Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year! Early in the morning we go to church for proper festive blessing for the day and when we get back to grandma house its already full of friends, relative and villages neighbours. Unlike our urban style celebration here in this remote village people from various cultures, races, religion and beliefs come to celebrate as one share our celebration, happiness and enjoyment for this Chinese New Year festival. Don't be suprise both my father and mother relative have huge mixture of cultures, races, religion and beliefs that make other felt the gap of different is huge as seen from their eyes but in our heart they are actually very close as family. I also have chances to visit other relative around Limbang too. The crowds come in and out in endless from 8am till 4pm. Cakes, muffin, snacks, rice, noodles, bbq chicken, meat, veges, shirmps, cola, oranges, beers and etc all on the tables. I always hang around the kitchen too see if i can get some nice munchies and some cooking in progress. Wow! the make fried shrimps!!

Holiday trip here we go

Its Chinese New Year holidays! Once again its time to get back to my Grandma village to reunite and celebrate with relative. Its a long drive from Miri city to Limbang where we have to drive through Brunei border in transit towards my grandma hometown. Thankfully unlike last year this month weather is very hot and sunny. Good visibility and safe to drive through the highways. It took us hours to reach the destination. After 3 hours later we reached to my grandma house, she was happy to see us. To house full of joy with lots of crowds of relative getting ready to celebrate our Chinese New Year Celebration. I'm also greeted by special old trusty tail waging friend too, lol.

Grandma hometown: Part 3 -Monday

Monday 23, Time to go home. Before that leaving the place my favorite uncle who is my mother's little brother gave a me a nice present to add to my Radio Control collection. I was surprise to receive a high quality built R/C buggy made fully from cold forged alloy chassis that was made back in the early 80's. Its was a collectors item a TAMIYA SUPER CHAMP. Wow!!! i was excited and thanked my uncle who was a hard core Radio Control enthusiast. I packed my things and head to the airport along with my little sister and 3 cousins who were heading to the same flight destination as i do. I had great times and felt glad that i renew my visits to this place after absent for more than 5 years. Glad to be on tour.

Grandma hometown: Part 2 -Sunday

Sunday 22, Its burial event. 7.30am in the morning still cold and chilling. I didn't take my bath cuz i here you don't smell much, just brush teeth and wash my faces. Taking bath around this hour is like pouring buckets of ice cube over my body. A nice hot natural tea and biscuits for breakfast. Later at 9am we prepare some food to be cooked in mass amount for our incoming guess during lunch time. Food mainly some fresh buffalo meat, rice, vegetables and hot tea. At 10 guess have light morning snacks and then later its time for the burial ceremony where we load the coffin into the truck to be carry over to our native cemetry. There we have the usual departing prayer for our grandma and some ground work to bury the coffin. Its took almost 2 hours under the hot morning sun. By 12pm noon everyone back to my place for mass lunch ceremony and feast on tasty lunch. Being as hungry as horse i munched 6 bowls of crusty beef floss....yummy!! i don't usually have this kind of chances back at my home. Crusty flossed beef is always been my favorite. According to our mother side tradition funeral ceremony last for 14 days which usual activity include night rosary prayers and big dinner for family, relatives and friends.... it means it doesn't end there yet. So lots of work to do for 14 day, Luckily i'm not going to be long enough here to witness the ceremony because i need to go back to my hometown in MIRI and get back to work....that will be on Monday air flight going back home. At 3pm i followed my father to visit my grandmother of my father side which located few kilo's away from another side of the village, Reaching there we were greeted by our still in good shape grandmother and hos loyal furry friend, 2 cats and 2 dogs. I spend few hours in their house minalyb taking bath, snoring during nap, playing with furry friends and enjoy the view on top of the hill. She still the only grandma we have left. By night i have to pack my things, greet goodbye to my relative as i have to go back to the urban side of the town tagged along with my sister so that we could catch early flight next morning. So we stayed at my mother's sister house.

Grandma hometown: Part1 -Saturday

Ok so we know my grandma already went back to our Fathers house in heaven. So i'm sure she's now in peace and happiness in gods house. Amen.
Its been years i haven't gone back to my grandparents hometown in Limbang city, they usually live outskirt of the city far into the green country side where real friendly people live closely in harmony and live under true meaning of helpfull neighbour. I finally went over by plane last Saturday morning for funeral visit and at the same time visits cousins, relative and people who we closely tied as family. From the LIMBANG city took 30 minutes to reach the remote country side by car. As i grew older i pretty like the village where my grandparents live, its so refreshing peaceful and friendly. You dun have to worry about money life, Food and resources is all around us by nature. At my grandparents place by noon we have to prepare some meal for guest to arrive. At night everyone gathers around like big family reunion including close friend and neighbouring villages. Then later we gather for prayer to my grandma and the rest of the night as usually some people will sleep over our house while other elder hangout drunking, laughing and chatting all night until wee morning...its usual life scene nothing to be shocked about. Sleeping in country side is cold and chilling. You don't need air-cond around here. Its all natural with dense wet cold fog surrounding the house. I have to tuck around the corner of the living room cuddle my body as compact as possible to maintain body heat as there's not much blanket to cover myself as there to many room fully crowded with overnite people.

Adventure ride into MIRI rural country side.

Its muddy sunday today as i went along for an adventure ride into rural district of oil palm plantation area which consist of hilly hills, so we go up and down and visit some locals who live away from urban civilization. We start riding at 3.30pm and finished at 7.00pm. The road are pretty wet and muddy but its easy since its just some non-technical trails unlike the jungle where we previously hit the dust. Above are some picture taken on our last evening ride. "Picture worth more than words". I've enjoyed my self today as i've pushed my body to the max going up the some killer hill.