Family Away Day - Langkawi

Alhamdulillah....I am back after quite a long break. Now I feel good to start updating this blog again. 

I believe many of us have visited or at least heard about the legendary Pulau Langkawi. That's the location where my family and I spent 4D3N (24-27 Nov 2019) to occupy my employment contract  renewal grace period. It was a last minute decision. My wife and I decided the the venue, hotel and airlines only a day prior to the trip.

We took Malindo's morning flight at 8.15AM and that caused us to wake up as early as 4.30AM just to complete our last minute pack up and of course, to wake our children up. Not an easy task at all.

Rushed to KLIA early in the morning and we even almost missed the flight. Alhamdulillah we finally landed at Langkawi International Airport on time approx. 9.15AM. 

At the Departure Hall KLIA - everybody is so excited especially the kids

Malindo flight OD2204 KUL-LGK boarding 8.15AM

Ibu guiding Insyirah on using in-flight entertainment screen

Haziq - So excited...first time boarding on a flight

Upon exiting the arrival hall I was greeted by rent-a-car guys. Many of them. Normal scenario at Langkawi airport. Got a good deal finally. Three days for RM200 I got a sedan Mitsubishi Mivec. Not bad at all. 

This is the car...a Sedan for RM200 for 4D3N at Langkawi considered a good deal.

Prior to departure my wife and I had already booked a chalet called Lavigo Resort located some 3km away from lively Pantai Cenang. However, we did not straight away go for check in at the hotel. We headed for our breakfast instead.

I suggested a place which I had visited before during my office away day back in August this year. It was Nasi Dagang Pak Malau - a traditional Malay restaurant serving only Nasi Dagang plus some kuih for breakfast. This restaurant was located some 7km away from the Langkawi International Airport, about 10 minutes normal morning drive. 

According to my wife the Nasi Dagang was nice, marvellous! She finished a plate and so did everybody else - Haziq, Hazim & Insyirah. Me too. Each plate cost us RM10 for either chicken or fish and for fried ayam kampung it would cost RM14 a plate. I didn't try ayam kampung this time.

Nasi Dagang Pak Malau

Enjoying Nasi Dagang by the paddy field

Posing by the paddy field after breakfast. They're the winner.

My daughter and I

Around 11.40am we finished our breakfast. My wife called the hotel just to check if early check in was possible. Alhamdulillah, we were informed that the room was all ready.

I started the engine and drove everybody to the hotel which located about 12km away from the place where we had our breakfast. It took us approx 15 minutes to reach the hotel.

Lavigo Resort - pool right in front of our room. Heaven for the kids - Haziq, Hazim & Insyirah.

We checked in a bit early around 12.30 noon. Check in time was supposed to be at 2.00PM but since the hotel was not fully occupied at the time we arrived, the staff allowed us to check in. She was was generous enough for allowing us to check in a bit earlier.

Posing by the pool

Well, had some rest just to recover the restlessness caused by morning rush at the KLIA then we decided to stroll around Kuah, capital of Langkawi. We managed to walk around Langkawi Eagle Square or also known with Dataran Lang. So many people...they were just like us, tourists I guess. It was a hot day and I left my sunglass!

Hazim, Haziq & Insyirah at Eagle Square

Finished at Eagle Square around 4PM and straightaway headed for the hotel for a bit more rest before continuing with our plans for dinner and night stroll. As usual, immediately after reaching hotel all my kids got themselves ready for the pool. Ii's pool time! So tired, I couldn't manage to snap photos of them enjoying the pool.

Around 8.30PM after paryer (Jamak qasar Magrib & Isyak) we left the hotel heading to Pantai Cenang which was known for its lively street malls by the beach. It took us less then ten minutes to arrive at there. It's about 3KM away from our hotel.

As we had not been having proper meals for our lunch we decided to have something a bit heavy for dinner. I suggested a malay thai restaurant called Warung De Cenang. This reataurant was known as Warung Pak Tam before). It serves mostly Thai food such as tomyam, nasi goreng and all that. 

We ordered our meals - tomyam, ayam goreng kunyit, fried kailan and drinks, to my disappointment the food was not nice at all. I had tried food at this restaurant before and it was fantastic and reasonably priced. It had changed its cooks I assumed, I don't know. My wife was so disappointed. That's our bad experience. Let's put it behind.

My second visit here is a disappointment...

After the dinner we walked along Pantai Cenang street malls, from one shop to another. It's a lively place along that street, not boring at all. I observed my son Haziq was eyeing for something at shops we entered. Cap, pouch bag and sunglass were the items he was seriously looking at while at the shops. I came to know that he had some extra money in his wallet. No wonder...he got some tips from my MIL. 

My wife celebrated her 44th birthday last two weeks. I was thinking, we should have celebrated it here la that day. Maybe next year, In sha Allah.

Birthday girl - a piece of pandan cheese cake and a cup of coffee

Insyirah by the beach

Lively Pantai Cenang at night

Insyirah posing at Dataran Cenang

Tahlil & Doa Selamat

29 Sep 2019 - Tahlil & Doa Selamat was held at my house this morning. Not a planned event. The idea of having this feast came into our mind only yesterday morning, all of a sudden. My lovely wife decided the menu for the feast including 'Laksam' and her signature chicken puff and not to forget 'Tepung Pelita' plus several other dishes. My wife's sister Nabihah contributed baked macaroni and it moved fast. While serving several other side dishes, I noticed the baked macaroni was half taken already. My wife's brother contributed 'roti jala' with chicken curry. Yummy! Thanks to both of you.

Alhamdulillah the event went well and attended by some sixty people from the surau of my neighborhood immediately after 'Kuliah Subuh'. The tahlil and doa selamat was led by Ustaz Zulkifli Hamat (Pencetus Ummah). My greatest apreciation to ustaz Zul for spending his time this morning. Thanks to the rest of my friends and neighbors too.

