Flight ticket. Emirates. KLIA-Rome/Frankfurt-KLIA. With transit at Dubai. RM3200
F&B. Set aside €4-8 for lunch and dinner, around €3-6 for breakfast. (it's hard to find halal food). 500ml Bottled water will cost you around €1-3 with selection from Coke, Fanta Orange, Ice Lemon Tea, Mineral water. Buy them at local groceries instead of the vending machines or street sellers. Tips: Drinking water fountains are available around Rome and Venice. Bring along your empty bottle. If the local drinks it, then it's good. The water is super cold and refreshing especially if you like us, walking under the hot summer sun. Halal outlets (kebabs) available nearby the Termini.
Public Transport. Single use ticket will cost €1 for 75 minutes bus or tram ride. Single Metro ride will be around €2.50. But we recommend the €4 ticket for one day all transport. You can hop in and out of the transport without ticket but if caught, a penalty of €51 will be asked on the spot. Train from Airport to Termini Stazione cost us €11 for a 35 minutes ride.
Colosseum Tour. Recommended to do the tour with tourist guide. Entrance fee to the colosseum without tour guide is €11 (warn! long queue if you don't come early). They provided an audio guide with extra cost of €3.50. With tour guide, it's €19 and you got to cut the long line, heard the interesting stories and tales from the guide and an extra ticket to the Palentine Hill. The Colosseum tour will take around 2-3hours. So do the Palentine Hill.
There's quite a number of museums available but we did not have ample time to go and visit them. They will cost around €6-12. With the unlimited one day transportation, you can visit all their interesting and historical places by metro or bus. The Vatican city is quite far away but worth a visit (there'll be charges imposed).
Accommodation. We stayed at the BeeHive (about 10 minutes walk from Termini Statzione), a very cool and eco-friendly hostel with reasonably price rooms and modern deco. Since we booked quite late, we ended up with an apartment 15 minutes away from the main hostel. Millefiori. Nice three bedded rooms apartment with large common area and a kitchen. Cost us €30 per person.
Train to Venice. Buy the ticket from the Termini. If unsure how to use the ticket machine, go to the counter. You might get cheaper tickets and do come early as the queue can be long. We bought the Trenitalia from Roma Tiburtina to Venezia S Lucia. Treno 774 at 2250pm and arrived at Venice the next morning at 530am. Cost €36.50 per person. (Tips. 1. Take the train straight to Venezia S Lucia since this is the station that will take you straight to the water taxi 2. Quite a number of trains available and it priced differently based on the timing and how fast do you want to reach your destination. Choose carefully. 3.Nite train could be more expensive but we made some saving on accommodation and also traveling time).
Water taxi at Venice. Since Venice is an island and it's a big maze of canals, better to take one of the unlimited one-day passes. Cost us €12 (inclusive luggage storage) per person. Luggage storage is also available at train stations costing around €3-5.
Train to Villach. We did not spend a night at Venice, (a quick touch-n-go) for us, we proceed to Villach. This is a small city where we have to transit if we want to continue our journey to Salzburg. Train ride cost us €32. We tooked Trenitalia Tren no. 239. Departed at 2028pm and arrived at Villach at 0042am (4h plus ride). Since we reached Villach pretty early, we slept at the station but not really comfortable and safe. (Tips. 1. Set aside €2-4 for toilet and a quick shower or freshen up. Some stations have shower but most don’t. And they are very particular on water usage. 2. Stay away from drunker… they bound to hang out at the stations).
... will continue with our budget for the rest of the cities.
Monday, September 1
Saturday, August 30
Next stop! Venice
The extreme hot weather, the expensive food, the sticky tourists... "pushed" us away from Rome... and we were already looking forward for our next stop. It was not in my initial list, but Amir and Rina insisted to stop by here. Again, with some modification to my 'masterplan', we made a small detour and found ourselves at Venice - the city of romance..?!
We took a nite train from Rome to Venice. Arrived at around 5.30am... (I dun hav the travel journal, so my time was relatively as what I could recall)... Hardly any sleep on the train. A shared coach with few two others and making it a very crampy ride. But the early morning scene in Venice was just breath taking... it was so peace and beautiful. Quite a number of backpackers hadn't wake up yet... it was like a scout jamboree right outside the train station, with people still snuggling inside their sleeping bag or on the cardboard. Definitely backpacker's friendly station.
