Going to Malaysia

This is one trip for the ages. What I like about it was the that it was my style. Pure unorganization. Great for me but hell on everybody else but I'm glad nobody got hurt. The only reason I went is because of my cousin-in-law, Urmilah Dass. She kept pestering me to go for about two years. I promised that I would come in 2009 when I was in India but didn't plan well. This time I made sure I went but didn't plan but I was going to get there somehow. Thanks to my uncle, I got on Air Asia from Tirichy and didn't look back.

Somehow, I forgot to call my cousins on this. Didn't have a cellphone with me but did mention on facebook or did I? My brother go on me on this one or was it my sister? Regardless, nobody knew when I was leaving till the day I left when my uncle called my cousin to let me know that I was coming. The whole time, I assumed they knew I was coming. When I got there, my cousin Bala picked me up. My dad advised me to go on a train to dowtown Kuala Lumpur. Unfortunately, this was not the airport which had the rail but the bus line. No need for me to worry but my cousin mentioned he didn't know that I was coming till he got a call about an hour ago. Opps!

It was a long trip from the airport to my uncle's house. I noticed many empty condos on the way with no cars but big parking lots. My cousin, later on, explained to me that these were owned by Muslims from the Middle East and come on vacations or free time of some sorts. The driver of the car was my dad's house assistant when he lived in Malaysia during the Mid-60's. Amiable man with a lot of hidden talents was my first impression. He asked how dad was and tell him about him. I couldn't sleep. I was excited in seeing the island-style mountains, the highways, billboards, and the Malay language in Roman Alphabets. People were neat to see as well particular those Malay ladies with those pink shawls over their heads.

I do remember getting to my uncle's home in a leafy neighborhood that reminds of a certain suburban neighborhood in California from the 60's. Only difference is that most of these homes are gated because thievery goes on regardless of income not to mention kidnapping. Later on, I got to open that gate which was a highlight for me. Moving on, I got to the house and met my other cousins, Sheela and Shanti. Shanti's husband, their kids, Arjun and Aish (sorry I don't want butcher your name by spelling it full).

It was a great reunion of sorts and it was on a Friday but on the background something was missing, my late aunt and it revealed itself.