The fireworks are going off in my neighbourhood, which means the reunion dinners are over and celebrants are starting off the festivities with a soft prelude to the actual explosion of fireworks when the clock strikes midnight!

Some may still be on the road after the usual balik kampung congestion. Drive safe. The past few days, it was reported that over a million users were on the roads and highways out of Kuala Lumpur.

It was not just the Chinese going back home to celebrate the lunar new Year of the Horse. The other races, too, are taking advantage of the long holidays and going back home or just taking a break.

An interesting trend to note was the report early last week that more than three million vehicles were coming into the city! From elsewhere, they were converging on the city! These include KL residents returning home in KL! KL residents are no longer mostly transient residents who disappear to their homes in other parts of the country during a major festive holiday. KL now has its own sizeable home population who stays put here, with a number who balik kampung here!

Another reason given for the massive inbound traffic last week was that people were coming into KL for shopping! That — added to the outbound traffic — must have made it a crazy week on the roads in KL from last week up to now!

The roads are clear now in KL, but there will be a repeat after Chinese New Year.

So, folks, meanwhile, enjoy the food, family, a pleasant break and when returning, be prepared for a long drive and drive safe.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!