Had quick breakfast of coffee and bread from the cafes. Bought the all day passes from the ticket counter... and we went off to explore venice. We only had one day to get the most out of this city. First thing that we need to do was to get ourselves 'lost'. "Its part of the fun when you travel to Venice." "What?!" I just couldn't get into the fact that they want me to loose my sense of direction and navigation... no matter how difficult the maze inside venice, I can surely found our way out... that' s what I thot when we started our little walking tour, without any proper map in this city of mazes and canals. I kept on making notes on the right and left turns that we took. Busy scrambling down the street names, while Aiman busy snapping away pictures and Rina and Amir with their ooohh... and aaahhh... the beauty of Venice... when suddenly I realized that there's no point of freaking too much of not knowing where to go... stop taking notes and just let your lazy feet took you around.
Surprisingly, after so many left and right turns, we managed to get ourselves to some interesting places and historical sites... not so bad after all and then we decided to head to St Marco where all the tourists gathered. Since I turned off my 'GPS' instinct, we even get ourselves 'LOST' while we were riding the water taxi. We ended up where all the Venicians and tourists gathered on Sunday morning... all of them wearing to their minimum... and looks like they were heading to the beach... "Nope! Turn around guys... wrong direction..." already our stomach grumbled and asked to be filled. Decided to bring them to a beautiful garden that Amir and I spotted on our way to Lido... again had our lunch at the garden park while watching these Italian kids showing off their skills on the 'tarzan swing' and rock climbing.
The rest of the day, we spent around the Marcos... before we had to head back to the train station. We had our dinner of Margarita Pizza and Ice Lemon Tea before boarding the train... headed to Villach, Austria.
We took a nite train from Rome to Venice. Arrived at around 5.30am... (I dun hav the travel journal, so my time was relatively as what I could recall)... Hardly any sleep on the train. A shared coach with few two others and making it a very crampy ride. But the early morning scene in Venice was just breath taking... it was so peace and beautiful. Quite a number of backpackers hadn't wake up yet... it was like a scout jamboree right outside the train station, with people still snuggling inside their sleeping bag or on the cardboard. Definitely backpacker's friendly station.
Had quick breakfast of coffee and bread from the cafes. Bought the all day passes from the ticket counter... and we went off to explore venice. We only had one day to get the most out of this city. First thing that we need to do was to get ourselves 'lost'. "Its part of the fun when you travel to Venice." "What?!" I just couldn't get into the fact that they want me to loose my sense of direction and navigation... no matter how difficult the maze inside venice, I can surely found our way out... that' s what I thot when we started our little walking tour, without any proper map in this city of mazes and canals. I kept on making notes on the right and left turns that we took. Busy scrambling down the street names, while Aiman busy snapping away pictures and Rina and Amir with their ooohh... and aaahhh... the beauty of Venice... when suddenly I realized that there's no point of freaking too much of not knowing where to go... stop taking notes and just let your lazy feet took you around.
Surprisingly, after so many left and right turns, we managed to get ourselves to some interesting places and historical sites... not so bad after all and then we decided to head to St Marco where all the tourists gathered. Since I turned off my 'GPS' instinct, we even get ourselves 'LOST' while we were riding the water taxi. We ended up where all the Venicians and tourists gathered on Sunday morning... all of them wearing to their minimum... and looks like they were heading to the beach... "Nope! Turn around guys... wrong direction..." already our stomach grumbled and asked to be filled. Decided to bring them to a beautiful garden that Amir and I spotted on our way to Lido... again had our lunch at the garden park while watching these Italian kids showing off their skills on the 'tarzan swing' and rock climbing.
The rest of the day, we spent around the Marcos... before we had to head back to the train station. We had our dinner of Margarita Pizza and Ice Lemon Tea before boarding the train... headed to Villach, Austria.
Wednesday, August 27
The Amazing Journey...
"You and your partner will travel all around Europe in a grueling journey of 14 days. You will be given a clue to guide you to the next destination. You will only be given minimum amount of money and language will be your main problem. Get ready...! and in three, two, one... GO! Run and get your first clue... destination, ROME!"
