Staycation

 KL Hilton, KL Sentral

12-14 Dec 2021

We picked up Faris at SDAR on Friday 10 Dec 2021, at 12.30 noon. It was jammed everywhere as there was a accident on North South Highway and we had to use LEKAS to reach Seremban. So happy to see Faris again and can't wait to hear his stories about his life in the hostel. We also help send Johan's wallet to his house, which he left in the class.

We checked in on Sunday and swim at the pool at 5 - 6.15 pm. After that we played archery at the side of the pool. We need to book the time to use the pool and also time for breakfast. We were given only an hour to finish our breakfast which is really a hassle as I like to take my own sweet time to savour and try all they have to offer. 

The kids enjoyed the pool so much as it had a decent slides and they had fun trying it. 

Before this we also stayed at Intercontinental Hotel, Jln Ampang and it was good too. Inter breakfast was 7 - 9 am so we had ample time. 

Foods was bought from the surrounding shops like Penang Kayu Nasi Kandar, Subway in NU Sentral etc. 

After we checked out, we went shopping at NU Sentral and we had Baskin Robbins too. After that we had lunch at Nasi Lemak Wanjo in Kg. Baru. 

Royal Belum Houseboat Trip 

Tasik Banding/Temenggor

Gerik, Perak

17-19 Dec 2021

It all started when my sisters suggested that we go somewhere during the school holidays in Dec. We had the MCO due to Covid19 lifted middle of Oct and we went to Langkawi first as it was announced as the travel bubble destination before other places are open. Langkawi was so boring this time, I end up feeling not in the mood to do anything. 

We tried to ask for a few places in Melaka just for our family to gather, but all places are full and the ones available are too expensive. One fine day I had an idea, I liked my previous Royal Belum trip with my company, so why not this time I brought my family there. It will be fun and a new experience for them.

So I contacted Ju from UMW IPS and Ita from UMW Toyota asking for contacts and was directed to Dila, the sales agent for Caravan Serai Holidays. I asked for quotation and was given 2, one with transport (RM449) and the other one without (RM389). After consulting my family they choose to go with the bus as it would be a hassle to drive to the jetty and we might have to book a homestay coming back from Tasik as it would be dangerous to drive late at night. The bus would cost RM2,200 more and we agree to it as it would be convenient.

The plan does not always run smoothly as I wish and there was a lot of drama along the way before the trip materialised. I was told by Dila on Friday the 10th of Dec that their boats run into problems and were confiscated by the government as some of their participants break the SOP of Royal Belum. I give them until Monday 13 Dec to confirm whether the trip will go on or not. After much difficulties I managed to speak to Bella, Dila's boss that finally clear up all the actual issues that crop up and I give her the chance to look for an alternative by Tuesday's afternoon, 14 Dec. By about 3pm Bella did not call and I called her and was told that she did not managed to find a boat for me and asked for the deposit of RM5,700 to be refunded. I was of course frustrated but came to accept the fact that the trip had to be cancelled. I told my family the same afternoon and everyone redha.

That night at 10.40 Bella called me and told me she managed to ask a group to change their date and I can have the boat on the dates that I planned! Subhanallah! My tears actually came out hearing the good news and I whatsapp my family to let them know. They were ecstatic of course :) Bella said we had to pay extra RM80 as it was a new boat but RM40 will be borned by the company. In the end I only paid RM700 extra as half of it was discounted by Dila. I requested Bangmok as the tour leader as previously engaged in the UMW trip. 

So the bus came to an area near my house at 10 and we load everything by 10.32pm. Departed at 10.40pm and reached the jetty at 8 am after a stop at RnR Sg. Perak and solat subuh and breakfast at Masjid Gerik. I was raining heavily that morning but luckily it reduced to a drizzle when we reach the jetty. We upload all the bags onto the boat and carefully treaded tebing sungai to go inside the houseboat. 

The boat was pretty new but not that clean I guess. And it was leaking at a few places when it rains. There were 8 rooms at the top level of the boat and 2 downstairs. So Mak and Abah stay in the room downstairs and the rest of us are on top. There are 4 bathroom upstairs that is so convenient. The old boat had 4 baths, all at lower section of the boat. 

First Day

The boat was running for 5 hours to a place they called Pulau Tujuh. As it was the monsoon season, the water level increased and we are able to go until Pulau 7. Otherwise the boat had to dock at Pulau Lima. That afternoon, we swim in the green lake and play with the raft and kayak. Fazil joined my family in this trip and we had fun swimming. I am happy seeing all my nephews and nieces happily enjoying themselves. The food served was delicious too. Although it rains the 3 days we were there, we still had fun.

Second Day

Was told that we cannot go to the waterfall today as there are 'kepala air' coming from the top of the hill and the water is actually brown as it brings debrises with the force of the water. We went to see Rafflesia flower in the jungle but there's a lot of pacat that I hate! I actually had to pluck them away from my shoes as they go crazy looking for their victims. The pacat climbed onto Ariana's hand and Dini was crying and panicking. Danish and Afrina were also scared. I quickly went back to the boat with hubby as I can't stand the pacat. Hubby later discovered that one pacat managed to climb to his yummy and bit him hahahaha.

