Well travelling alone is a different experience altogether and already it has both opened and closed doors for me. Let me explain.......Back on Tuesday I left Steve at the hotel in Bangkok at 7am for the first and second leg of my journey to Perhentian Islands. The first leg, the flight to Kuala Lumpur was pretty uneventful although I did spend a fascinating 2 hours talking to the wife of a high ranking army guy who works in the British embassy in KL, small world eh? Anyhow on the second flight from KL to Kota Bharu I sat next to An. We soon started chatting and discovered we were the same age. I told An about myself and found out all about her life too. An is a devout Muslim and is married to Wan. She is a very proud mother of four beautiful children. Her eldest son is Amirul but likes to be known as Yong, her second son is Abik, the third is Chik, and lastly her daughter Farah. An speaks perfect English and I soon found out why, she teaches English at a boys secondary school. After only knowing me for an hour An was kind enough to offer me a lift from the airport to the town centre. I felt a little nervous but still comfortable enough with her to accept her kind offer. She explained that Malaysian Muslims were always hospitable people and believed kindness given and shown to others in this life would be rewarded in their next life. As we waited for our bags together around the carousel, we continued chatting. We were then met by Wan, An's husband. All three of us chatted the 20 minute journey from the airport to Kota Bharu. It was after 10 minutes or so when An said her husband had offered to have me as their guest and would I like to stay at their home instead of a hotel. Sometimes in life you have to go with your gut feeling and mine was that they were honest and genuine people and I accepted their offer. Their home was on the edge of the jungle, rather than in the town, which meant it was very quiet. I was introduced to An and Wan's delightful four children who all called me Auntie Kay. I was then offered something to eat and tea to drink and then shown to the guest room. I could fill several pages listing all the kind and thoughtful things that An did for me during my stay at her home. She took me out to dinner to sample the local food, not allowing me to pay anything towards it. She took me to Tesco's so I could stock up on things to bring to the island. She and Wan even drove the 40 minute drive the next day to drop me off at Kuala Besut pier to save me getting a taxi. An helped me buy a Malaysian sim card for my phone, she negotiated a cheaper price for the boat.......the list goes on and on.
Looking back now I was so lucky and fortunate to have sat next to An on that aircraft. I have had an insight into An's life as a Malaysian wife and mother and as a Muslim. I have been able to ask questions about her and she did the same of me. She not only opened up her home to me, but her family and her heart and for that I will be eternally grateful. One day I hope I am able to return her kindness, maybe when she and her husband, or one of her children visit England? I really hope so. Thank you An from the bottom of my heart.
Like An said to me jokingly.....not all Muslims are terrorists.
I have now been on Perhensian Kecil for 5 days........The internet has been down so I've been lazy in updating my journal, more in a day or two, or three.....I promise.
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