With our backpack, and limited amount of money to spend... we headed to Rome... our first destination. So excited, and just can't wait to reach there and start this lonngggg journey... or shall I say holiday? 14 days of traveling seems to be a little bit too long... the longest break ever since I started working 7 years ago! Kept reminding myself that I and Rina totally deserved this break.
Touched down at Leonardo Da Vinci Airport... all smiling and laughing, the soundtrack of Ratatouille inside my head... but at the immigration... the music suddenly ended... Aiman was at the counter first, and I just had this bad feeling... soon enough, all 4 of us were called into "the room". We had our passport cleared but they need to see our accommodation booking. Duhhh... and I stupidly put it in my haversack... did not expect at all that I need to show that to them... after few minutes of broken english and fake smiles... we were off the hook... fewh... and the cute Rat start singing again in my head.
Off to Termini Stazione... by train... whoaaa... besarnye terminal ni... kagum kejap. perut lapar... tgk2 ada mcD... mcm sedap jer... belasah our first Fillet. Then, we need to go and check out the room. It should be near the train station. yup, less than 10 minutes walk and we were in front of the door buzzing the doorbell to ask for them to let us in. Wow! Again, we were impressed with the small little garden... and the friendly reception. "You can only check-in after 3pm..." Well, it's still early, left our haversacks, picked up the pocket city guide, and headed our way back to the Termini. Decided to just walk our way to the Collosseum... all pumped up... semangat habis.
We stayed at TheBeehive, but the rooms at the main hostel were fully booked and we left with an apartment which was about 15 minutes away from there... blessing in disguise as we loved the apartment too... Millefiori. Definitely a value for money... and I am recommending this hostel to all of you... go to their website at www.the-beehive.com.
After 10 minutes of walking, we realized that it was not that close... we already sweating, and our first mineral water which cost us Euro2 had already dried up... whoaa... Rome was so hot! Literally HOT! "This is not Europe! This is hotter than KL! Why are we here again? Didn't we come here to experience the cold weather?" asked our Putri Lilin. It's SUMMER! "Yeah... but cannot be this hot!" There were reports claimed that last year summer in Rome, resulted on some deaths because of heat stroke... it seriously hot here.
We reached Trojan Column... and soon we saw all the rubbles and remaining of the great kingdom... suddenly Ratatouille song changed to The Gladiator sound track... "Imagine where you will be in 3 weeks time! I will be sowing my garden with my son and my wife. If you wake up and found your self on a green field and blue sky, worry no more since you already DEAD!" Maximus Decimus Meridius.
Watching the great Collosseum from the movie created goose bumps at the back of my neck.. but walking for real towards the great building itself... the feeling was just AWESOME! I just felt like one of those gladiators walking their last steps to join the battle of life and death... not sure whether you will live to see another day... part of our plan, we already decided that we would not going to take the inside tour of the Collosseum.. but when you already there... you just need to be inside. The sound of cheers like thunders... the clapping, the cheer, the drumming, and the chanting of "Maximus! Maximus! Maximus!" Whooaaa!
Totally... totally amazing. That's ROME to me...
With our backpack, and limited amount of money to spend... we headed to Rome... our first destination. So excited, and just can't wait to reach there and start this lonngggg journey... or shall I say holiday? 14 days of traveling seems to be a little bit too long... the longest break ever since I started working 7 years ago! Kept reminding myself that I and Rina totally deserved this break.
Touched down at Leonardo Da Vinci Airport... all smiling and laughing, the soundtrack of Ratatouille inside my head... but at the immigration... the music suddenly ended... Aiman was at the counter first, and I just had this bad feeling... soon enough, all 4 of us were called into "the room". We had our passport cleared but they need to see our accommodation booking. Duhhh... and I stupidly put it in my haversack... did not expect at all that I need to show that to them... after few minutes of broken english and fake smiles... we were off the hook... fewh... and the cute Rat start singing again in my head.