The tahlil was held in remembrance of arwah Hj. Alimat bin Mat Ali, my father in law who passed away a day before last Aidil Adha. Al Fatihah...

OMG! The choose to enjoy the food at the porch despite plenty of space inside

Key people of Surau Nur Sa'adah - Ustaz Hassan, En. Jalil, Ustaz Zul
& En. Suhaimi

After Tahlil while waiting for food to be served

Ustaz Zul, Hj Lutfi & few others after doa recital

Enjoying the food at the porch

OMG! 

They choose to be at the porch

Nuaim (my son) and his friends

Early in the morning while preparing for the feast

The extended version of sembang

Zoom to the dining - My mother in law, my wife and few key ladies in our neighborhood - Cikgu Ina, Cikgu Lin, Kak Yam, Kak Ida and Zahari's wife (forgot her name) 

This was another event held earlier at my house. I don't recall the date but it was also breakfast for doa selamat which I only invited geng surau and few close neighbors. 

Ziarah Seorang Sahabat

14 Sept 2019 - Visited Nik Apih, one of my ex-schoolmates who had just came back from Mecca for hajj. The visit was first triggered by Zubid. Somehow, the visit turned out to be another gathering attended by ex-SIPS1.

As promised, Lije brought "Tepung Apae" which most of us had not tasted this for long. It's a kind of traditional cake originated from Kelantan, home to most of us. Not to show up empty-handed while visiting, I brought some Kuzi Ayam and Tepung Pelita which my wife prepared. Thanks Haji and Hajjah for welcoming us!

I met Hatim there who I had not met for so long after leaving SIPS1. During the old days when we were at SIPS1 he was quite a quiet boy and still he is now. Happy that I met him and others.

Durian goers - Durians provided by the host, Nik Apih.

From left: Hadmin, myself, Wan Rosid, Lije, Mahadir & Nik Din.
Standing: Saipul Nawar

From left: Nik Din, Saipul, Hatim, Nik Apih, Lije, Wan Rosid, Zubid, 
Hadmin, Rothwaza, TABS, Mahadir, Willy & me. 

The wives

Kota Bharu Trip with Insyirah

Friday, 20 Sept 2019 I made a trip to my hometown Kota Bharu and this time, by bus! I brought my daughter Insyirah with me as she has been wanting to experience a ride on a bus for quite some time already. We took a night bus and definitely nothing much to view all the way during the journey.

So excited - Her first experience riding on a bus. This was taken while we were on our way back to KL.

Nasi Sup Daging Bakar

I heard a lot about "Nasi Sup Daging Bakar" and finally today, 21 Sept 2019, I managed to taste this menu for lunch. Nasi Sup Daging Bakar Mok Su - A small coffee shop (kedai kopi) located somewhere in Taman Maju near Kota Bharu.

I was not alone. Mat Shah came along almost immediately after I gave him a call. Coincidentally he was just around that place, so he came.

The menu was not bad...it's just that the daging bakar was a bit sweet due to the way it was marinated I guess.

Mat Shah and I having Nasi Sup Daging Bakar.

Farisha's Birthday Party
Later in the afternoon, there was a birthday party at my elder sister's house in Salor. I didn't know that she was arranging a birthday party for her grand daughter, Farisha who turned ten today. Unlike previous years, she invited few of her neighbors making the party a bit more livelier this time. My niece, Sallena (Farisha's mother) and her husband Aus were also there. They came back all the way from Kajang just to be with their daughter on her birthday.

From left : Insyirah, Farisha's friend, Najwa & Farisha

Sallena lighting the candle

A birthday present for Farisha from Insyirah.

Preparing the food

Gathering at Raja Ikan Bakar, Jalan Bayam

This is not to be missed - in the evening I joined a mini casual gathering. The gathering was held at Cafe Raja Ikan Bakar in Jalan Bayam. In fact, we organize this quite often just to maintain the bonding among ourselves. Most of us turned 50YO this year (2019) and friendship goes on. This is actually the reason why we organize event like this regularly be it in KL or KB.

All of us are actually from the same primary school - Sultan Ismail Primary School 1 (Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Sultan Ismail 1) Kota Bharu batch 1976 - 1981. The school is also well known as Sekolah Batu Dua.

We left the SIPS1 after standard six in 1981. Some left for boarding schools and some went to secondary day schools located around Kota Bharu. In most cases, those who were from SIPS1 would automatically be sent to Sultan Ismail Secondary School (SMSI) to complete the Sijil Rendah Pelajaran, SRP (Lower Certificate of Education, LCE) before pursuing for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, SPM (Malaysian Certificate of Education) at Maktab Sultan Ismail (Sultan Ismail College, SIC) which located just next to SMSI.

Just imagine, from standard one to form five we have already built our friendship for merely eleven years and it is still going. That's fantastic! I myself went up to upper six and  completed Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia, STPM (Malaysian Higher Certificate of Education) in 1988. This cost me another two years extra.

When we meet up we talk about everything. We talk about good, funny and even bad things any of us did during those days which many of us still remember.

From left : Mat Cah, Doc Lin, Puyi, Zubid, Imi Isa, myself, Riri & Azman King

The Early Birds

Seli Potpot came just to say hi..

The "Story-tellers"

Cerita pagi tadi...

Jump start before replacing the battery 

Battery ran out. Googled and found baterikudotcom. The service was quite fast and reliable. Price was cheaper as compared to the other service provider (I did my quick check online).

Thanks to this guy, steady and sincere. He explained all - installation up to warranty.
I recommend baterikudotcom.

Checking the voltage.