February 20, 2007: I Am Back!!!!!

Hi everyone,

I am back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Long and tired journey back to KL but I am glad to be back! Just to drop few words while being forced by my p.p.s. HerbMaster aka Howard to stay online - our first online webcam chat after 3 and half days.

Will tell more about my holiday in Kulim in my next blog entry.

BUT, right now I would like to thank my dearest Herb aka Howard for being such a great help while I am not around on 360. He surely deserve a pay rise and a 6-month bonus, don't you think? "THANK YOU HONEY! YOU'RE THE BEST!"

Thank you to all my dear friends for visiting my page and for all the good wishes while I am on holiday!

It's almost midnight here, I am off to bed now ..... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Love - Larra

Lively Family Day

Monday Mayhem, It would be foolish to think that on Holiday Larra would lie in and have a rest. I failed to co-ordinate our phones and before I knew it Larra was off to the wet Market at 7am to buy provisions and local produce. Not to worry when she returned, she contacted me to wake me from my slumbers and fill me in on the day's details.

A short breakfast and they would all be off for another picnic, hopefully more successful than yesterdays. This time to one of the jungle rivers. My half asleep mind forgot to write down the name of the river or the picnic site, I was in bed and there was neither pen nor paper handy. I think the site was Sumai Sedim andd the River Ain. But Google gets me nothing for either of those.

I quickly relocated to the PC, read out all recent comments and messages from you all, and received my instructions for today. Namely - tell all her fans (sorry slip of the pen) I mean Dearest 360 friends, that she is missing them hugely and hopes to be able to be back on line late Tuesdy Night Kuala Lumpur time. But her niece is hoping to visit some one on the way home, and it did take 11 hours going out, so no promises. It may be wednesday am before she is back online.

I then was able to sleep, before getting further communication from Larra after she had returned from her day.

The picnic had been fairly successful, it had rained, but this was warm tropical rain, so they had all managed some very pleasant swimming in the river in the rain. [Is anyone else jealous, or just me?]

The picnic over they all went on to the old Village Kampong Bikam where they had all grown up, to spend time with another of Larras sisters. This sister has become in the eyes of Larra and many of her siblings, the family leader since the death of Larra's parents. So this is a well favoured visit and a MUST DO whenever Larra and her other relatives return to Kedah.

All had a great time, and returned back to Larras house late in the evening - after a wonderfully enjoyable day. For Larra to contact me as I was leaving for work, to enquire about me, and also about all of YOU!

I told her that many of you had also expressed how much you were missing her.

All for now, a further update will follow, when she has time to tell me if her final details for return to PJ & KL have been finalised! Herb p.p.s to Zaleha - yes Zaleha is her real name and it is an anagram of 'A Hazel' so if any of you can post a photo of a Hazel on your blog as a token of affection - it would be a nice touch!

Coming Home Today

Intermittent phone texts, and messages pending, fail to reveal the whole truth.

But I think that Zaleha expects to be back home within 3 hours - which will make it another 11 hour journey if they left on time, and did not have any detours or stopovers.

Hopefully she and her Niece's family decided to break the journey with some R & R - I do hope it is not another Nose to Tail Traffic Jam. But as zaleha was querying on the phone, all the people who left KL at the same time as she did, have to get back sometime too!

Hopefully, this will be my last entry on this blog (until Perhaps Zaleha is in Boston in May) and with any look Zaleha herself will be here in 2 to 3 hours.

Signing off Herb/Howard P.P.S. to Larra/Zaleha

.

Quiet Family Day

Well Larra has been having a restful day, or so it was planned. She, her Niece Salmiza, Salmiza's husband Sofi and their daughter Ain Batrisyia with Ramlah the sister of Larra who looks after Larras house for her, had been planning a quiet but pleasant day together.

First let me tell you that Larra can cook breakfast and can cook a good breakfast but her hectic schedule in Kuala Lumpur and Petalling Jaya with long days at the office and a lot of time commuting between PJ and KL often make her turn to the wonderfully convenient food vendor's for both breakfast and supper.

So when I spoke to her on the phone before I went to bed she was looking forward to a home cooked breakfast, cooked by her sister Ramlah! Luxury!

Ramlah cooked 'Cucur Udang'

I have to confess that much of the phone call was personal, but that Larra is in High Spirits. There may be some photographs of her house and garden when she returns.

On rising myself, I have by text discovered the bad news that rain has spoiled the picnic trip to the MengKuang Dam [It actually said Damn in the text message, whether that was a typo, a Malay word for Dam {lake} or a reflection of the disappointment that it was raining we can only surmise].

http://www.tourismpenang.gov.my/page.cfm?name=at02d

Mengkuang Dam, Bukit Mertajam

The biggest dam in Penang with a storage capacity of 23, 639 million litres of water is located in the Mengkuang Valley north of Bukit Mertajam on the mainland. It was officially opened by the former Governor, Dr. Tun Awang Hassan in 1985.

A haven for nature lovers, the dam features a well-landscaped garden with rubber, pinang and pine trees and some wildlife. Besides using the jogging tracks and walking trails, fitness buffs also hold regular sporting and recreational activities. The dam was recently host to the Penang International Dragon Boat Festival.