Off to Termini Stazione... by train... whoaaa... besarnye terminal ni... kagum kejap. perut lapar... tgk2 ada mcD... mcm sedap jer... belasah our first Fillet. Then, we need to go and check out the room. It should be near the train station. yup, less than 10 minutes walk and we were in front of the door buzzing the doorbell to ask for them to let us in. Wow! Again, we were impressed with the small little garden... and the friendly reception. "You can only check-in after 3pm..." Well, it's still early, left our haversacks, picked up the pocket city guide, and headed our way back to the Termini. Decided to just walk our way to the Collosseum... all pumped up... semangat habis.
We stayed at TheBeehive, but the rooms at the main hostel were fully booked and we left with an apartment which was about 15 minutes away from there... blessing in disguise as we loved the apartment too... Millefiori. Definitely a value for money... and I am recommending this hostel to all of you... go to their website at www.the-beehive.com.
After 10 minutes of walking, we realized that it was not that close... we already sweating, and our first mineral water which cost us Euro2 had already dried up... whoaa... Rome was so hot! Literally HOT! "This is not Europe! This is hotter than KL! Why are we here again? Didn't we come here to experience the cold weather?" asked our Putri Lilin. It's SUMMER! "Yeah... but cannot be this hot!" There were reports claimed that last year summer in Rome, resulted on some deaths because of heat stroke... it seriously hot here.
We reached Trojan Column... and soon we saw all the rubbles and remaining of the great kingdom... suddenly Ratatouille song changed to The Gladiator sound track... "Imagine where you will be in 3 weeks time! I will be sowing my garden with my son and my wife. If you wake up and found your self on a green field and blue sky, worry no more since you already DEAD!" Maximus Decimus Meridius.
Watching the great Collosseum from the movie created goose bumps at the back of my neck.. but walking for real towards the great building itself... the feeling was just AWESOME! I just felt like one of those gladiators walking their last steps to join the battle of life and death... not sure whether you will live to see another day... part of our plan, we already decided that we would not going to take the inside tour of the Collosseum.. but when you already there... you just need to be inside. The sound of cheers like thunders... the clapping, the cheer, the drumming, and the chanting of "Maximus! Maximus! Maximus!" Whooaaa!
Totally... totally amazing. That's ROME to me...
Tuesday, August 26
A Journey... so far away from home.
Aiman - "Bang, I want to go to this fair, something similar to Matta Fair lah..."
Fariz - "Where do you want to go? Holiday ke? Or diving?"
Aiman - "I want to backpack to Europe la.."
Fariz - "All alone by yourself?"
Aiman - "Yup!"
Rina - "Eh! Kitorg nak ikut sekali, boleh tak? Kan sayang saya kan... boleh kan?"
Amir - "Pergi Europe tak nak ajak aku!"
That's the conversation that happened inside my car on our way to Bangi about 5 months ago... and that's the start of our BIG journey... and if not for my lovely wife... I wouldn't agree to the idea... but she is always be my weakest point... I love her. Two or three days after that, we ended up buying the flight tickets... without even knowing where and what to do over there... only Aiman has some vague picture of the trip...based on his reading of the Budget Trip to East Europe book... and its not helping at all.
Me, being me... as Rina described... too analytical and too detail... started to worry when we had nothing planned at all coming into one month before the date. And we gonna be so freaking busy when it comes to June and July... no plans, no accommodation booking, no nothing... aagghhhh, the thot of spending my hard earned money freely was not my idea of good holiday. So I've been dragging and pushing them to read and find more details over the internet, or books or whatever means that you can get... and the plan slowly became clearer... but not before all the sweating, stayed up late and frantically searching for info.
I had one member who was too busy even to read anything from any sources... and just said that... "Whatever you decide, will be good for me...". And then, there was one member lak... taking things too easy and said to me, "If you planned too much, you will ruined the plan!" Duhhh... and the final one, who just can't keep focus for even 1 minute... and keep on diverting away from the subject... tried to sit down all four of us together, was just too much to handle... for every meeting, I gave up every half an hour.
Alas, everything went on as per planned. We board the Emirates from KLIA on the 1st Aug and our two weeks journey to East Europe... started. If we include our transit in Dubai, then we can proudly said that we covered five countries. And our trip bring us from Rome and Venice, Italy.. to Villach, Salzburg and Vienna in Austria, to beautiful Prague, Checz and the final two cities, Berlin and Frankfurt... everything in exactly two weeks. Quite a number of sleepless nite over the train, or our sleepover at the train stations, and our beautiful budget hostels, and countless Fillet O Fish, and Kebabs... just some of the flavours of the whole journey...