We managed to see a half bloom flower which is lovely. After that we continue swimming and playing with the kayak and rakit. The boat also pulled the kayak and rakit and they had fun! 

Third Day

We went to the waterfall as it had stopped raining for a while. The water was so cold and one pacat managed to jump to my finger on the way to the waterfall. Seeing the pacat Abg Aiman refused to go inside the water but jumped when I told him that 'kat batu tu lagi byk pacat!' hahahaha.. Coming back from the waterfall we swim and played with the rakit again. The speedboat pulled the rakit again and the kids like it. I just sat on the speedboat watching the kids enjoying themselves. 

The boat head towards the jetty at about 12 noon and my swimsuit was blown away and fell into the water *cryyyyyy* It was about RM260 per set huhuhuhu.. I was so sad but could not do anything about it. Might have to buy a new one. 

The boat reached the jetty at about 3pm just after I finished my lunch as I was busy packing things upstairs. This time the boat parked at the jetty and we climb up and load the bags onto the bus. We took photos at the jetty area and departed soon after. After a few stops we reached Bandar Nusaputra at about 11.20 pm as there were traffic jams along the way. It had been a good trip after all. 

When I had internet connection, I discovered that I had 999++ messages and came to know that Selangor was flooded in a few places including Shah Alam. 

Slept late that night and woke up late too :) 

(Will upload the photos later)

 

Faris going to Boarding School

31 March 2021, Wednesday

The result of the MRSM entry application was released on 10 March 2021 and Faris didn't get it. There's not even an appeal button to click on, unlike some of my friend's kid that I asked. I accept the result, I redha cause I have prayed that Faris be given the best school for him. So MRSM might not be it. I will wait for the result of SBP application. Whatever the result is, it will be the best as I had prayed for Faris, Insya Allah.

I am a bit worried for Faris because he's not consistent in his exam, sometimes good, sometimes not too good. I dont know how he fares in his SBP exam that he took at Sek Seri Puteri last month as hubby's the one who brought him to the exam. What worries me is that they seems to have problems with some document that hubby brought, saying that it's not the one they wanted. 

But the consolation is hubby thinks Faris did well in the exam as when he interviewed him about the questions Faris seems to be able to answer well. And so we wait. 

19 March 2021

We had to go back to JB and applied for surat merentas negeri from the police as Selangor is still in PKPB. We left the kids at home with bibik as we're afraid the approval might not be obtained. 

And today is the day the result of SBP application is released. However we are not able to check with the link given by Pn. Rose the admin of the kids' tuition centre. And so we wait for later to check.

Later in the afternoon CY Mas message in and asked whether Faris got SBP and I said I cannot go in. She gave me a link to check and I dutifully did as she asked. We were dumbfounded and can't believe our eyes when the page says "Tahniah! Anda ditawarkan ke Tingkatan 1 Sekolah Khusus Tahun 2021 Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.

And we were further dumbfounded upon further checking that he got Sekolah Dato' Abdul Razak! All the while we had been thinking that if he fails to obtain admission, I will appeal to my school via our Alumni as Alumni's had 10% quota for admission  of our kids. 

We actually choose Sek Sains Alam Shah in Cheras, SASER in Seremban and Samura my school during application as MCKK, SAS and SDAR cannot be chosen. We cannot click at the school's name so we understood that those schools will be allowed to choose its own student. 

We told hubby's family and I think my BIL will be the most happiest as SDAR is his alma matter and he always talked about the school. 

When we broke the news to Faris, his response is: I don't want to go to asrama. Huhu. So the days after that was spent brainwashing him to accept the fact that he will go to asrama, whether he likes it or not. Alhamdulillah he seems receptive after a while.

We started preparing things for his school, baju and seluar sekolah (3 sets), kasut hitam macam orang kerja (we bought 2, 1 of it is RM70 at Bata and the other one hb bought online for RM29), slack hitam and other colors (4 pcs), songkok, t-shirt collar putih, singlet putih (3), track bottom (3). The bills is RM198 (+ Ariana's kain pengawas RM41.90) + RM260 paid by hb). Other things like cadar, sarung bantal, baldi, tie, selimut etc need to be bought at the school's koop as some of it has the school logo on it which bills will come to RM659.

Other than that we need to pay yuran makan of RM3 per day for those with income RM5000 and above. If your household income is below RM5K you only need to pay RM1 per day. 

Today I asked a friend to help CTC'ed the documents for registration and we need to do a few more things like medical check up, take passport photos and buy toiletries and snacks for Faris. I also need to fill up various forms that my hb will not do as he hates filling up forms.

Registration will be on 6th April 2021 and my BIL will tag along. He must be excited to go to his alma mater again hehe.

My hope is for Faris to be happy at the school, to learn properly, to cope with any difficulties, to manage on his own, to be independent and hopefully he will receive help in the event he's not able to. I hope he won't miss home too much and that we will be able to visit him often. It will be Ramadhan soon and it worries me somehow. You know Faris never wake up for sahur on his own huhu. I hope everything will go smoothly, Insya Allah.

Till then.