Saturday, September 12, 2009

The Great "Balik Kampung" Exodus

Salam...time fly and Eid ul Fitri just around the corner. True Malaysian with their “balik kampung’ ritual will be a part of Eid celebration. Im not exceptional to this phenomenon and I experienced it all the way since I went to Semenanjung for my pre- u and to UK for my tertiary education. Along my journey, Im much more dealing with air transport (what choice do I have except tongkang ..ehehe). I had a big dilemma to decide when to buy the ticket. To get cheap airfare, early booking is needed. But sometimes we are not even sure when will be the raya break started. Some lecturer will do make up classes so that they can ‘balik kampung’ earlier. Thats mean we can go back earlier too if there is no more lecture. But if we purchase in advance, so there is slim chances to change unless you pay for 1st class.

There was one incident when we went for the check in, the staff at the counter told us that all of our name were not in the list. At that time we felt so hopeless over the possibilities to be stranded in Semenanjung. And I don’t want to spend my Eid in the college. But somehow the problem resolved because it was not our mistake at all. We had the authorised ticket but somehow our names had been deleted from the system. During that time, the cheapest flight means the earliest morning flight. So usually my friends and I will leave the college in the late afternoon and lepaking at the Subang Airport Terminal 3. We then break our fasting together at the A&W, the only available fast-food. The adventure of going back home will be more exciting if it was the same timing with my sister. So we will be lepaking together from the evening till the next morning. It was tiring but we always in happy mode. The excitement to go home, finish the remaining ramadhan and celebrating eid with family is what we always looking forward as ‘perantau’.

Almost 5 year in UK, Im so lucky that we had our Ramadhan during the winter. The fasting was short unlike now where my friends in UK fasting longer hours during the summer. During winter, we had a short semester break that was about a month. So I took the opportunity to go home for Eid whenever possible. But again, as a student of course money is the main constraint. To get cheap flight is not easy during this time. And furthermore Brits like to travel during the winter to the hot and sunny countries. So the airfare during that time is relatively high. I need to search for the cheapest and there is one time, I had to gamble. I asked the travel agent to find the cheapest for that peak season so she suggested that I fly from Manchester to Amsterdam with British Airways and from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with Ch*na Airlines. The problem was Ch*na Airlines was crashed in Hong Kong few months before my trip. No wonder there is so many available seats and the price is cheaper than any other airline. I took it and Alhamdulilah I had a safe journey. But that was the first and the last..ahahaha!

Above is the story of the yesteryear and the scenario is much different now. Nowadays, with the existence of budget airline at the national and international sector, it encourages the mass ‘balik kampung’ exodus. Our Malaysia National carrier also offer competitive price and there is always extra flight available during the festive season. The breaking of monopoly in air transport in Malaysia is really spill the advantage to people like me. Even I consider myself pretty late in making decision to go home for Eid, the good bargain ticket is still available and also the connecting flight to Kuching. So, this year I will celebrate my Eid in Malaysia... yessssss!!!!! Lin also manages to get her leave and join me in Kuching for at least a few days. Then I will stay few days in KL before flying back to Perth. I will be in Kuching from 14 to 24 Sept and KL from 24 to 27 Sept. I can still go to Bazaar Ramadhan and eat all my favourite food...ahahaha so happy! Its time to do the spring cleaning and pack for "balik kampung". Flight will be tomorrow night and some last minute shopping need to be done. And the end of wake up call from my mum...ahaha. Thanks for calling me for sahur every morning.

p/s Ok Kuching blogger -Abg Putra, Uncle Pharo, Pak Ngah, Sdr Razak Putit - come over to my house for raya ok!! Dr Sam InsyaAllah see you in KL. Dont think can meet up with blogger friends in KL coz sure most of them 'balik kampung', so maybe next time.

41 comments:

ASH said...

WELKAM HOME!!

I can hear suara SUDIRman (sort of)menyanyi already..
.
.
.
from down UNDER

Penabahari said...

Salam Arsaili,
Uncle hope to see you dropping by at uncle's hut. Semoga kehadiran Arsaili menambahkan keriangan uncle. Selamat dalam perjalanan.

izman said...

its good to celeb raya at home.

wish a safe n good journey home.

izman said...

its good to celeb raya at home.

wish u a safe n good journey home.

silversarina said...

Have a safe journey home .

Selamat Hari Raya and salam to your family in Kuching .


Balik kampung....oooooo balik kampung ....oooo balik kampung , hati girang :)

Neeza Shahril said...

sedihnya.. neeza tak balik kampung this year. Husband kena kerja :(.

selamat balik and selamat kembali ya.. selamat hari raya.. maaf zahir batin..

Pak Ngah: said...

:: salam... slmt kembali ke Borneo untuk berhari raya walau pun sekejap je... dan jemput le ke rumah jika berkesempatan...

DrSam said...

