After days of contemplation, I decided to buy the AirAsia tickets from Miri to Johor on Friday night 19 March for the trip next day, Saturday 20 March 2010. So happy that my leave was approved. As usual the flight was delayed by half an hour and we landed in Johor half an hour late. Sheikh Mukhtar, my wife's distant relative and his brother-in-law was at Senai airport to greet us and sent us to our hotel, The Puteri Pacific.
The next day was a two hour driving trip for a personal visit.
My wife with Sheikh Mukhtar in froint of a surau in Kg Permatang Duku, Benut, Pontian, Johor.
After lunch we went back to the hotel and since Sheikh was not able to take care of us for the remainder of our stay, he suggested Hj Aziz... and we're blessed. Not only is he a guide but for the next four days we were like a family. And we met with his other family members as well. It's amazing when I think of how our 1st visit to Johor had made us like a family to these three brothers and sister: Hj Aziz, Abang Hj Mat and Kak Zainab.
Monday was an important day because we need to find the hearing aids centre Aurabest at Jln Ngee Heng but Hj Aziz found it without a hassle and after about two hours of hearing test and trials of different models of hearing aids we decided to purchase one because we could not find a decent one in Brunei. Thanks to the really helpful staff in Aurabest.
At KFC with Aziz's children and his sister Kak Zainab and her daughter.
The next day we went to Bandar Iskandariah with Hj Aziz's brother, Abang Mat. It was raining heavily but it did not dampen our spirit.
Abg Mat explaining the development in Bandar Iskandariah. The miniature models really impressive and the actual buildings even more.
With Kak Zainab, Aziz's sister and Abg Mat, Aziz's brother.
We were also invited to lunch at Kak Zainab's house and dinner at Hj Aziz's house. The time in between eating was of course filled with shopping, my wife's favourite past time and more tasty Johor food.
At Aziz's house we were served with soto Johor.
At one of the stalls near Danga Bay. Menu for the night: rojak, taufu bakar, ikan bakar & otak-otak.
At Angsana: Mee rebus Hj Wahid, top in Johor, number 10 in Top 10 Malaysian Food.
At Larkin Central:
Hj Aziz's wife, Askiah
At the airport, with Kak Zainab
Askiah, Hj Aziz and Abg Mat
Thank you to Hj Aziz and his family for taking care of us. We look forward to your visit to Brunei and hopefully it will be soon.
And I did mention that I met a friend as well... a long lost friend,
Zakir Jaafar & wife, whom I last met in 1992 when we were studying in
Keele University, UK. It was really a surprise to see someone familiar in the hotel restaurant on my first day in Johor. So surprise that I even forgotten to take any photos. Together with his wife, they manage the
1901. Keep in touch Zakir. We're both on Facebook and Twitter.
