Balik Kampong - Why ?

8 Syawal 1430H.......its not too late to wish a " Selamat Hari Raya " to all my readers ...whoever and wherever they may be . Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making a pit stop at this blog .


Alhamdullillah , as in past years I joined the usual exodus of the tens and thousands of the Malaysian population to " balik kampong " for the celebration . Only that for the past two years ...my balik kampong is not of jumping into my car and driving the odd 190 kilometers home from Bintulu to Miri . Now its hopping into airplanes and crossing the South China Sea from the peninsula to Borneo Island . I would be home in about 9 hours flat taking into account the time I set off for Penang Airport .

Nephews Sopian Bujang and Rozaimi Elwi
at my Aunt's house in Kuala Baram . I love this pix .

Its a Malaysian culture this Balik kampong thing . People would be leaving the city ; with roads leading out of the city to their respective hometowns . And its not only for Hari Raya ; the usual scenario is repeated for Chinese New Year , Deepavali and Gawai . The Malays are not the only group doing this ' Balik Kampong ' ....it goes out to the other races too ; an opportunity for one to get out of the city and spent the long holidays elsewhere .


Home Sweet Home . Nothing beats the vibrants of being home on this joyous occasion ...of meeting my brothers and their famlies and my sisters plus my dear father too . The feeling of being surrounded by family members , relatives and friends is one of pure happiness ; to meet them personally ...and not to talk over the phone or " SMSed " them or e- mail them . I am still in Malaysia and there is no reason not to be home .

3rd cousins ; son Amir ( left ) and Nasri Affendi
First Time Encounter

Father looked forward for us to be home ....and my children and myself looked forward to be there too . Busy me would be introducing my children to relatives and cousins ...to the sighs and exasperation from them .

Son Uzair and 2nd cousin Sheetel .
Both can't forget the incident on one particular Hari Raya ;
Sheetel fell into the backyard's drain when they were playing chase .

Well that didn't stop this old mother hen from forever fluttering and chuckling away ...anything to create memories for my children ...as such rare occsions of meeting and crossing paths with second and third cousins are indeed rare .

That's me ; at about 13 or 14 yrs old . Pix taken at our old house
146B Jalan Ungu , Miri .

I just need to be close to home for the Raya celebrations and its not difficult to balik kampong to meet love ones and friends . I had a wonderful and joyous Raya ...I hope everything goes well for you too .