The Last Encounter with the Snow

Time flies, that's what they say. And yes it is true, as it has been already a week we entered the holy month of Ramadhan without realizing it.

It is already the end of winter in Australia, and the weather is now getting warmer. This could be the last winter for us as a temporary residents in Aussie. Thinking about that, a few days before Ramadhan, we have made a quick decision to have a trip to the Snowy Mountain, south of New South Wales, for the last encounter with the snow.

Sunrise

First time we went there, my parents were here too. It was winter 2007. Aiman was not even existed at that time. However, this time, he was the happiest of them all, playing in the snow.

Started the journey from Bankstown around 4 in the morning, the journey took about nearly 6 hours. We stopped at Goulburn for subuh prayer, just a quick stop at the car park behind the gigantic statue of the Merino sheep.

Continued the journey with the sunrise on our left along the waterless George Lake, and the great dividing range on the right. The scenery was spectacular. We could see from afar the wind turbines across the lake turning gracefully. Then we entered the Australian Capital Territory.

The frost started to melt when the sun rise

A few hundred kilometres after that, we arrived in Cooma. Here, we stopped for snow suit hiring. Aiman looks like an astronaut in his one piece snowsuit and boots. We also hired a toboggan, which Aiman kept on calling it ‘boat’. It was a piece of plastic where we sat on when we slide down the snow slope, similar to the ‘upih pinang’ we used to play around the kampong long long time ago. I also hired a pair of wheel chain, as it was a requirement to carry them during winter, in case of heavy snow and if the road was covered with snow.

Aiman and his toboggan

Our snowman, look more like a 'batu nisan' rather than a snowman, hehe

The weather was very clear and not so windy indeed. Well, we arrived at the Perisher Blue, a ski resort area, nearly 11 o’clock. We met Azam and his family there. Quite a lot of people that day, and a number of buses carrying school children for their snow trip. We just stayed and played at the tobogganing area, as none of us knew how to skateboarding or snow skiing.

Satisfied with everything, with nasi goreng as the food the day, we started our journey back around 3.30 pm. We were thinking of spending the night somewhere along the way, but since there was nothing else to do or interesting places to visit, I decided that we headed straight back home. We arrived safely home at about 11 p.m. Total distance traveled on that day was 953.1km, but it was worth the memories…

Covered with snow

For my fellow Malaysians, Selamat Menyambut Hari Merdeka!

Hari Pertama Ramadhan

Alhamdulillah, hari pertama Ramadhan telah pun kita tempuhi. Syukur kepada Allah kerana diberi kesempatan kepada kita untuk sampai kepada Ramadhan kali ini, untuk menghirup udaranya, menikmati malam-malamnya yang penuh kerahmatan, serta siang-siangnya yang penuh dengan ujian kesabaran, perlu diisi dengan keinsafan.

Hari pertama berpuasa, sudah ada jemputan berbuka. Hari ini, kami berbuka di Blacktown, di rumah keluarga seorang permanent resident yang berasal dari Singapura. Abg Ghazali telah menetap lebih 10 tahun mencari rezeki dan membesarkan anak-anak di bumi Australia, lebih tepat lagi di bandaraya Sydney. Alhadulillah, semoga tuhan memberikan ganjaran dan memberkati mereka sekeluarga.

Majlis dihadiri ramai tetamu, daripada para pelajar, pegawai MSD, dan juga beberapa PR yang lain. Berbuka puasa dengan buah kurma dan segelas air teh 'O', kami menunaikan solat fardhu Maghrib berjemaah di backyard rumah. Siap dihampar dengan hamparan tebal yang kedap haba beserta sejadah di atasnya, kami bersolat di dalam kedinginan penghujung musim sejuk. Lebih selesa berkain pelekat, mujur saya beringat untuk memakai seluar beserta selapis T-shirt tebal di dalam baju melayu. Jikalau tidak, mungkin saya akan menggeletarrr kesejukan di dalam 'air-cond' percuma yang Allah berikan kepada penduduk di Sydney ini.

Seusai solat, kami pun menjamu selera. Pelbagai juadah tersedia terdiri daripada kuih muih yang beraneka macam, seri muka, nasi ayam, gulai daging bercicah roll bun, kerabu mangga, pasta dan banyak lagi, hingga tak terasa semuanya.

Masuk waktu Isya', kami sekali lagi ke luar. Di sambung dengan solat tarawih. Hujan renyai turun seketika sewaktu di rakaat ke-6 tarawih, sekadar mahu menguji sama ada kami akan meneruskan solat atau lari masuk ke dalam rumah. Namun diteruskan juga dan hujan turut berhenti. ALhamdulillah, selesai hingga ke witir. Kemudian, kami sambung makan lagi, sehinggalah masing-masing beransur pulang meminta diri.

Inilah suasana masyarakat Melayu sekitar Sydney di hujung minggu di bulan Ramadhan.