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Sunday, August 02, 2020

Hrafnsmál by Einar Selvik


I first visited this state as an outsider and a visitor

Before Shu and I were married,he took me back to Terengganu during one of my semester breaks. I bought a one way flight ticket and packed a whole suitcase of clothes. This must have been about 11 or 12 years ago. I remember it was monsoon season. It was so beautiful. It was just rain. Non-stop. I loved it so much.

Then,after we married, Shu and I headed off to Redang Island for the first time. I didn't want to leave. If you have ever seen photos or paintings of a paradise island getaway where the sky is blue and the sea is blue and the sandy beaches are so white,this place was exactly that. That was when I realized that I am a beach person.

After that, we have been visiting the island every year..........well, except for 2017 coz I gave birth to Safiyya and I almost died and it took me so long to recover. Our kids are molded and made into beach people. All of their initiation were made at the beach on this island.

This year, we drove back for Aidil Adha. We usually don't. The traffic is usually bad and we'd be on the road for hours. It truly was just that. It took us 9 hours to get back to Shu's parents' house. Usually, we'd spend about 3 hours on the road depending on how fast we're going. It was insane but worth it.

The kids were asleep in their carseats in the back. I stayed up keeping Shu company. I could have been pulled over and tested for drugs looking at the way I was partying in the car past midnight to 3am to 5am. Yeah,it took us an hour to get from the toll booth to Shu's parents' house. The drivers in the other cars were tired and sleepy as hell so I put on some awesome music and danced in the passenger seat since our car window isn't tinted. Some people were entertained.

The kids and I had a blast. It was tiring but worth it. We helped Shu's dad fix his car. We also helped Shu's parents with the qurban meat. I spent hours cutting fresh meat. I really love knives and meat cutting...........ok,that wasn't meant to make me sound like a psychopath.

The kids enjoyed motorbike rides with their grandpa. They played with their cousins. We had a blast. I know, I already said that.

I hope we'll do this again coz I love being in Terengganu.