"Fly a kite"
I was brought up in the small kampong. I always squatting aside to see my cousins and friends tied up some thin bamboo twigs with some strings to make the frame of the kite. This is where I started making my own kite but under my dad supervision at first. I once cut my finger while trimming the bamboo twigs. There are bamboos twigs as a spine and a spar are tied on crossways on the spine. Then a piece of thin paper sheet is pasted to the frame. There was a string bridle tie...d to the spine and spar that help to control the kite in the sky. Another flying line was attached to the bridle string for holding the kites from the ground. And the flying line was winded in a reel to keep the kites from getting tangled. The kite was designed with a beautiful tail and it looks marvellous in the air.

I used to make simple diamond shape of kites. But the designs of the kites could be varies following the images of flying birds and some other object. Bright and windy day is the best time to fly kite and you would all jump with glee. For some kids, it was not only the trill of flying it, it was more of a competition, a challenge to fly their own kite in the sky. The string of the fighter kites is coated with powdered glass and rice glue for the purpose to snag each other kite in the sky. Kids would shout and chase to the direction of the loose kites which flown down from the sky after cutting down by others. In my case I was a kite flyer but not a fighter.
This evening, when I arrived home I was surprised to see the loose kite at the front gate of my house. I managed to fly the kite again after more than 30 years. It makes me feel like a kid again!!

Salam and hi...

wowww its been forever since my last post....

hope all my blogger friends in the pink of health. I would like to share the photo below...

It was more than 10 years since the last time I was here. The village, is beautiful, charming and still maintain the old charm of the fisherman's village should be, at least my personal opinion. You can still smell the salt in the air, the tint of fishy smell mix with the sea breeze….

Gobeilt Village...

Japan Trip 3: Nara

After spending more than half day in Kyoto, we went to Nara by train which took about 45 minutes. We almost cancel our trip to Nara because running out of time. We just cut it short and we were so lucky there was a free shuttle at the Nara Station to go to the old site of Heijo-kyo Palace. What a lucky day, the free shuttle was due to the main events for the 1300th Anniversary Celebration of the capital city. The Heijo-kyo or the Heijo Capital was Japan’s first international capital founded in 710. Therefore this year, 2010, is an incredibly special year for Nara and also for the Japanese nation as it marks the 1,300th anniversary since the capital’s foundation.

Daigoku-den Hall

(It was used as the venue for important political and ceremonial occasions)

Suzaku-mon Gate

(This gate served as the official gate for the Heijo-kyo Capital and foreign deputies always entered through its portals.)




Guards dressed in classic costume on duty in front of the gate.



Night life in Osaka


(We reached Osaka at night and we went to find the halal restaurant. There is a Turkish restaurant in the city centre.)

Japan Trip 2: Kyoto

Kyoto was Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. It is now the country's seventh largest city with a population of 1.4 million people. Osaka to Kyoto is not that far actually. It is about 30 minutes by train. We took Hikari from Shin-Osaka Station to Kyoto Station by JR Tokaido line.

Kyoto Station

Kinkakuji - Golden Pavillion

(Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and according to his will it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408.)

We had the opportunity to stroll along Kyoto's Philosopher's Walk. It is the name given to a 2km-long path through north-eastern Kyoto. Kyoto's Philosopher's Walk covers five significant temples and two shrines. Kyoto's Philosopher's Walk is path along which a philosophy professor, Kitaro Nishida, used to frequently walk. It is a surprisingly pleasant and relaxing walk even today, though you will undoubtedly share it with more tourists than Kitaro did.
We were very unfortunate because we cant see the cherry blossom because out of season.

Sanmon

(The two-storey main gate to Nanzenji Temple was built in 1628 by Todo Takatora in memory of those who died in the civil War Oska Natsu-no-jin)

School Children playing cricket

The view part of Kyoto Perfecture

Japan Trip 1 : Osaka

Assalamualikum. Last June, I had the opportunity to go to Japan. I took flight from Australia to Kuala Lumpur then connecting to Osaka. Any and every city in Japan is considered expensive to visit. Transportation cost isn't that bad due to good public transportation but taxi can cost an arm and a leg. The food and accomodation also expensive here. Osaka itself doesnt have the cultural attractions but it is good for first timer. You will see different environment and what can I say, Japanese people are very helpful. I had been travel to a few countries but Japan is considered the best in term of their helpfullness (except big city like Tokyo). Eventhough they dont speak English, but whenever you ask for help, they will try their best using body gesture or even the sign language uhuhu.

