya dah tak ada hati nak berjalan lama-lama. Terlalu ramai. Banyak kenderaan dari Singapura dan bas-bas pesiaran yang membawa pelancong dari Taiwan. Saya memang tak suka kalau terlalu ramai, rasa macam nak pitam.
Kami ada terfikir nak ke Umbai untuk mencuba makanan lautnya disana. Sophie cuba call satu restaurant tu tapi tak berjawab. Kami tak nak membuang masa pergi kesana, tengok-tengok kedai tutup. Rugi masa dan minyak saja. Dah la minyak pun dah naik harga.
Habis pusing-pusing Jonker Street , kami ambik kereta dan pandu ke Stadhuys. Tempat ni dah biasa datang dulu, tapi sebab dah habis satu Melaka kami jalan, kami pergi jugak lah ke sini. Kat sini pun, punya lah ramai manusia. Kami tengok barang-barang souvenir yang dijual tapi tak ada yang menarik hati saya. Oh ada satu, saya beli belacan bakar dari sana.
Dah masuk lunch time. Semua pun dah lapar. Kami panjat tangga naik keatas dan jumpa food court. Ada banyak juga kedai makan Melayu yang buka. Kami singgah ke satu gerai ni dan ambik asam pedas ikan pari, daging seketul (besar), siput sedut, ayam, sayur dan minuman, semua sekali RM 33.00. Sangat berbaloi. Sedap pulak tu.
Sebetulnya kami teringin sangat nak makan kat Umbai yang famos tu, tapi macam yang saya kata tadi, takut tempat tu tutup, buat penat je kami ke sana.
Jadi selepas makan tengahari, kami buat keputusan untuk balik saja. Perjalanan yang agak meletihkan tapi I had a great time. Sayang nya kedua-dua anak lelaki tak dapat ikut sekali, kalau tak tentu lebih ramai jadinya.
Kesemua perbelanjaan termasuk minyak, tol dan makan ialah RM 350.00. Kalau pakai kereta biasa tentu lebih jimat kos minyak.
Saya rasa trip ni lebih untuk diri saya daripada untuk anak-anak atau suami. Saya sukakan plan kami yang agak tak menjadi dan perkara yang kami lakukan secara rawak dan spontan. Dari dulu kita menjaga keluarga dengan selalunya perhatian diberikan kepada anak-anak dan suami. Apa salahnya sekali sekala kita hiburkan hati kita pulak. Saya tahu anak-anak dan suami suka tengok bila saya ketawa macam ni.
Salam dari saya dan di dalam masih ada suasana hari raya ni saya ingin memohon maaf sekiranya ada kata-kata dan tulisan yang menyakitkan hati sesiapa yang membaca.
Rose
11th.October '14
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Hey people!
We had celebrated another religious celebration about a week ago, Eid Al-Adha (5th,Oct '14). Unlike the Eidul Fitr, this one was celebrated in a smaller and moderate scale. Even I wasn't around to celebrate it.
As usual, my two boys were working on that holiday season but at least Sara can get away from her jam packed study schedules. I went to fetch her from the train station. The first thought that strike my mind was that she had lost a little weight. Poor baby!
The Eid Al-Adha fell on Sunday. Sara got home on Friday evening. At first we thought of doing nothing, just laze around the house.
On Saturday morning while everyone was still sleeping, I was already by my desk top running through my emails, office job, face book comments and checking the blog. I got restless after a while.
Then I thought since I got the jeep, (Prado jeep borrowed from my sweet sister,Mariam) why not make the full use out of it? I wake my husband up, then Sophie followed by Sara. I said cheerily to them, "hey all, wanna go for a trip to the East Coast. Both the girls are still groggy from their sleep but they agreed anyway.
We set out about 10:00am and stopped for breakfast at a local restaurant. All of us had roti canai (Malaysian favourite breakfast) and was ready to leave via the expressway when the jeep refused to start. I tried the second time and there was no sound whatsoever. I knew then it's the battery. Thank God it happened close to my sister's home. I called her up and she sent her son, Musa to come and fix it for us. The jeep was ready by 12:00pm.
My husband and the girls wanted to visit the elephant conservation center in Pahang. The place called Kuala Gandah. Since we got nothing better to do, I agreed with them. But we can only planned. The road were jammed with vehicles going home for the festive season. The usual trip will only take 2 hours or three but we ended taking four and a half hour. We reached there at 4.30pm. The security wouldn't allow us to enter as they were about to close. Feeling slightly dejected, we had to come up with another plan.
Before we set out, we were talking about camping somewhere along the way. What we forgot to include in our plan was, the rain. Yeap, the rain. It was raining heavily throughout the way. What can we do now? Since I am behind the wheel, I said to them, lets just drive and drink in the beauty of this place.
By 6.30pm we stopped at a nearby mosque and did our 'Asar prayer. We bought a tube of lemang (special Malay delicacy during Eid) with beef rendang for us to enjoy it later.
