Tuesday, 1 October 2013

Goodbye New York, home sweet home...


Having covered the Prime Minister’s visit to the United States, General News Service Editor Haji Khairdzir Yunus would have been on his flight home this morning via London.
He and chief photographer Haji Mustaza Mohd Yusof departed from New York at 9.30pm Monday night (30 Sept which is 9.30 am, 1 Oct Malaysia time).
They had earlier covered Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s trip to San Francisco where the itinerary included visits to the headquarters of three social media giants – Twitter, Google and Facebook. 
With “too many bags to carry around”, Khairdzir said they would be heading straight to the airport after checking-out of the hotel and wait for the departure time..
What are the fondest memories that he'll be taking home?
 “Hard too say...most of them work and no play. Sometimes I sleep only about an hour or two day. Functions usually lasted until almost midnight, then we will have coffee until about 2am.
“Then we will head back to the hotel and start writing 2 or 3 stories before getting our sleep, maybe at 5 am.
“If you could call it fond memories is the opportunity to listen to PM speaking live at the UN hq. Even we were just sitting in the press box...,” said  Khairdzir.
It was his first trip to San Francisco and first time covering the United Nations General Assembly although he had been to the city before.
“Most leaders talk only about their country's internal problems or conflicts confined to their regions.
But our PM talked about the whole world's problem and problems of the ummah. Other experience is in pictures the meeting hall looks good but in reality it looks like a big classroom.
I think PICC's (Putrajaya International Conference Centre) conference is far more beautiful and canggih.
Another is the tight security, they blocked all the road to the UN.
You are not allowed to go near the UN building unless you wear a delegate pass or the media pass,” he said.
Looking forward to come home, he was all set to take the flight despite the departure time being hours ahead.
Asked if he shared the feelings of many whose minds were set on getting Malaysian food when they returned after being awhile abroad, he said:
“Yes sir ! Teh tarik!!!”

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