Salam bro. I can almost feel your excitement and anticipation for the trip back the homeland. Have a safe and sound journey. Looking forward to see you this Raya.

p/s: First three days in BP, the next three days in KT. The rest will be in KL. C u soon.

Unknown said...

tahun ni Jemaah Kabinet putuskan tak balik kampung..... huwaaaa

CT said...

Salam,

I'm happy for you dear...makanlah banyak2 raya nanti so bila di perantaun tak rindu sangat dengan masakan kampung...anyway Selamat Hari Raya in advance to you...mohon ma'af zahir & bathin jika ada sebarang dosa yang telah auntie lakukan. Take Care!

@xiM said...

welkam home to you..

interesting to hear a story from perantau like you..:)

salam eid mubarak in advance..:)

Adliff said...

Salam.
Arsaili,

Ha! balik kampung ye. Good for you. :P Have a save journey bro.

My leave start on 19 Sept. until 27
Sept. also. Going back to my father hometown in Kelantan. (Never set a foot there for more than 10 years).

I love Kek Lapis Sarawak. Enjoy your pasar ramadhan time.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri 1430 H.

cheryna zamrinor said...

welcome back!

there'll be no greater place than your own home. have a pleasant raya ahead:)

ckLah @xiiinam said...

Eid Mubarak!!!


Maaf Zahir dan Batin

TokNabe said...

Seronok jika di hari lebaran berada di kampung halaman dan di kelilingi keluarga dan sanak saudara. Semoga semuanya selamat.

Selamat Hari Raya AidilFitri.

Lan Bingka said...

selamat hari raya! sampai malaysia makan la puas2 ye..;)

Restnrileks said...

Salam Arsaili,

Hampir setahun sudah dari tarikh akhir hang singgah dengan isu jari silangnya (hehe)

Apa-apa pun selamat menyambut syawal dan selamat pulang.

: )

cikdinz said...

balik raya jugak huh.

Anonymous said...

Salam di penghujung Ramadhan arsaili.... And selamat balik kampung

anntaj said...

Selamat menyambut hari raya...
~ 6 hari lagi..
:)

kuina said...

selamat Balik Kampung
selamat Terbang

SELAMAT HARI RAYA
MAAF ZAHIR & BATIN

**Tiada kesalahan yang sengaja dilakukan dan tiada kesalahan yang tak dapat di maafkan.

DrSam said...

salam arsaili. Do stop at my blog before you embark on your plane for humanitarian cause please. TQVM

PerantauSepi1306 said...

Salam Aidilfitri, semoga bergembira bersama sanak saudara tercinta :D

eedany said...

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Maaf Zahir & Batin.

Semoga Syawal tahun ini membawa lebih rahmat dan berkat kepada kita semua.

:)

SHIMI said...

Selamat balik kampung bro.

rerama salju said...

Wah seronoknya balik kg!

Selamat Hari Raya and have a good one!

Take care!

Kujie said...

Andai jari tak dapat bersentuh,
tangan tak dapat bersalam,
hendaknya batin kita tetap bertaut,
Minal aidin wal faizin,
Mohon maaf lahir dan batin

Selamat Menyambut Aidilfitri 1430H kepada Arsaili & Keluarga– Semoga Allah memberkati setiap perjalanan hidup kita. Maafkan segala kekhilafan Kak Jie yang ada, yang zahir atau yang batin, yang sengaja atau yang tidak, baik yang tersurat apatah lagi yang tersirat…

Fly said...

salam..selamat hari raya maaf zahir batin buat kamu sekeluarga..

zafi said...

salamz

selamat hari raya maaf zahir batin!
have a great day on Eid!

Unknown said...

Selamat Hari Raya.... jom makan tart nanas...

Unknown said...

salam dan selamat hari raya buat kamu..auntie balik ke segamat hari isnin sampai hari khamis...hari sabtu gi ke kelang sebab anak buah nak tunang..pastu hari ahad nak hantar anak balik asrama..klu nak dtg hari jumaat..

sakurasa 2 said...

Salam Aidilfitri maaf zshir batin

MZ said...

salam lebaran
mmap dzahor dan bathin :)

Kasawari said...

salam bro.. mesti jumpa uncleJ ari tu kan..

en_me said...

salam aidilfitri maaf zahir bathin abang arsaili ittewww..

Abd Razak said...

Salam...maaf tak sempat pergi rumah masa raya, nway selamat hari raya maaf zahir batin

Mak Su said...

bila buat open house di KL?

Anonymous said...

salam aidil fitri arsaili..how's yr raya..mesti best beraya di M'sia

Abdullah Mohd Nawi said...

Salam Arsaili - Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri...

NIce to see ur home again!

kak meen said...

salam arsaili, selamat hari raya..

kak meen dah private blog, kalau arsaili still sudi membaca boleh kasi ur email address kat akak to bz_meen@yahoo.com

take care u there

abah aman said...

salam arsaili,
Bagi abah detik malam raya seronok, pagi raya pulak sayu... entahlah! Salam Syawal.