Sun 22.5.2022
Just came back on the first plane out of still dark Kuching this morning. It was yet another close relative's wedding. Where the last time it was about 100 km away, return, this time it was for ten times that distance - 1,000 km - and counting one way only! Fitri, my brother Dr. Din's, only son, decided he wanted to have a Sarawakian wife. For years we had teased him about hitching it with another relative of ours of about his age, but to no avail. Now we know why.
The other uncles and aunties must have demurred from taking up respective duties for the required ceremony. But Din and wife came to the house much earlier, requesting my presence as the eldest first uncle. How could I refuse ?
Fitri said he had booked air-tickets for 19 - 24 May for all of us. I agreed, because I had nothing on my diary when they came to the house. Unfortunately, my old Old Putra Association then decided to have the Hari Raya do, not done for 2 years because of the pandemic, at first on Tuesday 24th. That meant I had to return latest Monday 23rd. I decided to come back on Sunday 22nd. This meant Fitri's booking had to be amended. I told him immediately, and that was about 10 days ago. For reasons known only to him, he didn't do anything for one whole week, and instead of telling me what the problem was, asked his mother to speak to me. She called, suggesting any one of my children could make the booking changes. I told her, sure, but why did Fitri keep quiet for one week ? I said the reason why I asked Fitri to make the changes was because he made the original booking, and he could get back to the agent for the changes. So I got No. 2 Son to buy the return tickets from Kuching to KL, assuming the KL-Kuching part remains unchanged. A couple of days before D-Day 19/5, Din, my brother's S.I.L. called and said my flight for KL-Kuching had been cancelled together with the Kuching-KL part ! What was I going to do with the return tickets I'd bought ? Never mind, Din said, I'm also going to Kuching, too, and I'll buy your ticket. That's how we got to go eventually. And it was a good thing that I went, because there was only Ajit who also came, out of the 9 of us siblings.
Compared to many Malay wedding receptions I'd attended here on the Penisula, this Sarawakian affair was smooth and respectible. The sitting down affair was punctual and proper. Everybody, and I mean everybody, came well-dressed. Often I see guests here coming in very casual, untidy clothes. And whole thing was over within the 2-hour alloted period, and did not lack the rites and speeches normally provided for in these Malay receptions. There was the rice-feeding ceremony between the wedded couple not seen in the Peninsula, on top of the du'a and the well-received speech by the bride's sister. Here the buffet-style luncheon would drag forever. I couldn't catch what was said, because of the Sarawakian tongue delivered with speed, but the crowd laughed and applauded. Later I called her and asked what she said that tickled everyone. She explained, she had said "and after this, maybe it's my turn to get married". I laughed out loud and applauded.
My only reservation was a personal one, and it appeared that I was the only one afflicted. The cooking was said to be typical Sarawakian. I have to learn to acquire the taste. For one thing, it's like Kelantanese - they put sugar into everything.
The day earlier the marriage ceremony was held at the bride's house. They had set up a nice arrangement, with a raised dias for the couple, and table and chairs for the imam and the groom. Others were provided a few rows of chairs. The groom recited the ijab qabul in one shot and Pak Ngah the doctor, the groom's uncle-in-law, shot quickly "sah !". I was the other witness and wanted the groom to repeat it, just to let him feel a bit jittery, but Pak Ngah beat me to it !
We were housed in 2 "homestays" that were some distance apart. Mine was a bit further but still within the "Taman Guru". For transportation, Din borrowed a car from one of his friends staying nearby. Din also bought some supplies, but the main meals were provided by the bride's family, so that department was ok. Only, I had my spate of bad appetite just then, but some mee koloks, apples and bread and peanut butter covered for it for the 2 days I was there. The house itself was fully furnished, with 100% airconditioning. I never found out how much it cost the hosts. There were 3 bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen and bath room, a separate toilet, and a living-cum-dining area.
The flight from KL and the return took 1hour 30 minutes each way. But the car took 1 hour from the airport to the homestay. And that because the Grab driver took a number of detours, going around several really large roundabouts. I was in Kuching before, the last one when accompanying Mizi to a golf tournament maybe 6-7 years ago, and don't remember very bad traffic. This time, after landing at about 3.30 pm, the taxi took us on to the road to Taman Guru at about 4.30 smack into the office workers returning home. Din, my brother, sent us to the airport at 2.30 a.m. Sunday 22nd, to catch the first flight out of Kuching at 5.30. I wanted to make sure no 1-hour trip would delay us. But without office workers, the trip only took 30 minutes. That meant a dark and empty-of-passengers Kuching International Airport greeted us at the unearthly hour of 3 in the wee hours of a Sunday morning. But the worse part was, no outlets were open. The only food we could lay our hands on was in flight, about 20,000 feet in the air ! Luckily, this was a MAS flight. Breakfast was included in the ticket. When we came on Thursday. it was on Air Asia. We had food. We had nasi lemak Nasser. But that was pre-ordered and had to be paid for.
In the earlier mix-up about air tickets, I had to call No 2 son to get our return tickets. This was because he has flown all over the world, and getting the tickets at short notice shouldn't be any problem. But I didn't expect a 5-o'clock flight out of Kuching. Even if he got us a 10 p.m. flight back, it would have been ok, because we'd be home, and the various alternatives for getting home from the airport should be a cinch.
Jimikoling's services had to be summoned for the airport trip to Kuching on Thursday. I said to come not later than 10 am. The flight was for 1.15. I didn't want delays before reaching the airport to irritate me. He came at 9.45. Again Jimikoling proved his punctuality, which is great, because I'm planning to use his services many more times before this month is out. The only question is, what's he going to charge me by. The official Grab rate, or his own? This time, when I asked him as we slowed down at the departure gates, he said "200". "Your father's head !" was my reply. We settled for 80. I'd expected 100. But as we approached KLIA2, there was a call on his Grab site for service. That meant even before finishing this trip, the return one was already filled. That's how this service maximise the mileage. "Be free on 26th" was my last booking before Jimikoling left us at the airport departure entrance.
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