Will blog again later on my experience and journey... till then... to my wife... thank you for pushing me to do this... to Aiman, thanks for bringing up the idea and to Amir, thank you for being who you are... You guys are definitely the best...
Fariz - "Where do you want to go? Holiday ke? Or diving?"
Aiman - "I want to backpack to Europe la.."
Fariz - "All alone by yourself?"
Aiman - "Yup!"
Rina - "Eh! Kitorg nak ikut sekali, boleh tak? Kan sayang saya kan... boleh kan?"
Amir - "Pergi Europe tak nak ajak aku!"
That's the conversation that happened inside my car on our way to Bangi about 5 months ago... and that's the start of our BIG journey... and if not for my lovely wife... I wouldn't agree to the idea... but she is always be my weakest point... I love her. Two or three days after that, we ended up buying the flight tickets... without even knowing where and what to do over there... only Aiman has some vague picture of the trip...based on his reading of the Budget Trip to East Europe book... and its not helping at all.
Me, being me... as Rina described... too analytical and too detail... started to worry when we had nothing planned at all coming into one month before the date. And we gonna be so freaking busy when it comes to June and July... no plans, no accommodation booking, no nothing... aagghhhh, the thot of spending my hard earned money freely was not my idea of good holiday. So I've been dragging and pushing them to read and find more details over the internet, or books or whatever means that you can get... and the plan slowly became clearer... but not before all the sweating, stayed up late and frantically searching for info.
I had one member who was too busy even to read anything from any sources... and just said that... "Whatever you decide, will be good for me...". And then, there was one member lak... taking things too easy and said to me, "If you planned too much, you will ruined the plan!" Duhhh... and the final one, who just can't keep focus for even 1 minute... and keep on diverting away from the subject... tried to sit down all four of us together, was just too much to handle... for every meeting, I gave up every half an hour.
Alas, everything went on as per planned. We board the Emirates from KLIA on the 1st Aug and our two weeks journey to East Europe... started. If we include our transit in Dubai, then we can proudly said that we covered five countries. And our trip bring us from Rome and Venice, Italy.. to Villach, Salzburg and Vienna in Austria, to beautiful Prague, Checz and the final two cities, Berlin and Frankfurt... everything in exactly two weeks. Quite a number of sleepless nite over the train, or our sleepover at the train stations, and our beautiful budget hostels, and countless Fillet O Fish, and Kebabs... just some of the flavours of the whole journey...
Will blog again later on my experience and journey... till then... to my wife... thank you for pushing me to do this... to Aiman, thanks for bringing up the idea and to Amir, thank you for being who you are... You guys are definitely the best...
Wednesday, July 2
Two weeks of EXCITEMENT...
2 minggu tak masuk ofis. 2 minggu main hoki tetiap hari. 2 minggu telepon tak berenti-renti bunyi. 2 minggu orang carik kat ofis tak dapat. 2 minggu aku jadi big boss kat padang. 2 minggu tak cukup tidur. 2 minggu ber 'networking'. 2 minggu layan karenah orang. 2 minggu yg paling penat sekali... and it was the best 2 minggu...
aku masih sempat pergi berskating kat Putrajaya... sempat juga melarikan diri untuk attend Program Bakti and met the kids... sempat gak lagi excuse dari training hoki sbb nak kena attend kelas golf, first time masuk green... 9 lubang pun jadilah... sempat gak dlm kesibukan jadi ketua penyelaras, lari2 pergi main hoki...
I said to myself and told others that this will be my last year to involve in the KKP... no more next year. I love the fun, but the responsibility... rasa macam tak tertanggung. But, I will always be the one yg langgar my own janji... camne ni?
Got some bad news today at work.. the job that I am aiming for... the job that I hope could be my ticket out... will never going to be a reality... my hope was just crushed down... macam org bunuh kutu kucing... (argh... apa punya contoh entah...) but I felt so annoyed... what can i do and where can i run?
