A Reunion by the Sea...

“Friendship is the golden thread that ties the heart of all the world...”

(Friends forever)

It is time for our SMKB classmates’ reunion once again.

This year feels a little more special. We have managed to gather a small but meaningful group of girls from the Class of ’71. Each carrying her own stories, her own journey through time. Our meeting place: the breezy shores of Bayu Melawi Beach in Bachok, Kelantan, where the sea stretches wide and the wind seems to whisper memories from long ago.

Some of the girls, together with their families, will be staying the night at the resort, turning this reunion into a brief family retreat. Others will join us just for the day. Just enough time, perhaps, to laugh, to reminisce, and to reconnect. The plans are simple, but filled with joy. A seafood barbecue by the beach, light-hearted games, and the kind of conversations that only old friends can share.

I find myself feeling unexpectedly excited. There is a certain warmth in meeting old friends, those who once shared classrooms, laughter, secrets, and youthful dreams. Some I have not seen since the day we went our separate ways after school. Time, of course, has left its gentle marks on all of us. We have aged, each in our own way, shaped by life’s many turns.

We may not recognise one another immediately. Faces change, voices soften, and years quietly reshape us. But beneath it all, something remains untouched.

 

(SMKB Reunion - 2017)

There is something timeless about friends who knew you before you became who you are.

My Trip Itinerary:

(26 - 30 April 2026)
Day 01: Kuala Lumpur - Kuala Terengganu
Day 02: Kuala Terengganu
Day 03: Kuala Terengganu - Kota Bharu
Day 04: Kota Bharu - Bachok (Reunion Day)
Day 05: Bachok - Kuala Lumpur

My Overseas Travel Blog:

munmus.blogspot.com

Hatyai - The gang 55-year Anniversary Reunion...

 "With old friends, you can pick up right where you left off, no matter how much time has passed..."

(Big Five: 1970 - 2025)

Date: 24 - 26 July 2025

Activity: Big 5 and the gang Reunion

Hotel: The Regency Hotel, Hat Yai

When they invited me to join our 55-year comradeship reunion in Hat Yai, I hesitated. We’d barely been back from our Central American trip for two weeks, and I was still recovering from both the jet lag and the mountain of laundry. My Muslimah classes had just resumed, and I was determined to catch up. But then I thought, fifty-five years! That’s not just a reunion, that’s a historic summit. Who knows if we’d all still be able to make it to the 60th? My sensible side told me to stay home; my heart and maybe my curiosity told me to go.

 

(The gang from Kota Bharu)

(Big Five - 55 years of comradeship)

So hubby and I packed our bags, tucked in a packet of panadols and a bottle of yoko-yoko for emergencies, and drove to Hat Yai via Bukit Kayu Hitam. The rest of the gang came in a van from Kota Bharu via Tak Bai. When we reached the Regency Hotel Hat Yai, the rest had already checked-in.

(Breakfast at Chabura Dimsum Restaurant)

The hotel is situated very near Lee Garden Night Market. The moment we stepped off, the air hit us, a heady mix of sizzling satay smoke, sweet mangoes, and the occasional waft of grilled squid. Street vendors called out cheerfully, motorbikes zipped past, and the whole area hummed with energy.

When the gang met at the lobby, it was like stepping into a time machine. The young faces I remembered had been replaced with older, wiser ones though the mischievous smiles were exactly the same. We swapped stories, compared medical prescriptions, and laughed until our sides hurt.

 

(Kayson Souvenir Shop - One Stop Centre)

(Leather goods and souvenirs at Nora Plaza)

(A stop for fresh honey and delicious ice-cream)

We thronged the crowd in the markets and plazas, pretending not to be tempted by the fried chicken stalls and roadside souvenir shops. And later wandered through the night bazaar under strings of glowing lights. The years melted away in between the jokes, the food, and the shared silences only old friends can enjoy. We had a whole day to ourselves, wondering in and out of eateries and shopped till we drop!

(Khlong Hae Buffet Seafood Restaurant)

(BBQ and Shabu2 style buffet, eat as much as you can!)

(A visit at the Khlong Hae Floating Market)

I came home tired, but my heart felt light. Sometimes, catching up with friends is worth pausing the rest of life for. Even if it means a recurring backaches and an extra pile of laundry waiting when we get back.