The rain keep pouring with no sign of stopping. At last we all agreed to turn back and visit another state, Malacca, one of the smaller state in Malaysia. But then, it was already late. The clock on the dash board showed eight something. It will take another two hours or so to reach Malacca and I needed some rest. My husband was not feeling well so he only drove a short distance.
What we did next was fun, at least to me it was. We looked out for the nearest R & R (Rest & Relax) stop and decided to call it a night there. Guess what we did? We recline all the seats in the jeep starting with my husband who slept by the front passenger seat. The three of us slept at the back. Was it hot inside? It was near freezing (okay, okay I am exaggerating a bit), but honestly, it was cold. The thermometer showed 19 degrees. We didn't even need air condition from the vehicle as the rain had helped us throughout the night.
Before dozing off, while the two girls were fighting over who was getting the bigger space, I looked up the sky and watched forlornly at the rain dropping on the roof of the jeep. I thought to myself, I am feeling blissful and pleased with what I am doing at that moment. Who would have thought of spending the night in a vehicle at the age of fifty one? Oh I almost forgot, we brought along our own pillows and blankets from home to keep us comfortable for that night.
My husband, always the quiet one, couldn't be bothered with our antics. We unwind the windows a little to let some fresh air in. It felt so good.With full seriousness and unrehearsed I said, "Tonight, while sleeping, if there's water dripping on my face, it's the rain for sure." Suddenly Sophie broke out laughing so hard and she said, "Ma, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out. Of course it's the rain, it is raining as you speak." We talked and poked jokes for a while before finally all fell asleep.
Malacca came to mind since we're thinking of food. We thought of doing some food hunting. Again, we made stupid plan. It's the festive season..most of the hawkers food are closed. So, forget food hunting. Let's just drive around.
At six am, my husband woke me up and suggested we leave earlier to avoid crowd. And so without waking the two girls, we made our way to Malacca, the historical state. We reached Malacca by 9am. The two girls were wide awake now. I said to all of them, I want to go to a beach. I missed Langkawi so much and I need to walk on a sandy beach to make me feel better. They knew how I felt and went along with me quietly. I drove to a place called Pengkalan Balak. It was a long stretch of beach but it wasn't Langkawi beach. I am not being biased but I can't help comparing the blue/green water of Langkawi ocean to Pengkalan Balak's murky water and coarse sand. I breathed deeply to inhale the salted air and I felt rejuvenated. (exaggerating again)
After the beach, we drove at leisure passing by scenic Malay village. The four of us were talking animatedly about how beautiful the place is. (I snapped a few pictures, will post it later on)
Finally we made our way to Malacca city. Sophie wanted to visit a place called Jonker Walk. It is a place where tourists usually flocked in and on the day we were there, the placed were swamped with Singaporeans and Taiwanese. It was so seriously crowded that I thought I could faint. ( exaggerating again but not far from truth) Just a brief info, Jonker Street is a place where one can find hand crafted souvenirs, antiques, food and so on. Sophie wanted to find some hand made necklace but ended up not getting any. We lost interest after a while due to the overwhelming crowd. Honestly I got claustrophobic being around to too many people. We've lost for ideas as to where else should we be heading. We thought of going to Umbai, a place famous for it's seafood. Sophie placed a call to one of the restaurants there but there was no reply. I don't want to waste any of our time going there and finding it close due to the holiday.
Sara and my husband went along with the two of us since we (both Sophie and I) were the ones that looked up for information for places to visit.
We left Jonker Walk/Street and drove to nearby Stadhuys building. Here too, the place was crowded but what do you expect? It's holiday. We browsed around some souvenir stalls but didn't buy anything. I was never a good tourist. A tour guide would terribly be unhappy with me. It's lunch time and we were all hungry. We walked up the staircase and found a food court up there. Great! A few Malay stalls were open. Malacca is famous for it's Assam Pedas (it's a sort of a fish stew but cooked with chilli paste and lots of tamarind juice. ) This is one of my many favourite dishes. We had our rice with a big chunk of beef, chicken, some clams, sting ray fish, vegetables plus soft drinks. All in we paid RM 33.00. It was a very good price and the food was good.
Prior to our lunch, we planned to have dinner at Umbai but as I said earlier, I don't want to take chances of going there and finding it close. So we agreed to leave for home. It was tiring and we didn't sleep in any warm or comforting hotel, but we had fun. Too bad the two boys can't be with us, else it would have been better. All in all, we spend about RM 350.00 (all include : toll, gas, meals) for four of us.
I supposed this trip was more for me than for any one of them. I loved the stupid plan we made that didn't work out. I loved the thing that we did at random and at the spur of the moment. My husband and the girls didn't say much about it but I know they were pleased to see me having a great time. All the time, we looked after the children and do the best to accommodate and make them happy, it's time for us to flatter our hearts, and I did just that.
Stay safe and be good people!
Rose
11th.October '14
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