Kalau Robin Sharma, mesti dia dah cakap... "face your own fear head on... and you will succeed.." Head on collision seems like fun... I believe God will guide me.. God will give me the strength... God knows best...
As I said, I had my two weeks of fun... enriching experience... a small bumper along the way... apa sangat ajer lah... kita naik bumper tu laju2...
PS: Aku dah giler...
aku masih sempat pergi berskating kat Putrajaya... sempat juga melarikan diri untuk attend Program Bakti and met the kids... sempat gak lagi excuse dari training hoki sbb nak kena attend kelas golf, first time masuk green... 9 lubang pun jadilah... sempat gak dlm kesibukan jadi ketua penyelaras, lari2 pergi main hoki...
I said to myself and told others that this will be my last year to involve in the KKP... no more next year. I love the fun, but the responsibility... rasa macam tak tertanggung. But, I will always be the one yg langgar my own janji... camne ni?
Got some bad news today at work.. the job that I am aiming for... the job that I hope could be my ticket out... will never going to be a reality... my hope was just crushed down... macam org bunuh kutu kucing... (argh... apa punya contoh entah...) but I felt so annoyed... what can i do and where can i run?
Kalau Robin Sharma, mesti dia dah cakap... "face your own fear head on... and you will succeed.." Head on collision seems like fun... I believe God will guide me.. God will give me the strength... God knows best...
As I said, I had my two weeks of fun... enriching experience... a small bumper along the way... apa sangat ajer lah... kita naik bumper tu laju2...
PS: Aku dah giler...
Saturday, May 31
The Kite Runner...
I just finished up reading this book recommended 'highly' by Aiman. My lovey wife said, "Hey you can just watch this movie you know? No need to read." But I bought the book anyway... I guess, reading it, will do justice and further more, when I read the stories, I will immersed myself in my own imagination on how the situation will take place in real life. How the experience relates to my own.
Aiman reviewed the book saying a lot of things about friendship, but as I read thru, I can't stop thinking about my dad. He is not as tough, strict and hard headed like Baba Jan... my dad is the most down to earth and nicest person that I ever know of... he is only up to my shoulder height, fair skin, well-build (he is a farmer and a loyal government servant). He always did his best when he is up for something. He is good very handy. Hardworking. Always trying to help other people although he knew that it is beyond him. Art lover... sincere. Will always do anything for his family. and has problem to ask something if it's for his own benefit...
How Baba Jan personality influence Amir in the Kite Runner story really makes me wonder, how much my dad has influenced my life. How he has made me the way I am now. How come a man who only finished form 3 knew that he has to send all his kids for boarding schools and later on into university, so that all of them will not ended up like him? How can he survived all this with only RM450 salary a month? How come a man who doesn't know a thing about English language and yet spent RM1000 to buy a radio with an english tapes so that his kids can learn this universal language.. and yet this was in 1983? When no one in that village hardly talk any english, except maybe the Medical Doctor at the local clinic where my dad worked at... Dr Samy.
Ayah has a 3acre palm oil plantation and we had to go there twice a month to harvest. It wasn't easy. I was only 11 when I asked my dad to let me do the most important job while harvesting... the hardest job ever... to bring down the ripe kelapa sawit with sabit myself. I had done this before but not for the whole 3acre. I only had my chance when ayah was too busy cleaning up the fallen leaves or bring out the 20kilos of kelapa sawit out to the collection point. I had a go for three to four tandan of kelapa before he resumed his job..
But that weekend, I asked him to give me the whole harvesting part to me. He reluctantly agreed. We completely switched our role. I bring down the fruit and he collected it and brought it out to the nearest collection point. I skillfully but very slowly brought them down one by one... managed to get half way of the 3acre all by myself and within the expected time. Sweat had been pouring all over and already got some blisters on my hands... By three quarter of the farm, I took even more rest than usual, a sign of me almost giving up.. and occasionally glanced at him, hoping that he would take over.. but he wasn't... just stood from distance away, waiting.. and waiting for the next tandan to be plucked off. To make things worst, rain started to fall and it makes it even harder to do the job.
