Friday, January 24, 2014

Chinese New Year madness



Every year comes CNY, I have mixed feelings (except those times when I was a kid, I looked forward to celebrating CNY). I am partially excited and half dreadful of the traffic conditions to drive up north. It'll easily take 5 to 6 hours (sometimes more). I still remember there was once during my college days, I was stuck in the traffic jam for 7.5 hours, alone! I almost died of frustration. There are not many alternatives besides driving, due to the inflated flights prices and bus is not even an option with 2 young kids on tow. From past experience, if I'm to give my grandma a ring to tell her that we are not going, the conversation would sound like this:

(Translation from Hokkien dialect)

Me: Hello, Ah Mah... we might not be going to Penang this CNY. Traffic is going to be very bad la. Flight are expensive too.

Grandma: AIYO! Why didn't book flights earlier? No proper planning ar, u all? I booked 10 tables already... for CNY dinner. Now you're saying you're not coming? Haiyo... how? I have to cancel? Why you didn't plan properly? Every year also got CNY mar. Book flights few years in advance la. Cannot ar? Ang pao also packed for your kids. Now only you're telling me not coming? Drive la. Cannot drive meh? Leave early in the morning. Reach here around lunch time. Not very jam la. CNY is only once a year. How can you not be here with the family? Really not coming ar?? What did your husband says? He agrees? How now? Sure you're not coming?
(Repeat the above 3x)

Me: Ah Mah... I'm just joking la. See you on CNY.

Grandma: Oh, OK. Good, good.

Hung up the phone, grabbed my credit cards and proceed to book the overpriced flight tickets or alternatively suffer hours of standstill traffic with 2 screaming monsters in the car.

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