TAWAU: With Hari Raya Aidilfitri just days away, the Tawau ferry terminal here is abuzz with hundreds of Indonesians living in the country starting to travel home to celebrate the festival.

       The terminal was crowded at 9.30am yesterday with people of all ages who had been waiting since early morning to purchase tickets to travel to Nunukan or Tarakan, Indonesia.

       Housewife Sumarni Tape, 38, accompanied by her husband and two children, aged nine and eight, is travelling to Pare Pare.

       The last time she was celebrating Aidilfitri in Pare Pare was in 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

       “Last year, I wanted to go back but my husband could not take time off due to work demands. We miss our family in the village, the Aidilfitri atmosphere there and home cooking.

       “Hence, we took the ferry to Tarakan first and then to our hometown, the journey from Tarakan to Pare Pare is also challenging because it will take more than 10 hours while we are fasting,” she told Bernama.

       Another traveller, Yusup Lamasape, 45, who works in Kota Kinabalu, had to travel by bus for about nine hours to Tawau on Friday to board the ferry to Nunukan yesterday.

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       “My ferry was at 4pm, I’m tired due to the long journey earlier but to celebrate Aidilfitri with my family in my hometown I will brave all this. Besides, I can’t always go back to the village,” said Yusup, a cook at a restaurant in Inanam.

       He added that he can’t wait to cook for the family on Aidilfitri with the must-have dish, ayam masak lengkuas (likku).

       Meanwhile, Wildati Mohamad, 38, took a ferry ride to Tarakan yesterday after spending several days in Tawau to do her shopping.

       “I often come here and stay for three or four days to do raya shopping for curtains and carpets at special prices and various colours.

       “I am willing to travel here to shop because it is much cheaper and of better quality.

       “Besides, I also took the opportunity to visit relatives who live in Tawau,” she said.

       Six ferries departed for Indonesia yesterday, one ferry to Tarakan and the rest to Nunukan.