Above: Mum’s apartment block in the right of the picture.
Yesterday was a filling day, eating and visiting my aunt. It’s a good reminder that Singapore is such a cheap place for eating despite being a developed country. Thanks to poorer neighbours that supply produce and labour.
You can’t believe various research that claim it’s one of the most expensive cities in the world because that’s based on a basket of goods required by a white expat professional relocating here.
Today, I travel from Singapore to hometown with Mum and step-dad. But we do it the cheap way by crossing the border to Johor Bahru’s Senai airport. We left home around 1000, with step-bro driving. He took us out for brunch of yumcha before taking us across the border using the Tuas bridge rather than the causeway.
With good border and traffic conditions, we were at the airport 2h30 prior to the 1540 departure and had to wait for check-in to open. There was a sign at check-in that said that Royal Nepal Airlines does not accept TV as hand luggage! I suppose migrant workers tend to shop up before flying back to their home country.
Once airside and looking out on to the tarmac, I realise that the airport had become a dumping ground for some old aircraft. There was a Fokker 50 from defunct Pelangi Airways and an MD80 from Myanmar Airways International.
The arrival of a Riau Airlines Fokker 50 inspired me to think about travel to the nearby Sumatran areas. Soon, it was our turn to fly off on Malaysia Airlines to my hometown Kuching.
The crew on board were marvelous, looking after elderly Mum, stowing her picture frame carefully and retrieving it for her before we disembarked. Even for this flight of over an hour, we had a meal choice of fish curry with rice and vegetables or lamb on flat noodles with vegetables.
Kuching airport was a mess. It was being expanded and things often get worse before they get better. My brother Benny picked us up. He was very skinny due to the Atkins diet.
We stopped for dinner on the way. I was too full so I ordered a fruit salad while watching Benny eat fish. Unfortunately my fruit salad came with mayonnaise. Hhhmmm.
Around town people were burning fake paper money for their departed ancestors. That’s when I realised it was the seventh month on the Chinese calendar. In fact, it was the last day of the month.
I settled into Mum and Benny’s new home. They shifted here recently and it’s their first time living in an apartment. As she ages, the setting should suit her much better.