Aidilfitri in Kuching

It has been a while. Well with the Ramadan coming to the end and Shawal rearing its pretty head, I was terribly busy. Add office pressure to the cauldron, I was really hard pressed to post anything.
As it was last year, we could only catch a flight to the land of the inlaws only on the Hari Raya evening. We took Air Asia this time, more out of necessity rather than choice. As usual the LCCT terminal was jam packed with travellers and as if on cue the Air Asia flight 2518 was delayed by half an hour.
Also as usual my super efficient in laws were already waiting with proper transport to carry our families and luggage. As usual the treatment by the inlaws were as lavish as ever. Food and love aplenty. It was really a shame I cannot reciprocate when they turn up in KL. Somehow they understood the predicament of their poor government servant son in law. But I should not push my luck. As usual a transport was provided to facilitate my Hari raya movement. I noticed some subtle differences to this year’s celebration in Kuching. As usual, the boys and girls, men and women were resplendent in their baju melayu and baju kurung, complete with colourful kain samping . Their songkoks are higher and blacker this year, the variety to the kek lapis were more, the use of canned and bottled drinks were lesser, and the display were prettier. One thing remained; the friendliness, warmth, and hospitality. one could never have enough of the hari raya hospitality and festivities in Kuching. I brought three sets of Baju Melayu but I have to reuse them three times. If my mind were not preoccupied with the undone office jobs, and trying frantically to finish the Strategic Planning paper, it would have been a lot more enjoyable. On the other hand one cannot have both the cake and eat it. Anyway, thanks Gilbert, you did a great job shoring up the forte in my absence. You deserved a lousy ” I was Here in Kuching” t-shirt.