Sunday, November 25, 2012

The Road to Dubai 2012

Took a morning bus ride from Abu Dhabi to Dubai. The objective was to go to The Final DP Dubai Golf European Tour at The Jumeirah Golf Estates. The final day was a battle  between the world number 1 and 2, Rory Mc. Roy versus Luke Donald respectively.
 
I had a very limited idea how to reach to the destination except from some information that I managed to search from the internet the night before. Surprisingly, I found the trip was quite easy. The bus ride and the Metro train were smooth except the taxi ride from the metro train to the golf course was a bit expensive. The infrastructures and the public transports are really good. Somehow or rather I am quite proud of this Muslim country.

The atmosphere at the Tournament was fantastic and the weather was more than pleasant.  You did not feel like you were in Dubai but rather somewhere in a golf course in the Europe  as majority of the spectators were Europeans. I got the opportunity to watch the players warming up at the driving range and displaying spectacular shot after shot....

Managed to follow the Rory and Donald's flight for the first nines before deciding to settle down at the 18th. green to watch the final actions. Tonchai Jaidee was awesome and received spectacular reception at the last green, really proud of this "cili padi" player.  All this while, I thought that our spectators are less civilised , only that I observed this time the so called people from developed nations are nothing short of bad etiquette at the course. Phone ringing, camera clicking  disturbing the players concentration.

As expected, Rory really showed his mettle and claimed the championship despite a strong fight by Justin Rose. Rory is in every sense a true No. 1 player at the moment. Looking forward to seeing the intense challenge between Rory and Tiger Wood in the next season....

 Fee bus rides were provided by the organizer from the Course to the Metro train. Managed to get a  6.30pm bus ride from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.  Overall, I was more than ecstatic with my journey yesterday....One year ago I  dreamt that  one day I would be one of the spectators of the final event.....here I was.....

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

My Second Visit to Pusara, 2nd. day of Aidil Fitri 2012

It has been our routine to visit Tanah Perkuburan on the 1st. day of Syawal right after the Aidil Fitri prayer. Mak never fails to do this since Apak passed away back in 1975. She would bring a "keri" some old newspapers and a bottle of water.

However, this year   the visit was twice. The 2nd visit on the 2nd Hari Raya was rather unexpected and tragic. Anjang, mak's younger sister passed away on that day. She succumbed to her cancer. Ajang had been suffering cancer for many years starting with breast cancer. She underwent surgery and series of  painful  follow up treatments and apparently the cancer subsided..she managed to lead a normal life only then she  encountered pain at her waist… it was finally diagnosed that she now contacted bone cancer.

Once again she had to go through another painful cancer treatments, losing her hair in the process. I still remember during last Hari Raya, she and the family decided to spend the celebration in my kampung. She looked cheerful with the rest of us. We had a family gathering on the second Hari Raya  night starting with a maghrib prayer followed by some gift exchanges and games. Mak and Anjang  were requested to give a speech and delightedly she agreed… She joyfully described her happiness to be in the occasion and  wished that we would carry on organizing  this family gathering in many years to come even if she was no longer around.

Came the second Hari Raya this year, Anjang is gone forever…….She passed away at the KL GH. She fell from her bed causing her to be unconscious and never gained her consciousness. The family decided to bring her back to my kampong for her final resting place.

Earlier this year, Dadak confided to me that, Anjang’s doctor (Dadak’s friend) had mentioned to her that Ajang’s illness was terminal case. She advised me to visit Anjang regularly. In one of my casual conversations with Mak, I suggested to her for a visit to Mak’s old kampung in Kg Pasang Api , Bagan Datuk. Earlier, we had heard that the old house where they were brought up had been repaired, after being left idle for many years and this would be a good opportunity for them to visit the place. We agreed to invite Ajang and Wae and they were more than happy to join us.  The three siblings, Nyah, Safa and I left my kampong early in the morning for this special trip. Along the journey, you can hear all the good old times reminisced by these three folks…. We stopped at the wet market in Bagan Datuk to buy some fresh fish for our lunch later at their brother’s house, Alang, their only brother.

As soon as we arrived at the old house, I can see their glittering eyes and their impatience to reach the house.  They walked gingerly across the old bridge. The funny part, Wae being the eldest walked unassisted , but Mak and Anjang were assisted by Nyah and Safa respectively. The grandeur of the house was still there. Some parts of the house were no longer there. The three siblings commented so many things while inspecting the old house. Later, all of them settled down on the anak tangga of the house. I decided to sit down under a tree not very far from the three siblings. The sight and the sound of their cheerful never ending conversations reminiscing their childhood stories were priceless. I believed for that moment that they totally forgotten all their pains and suffering temporarily. The broad smiles in their faces were infectious….. Deep in my heart, I was so thankful and grateful for being given the opportunity to bring them this far.

Later we had delightful lunch at Alang's house, not to mention the fresh sembilang bakar. We snapped some photos of four of them...Apparently these were the last photos for four of the siblings together.


A week before  Anjang's demise, I called her. She sounded so weak and I told her about my plan to bring her to meet somebody for her cancer treatment. She agreed and I thought this might be my small contribution  to  ease her pain.  I skipped my tarawih on that night and brought her to see a cancer specialist at Ampang. The sight of her fragile condition struggling to get into the car was unbearable.... We were advised by the  specialist for Anjang to have a full blood test in order for him to really study her internal organ condition. 

Early the next morning, we once again dragged her for the blood test. We left her in the car with my wife, while getting the necessary arrangement and registration.. My wife confided in me later , that while they were together, Anjang  expressed her regret  and how she wished that she could have more time spending with her parents, Opah & Tok. She      had been away  too long while her parents were still alive and that was not her intention for being away too long. 

She was then put under a fast track treatment with cocktail of medications good for 19 days, that she had to consume religiously every 2 hours.  I kept on monitoring her progress on a daily basis and it seemed she made some good progress.

One day before hari raya, while on the way to balik kampung, I sent a massage to Nina asking her mum's condition, and her response was quite positive.  Later, in the afternoon , I received a call from Safa saying that Anjang fell down from her bed and had concussion  that caused her to be unconscious. She was rushed to HKL and underwent various tests. She never gained her consciousness ever since. 

Early on the second day of Hari Raya, I received the news that Anjang passed away. We decided to bring her back to my kampung for  her final resting place that is not very far from her parents' graves. That was part of her wish for home coming...

Wae related her story while visiting her on the first raya at HKL. She held Anjang's hand and softly called her name... As soon as her name was called  the monitoring screen showed  very rapid spikes, she was very much aware the presence of her elder sister. Wae saw  tears flow down Anjang's eyes and cheek....

While on the way to the pusara, I was alone at the back of the van jenazah with Anjang, I had all these bad feelings for not helping her much earlier and looking at the motionless jenazah ,I  realised how fragile our life is and we are after all God's creation and the same way we were delivered to the earth is  the same way we return to Him, all the worldly things are left behind.......the ones that we love, the pains and sufferings, the worries and anxieties.....

May Allah bless her soul and be included with the muslimahs  in Jannah..........Her infectious smiles will always be remembered.....



















Oun, you make us proud....