Anya with Wonder Garden

More Aidiladha in Selangor Tales

After the MAHSA visit, it was time to take it easy.  The penultimate day of our visit we scouted Kuala Lumpur, checking out Pandan Indah though there were no photos taken there. We did have lunch at Burger King at the Petronas near Lotus Ampang (formerly Tesco). We also checked out the new (relatively new for us) KL East Mall […]

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Where Irfan and I had lunch sometimes after school

Where We Used To Eat

Ain did not venture into Pandan Indah the last time we were here. So, this time, we thought we would take a look. Specifically, we drove by the restaurants we used to frequent when we lived here. The entire suburb was busier than ever. But as you can see some of old regular restaurants are still there. Except for Restoran […]

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Before departing Pandan Jaya

A Two-Day KL Reconnoitre

After the visit to the Translation Institute, Bazi and I split up. He would return north later that evening after the benchmarking, while I had more than a week left to my vacation. First thing the next day, we headed back to Nia’s place from Aiman’s place. Since we were early, we explored the area near their house and chanced […]

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Ilham Bestari

The Place Where He Grew Up

The day after Aidiladha we thought we would head into the city to check out the borough of Pandan Indah where Irfan grew up. It would literally be a balik kampung for him even though the kampung was Kuala Lumpur. Born less than 10 klicks away as the crow flies in Kuala Lumpur Hospital, he knew no other home other […]

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The Botanical Garden Expedition

We had to balik kampung this Aidiladha holidays. The kampung we returned to was neither Ain’s nor mine. It was Irfan’s.

On Saturday, after my Research Method class and my colleague Anis’ sister’s wedding, we drove from Perlis all the way to Nia’s house. Nia was happy that we came. We also met Aiman, Zara and family there.

The plan was that the next day, Sunday, we would all rendezvous at the Botanical Gardens at Shah Alam. Ain and I have not been there since before we were married. This was the children’s first time visiting it.

There were flowers. There was a rope bridge. There was archery. There was even a troupe of monkeys.

Irfan and his cousins entered the bunny farm where Nia became superlatively elated. According to Irfan, she even fearlessly fed a large goat by hand. There were no photos of the goat, but we do have other photos.

I posted on Twitter videos of Irfan shooting arrows at orcs a bullseye:

We were having lots of fun and it was only the second day in the Klang Valley.

Ania and Ayah Ngah

A Solo Return to KL

I got a call from Shide with whom I had several work adventures with years ago who needed me to return to Kuala Lumpur for some minor business. He graciously footed the travel bill for me, so after we decided on a flight ticket. So yay! I get to ride on one of these new-fangled flying machines again. The ride […]

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V is for Vengeance

Year End KL Trip Part Three

Previously: Moving Day Day 5 The next day was the housewarming. Guests came, there were prayers and then food. And the kids of course played everywhere. Later that day, I went to rendezvous with Ivan and Phil to talk about nerdy stuff. Also, role-playing games. That night Irfan and Aiman watched Ayah Cik Farid put the TV in its proper […]

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Nia's suggestion has been tabled

Year End KL Trip Part Two

Previously: Arrival at KL After we reached Nia Nia’s house with Aiman, it was time for the littlest cousin to join the fray. She was happy that her Abang Irfan and Abang Aiman came visiting. Grandparents Tok Bah and Tok Ma as well as the cousins’ uncle Ayah G had been there for a day before we arrived. Together we […]

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Texas Chicken

Year End KL Trip Part One

The last time I was back in Kuala Lumpur was November 2015, more than two years ago. I have not been back there since because, let’s face it: it takes a lot of resources for us to travel there. One of the reasons we were able to go back the last time was because of a paper miniature art commission […]

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His new hoodie

Ain and Irfan Go To KL

It came to pass that Ain and Irfan went for vacation back in KL but I was not able to join them because of work. A side effect of given a new position at work after one has planned one’s year end vacation and bought travel tickets. So while I held the fort during exam season, the anak beranak spent […]

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Fare thee well

Lost in Translation

We had two weeks to spend in Kuala Lumpur because of my course. Let’s get the unpleasantness out of the way first: I had the flu for two days in the first week, then three in the second. It was unpleasant not just because I felt like a popsicle all day but also because it was expensive, but I did […]

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Only posing

Set Course For The City

And so it was that the workplace booked me on a two week course. The course was to be held back in Kuala Lumpur. You know the city: Irfan’s kampung. We drove southbound and spent the night in Sitiawan before continuing on to Kuala Lumpur after a breakfast with Irfan’s Atok and Opah. We stopped at Sekinchan at a restaurant […]

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Jalan Duta murk

Murky Depths of the Haze

It’s been some time since I mentioned the haze on this blog. The last time I did it was 10 years ago. In any case, the haze has returned as it is wont to do year upon year upon year. This time it returned with even more of a vengeance than the last. It’s been weeks and the haze does […]

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Needs even moar people that matter in this picture

A Bit Higher Than College Age

It is nearly impossible for me to form the words to explain and describe the experience of graduating from college with a Bachelor Degree in English Studies at age 42, on top of the multitude of experiences positive and negative I underwent in the last 25 years or so. I know I prefer to harp on the negative, but on […]

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I will miss this view from the tenth floor, though

Final Entry from the Tenth Floor

The blog is not headed anywhere. But the subtitle “View from the Tenth Floor” will be changed starting today as we will no longer be living on the tenth floor. The last two months has been a whirlwind of activity. I have accepted a job offer in Kangar and we’ll be moving there – five hundred klicks away – shortly. […]

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