Happy Chinese New Year!

This festive season started well since I slept through most of my journey back to Malaysia. Waiting to arrive at the destination in a moving bus, with absolutely nothing to do except listening to your MP3, is excrutiatingly boring. I sometimes dream of owning a teleportation system that allows me to travel back home with a flick of a button. One minute I'm in Singapore, the next minute I'll be in Malaysia. So cool!

Anyway, the trip this time was quick because I fell asleep a couple of miles after Yong Peng (after the movie finished), and then woke up to my dad calling on my mobile to realise that I've already passed KL - a few more stops before Ipoh! (HURRAY!)

My brother and sister picked me up, together with a surprising guest - my cousin whom I've never seen since 2006 Chinese New Year.

He didn't look like his age; he didn't really change much since I last saw him. We chatted and update each other of our lives before he left us for his home.

When my siblings and I reached home, our parents have already done the cooking and it was time to eat! Tuan yuan fan is what we chinese call; and it is literally translated to "reunion dinner".

My dad spent most of the time on the chicken (rooster actually), which has a funny autobiography before it ended on our dinner plate. My dad bought it alive and well from a market in Gopeng, the day before CNY eve. It had crowed non- stop in the morning of the Eve, as if knowing it's death time is nearing, and interrupted my siblings sleep, whose rooms are located near to the rooster's cozy cage.

Well, after that my mother slaughtered it, and handed it over to my father who went on to cook it. My dad is really disciplined when it comes to cooking, and strictly abides to the cooking book; he turned and turned the huge chicken in the pot of boiling salt water every 8 minutes - without fail.

At the end, my brother point at the cooked rooster, and jokingly cried, "HA! Not so great after all, am I right? Making so much noise this morning!"

The dinner was really sumptous and delicious. And after doing the dishes, we all sat before the TV watching Chinese movies and later on "PRIME" starring Uma Thurman and a cute guy. My brother and I stayed up till 3 to finish the show, before we knock the beds. My sister stayed till 4 watching her own shows from her laptop - as usual.

The first day of CNY started with my mum knocking on my door, and presented me with her ang pow. I wished her Happy Chinese New Year before I return to beneath the thick covers.

I must say I really missed home. Especially the luxury of my bed, the air conditioning, and the superbly thick covers. The warmth of my family was greatly missed, and I am glad to be home, even for a short period of time.

That morning, after washing up and changing into new clothes, we headed to meet with my aunts and uncles, and cousins, from my dad's side, for a vegetarian breakfast. The place was already packed with people when we arrived, but that did not stop us from getting our food. After waited for an hour or so, we finally got ourselves a seat (as usual my family arrived early just to reserve seats for our relatives), and proceed to giving orders.

After food, my parents and other aunts and uncles left for shopping at a nearby shopping mall; while me and my siblings took off to our cousins' house.

We did long chats with our cousins, which was unusual because never have I talk so much to my cousins before. We didn't really have much in common except food. But this year, the chats were friendly and jovial, and I really laughed a lot.

Of course, we gambled a bit. It is a must to gamble and squander all your any pow money. This is a time to flaunt the wee bit of wealth that you inherited from parents and married relatives in red packets. My cousins were enthusiastic as ever; there were cries of joy when money was won from the "banker", and light- hearted angry words when luck gone worse.

A cousin of mine, whom I have never seen for almost 2 years, suddenly returned home for t fthis CNY, thus there was also a more reunion feel for this year's festive season.

This CNY also gave me an opportunity for my housemates to visit my home, and for me to treat them to a sumptous meal of Gai Xi Hor Fun - one of Ipoh's famous food. I was quite disappointed about the treat and their visit, mostly because of my part. I made them wait, albeit the fault was not intentionally made, and after sometime I delayed their lunch time, thus they were very hungry by the time we reach the makan place.

However, they were very understanding, and accepted my apologies, to which I was grateful for. I was also rushing for time because my family has to drive down to KL city to have dinner with relatives from my mum's side. The loss of time to spend with my friends was adding pressure onto me, thus the visit was not as I've planned.

Next year will be much better, I hope.