Next Trip: Kembara Wilayah Yunnan

My Travel Blog: munmus.blogspot.com

Brunch with the SMKB/SIC sisters...

“When faced with illness, remember that your true strength lies in your ability to maintain a positive mindset.”

(Brunch at Shah Alam Club)

The seniors and juniors of SMKB/SIC had a small get together for brunch at Shah Alam Club. It was an opportunity to meet with the SIC hostelite seniors, Kak Sar, Datin Jon and Datin Sri Dah and my former SMKB schoolmates YB Ubai, Sidah and Datin Ma. I have not met with the seniors for a long time since Kak Sar was diagnosed with Colon cancer. Kak Sar has undergone a few operations and chemo sessions and is recovering quite well.

Amidst the challenges of illness, Kak Sar perseverance becomes a beacon of inspiration for all of us.

(The juniors, Nong, Sidah and YB Ubai)

(YB Ubai and Kak Sar)

Through this journey of healing, may Allah give Kak Sar inner strength and embrace the power of self-care to get well soonest, InsyaAllah...

Iza's son wedding...

"There are some people you meet where it's never awkward, no matter how much time has passed. The friendship is so deep that time makes no difference..."

(The old friends of La Salle Brickfield)

This event is a time of unparalleled joy for Iza and Azian. It was also a mini reunion of hubby's childhood friends.

The time has come to stand side by side
The Groom in his glory, his beautiful Bride.
They've waited so long for this moment in time
To take their vows and say, "Will you be mine?"

Congratulations to Shafri and Hidayah...

(A gathering of childhood friends)

(Congratulations to the lovely couple)

Epul's Wedding Reception in Kota Bharu...

"A happy man marries the girl he loves, but a happier man loves the girl he marries..." - Nigerian Proverb

(Saifullah & Rosaini)

On the way back from our Thailand Route 12 Trip, we detoured and entered Malaysia via Sungai Kolok/Rantau Panjang border crossing and stayed in Kota Bharu for two days to attend Saiful's wedding reception in Kg Padang Bongor. Saiful is YB Ubai's youngest son.

(A pit stop in Kota Bharu before we headed home)

(Big 5 minus the groom's mom)

(A small reunion of the SMKB gang)

A gathering of the veteran Veterinarians

"If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans..." -James Herriot

(A small gathering for the veteran Veterinarians)

Believe it or not, I was once a qualified veterinarian.

Today we attended a Hari Raya open house at Dr. Natrah's house in Shah Alam. Dr. Natrah is a Veterinary Surgeon and the founder/CEO of I-Vetworks Sdn Bhd. Her father, Dr. Abd Razak and I were classmates in ITM during our 74/78 Animal Health and Production, School of Applied Science. 

We met some old friends of DAHP, most were practicing veterinarians till they retired. Some like me, continued our studies and chose different career paths. Whatever careers or positions we had, we are still close buddies and remain connected.

La Salle Brickfields brunch @ Chef Wan's

“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked...” - Bernard Meltzer

(The La Salle Brickfields guys with their spouses)

Today we had brunch at Restoran Che Wan, with hubby's La Salle Brickfields' schoolmates from the early 70's. Lately they have been meeting quite regularly to touch base.

Chef Wan's offers a diverse selections of main dishes of International and Asian influences with house-made French pastries and bakery delights. These are authentic international fare inspired by Chef Wan’s personal travels around the world. Besides, there is an array of Malaysian traditional mouth-watering desserts too.

(Restoran Che Wan at IOI City Mall Putrajaya)

(The comradeship of La Salle Brickfields old boys)

(The spouses at Chef Wan Restaurant)

Years passed us by swiftly, and we will always be friends until we’re old and senile...

Bikers reunion at a wedding...

“In this life, we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love...” – Mother Teresa

(A small reunion of our bikers gang)

Today we attended a wedding reception in Dewan Dato Harun in Serendah, Selangor for Hj Long Zaini and Tuan Shamirul Afida's eldest son.

Many friends attended the wedding reception so it became a small reunion for the bikers gang. It was so great seeing them and touch base again. It has been too long since we last met. We were away most of the time, so we missed a few of the teh tarik sessions with them.

