Our trip to Tioman Island had been canceled due to the rough sea conditions. The authorities are being very strict with the issuance of permits to go to Tioman, especially when the seas are rough, and more so after the ferry tragedy last year. And luckily we found this out when we were nearing Dungun, otherwise we would have gone all the way down to Mersing and then realize that there would be no ferry going in to the island!

So we visited a couple of touristy places instead — the Turtle Information Centre @ Rantau Abang, where all the leatherback turtles used to land and nest, the “Mother Turtle Stone”, the floating mosque and the newly launched Crystal Mosque @ Taman Tamadun Islam (literally translated as the Islamic Civilization Park). The pictures will come later, but now, here’s another joke :vodka:

My Dear Mathiur,

I am in a well here and hoping you are also in a well there. I’m writing this letter slowly, because I know you cannot read fast. We don’t live where we did when you left home.

Your dad read in the newspaper that most accidents happen 20 miles from home, so we moved 20 miles. I won’t be able to send the address as the last person who stayed here took the house numbers with them for their new house so they would not have to change their address. Hopefully by next week we will be able to take our earlier address plate here, so that our address will remain same too.

This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine, situated right above the commode. I m not sure it works too well. Last week I put in 3 shirts, pulled the chain and haven’t seen them since. The weather here isn’t too bad. It rained only twice last week. The first time it rained for 3 days and second time for 4 days.

The coat you wanted me to send you, your Aunt said it would be a little too heavy to send in the mail with all the metal buttons, so we cut them off and put them in the pocket. Your father has another job. He has 500 men under him. He is cutting the grass at the cemetery.

By the way I took Bahur (daughter-in-law) to our club’s poolside. The manager is bad. He told her that two piece swimming suit is not allowed in his club. We were confused as to which piece should we remove?

Your sister had a baby this morning. I haven’t found out whether it is a girl or a boy, so I don’t know whether you are an Aunt or Uncle.

Your uncle, Khaled fell in the nearby well. Some men tried to pull him out, but he fought them off bravely and drowned. We cremated him and he burned for three days.

Your best friend, Begum, is no more. He died trying to fulfill his father’s last wishes. His father had wished to be buried in the sea after he died. And your friend died while in the process of digging a grave for his father.

There isn’t much more news this time. Nothing much has happened.

Love, Mom.

P.S: Mathiur, I was going to send you some money but by the time I realized, I had already sealed off this letter.