Selamat Hari Raya

selamat hari raya aidilfitri

I guess its still not to late for me to wish all of you since technically Hari Raya is one month. This year my family and i went back to celebrate at my village (kampung) in Johor Bahru (my wife wouldn't call it a kampung since it is too near to the town but not me, hehe).

We started our journey on Monday evening, two days before raya. We departed from Baling at about 7 pm and reached Johor Bahru at about 4 am. It is tiring, but when it is going back to your home town, feeling tired doesn't even come close in your mind.

That morning, i decided to have my hair cut as i couldn't manage to do it earlier in Baling. We went to HP or Holiday Plaza. I even got to visit the local supplier for my fix of dvd's....ehem ehem (pirated ones). Later in the evening and at night, it's time for my kids (Aiman and Danial especially) to enjoy the eve of hari raya by playing with fireworks and 'bunga api'. They played with their cousins until very late at night. They even refused to go to bed.

Danial with his big grin....

Decoration with lights

Some of the fireworks

The next day, it's Hari Raya! Everyone is up early. Take their baths and put on their brand new Baju Melayu. I took my mother, Aiman and Danial for Hari Raya Prayers. After that we went to visit my father and my sisters' grave in Mahmoodiah Cemetery. It's been quite a while since i have visited the grave. I sometimes wished that i had lived nearer so that i can visit their grave more often. Then we all gather and ask for each other hands and for forgiveness. Aiman is excited because after we 'salam' it would follow with a gift of 'Duit Raya" (equivalent of angpow in Chinese New Year), he wanted to collect lots of it due a certain Batmobile that he wanted to buy. That afternoon we went to my eldest sister house and han lunch there. unfortunately Danial managed to break one of her mirror in the house. That reminds me that i still owe her a mirror.

My Family all dressed in yellow

My wife with her darling Afiq

The next day we went to a few houses and visited my aunt that i haven't seen for quite some time. By evening my family's house is fully booked as my brother from Kuala Lumpur and Malacca had arrived. I can't remember when was the last time all of us had gather together at the same time.

Third day we had a big family shoot. All of the families had their photos taken, and of course the big family photo. We planned that it would be at about 10am, but knowing my family it had started late. Finally we managed to get it done at high noon. Everyone had to stand under the scorching sun. but it was worth it. Watching all of us together really makes me happy.

My Eldest sister Kartina Ahmad with her husband

My second sister Kamaliah Ahmad with her family

My third sister Norhayati with her husband

My fourth brother Zainal Abidin with his family

My sixth sister Zaleha Ahmad with her family

My seventh brother Razif Ahmad with his family


My eighth brother Shukri with his family



My ninth sister with her children

Thats me the tenth member of the family



My siblings with our two mothers



Our Big Family Photo

The next day we started our journey back to Baling, but this time we didn't went back straight but made a one day pit stop in Kuala Lumpur. We went to my wife's friend house in Taman Equine in Seri Kembangan and my good friends' house in Kota Damansara. Then we went to Subang at my brother's house for dinner.

On Sunday we went to Puchong for lunch at my other brother house. After lunch we made our way back to Baling. Traffic is smooth sailing all the way, but i couldn't say the same about the traffic from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur. The traffic is at a crawl from the Ipoh Selatan toll to Kuala Lumpur.

There it is, my Hari Raya holiday. I hope you had enjoyed your holiday as much as i did. Selamat Hari Raya to All of you. Maaf Zahir dan Batin.