Why Am I Sleeping in a Tent? Viva Palestina Land Convoy 5

Salam dearest all,

Yesterday, after posting up my Casa de Azura castle/bungalow pictures, I was asked why am I sleeping in a tent when there are actually beds available?

Aunty Mimi (Dr Musa's +1) asked if I actually sleep inside the tent?

Zabrina was sooo curious coz she saw many pictures of rooms with beds available. So, why does Azura sleeps in a tent, right?

A few others even feel so sad (for me)  thinking I was not given any bed....

To my dear family and friends out there, dont worry ok...

I want to declare that me, Azura, sleep in a tent because I want and choose to!

Eh, nice la sleeping in the tent... Really.... trust me....

As for the reasons why I am sleeping in a tent, I will share, but for only one reason.

No, no... actually two reasons...

One is for the benefit of others who wants to join any future convoy and;

Two is for others who might still think we are here on a holiday trip.

And the reason is this:

When we arrived, the mattresses in my room had lizard feces all over it, and the room was full of cobwebs.

And when I look up, I saw some strange orange looking lizard! Not like the light brown ones we have back home.

So, of course, no need to explain why the orange looking lizard crawling in the room actually freaks me out, right? Lol!

But still, I wanted to try sleeping there.

Unfortunately, my body started itching after a short while sitting on the mattress.

Haiyoo.... I can tahan many things, but one thing I do not want to deal with right now is gatal2 and itchiness.

And because I don't want to have red spots all over, and don't want to spend my energy scratching here and there, I decided to sleep in my sleeping bag that night...

Lucky I did!

Some people who didn't use sleeping bags while sleeping on the mattresses were scratching away the next day!

Anyway, that's when I decided to sleep in the tent. Which is now has turned into my own personal castle...

Excellent! Hehe....

So, again... don't worry, coz I am happy sleeping in my castle!!

And happier still coz in my castle, I get to dream and berangan what will it feel like to be in Gaza....

.... and hold those little Gazans children in my arms, and play balloons with them..... and hugging them... and let them hold my hands with their tiny little fingers.....

(Zab, Jem and Azian, don't cry now...)

Till then!
Azura from Latakia...


(posted by Sis Zabrina for Azura who now gets to dream privately all what she wants to do in Gaza in her Casa: Itch-free!!!)

Picture courtesy of Dr Musa. As he rightly put it
'Psychological preparation for next convoy- An army camp cum prison' 

From Latakia With Love - Viva Palestina Land Convoy 5

Salam my dearest family and friends,

It has been quite a few days since I last posted.

So much going on, with very little time in between.

But I thought, I should just update everyone with whatever I can right now.

I am well and healthy, so no worries, ok...

Very happy to be surrounded with amazing people who eat, drink and sleep Palestine! Lol!

If the Egyptian and her conspirators think that they will break us by delaying this convoy, they are in for a big big surprise. Actually, what they are doing is making us more and more and more closer to one another, and more and more and more determine to help the Palestinians...

If the Palestinians can stand this for 60++ years, we sure can stand whatever thrown to us too, inshaAllah.

And it rained cats and dogs yesterday night. Although suddenly it became so freezing sejuk, I feel like it is blessings from Allah pouring on us.

Just that we had to work really hard to save all aid from soaking. Maybe Allah's way to make us exercise a bit more...hehe....

But dont worry, everything is saved, alhamdulillah!

And thanks to Dr Musa, he took two pictures of what he called my bungalow and sent them to my VPM friends. And Zabrina decided to post them although I feel shy about it...

Also, I have to say that since my bungaow is sooooo exclusive, I only accept one visitor at a time...

So, without further ado, welcome to De Casa of Azura....

My Bungalow in Latakia, Syria.

My Bungalow's Backyard....



(posted by Sis Zabrina who is waiting for Azura's exclusive invite to her new home...)

Now in Syria after 20 hours Driving - Viva Palestina Convoy 5

Salam and hi my dearest family and friends,

Today morning, I was awaken by the ringing of my phone.

As it was dark, I could not locate my phone fast enough, and the ringing stopped.

Squinting my eyes, I tried looking at the phone screen and saw Zabrina's number.

'Salam Zab, did you call? Sorry, I missed it. It is 5.50am over here....' was my text to her.

'Oppss... sorry Azura, I just haven't heard from you or Azra for sometime; and I got worried...cannot sleep...'

I don't blame you Zab, for worrying.

I have been traveling aka driving for the last 20+++ hours, from Adana, Turki to Latakia, Syria!

And as the phone signal was very unstable. None of my messages got thru to Zab.

But, nevertheless, still amazing, right?

Our convoy's journey started at about 9.00am and lasted that long.... just look at the map below (which I again ciplak from Aqsa Syarif's FB. Sorry guys, too tired to find my own map!)

Point A = Adana, Turkey; Point B = Latakia, Syria

To all my family members and friends, I find it a bit challenging to update my fb, twitter, blog in Syria; and even to sent text messages and mms to you Zab.

So, bear with me for a moment until I can figure things out...

Also, just so you know, the news about Malaysians killed etc etc etc are all big fat rumours! Don't believe them... anything you need to know, call Zabrina ok?

And right now, we are at the camp in Syria... all busy preparing for the arrival of hundreds of other activists joining us just before we board the ship to Gaza.

Did I just say Gaza??

Gaza!!

Haiyo.... by just mentioning the name Gaza makes me feel so excited....heart pumping so fast....