By this time, all my blisters started to swell and some of them bled... so painful and I cried. I just threw the sabit away, and made a promise to myself, that I wouldn't do this job for a living. This was not the best way to earn money... it was just too hard. He didn't say a thing to me. He picked up the sabit and finished up my work... kept me to myself sampai lah dah nak balik, when he asked me to pack up and leave home.
My hand throbbed for the next two weeks before it finally healed. I was wondering of all the hard work that he had to endure just to make sure that we got the best education ever. He could just be selfish and kept all the money to himself like most of his friend did. He could just bought a small piece of land at his kampung and build a big mansion, like most of his friend. He could just bought of other people's farms and make more money out of it, just like his friends... but nope... he just did the opposite.
During "gajian" time, this was when he got paid for all the kelapa sawit that he harvested for that month. He would bring back some groceries and bought us 'sate'. And he will paid us our 'salary' for helping him out... and it was one of my proudest moment when I got much much more than my brothers... RM50 of my own good HARDwork. How he taught us the value of hard money, and how we have to earn it...
Aiman reviewed the book saying a lot of things about friendship, but as I read thru, I can't stop thinking about my dad. He is not as tough, strict and hard headed like Baba Jan... my dad is the most down to earth and nicest person that I ever know of... he is only up to my shoulder height, fair skin, well-build (he is a farmer and a loyal government servant). He always did his best when he is up for something. He is good very handy. Hardworking. Always trying to help other people although he knew that it is beyond him. Art lover... sincere. Will always do anything for his family. and has problem to ask something if it's for his own benefit...
How Baba Jan personality influence Amir in the Kite Runner story really makes me wonder, how much my dad has influenced my life. How he has made me the way I am now. How come a man who only finished form 3 knew that he has to send all his kids for boarding schools and later on into university, so that all of them will not ended up like him? How can he survived all this with only RM450 salary a month? How come a man who doesn't know a thing about English language and yet spent RM1000 to buy a radio with an english tapes so that his kids can learn this universal language.. and yet this was in 1983? When no one in that village hardly talk any english, except maybe the Medical Doctor at the local clinic where my dad worked at... Dr Samy.
Ayah has a 3acre palm oil plantation and we had to go there twice a month to harvest. It wasn't easy. I was only 11 when I asked my dad to let me do the most important job while harvesting... the hardest job ever... to bring down the ripe kelapa sawit with sabit myself. I had done this before but not for the whole 3acre. I only had my chance when ayah was too busy cleaning up the fallen leaves or bring out the 20kilos of kelapa sawit out to the collection point. I had a go for three to four tandan of kelapa before he resumed his job..
But that weekend, I asked him to give me the whole harvesting part to me. He reluctantly agreed. We completely switched our role. I bring down the fruit and he collected it and brought it out to the nearest collection point. I skillfully but very slowly brought them down one by one... managed to get half way of the 3acre all by myself and within the expected time. Sweat had been pouring all over and already got some blisters on my hands... By three quarter of the farm, I took even more rest than usual, a sign of me almost giving up.. and occasionally glanced at him, hoping that he would take over.. but he wasn't... just stood from distance away, waiting.. and waiting for the next tandan to be plucked off. To make things worst, rain started to fall and it makes it even harder to do the job.
By this time, all my blisters started to swell and some of them bled... so painful and I cried. I just threw the sabit away, and made a promise to myself, that I wouldn't do this job for a living. This was not the best way to earn money... it was just too hard. He didn't say a thing to me. He picked up the sabit and finished up my work... kept me to myself sampai lah dah nak balik, when he asked me to pack up and leave home.
My hand throbbed for the next two weeks before it finally healed. I was wondering of all the hard work that he had to endure just to make sure that we got the best education ever. He could just be selfish and kept all the money to himself like most of his friend did. He could just bought a small piece of land at his kampung and build a big mansion, like most of his friend. He could just bought of other people's farms and make more money out of it, just like his friends... but nope... he just did the opposite.
During "gajian" time, this was when he got paid for all the kelapa sawit that he harvested for that month. He would bring back some groceries and bought us 'sate'. And he will paid us our 'salary' for helping him out... and it was one of my proudest moment when I got much much more than my brothers... RM50 of my own good HARDwork. How he taught us the value of hard money, and how we have to earn it...
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