In Balance

Tell us a bit more about yourself.
I work as an administration staff, and I’m single (laughs). I love traveling—I’ve been to quite of number of countries in Europe. And I also love to take photos of myself (laughs). And scenery too.

What was the last trip you went on?
In 2018 or early 2019, I went to seven countries in the Balkans. So places like Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia, and more, but I forgot the rest already lah (laughs). It was very nice there, I loved it.

Do you have any plans to travel now that borders are opening up?
Ya, I’m planning to cover Malaysia. There are provinces there that I would like to visit. See, we always look so far ahead, and so far away, but Malaysia has been right in front of me, yet I just didn’t look up (laughs). So this time round, Malaysia lah, nearby.

I love that countries like Malaysia have two sides you know: towns and the countryside, so you’ve got choices to see. Not like Singapore, a modern country.

Which is your favourite place you’ve traveled to?
Oh, I like London. You know why? Because London is like Singapore—a lot of locals there, and the halal food’s also easy to find up there.

And when I visit London, I prefer going in end-March, towards April and May, because that’s just after winter, and spring is coming. Ah, this is the best time to go.

Also, people always ask me, where do you go to shop in London? Bicester Village? Harrods? No, no, no, I go to Primark (laughs). Eh, seriously, it’s so cheap you know? It’s like heaven.

How about in Singapore? Where do you go to shop?
Oh, in Singapore I go around and shop anywhere, but I prefer neighbourhoods lah. You can get cheaper stuff, but nice also (laughs).

What’s your favourite thing that you’ve bought recently?
Ahh, my baju kurungs for Hari Raya, of course. I love my Malay outfits, and I always buy more than one (laughs). Because we Malays, we like to go visiting. Relatives, friends, I tell you ah, if Raya lasts for one month, we go out everyday for one month (laughs).

And then apart from visiting, we also enjoy the food and the kuehs. Thank the Lord, because now the government allows us to gather and visit. That is we’ve been waiting for, since the past two years cannot. So now it’s like we take revenge lah in our celebrations. Can I say that? (laughs)

Did you do a lot of visiting this year?
Ya, and towards the end of Hari Raya, a lot of people like to do open house, so they invite relatives, friends, everyone. By right, I got two open houses to attend over the weekend. But ahh! Cannot lah, cannot lah! I enjoy seeing that, but I cannot cope, because I stay alone (laughs). I cannot tahan so much visiting. I need my alone time also.

You know sometimes, those big families, when they visit each other, they will cater a coach. Eh, really! I saw one bus with one family inside, going from this place, to that place.