A trip to the past

After almost 8 hours of drive, what passed us by were granite caves, vast green padi fields, small kampong houses and later on, a familiar small town of Kota Bharu re-emerged. It is as if all those memories of where I grew up all came flooding into my head all at once. I was immediately excited at the prospect of exploring again. Meeting grandma gave me much relief as I could see that she is still very strong and alert - almost looked like how I had remembered her when I was very young. Left home for so many years, this time back home was mainly to celebrate her 80th birthday. I was determined to rediscover the whole town, to rekindle my memories of this place that is alien to some. Meeting old friends, sight seeing, visiting the temples, the beach, the infamous market, watching the people, living the lives that they have been living really amazed me. I became a tourist in my hometown, as if visiting for the very first time. I have long pulled myself away. I felt I did not belong here anymore every time I headed home during the semester break. This time, apart from having built some new buildings here and there, everything else looked and felt the same. I felt as though this place is in a hypnotic state, and I had fallen into a trance. I took a sip from a glass of the past, poured from the bottle of history. It tasted a strange combination of bitter sweet. My biggest reward of the trip was that I met up with my old English tuition teacher and my old neighbour and school friends. All of them remained unscarred by the passage of time. They hardly aged much and exude the same simplicity and warmth. They glowed with certain contentment. I was only glad that I had made this trip back home for it made me realize where I truly belong – to treasure my past and to embrace the future of a hustle bustle city life where I now called home.