(A wedding reception in Serendah)

(The KKB Bikers gang)

(The lady bikers, older but wiser)

The Anchor of Time...

"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart..." - Eleanor Roosevelt

(SIC 72/73 Reunion at the Grand Renai Hotel, Kota Bharu)

The Anchor of Time

In moments of change, we drift and roam,

Yet old friends stand firm, like a steadfast home.

Their laughter, a lighthouse when shadows descend,

A bond carved in memory, our hearts will defend.

Their stories entwined in the tapestry bright,

Illuminate paths through both day and night.

With whispers of comfort, they always are near,

In the warmth of their presence, we banish all fear.

(Author unknown)

(The ladies with the organising committee)

(The Big 5 - Ani, Bee, Kid, Ubai and me)

(The Big 5 with Zan and Saaidah)

The company of old friends...

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends...” - Martin Luther King, Jr

(Mus, Nas, Mazlan, Hafiz and Salleh)

The other day when we were in KGNS, some of us planned to visit our bedridden friend, Ridwan in Jenjarum. It has been quite a while since we met him.

Physically he is quite weak but still his cheerful self. We updated him on mutual friends, shared nostalgic stories, and informed him about things happening outside that he might miss.

We kept our visit short as we know that he needs his rest.

A memory no one can steal...

"True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost..." - Charles Caleb Colton

(ITM Applied Science gang at KGNS)

Our circle of friends may naturally shrink as we get older.

Life becomes more of a patchwork quilt, each piece stitched together by memory, layered with love, loss, laughter, and longing. We look around, and maybe there are fewer people at our table than there once were. Our friendships feel like treasures gathered over time, some friends have traveled the whole journey with us, others only for a while. 

The memories are all there, stitched in that quilt, and we pull it close on quiet nights, letting it warm us with reminders of all the lives we’ve touched and been touched.

Jani's son wedding reception...

"Prayer will keep your marriage strong, so never hesitate to seek guidance..."

(Congratulations to Zafran and Nadia)

To Jani and Azwan

Thank you for letting us share in this joyful day. 

We wish your son, Zafran and  his partner, Nadia 

All the best as they embark on this wonderful union...

(A beautiful reception)

SIC Sisters Bonding

"True friends are like diamonds—bright, beautiful, valuable, and always in style..." - Nicole Richie

(SIC hostel sisters)

Soul sisters make the best partners in crime and the most loyal allies.

That weekend when we arrived home from our Acheh trip we planned to spring clean our Putramas apartment before Sara and family came to stay for a week. But when the SIC sisters made plan to visit Kak Hamidah who came visiting her children in Cyberjaya I promised to join them. I have not met Kak Hamidah for over 50 years since we left the hostel.

We had a good time catching up and reminisced our younger years. Soul sisters share a sacred bond of trust, loyalty, and unwavering support that only strengthens with time.

SMKB gang at Satay Kajang

" A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity..."

(Celebrating Nik Arif's homecoming)

Today, hubby and I took the MRT Kajang Line from Sungai Buluh Station to Kajang to meet up with my childhood friends from SMKB. The journey took approximately 77 minutes with  30 stops in between, which was quite tiring for people at our age. Next time if we go to Kajang, we would rather drive.

We met at Restoran Satay Samuri and had a good time catching up. They were my friends way back since the early 70's and we were in the Scouts together. Those were the days when we looked after each other and were always available for each other through sad and happy times. Over the years, we lost some who were very close to us.

Good friends are like a four-leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have...

(MRT Sungai Buluh Station)

(The Bunny Boys, one is missing)

(Tok Pa came visiting, He was our super senior in SIC)

(A late comer. Old friends having a moment...)

(Enjoying the view from the back of the train)

Sariah's daughter Wedding

"May the true love you share today grow stronger as you grow old together..."

(The newly weds)

To Izzaty & Mustaqim,

Wishing both of you joy,
love and happiness on your wedding day 

and as you begin your new life together...

(A wedding reception at Bora Ombak, Putrajaya)

(SMKB friends from Kota Bharu)

(The newly weds with parents' school friends)

(Sariah and Hj Din, the parents of the bride)