Kansai Airport

Breakfast in the Osaka Ramada Hotel (need to be selective to ensure halal) : Udon, fish and chip, sticky rice with egg

Underground: Raining in Osaka - Male and female all bring the umbrella

Night Shopping district


Route


InsyaAllah if there is a spare time I will update my trip to Kyoto-Nara, Tokyo & Fukushima

Salam Eid ul Fitri to all friends....please forgive me for any wrong doing. This morning I went to Rivervale Mosque to perfom my eid prayer. Enjoy the short clip of the event

updated on 10 sept 2010

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Ihya Ramadan

I would like to wish happy Ramadan kareem to all friends. I hope this Ramadan will bring us more blessing from Allah.

Spider web

The belief of considering other things as one's guardians besides God is as feeble as a spider's web. The spider's web is the frailest of all dwellings, if only they knew it (29:41).

Salam to all my friends, may all of us in the best state of Iman. Just sharing the ayah from surah Al-Ankabut (The Spider). Im busy with my trip to Japan soon, I will share some photos InsyaAllah. A part of that I still have tons of work to do, please make du'a for me and all of us. And dont forget to make du'a for Malaysian which involved in Israel's interception of an aid flotilla.

Happy Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day - I would like to wish all mum out there happy mother's day (especially to my blogger friends). May Allah bless all of you and Al-Fatihah to those mum who left us for good.

Catfish

Western Australia

Salam to all my friends...Its been a while since the last time I updated....Let me share the photo of Keli sambal....the best keli sambal ever LOL. It came all the way from Malaysia..thanks to Lin. I think the officer at the P*** International Airport had been lazy to screen all the lugage. Usually they will be very strict, Allahamdulilah it all rezeki!

To all my dear friends: I would like to apologise coz I have lost all my friends contact number coz my hp problem and I have no backup. It is much appreciate to those Im in contact with before to email me your contact no. at this email arsaili76@gmail.com

Wind Farm

Albany Wind Farm, Albany Western Australia

"Albany Wind Farm is a wind power station near Albany, Western Australia. It has 12 wind turbines, with a generating capacity of 21 MW of electricity", source Wikipedia

Salam to all my friends...Im so occupied rite now, busy with work. May Allah make it easy for me and also for all of us. And may Allah grant shifaa to our blogger friend, Mas Afzal..ameen.

New Year Trip

Denmark WA

Salam Maal Hijra 1431 and Happy New Year 2010

Key dondon

Im pretty excited when I saw Malay apple or also known as Tahitan apple or Spondias dulcis L. by the scientific name. In Malaysia this fruit is well known by the name of kedondong or ambra. I'm laughing out loud when I saw the label - key dondon....ummm sound like kedondong in Australian slang LOL....

My mum made the best 'jeruk kedondong' I ever taste, because its really crunchy jeruk..yummy yummy. But my favourite is ulam kedondong with sambal belacan kicap.....wallllaaaaaaa! Since my parents came over and stay for a month, so I bought a kilo of kedondong for jeruk and ulam.

Western Australia

Eid ul adha

Salam eid ul adha to all my friends. Life is all about sacrifice, no matter how small or big our sacrification. Even working to earn for living is a form of sacrifice, staying away from family because of jihad is also sacrifice and so on. However we need to translate the meaning of struggle and sacrifice in our lives into concrete actions that we can take. If we do that to get the pleasure of Allah, InsyaAllah I strongly believe that He will grant us success.

Our menu for this eid: Chicken rendang, nasi minyak, acar rampai, kuah kacang, nasi himpit, masak lodeh dan sambal tumis. And dessert is fruit custard.

The chaos in the kitchen when preparing for the dish really make it feel like raya......

Perth, Western Australia

Hungarian Pastry

Salam...may all of my blogger friends are in good health and in the best state of Iman. Im busy with writing, thinking, writing and thinking.....owhhh so boring and tiring. Writing report is unlike writing blog entry.

