Back from Ghana

I have returned from my third Ghana trip, feeling miserable and sick on Saturday night. The journey to and fro was exhausting, not to mention the hectic and taxing days at the yard for EXCO, Board and Annual General Meetings.

The feeling now is the same like post the first trip - high fever and diarrhea that actually forced my way in and out of the toilet more than ten times in a day...

On the positive note, I was given a free upgrade to First Class (from Business Class) for the Dubai-Accra sector. It was my first time traveling in one so I really cherished the moment. Meals were served on "a la carte" and "as when you like it" basis and I thought it was rather cool.

View of the First Class Cabin taken from my seat

The menu

The breakfast - luv the cereals with strawberry yogurt. And the bread basket all to myself!

Starters - Smoked fish and salad. Note that I was given a bread basket all to myself...again!

Main course - lamb shanks

Dessert - chocolate mousse with strawberry sauce

But off course... I would rather be with my family than traveling outstation even though I was given the chance to sit in First Class. What matters most are my family. The irreplaceable objects of my affections...

Tai-tai @ my significant other

Aisyah @ Kakak

Aliyah @ Adik

Speaking of Adik, she will be admitted to HUKM tomorrow for two days observation before her scheduled surgery on Thursday to repair her palate. Don't worry Adik... you'll be fine. Daddy and Mummy will always be by your side.

Sayangkan anak dan isteri - tinggal-tinggalkan?

The title of my post today is actually an improvised version of an old Malay peribahasa... it literally means that if you love your family, you would leave them behind in pursuit for wealth. Really? Coz that's the situation that I am currently in, and I am not excited about it at all.

I have always told the people around me, especially my circle of friends and colleagues that my family are what matters most to me. I love Tai-tai.. and I love the kids terribly. Being away from them, albeit just a few days, means sacrificing a lot of my allocated time for them. During weekdays, we could only spend one or two hours (the most) with the kids before settling in for the day.

I am now sitting in the Emirates Lounge at KLIA for the third time this year.. and you could guess it right! I'm on the way to Ghana again! Of all the places in this world, it seems that this particular Western African nation is the one that keeps calling me back, despite my fear of being mugged by the airport personnel as soon as the plane landed.

I was supposed to leave last night, but my flight was delayed for more than three hours which means that I would have missed my connecting flight to Accra. The airlines have auto-booked us on the next flight to Accra, which departs a day later. Sensing that there was no point for us to stay in a hotel room in Dubai for 24 hours, I've decided to take the next day's Emirates flight out from KLIA. That should leave me with only two and a half hours of transit time in Dubai instead of 24 hours (if I had taken the choice of going ahead with the first flight).

So today, I left my family behind again. They sent me off at the gate. Aisyah bid farewell to me with a sad face, and so did Tai-tai.

I have yet to commence my journey, but I cant wait to return home this Saturday..

Pix above.... snapshot of the KLIA Emirates Lounge taken from my HTC. The pix would have been better had it been taken from Tai-tai's E71.

Welcome back Daddy!

Finally...I'm back! Sorry my blog...I've been neglecting you for quite some time now. Its unintentional. Believe me.

Serious.

I have my own reasonings.

I am now sitting on my King size bed at home, with Tai-tai leaning on my shoulder and my Aisyah trying to impress both of us that she managed to finish her milk tonight. Yes Aisyah, I know that. Every night you give us the same routine... and I enjoy every bit of it.

I was at work (circa 6-ish in the evening) when Aisyah rang me up. She asked for nuggets, the ones from the Golden Arches Restaurant of which I brought back for her two nights back. As soon as Tai-tai stepped out from the car, Aisyah quickly ran to the door and asked:

"Mummy! Did you get something?". So sweet. Yes dear. We bought the nuggets that you requested. Muahhhh!

Aliyah is asleep, but I got the feeling it will only be so until 1 or 2 in the morning when she will decide to wake up for her playtime until 5. She is in a totally different timezone.


Daddy : Will be in Ghana next week (Sigh)