The dam is accessible via the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE). Get off at the Penanti exit from the BKE and drive on for about 2km until you reach the Mengkuang Dam. Opens from 6am to 7.30pm daily. For more details, call the Water Authority office at 604-509 6509

The picnic spoiled they have all repaired to another sister's house. This sister is called Hahmah, who lives not far from Larra's house. Much hugging and story telling no doubt -

possibly Larra is telling her sisters about the new Mat Saleh [White Man] in her life!.

I am sure she is telling them about all her wonderful 360 friends.

Larra has left her free call phone at her house, so all communication is by text.

Passing on your comments by text is slower than by voice.

Just awaiting final instructions from her majesty before I close this entry.

Larra says - tell them she misses them all, she wants to say hello to all of them - she fears that she has now discovered that she is addicted to blogging - and you all have to take care until she returns (then some soppy stuff you don't want to hear about how she has me to thank for keeping her in touch with you all indirectly)

Hugs and Kisses to all of you from Larra.

P.S. I have been told I can reveal Larra's REAL name if I want - what do you think ?

Thank you for your kind attention, Herb devoted and honoured p.p.s. to Larra

Very Tiring Journey

Well the journey from Kuala Lumpur to Larra's home town can be done by some drivers in 3 hours.

Larra has even done it in 4 hours herself.

But it can take 5 hours or more, especially if you get caught in traffic jams leaving KL on a friday night, which is why Larra does not enjoy taking a weekend break starting on a Friday Night.

This is currently the dry season, and Larra does not like driving in heavy rain. Heavy Rain can occur frequently in December and January, but now it is the dry season, so rain 'Will' not be a problem.

The only problem is that nobody told the weather.

This morning Larra awoke to thunderus non-stop rain. Thankful she was that she was sharing the journey with her Niece, Husband and Grand Niece. The Niece's husband (Nephew) will do all the driving.

That is all the good news.

Amidst teeming rain they left Petalling Jaya, and it seemed the whole of Petalling Jaya was leaving for the weekend.

They headed by Kuala Lumpur and headed for the main Malaysia Peninsular North -South highway. It seemed everyone else was headed that way too.

They got on to the main North-South highway heading North for Larra's home province up towards the Thai border on the West Coast. It seemed everyone else was heading that way too.

It was non stop traffic jams nose to tail all the way, for hour after hour. They left early in the morning, and somehow it was starting to getting dark and they were not even there yet!

By now it was pitch black, they had arrived, it had taken almost 11 hours. I had swapped a few text messages, and now Larra ws phoning me from her house.

Tired but safe. That was 13:00 pm GMT 21:00 PM Malaysia Time. I had to go to work, but not before 15 minutes on the phone with Larra.

I have read out to her all the Page Comments, all the Blog Comments, and all the Mail Messages received since she left. I have told her how I have replied, and about the blog entries I have made on her behalf. She seemed quite appreciative, I think I may keep the position of P.P.S. should the need rise again.

I have returned from work, and Larra shall be rising from her sleep at any moment now. I shall tell her of the new blog comments et al, and receive further instructions, I may be able to negotiate a pay rise if you all speak kindly of me on her return.

All for now, Hark, my Mistress wakes, Herb - - p.p.s. to Larra

I am the most honoured person in the world

I am not Larra, I am Larra's Personal Private Secretary

If any emergency occurs while Larra is away, she has authorised me to communicate with her by Mobile Phone.

I shall of course, be only too delighted to receive Larra's news from her hometown, and keep you updated while she is away.

Your very proud and humble servant - Larra's Lovestruck PPS - aka Herb

No real news yet !

Well - Larra has gone away for a few days - amongst other things to stay in her own house. Larra rents an apartment near Kuala Lumpur (Petaling Jaya - a large connurbation outside KL 10 k down the Klang Valley) but owns a house in her home state/province.

At any frequent opportunity Larra likes to get away from the hustle and bustle of KL and take the long drive back to her house, her memories of youth and her many, many relatives and friends. With 5 brothers and 5 sisters most of whom have had several children there are many to visit.

Not all of them are still in the home state, let alone the home region or even the home kampong.

One of Larra's nieces lives very near her in the Klang valley.

It is a long, and can sometimes be a punishing drive, especially after a full day at the office so Larra prefers to drive in the morning and will therefore usually drive on holiday weekend. Fortunately Malaysia has an ample quota of Public holidays so Larra frequently returns home.

The traditional malay ethnic mix is 1/3 Malay (Islam) 1/3 Chinese (Buddhist) 1/3 Indian (Hindu) - So all the major Islamic festivals are public holidays, as are the Hindu and Biddhist/Chinese holidays. Not to be rude to western visitors and settlers they also celebraate a few other holidays like christmas. Thus Larra in addition t her persoanl holidy entitlement can often manage another 6 visits per year.

Well since meeting me in early december Larra has spurned many occasions to visit her House and friends. Christmas was my special holiday so she stayed by her Internet for me. New Year coincided with a special Eid for Larra, but hey we were falling in love so she stayed by her internet again. The next holiday - we knew we were in love so she stayed again.

Then the Niece who lives nearby in the Klang Valley (and whom I have met on L's webcam) has suggested that L and She visit this weekend, because Monday and Tuesday are Chinese New Year Bank Holidays. Larra thoughy she might, maybe she should because of her niece, I agreed straight away. She needs to visit her family (and warn them I am coming to meet them! ha ha)

So Larra has gone away for 4 days, and left me in charge of her mail, I am expecting a phone call from her in 20 minutes and will update her about activity on her blog and in her mail.

I will keep you updated Herb p.p.s. To Larra