The photos on anne's blog are amazingly gorgeous. Fooh, makes one wanna go to Italy. At the risk of sounding like an ingrate, I do think it's time for me to go for another holiday. Like Mak said, I need another holiday to recover from a holiday, tee hee!

But looking at my bank account now, we'd be lucky if we can head to a chalet at ecp for our next holiday destination (shakes head in despair).

Mak was asking if I had enough leave to go back to our indo kampong in Jogjakarta, to visit Allahyarhamha Nen's sister & relatives in Dec 06. Sadly that's not to be because I've not "choped" to go on leave in Dec 06, and as already mentioned, my bank account is in a sad stage of its lifecycle right now.

Wouldn't that be wonderful? To go back to Jogja, meet relatives I've not met for more than a decade, soak in the fresh air, feast on the paddy fields & greenery, buy sweet kacang rebus at only 100 rupiah at petrol kiosks, eat street food priced super cheaply, buy batik wrapping papers at 10 rupiah per piece, oogle at handsome indo-mats (oops, out of bounds now given I'm now a Mrs)...the possibilities are endless!

Sighs sighs sighs! (Hey we Muslims aren't supposed to sigh too much, kan?)

I wish to return there some day. The kind of life my relatives lead there is totally different to how we live here. For starters, I'm fat; heck we are fat! The first same-aged relative I find in Jogja is probably 15 kgs lighter than I am. Apa kan tidak, they probably still eat chicken once a year during lebaran, while we gorge on chicken almost every other day. (Looks downwards at tum tum & shudders)

I still remember when I was 11, we went to Jogja when my late Nen was still around. She hadn't met her sister for 50 years!! Can you beat that?! Such strong women they are, having gone through so much in their lives.

We brought bags of toycars & chocolates for the children. And the village kids were thrilled! My brother, only 5 then, went around a small part of the village gathering little boys to come play with him, as they stared at my brother like a foreign person. We were of the same race & we looked alike save for the clothes we were wearing. But the difference in our languages are as apparent as the the difference in the lives we lead.

I remember we lost our way when we were driving on the bare road in the village. We stopped by an old farmer who was walking home, and gave him 1000 rupiah ($1 then) as a gesture of thanks for showing us the right way. He cried tears of joy & recited a supplication for us. Aww~ sedih tak leh carry seh!

For the enlightened ones, poverty can bring them close to God. For those who have yet to attain in, or those who are rich & basking in comfort like us, yet continue to be ingrates (God Forbid!), may we see the light soon.

Now I really feel like going there. Next holiday destination? Are you game for it, AH? Or are you tired of having me tag along during yr holidays already? :p

Heee, this time, I'll do more research, can?