Anyway I would like to share the traditional Hungarian famous pastry Kürtőskalács or Kürtős Kalács. This Hungarian pastry also known as chimney cake or stove cake. I like it very much!! I saw this pastry when I was touring the city of Budapest but not sure about the ingrediant. I just bought it at the exhibition on Hungarian Food Industry at the hotel and they explained better about the ingrediant. Moreover I can personally see the baking process of kurtos.

Happy Eid Mubarak

Salam to all my friends. I hope it is not too late to wish everyone happy eid mubarak, Maaf Zahir Batin! I got back to Perth for almost two weeks after a short trip home to celebrate eid with family. Last year I celebrated my Ramadhan and Eid in Perth so this time around, I went home.

The last week of Ramadhan, I already in my hometown and paint the town red..ehehe. My dad also waiting for me to come back to visit the needy people. It is the annual event during the month of Ramadhan to give some duit raya and goodies. Since I was not around last year, I missed a lot of the updates. We drove to this kampung and I can see a lot of changes. The houses that I used to visit no longer there but had been replaced by the new houses, Alhamdulilah. I asked my dad, and he said its a new government project to help the needy.

And the sad things, I found out many of the old people passed away already. I told my dad, its only last year I didn't join him to visit them, but so many people are no longer with us. But for the second thought, it is good for them (do I sound mean? ). Some of them really suffer, and I remember this one old man, he lived alone, his house was really in bad condition, and he was not well too at that time. Al Fatihah to him and others too.

This is another different story about 3 siblings. The history started when their mum suffered from post natal blues (meroyan), and out of her six children, 3 are having mental illness. These three sibling live by their own at the company house where their dad use to work for many years as labour. But their parents passed away many years ago and now they lived by themselves. I dont even know where will they live if the company no longer allow them to stay there. Obviously they will have no place to go.

This old lady also having mental illness. She lived with her daughter and 3 grandchildren. Her daughter is a divorcee, left by her husband with 3 kids to be fed and now is working at the factory cleaning the bottle for recycling. Her small kids stay at home looking for her unwell mother.


This is another old lady, never been married and live by her own at her golden age. She's no longer has the energy to earn for living.

This is only a few interesting story of the unfortunate people. So we must be grateful of what we have and dont forget the needy. Even a small amount of money and goodies we give to them, it will make a different, at least will make them smile.

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.

Déjà vu Ramadhan
Salam to All…….wow it’s been almost a month from the last update….Im so busy and I had caught fever and down for almost two weeks. Alhamdulilah I’m ok now and it’s just the right time for me to welcome holy month of Ramadhan.

I couldn’t helps but feels nostalgic whenever Ramadhan visit us. Ramadhan by default is a month of celebration, religious devoutness, and strengthening family and social ties, but for me, it is the month when the feelings of homesickness reach a peak, with all the nostalgic feelings Ramadan brings.

Feeling nostalgic and craving for my mum's cooking always tingling in my mind. I can list down all my must -have gastronomic item….sob3x. The holy month of Ramadan is also a time for feasting and rejoicing. Ramadhan bazaar appears in every city and town, bustling with activity and bursting at the seams with great food. At hometown, without fail I will visit Satok Bazaar Ramadhan, eating food by my ‘eyes’ and end up with nothing. I will make another round and make difficult decision to buy..but I still like the ambience.

During this Ramadhan, sahur with family is always the best. I lost my appetite just now during my lonely sahur (my sis, BIL and my nephews went back to Malaysia for hols) and how I wish I can go through this with those peoples I love. Sahur always remind me with my mum. She such a supermum and wife, she almost never fails to wake up early and prepare meal for sahur. Whenever everything is ready she will wake all of us. Even when my sisters can take over the post, she will always be the first in kitchen. There was one time (we were kids and my dad is handicap in kitchen) and she had a fever. … and hardly can’t get up from bed but she still fulfill her duty. She took a head scarf and tied around her head like bandana head band to reduce the headache so she can prepare meal for sahur.

Another ritual that is close to my heart is the ‘man’s activity’ with my dad during Ramadhan. Since teenager I always follow my dad to visit the old, poor and needy peoples. My dad will look for close and long distance relatives and then any needy people to be given goodies and ‘duit raya’. This activity is very meaningful and teaches me how to become a better person. At the same time it makes me realize there still a lot of unfortunate people in Malaysia.

