Once In A Lifetime Family Vacation

My summer vacation supposed to be staying back at home in Malaysia, soaking under the scorching sun, and see the friends from previous school. But instead, we're going on a family reunion in Sarawak and a trip to China, which cuts my time in spending more time with my friends.

It started on July 12, when Megan and I flew to Sibu, Sarawak to help with the preparation for Grandpa's 80th birthday party. Then the next day we flew to Kuching for a big family photo shoot at Jacky Studio. You never notice me wearing my only dress (black halter), white heels, and make-up on. The photographer was crazy. He gave orders and told us to say silly words like "ah moi" =.= He also gave me a phrase I'll never forget:" When your mind is empty, you will smile. When your mind has something, you won't smile."

Anyway, the photo shoot went brilliant! When it comes to individual photos, I was nervous. I strike a pose ordered by the photographer, and he loved it! XD
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3919782764341&set=o.124512874276995&type=1&theater
can you see me in this photo? =)

Then we head back to Sibu for the celebration. Guests were invited to dinner at our mansion while we grandchildren performed on the stage which was set at a far end. I was included, reciting a poem I wrote for my grandfather. It's simple, yet heartwarming (I guess XD). Everyone praised that the poem I wrote is good. I wonder whether Gong Gong himself like it as well?

A few days later, we headed off to FuZhou via Singapore and Xiamen. Unfortunately, yet slightly relieved XD, the flight from Changi Airport, Singapore, to FuZhou is delayed! TWICE! We stayed in Traders Hotel till the next day, and we switched flights to Xiamen instead. At FuZhou, the story of my grandfather was revealed to us like a real-life novel. When we arrived at his mansion where his father had built, we all were greeted warmly like VIP! Firecrackers popped like bombs. Two lines of musicians played cymbals and other Chinese instruments. The mansion was HUMONGOUS!!! Of course, it's ancient. It's built centuries ago. We're given a tour around the house, including great grandfather's room, the worship room where a sad story was hidden, the kitchen, the dining rooms, and more. We had lunch, an enormous lunch there. Then, we went to two churches, one where Grandpa got baptised, and another one where Grandpa donated money for the building of a new church. We also get to see a few remained mud houses! We passed by a long river where another story was hidden. We finally stopped by a house which stored the "Lau" ancestors' portraits. Guess who's in one of the rooms? Grandpa and Grandma's picture hung on a wall in a room of opened doors.

Then 2 days later, we had a flight to LiJiang. I wouldn't want to talk about the short flights to Kunming or whatsoever. I was too dazed! Anyway, LiJiang is more like a village. It has a higher altitude, so it's cold! I should have bring a jacket along! We followed a tour bus to YuLong Snow Mountains National Park, where  we get to see the unique YuLong glaciers. Unfortunately, it was raining. Drizzling at first, then cats and dogs. We watched a musical show at an open-space theatre. It was not bad though. It was about the ancient Chinese tribes, telling a story of nature and losing someone (I think). There's a scene when a man wailed of his sister leaving him. I'm confused by that. XD

Okay,back to the trip. Besides the show, we also saw posters of ancient pictorial symbols called "Dong Ba". It was an old language used in LiJiang before Chinese words were born! Cool,huh? I was totally lost by it! I wonder how do those ancient people create those pictures? 0.0 I'm into history??? Help, get this crap out of my head!

It's a pity that we missed the chance of seeing the glaciers.

That night, we watched another performance given by a Chinese orchestra in the concert hall. The music was of course, screechy and whiny and..stringy.The tour guide probably planned this for us just to make us sleepy. XD And I was right! Cause during the subsequent day, the tour guide took the words right out of my mouth. She took us to a better performance at a huge auditorium. The dances revealed blown us away and made us laughed our heads off. I liked the little scenes of a romantic story shown by the actors and actresses.

One thing I only liked about LiJiang was the paper store which was situated in a small village in LiJiang. I loved the notebooks made by colourful bamboo papers! And the dong ba writings on books just made me curious! I got my only China souvenir: a handbook with pink bamboo papers, perfect for notes and ideas of my stories/poems!

It was a good experience for me, and a once in a lifetime family gathering. Our flight back to kk got delayed once again, so we returned to kk 2 nights ago. >.< I'm tired of delays! We stayed in a run-down hotel that stormy night, but I got cheered up because of the hilarious mini concert performed by two cousins and my sister, Megan, with Titus playing his ukulele as background music. Still, the journey to our flight had been tragedic, because of an slightly accident caused by a taxi cab. Don't ask. I would be pissed off if I faced him just like Megan faced him.

This would be my first and last China trip! If there's another vacation, just switch to Paris or Europe XD.