Still Thinking…

Having teh tarik while you are 30,000 feet above the seas is a soother, I tell you. Especially so when your a** have been sitting on the blue-holstered seat for more than 10 hours, and your mind play infallible tricks of sadness when you realise that the dreaded day of ‘migrating to a new land’ has finally arrived, albeit in disguise of a Disney holiday.

I cleverly packed 3 packets of tissues with me when I was about to leave for the airport on that Friday afternoon on Mar 10, but they didnt last me an hour. My niece In had to run to the nearby convenience store inside the terminal to get me 12 more. Yes, that was how much I cried. I hugged Mak first and last. The first hug I did, she didnt shed a single tear, only to send my mind racing that my mum indeed wants to be strong for me, and to leave me with the memory of her being the strong woman that she is. But I have proven to myself again that I am not a match for her steelness, and my tearducts broke like Niagara Falls whirlpools. The second time I hugged her she teared as she whispered, ‘Jangan lupa pesan Mak’ – and by that she did not mean calling her 3 times a day, or buying her gifts or coming back once a year. Mak just wanted me to read a surah she found in her doa collection every subuh morning. She rested my safety in Allah’s hands. And that is, a classic of my mum’s – something I learnt to cherish till this day, the virtue of being redha and all willing to what God plans for.

My teh tarik solace came in the form of Yaser, who was one of the cabin crew on that SQ 30 flight. It is not often that I get a ‘Bom!’ shouted at me from across the aisle, but I did. We had a good chat at the galley while everyone was asleep, and that was when he offered a soothing teh tarik made for me. A few hours later, when the entire cabin was having breakfast, I had a special teh tarik delivered to me again by the LS, and that, has just made the USD200 more I paid for that SQ flight all worth it.

L.A is the same, except that Anaheim is much more sleeker now. I sleep with the kids in one of the 2 suites, and we are having a rocking good time making silly jokes. Disneyland is all hype, but I am joyous that I get to ride in the tea-cups and and the King Arthur Carousel – except that my tight jeans means I can’t spread my legs wide enough to get on the horse, damn! The 3-D shows were awesome, and no guesses who scream the loudest.

I am a wimp when it comes to adventure rides. I detest roller coasters, and all those Space Mountain-types that most people go for when it comes to these theme parks. I can tell you a lot about the Mark Twain steam ship, but no thank you sir, I didnt’t take ’em rides. So sue me.

California Adventure Park is a thrill! I love it…especially the A Bug’s Life 3-D show. The screaming only made me lose my voice more, but hey, it was cathartic ok! And oh, how can I forget the mood-thumping, hip-rocking Block Party Bash, where everyone danced and clapped their hands up high. I was so into my 80’s mood, that I must have embarassed the kids. They were watching me in disbelief. ‘Oh God!’, they must have prayed. ‘Is this mad woman really my auntie?!’

DH said that there is a barbeque party waiting for me when I arrive in Canada on Friday. Everyone will be there, and I can’t wait for that.I can’t wait to see his face and munch on pancakes at IHOP on Sunday mornings and irritate him with my stories. I feel blessed by how God plans this entire transition, He is indeed, the personification of greatness.