To all blogger friends- Happy Ramadhan Al Mubaraq;

As the crescent moon is sighted…And the holy month of Ramadan beings…May Allah bless you with happinessand grace your home with warmth & peace ! (Unknown)

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Tag from En Me:

Why do I blog?

• Improve my writing skill
• Snapshot of some event of my life
• Make new friends

Fighting for shifa

Salam…..I hope all of my blogger friends are in the best state of health and Iman. Talking about health I just read the sorrowful news about the Malaysia famous director Yasmin Ahmad who had passed away…Al Fatihah. And a few days ago I received news about a friend who had been admitted to the hospital. It gives me pause…pause for thought!

I have been through ….well I think it is a lot with all the health turbulence. At one time, hospital is just like a second home to me. But who am I to complain, when I read other bloggers experience dealing with terminal diseases or suffer from more complicated health issues, then I’m in much better shape. When I look back to a window of my yester – years, there is always a hikmah from what had happen to me. Allah had tested me with all the sickness but in return, Alhamdulilah He awarded me with strength and determination to excel in my studies, secured a good job, surrounded with peoples that I love, travel to a lot of places, blogging..ahahha

Yea, through blogging, I have the opportunity to meet a lot of new friends. And from them, I have learned to appreciate life. There are a few blogs that really strike me…and the first blog belong to cancer patient, arwah Z…Al Fatihah to him. Yea I cried badly reading through his last journey fighting for cancer. He taught me the real meaning of life and family values. Another blogger is Kassim Selamat. I had the opportunity to visit him once and really hope to see him again. From his blog, I learned about determination. I also follow Dr Ajak, a young surgeon with a bright future who was fighting against leukemia. Following his long journey fighting for this cancer, made me burst into tears. His unbearable suffer from chemo, the transplant and all the roller coaster feeling sometimes beyond our imagination. But from his writing and photos really explained what he had been through. My last trip home, I had the opportunity to meet him. He looks happy and healthy Alhamdulilah.

Another blog is belong to Muha, a young man from Pahang who is also suffer from cancer. I had the opportunity to visit him sometimes ago. What amaze me, even though he lose his sight, he still can direct us to his place. The opportunity to meet him in person, gave me the chance to see his positiveness toward life. I’m holding my tears looking at him…. His cheerfulness sometimes makes you forget that he is a person that had gone through a lot in his life. Please read this article to know more about his battle in life.

Photo with Muha, Malaysia

To all my friends who are in the battle fighting for shifa, the only thing I can offer is to make d’ua to ALLAH.

Oxford

Salam all....Alhamdulilah Im now in Australia for about a week already. Im so busy with the report I need to submit and other tonnes of work waiting for my attention. My updates on my journey to UK had been stopped up till my conquest on Cumbria territory. Actually my journey then proceed to Oxford. I was forced (ahaha....I still keep the threatening email from Mrs Wan) to visit them in Oxford. I really enjoyed my short stay in Oxford and thanks to Wan for photo session, thanks to Mrs Wan and aunty for nice meal.

Im so happy and I had been waiting for many years to revisit UK after spending half of my yourthful life in UK. I just like a kid receiving candy when my boss informed me about the Hungary trip. Ok I would like to share some of my photos in Oxford including the Christ Church College's dining hall. This hall had been using as Hogwarts dining hall (used in the sorting ceremony) in the Harry Potters.

Christ Church College's dining hall a.k.a Hogwarts dining hall in Harry Potter

Oxford, UK


Punt (boat)- Lets go punting (boating) in Oxford


Student after the final exam - The students of Oxford striding about the city in black ceremonial robes, worn because this has been the custom during final exams for centuries and because the customs lends dignity and stature to the mundane act of taking a test.

UK..here I come..

Salam..Im now in Leeds. I just arrived here last night after about 5.5 hours journey from Heathrow Central Bus Station. Mr Baker picked me up last night. Even now is summer, last night the temp is about 11 degree celcius..pretty cold. Now I'm going out to paint the town red.

Updated 1

Leeds city centre, England

Roundhay Park, Leeds

Update 2 - a walk down memory land - Liverpool

Albert Dock, Liverpool

Update3

Grasmere, Cumbria