The Search. Day 2

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Southampton. 

April 2 morning from the window of my room. 

Grey Sky, Wet and Cold.

Sister HR and her daughter, my niece, HZ came up to my room. 

We had a light breakfast. 

And discussed our next step.

We came to the UK armed with only an address. Which I found online a few years back. It was a company's address.

But as I searched for more details I was convinced that it was also a house address.

And 

an online contact through an anonymous friend. That has not responded to sent messages for sometimes now.

We informed our Dear Mother of our every step. And we sought her and everybody's du'a. And kind strangers. 

~`~

Niece booked us a hotel online for our next stop.

This time we managed to get a family room. 

The three of us together.

We checked out and booked a taxi.

to 

Portsmouth

~`~

It was about 50 minutes journey. 

Our cab driver was a kind gentleman from Somalia. Who, after our prompting, talked about his life in Britain, his family in Somalia. A daughter in South Korea teaching English.

He talked about us being careful. Because some unfortunate incidents were happening to Muslims in London. He advised us to avoid walking in the street the next few days.

I explained that we were just going from hotel to hotel. 

By Taxi.

He said Inshaa Allah we would be fine.

As we reached our hotel, we sought his du'a. For safe journey and the accomplishment of our search.

~`~

Farmhouse Innlodge, Burfields Road, Portsmouth.

A cosy hotel and warm reception welcomed us.

I was still exhausted from the long flight and nauseating aftermath in the coach.

My sister and niece have been away since 16 March, to Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands. In a group tour hunting for Aurora, the Northern Lights, and emerging Tulips. Hence their arrival from Amsterdam to Southampton.

While I flew in direct from Kuala Lumpur because I had prior commitment.

~`~

We checked in and rested. We decided that we should move to a hotel closer to our destination. Unfortunately Niece has booked this hotel. Still some distance away. I preferred that we should locate ourselves in the locality of our destination. Thinking that local cab drivers would be familiar with the local landmarks and roads. And hoping that we would get to know some Muslim drivers who might even know the area.

Nevertheless, we decided to try to recover as much as we could in this hotel.

Later, ravenous, we booked a taxi and went for dinner at a Muslim restaurant a few miles away.

Again slept like a log till early morning for Fajar.

Watching golfers across the field braving the cold and grey morning.

Alhamdulillah.

For another day. Despite our apprehension. Closer to our destination.

The Search. Day 1

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Where do I begin.

Probably my most distinct memory of her.

The first day of Primary School.

Every child walked to and from school. 

Some distance away from our Ulu Village.

On the way back, walking with my other siblings, she fell and hit her brow on the gravel road. 

A slight scar right across her perfect right eyebrow. 

Was the only reminder of that fall.

My Sweet Little Sister.

Our Pearl

~`~

And years and years later.

Something happened.
No.
 Not just something.
A series of painful and traumatic incidents.

And our Pearl.

Left.

The country for good.

Never to be seen nor heard.

~`~

April 1 2018.

Destination: London

Mission: In Search of Our Lost Pearl.

Depart MH4

Kuala Lumpur-London Sunday 1 April 2018

09:50 Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) Terminal M

16:35 London Heathrow (LHR) Terminal 4

Duration: 13h:45m

Airbus Industrie A350-900

Post flight Coach to the next destination booked.

Hotel booked.

~`~

I was slightly unwell. 

Packed with remedies from the Pharmacy I departed. 

I took a couple of Paracetamols to prepare for the takeoff and landing. 

Previous extremely painful experience during these two processes when I was sick has taught me well.

And prayers, zikr.  As Husband kept reminding me before departure.

~`~

It has been many years since I was in a West Midlands' University in the UK.

It did feel like another homecoming.

A nostalgia of sorts.

But most importantly. 

I was apprehensive whether I could accomplish what I intended to do.

For Our Dear Mother.

For our Lost Pearl.

For all of us. The family.

~`~

Alhamdulillah.

Reached London on time.  

Sleeping throughout most of the journey since I did not sleep a wink the night before.

And I am not too young anymore for this long haul flight.

After a long queue and plenty of immigration polite queries, I moved on.

A nephew and his family kindly received me. 

Nephew was Husband's Sister's Son.

Nephew sorted out my communication needs. And set me on my booked coach to my next destination.

Southampton.

Departure: Heathrow Airport (T4) Arrivals Forecourt

Sunday, April 1, 2018 7:15 PM

Arrival: Southampton Coach Stn, Harbour Parade,

Sunday, April 1, 2018 9:15 PM.

Another 2 hrs. On the National Express.

~`~

I am never the one for coaches or buses. Nausea is a big issue. Hence why favourite public transport is the train. It is my transport of choice since my residential school days, travelling up and down Seremban-Bukit Mertajam-Seremban.

Alhamdulillah.

Reached Southampton. Without major mishap despite my churning stomach

Consistently trying to suppress my cough throughout the 2 hr ride.

As we were disembarking a lady seated across me smiled.

'Get well soon'

She said. 

Immediately, I felt much better. Emotionally.

As I trudged in the cold drizzle towards a taxi a few steps away from the Coach Stn.

to

Ibis Southampton Centre

9 West Quay Road Western Esplanade, Bargate, Southampton.

and 

To join HR my sister and her daughter HZ who were already in the hotel.

The both of them flew in from Amsterdam earlier in the afternoon.

~`~

Alhamdulillah.

It was a short less than 10 minutes ride in the taxi. Checked in. Lugged my light luggage to the lift. Into the room. Messaged my sister HR that I was in, and bid goodnight. Would see them in the morning, I said.

It has been a long day. I fell asleep in my travel attire.

Ecology and Balance

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Warming up.

After a long break.

Let me start with some food for thought.

"One of my favorite memories of my childhood was my father helping me set up an aquarium. In retrospect, I understand that he was teaching me to think about a community of organisms and their interactions, interdependence, and the issue of keeping them in balance so that it would be a healthy community. That was just at the beginning of our looking at the natural world in terms of ecology and balance. Rather than itemizing what was there, I was learning to look at the relationships and not just separate things" (Mary Catherine Bateson)

(Source: https://www.edge.org/conversation/mary_catherine_bateson-how-to-be-a-systems-thinker?utm_source=pocket&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pockethits)