I really cannot wait to set foot on the land where just 2 years ago, I watched in horror and tears seeing the white phosphorus used to kill and murder innocent people...

Wait my dearest Gazans, we are all here coming for you!!

Hish, tak sabarnye.....

Take care all, inshaAllah, will write again soon!

Hugs from Syria,
Azura

(posted by worried and sleepless Zabrina for her exhausted and sleeping Azura)

The Humanitarian Heroes Who Will Live Forever - Viva Palestina Convoy 5

Salam and hi all,

One of the things that we do in Turkey was to pay respect and visit the graves of the martyr.

Once, I was walking to the grave alongside a young man who said that the martyr was his teacher. And how he loves and misses his teacher so much...

He was an inspiration to his students. His good nature and pure heart has brought him to Gaza before, and he used to bring back some soil from Gaza. And now, his student asked if I can bring some of the Turkish soil back to Gaza pulak...

Ya Allah.... feel so sebak (Jem and Mike: this is choking), geram (upset/angry/tension all mixed up) and sedih (sad)...

3 in 1....

Choking for obvious reasons...

Upset coz how can the world let these brutal Zionist behave like this and not do anything... how can we, human, let our fellow humans being murdered without feeling guilty.... nak suruh stop makan McD, Coke, Nestle and use L'Oreal pun susah and so many arguments even if they are being presented with FACTS that these companies contribute to Zionists regime... like they dont mind helping the Zionist buy bullets to kill babies, children, women, men, activists etc etc...

Sad coz thinking of this man's family, students etc who loves him and misses him....

And when we were in Kayseri, we got the chance to visit the grave of Bro Furkan Dogan, the 19 year old American Turkish who was shot between 4-5 times in his face by the heartless Zionist commanders during his humanitarian mission to send aid to the oppressed people of Gaza last May 2010.

Do you remember the bloody flotilla incident?

Clearly, Bro Furkan Dogan is the pride of his community in Kaiseri.

His story has inspired us in the convoy to continue and not stop no matter what it takes to End the Occupation on Palestine and Break the Siege on Gaza!

I texted Zabrina to ask her to search for Furkan story and Zab told me that she has two youtube videos to share.

Below are his videos and some pictures I took when I was in Kaiseri...

Furkan Dogan...  the Mavi Marmara Hero...

Furkan Dogan Community Center

Azra and me with Mostafa Dogan, brother of martyr Furkan Dogan

The Grave of martyr Furkan Dogan... He is alive and has never died..



Youtube video below shows the coffin of Furkan Dogan arriving in Turkey...

A flyer left on our VPM windshield... and yes, Palestine will be FREE, inshaAllah!!

(posted by Sis Zabrina for the fully inspired and charged Azura...)

My Host Family in Ankara, Turkey - Viva Palestina Convoy 5

Salam and hello all,

Introducing, my host family in Ankara, Turkey....

With Beza, daughter of host family

The adorable Beza and absolutely sweet Sumaya in Ankara, Turkey

The Indescribably Amazing Turkey - Viva Palestina Convoy 5

Salam and hi my dearest family and friends,

What can I say about Turkey and its amazing people....

I can never forget the image sent to me that even after an hour our convoy left Turkey, they are still standing on the roadsides, touching their hearts while waving goodbye....  felt so touched... a feeling I cannot describe... tak terkata rasanya....

They are so passionate and have been fighting on the issue of Palestine for many years and today, when I was with them, they clearly showed how happy they are that we came from all over the world for the same cause.

I remembered at one of the receptions, I was bonding with a beautiful family of mother, daughter and a small son. And the little boy was so sweet and adorable, tagging along me and even asked if I got an FB account.

Of course I do, sweetheart... and also I told him to start learning English coz when they come in 4 years time to visit Malaysia, we can really chit and chat then!

Right now its like... well, you know...

And before I left, they gave me a gorgeous ring to symbolize our friendship or is there a word like familyship?

... I was so touched...feel like crying.....  I wish I have something else than my address and phone number to give to them... thank you my dearest new family.... thank you.... you are always and will always be in my heart....

I texted Zabrina to tell her that if she and Azian were both here with me, we will cry buckets together...

She said, definitely, and said that if we add Jem in, we might just flood Gaza with our tears...

So true, Zab... so true....

I am so overwhelmed right now.... cant say much.... till then....

Missing Zab, Azian, Jem and VPM,
Azura

(posted by Sis Zabrina for Azura who now clearly needs a hug....)

One of my many new families in Turkey, Yavuz Selim and Zeynep Sena

My Palestinian Friends: A Viva Palestina Malaysia Friendship Project

Salam and hi dear all,

Today morning, Zabrina texted and told me that the Viva Palestina Malaysia interview with the Al Amin school children about their drawing project on TV3 went well.

Alhamdulillah... I cannot wait to see the uploaded youtube video.

Zab also told me about the VPM project for Children under the Friendship Committee that is called 'My Palestinian Friends' on Facebook.

This project is to help children around the world generally, and Malaysian children specifically to understand what is happening in Gaza....

And why Aunty Azura, Aunty Azra, Uncle Faizal, Uncle Zin and so many other uncles and aunties are driving towards Gaza right now!

So, to all my cutie pies out there, if you are curious about what is happening in Gaza, watch the video below, ok?



(Posted by Sis Zabrina for Azura who is closing in to Gaza)