Sea Fever

talented young clowns of donkoi

Fiwwwitt!!

I will be going to Laos on the 1st of January 2006 for a week to do a theater clowning workshop with the poor kids of Donkoi village, Vientiane. Finally, my wish come true. I am going there at my own expenses as my personal loan from my organisation approved recently.

Booked flight with Airasia saving me more than half if I opt for MAS or Thai Airways. Kuala Lumpur -Bangkok with Air Asia is about RM290 return whereas with MAS is going to cost me about RM800 or so. Same with Thai Airways. From Bangkok I will fly on to Udon Thani, an hour away from Vientiane. A friend from Malaysian Embassy in Vientiane is kind enough to fetch me there.

Read in NST the other day how Dr Jemilah forked up her own savings of RM35,000 to build mobile clinic in Kosovo. Passion goes above everything.....reminds me of Sea Fever by British Poet Laureate, John Masefield -

"Sea-Fever"

I must down to the seas again,

to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must down to the seas again,

for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume,

and the sea-gulls crying.

I must down to the seas again,

to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull's way and the whale's way

where the wind's like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

By John Masefield (1878-1967).

(English Poet Laureate, 1930-1967.)

In a related development, Mercy Malaysia called me for Pakistan mission- to do hospital clowning as part of their psychosocial intervention programme for earthquake victims. Most probably will go in January after my Laos trip.

Got to raise funds for the trip. Usually to go for Mercy's mission, volunteer got to pay for the airfare. Heard from a friend, that to go there will cost around RM2000 or so for the airfare etc.

Anyway, I am writing to Siti Nurhaliza today to sponsor not only for the airfare but also for the "duit hantaran". (read Utusan today please for actual context). Hahaha.