noodles

I still can't believe how cheap it is to eat here. Andrew and I went for lunch at an outdoor food court in front of our office today. For both of us (2 canned drinks, a nasi goreng with chicken, and a yummy noodle dish) it cost 12 ringgit which is less than 4 Aussie dollars. Omigosh! The noodle dish that I love is called Char Kuey Teow. I think it's one of those dishes that tastes healthy but really isn't (like muesli bars). Yup, I just looked it up and Wikipedia has told me this: "It is fried in pork fat, with crisp croutons of pork lard, which give it its characteristic taste." Hmmm, maybe not real healthy! I had a giggle about a restaurant I saw named the "Fatty Crab" - surely somewhere to go if you need thinner arteries.

I went for a long walk tonight because I thought it would be quicker, easier and more pleasant than getting a taxi during peak-hour gridlock. Now I am thoroughly convinced that even in gridlock and without a seatbelt, taxiing is quicker and much, much safer. This really is a very pedestrian-unfriendly city. At one point I almost got cleaned up by a motorbike hurtling towards me ON THE FOOTPATH. Even at the intersections which DO have green men for pedestrians, you always have to run to get to the other side before the countdown hits zero and it goes red. I've seen loads of cars and bikes running red lights so a Running Green Man doesn't even mean you're safe. I've been concentrating a stupid amount for such a normally vague person.

greenery and good luck

The empty apartment was starting to bug me so I found a plant shop and it's amazing what a few plants can do. Already the vibe / feng shui / oxygen levels are a lot better. The young guy at the local equivalent of Waldecks assured me that I won't be able to kill them - hah! Little does he know that I've killed cactus. He also assured me that everything I bought is "lucky" - hurrah. Now that I've succumbed to international adoption (6 beautiful plants), and that I'm going to be very lucky, I guess I'll be staying awhile!

I've now discovered how blunt some Malaysians can be. A girl at a club we were at the other night (QBa) asked me excitedly "Wow - how tall ARE you exactly?" and the plant vendor was determined to find out why I haven't got married. If it happens a lot I'll print a t-shirt that say "6 foot tall and NOT here with husband".

Went to a fabulous "food court" the other night on the ground floor of Star Hill shopping centre (I think?). I was a bit horrified at being taken to a food court on my first Friday night in KL, but it was like no other food court I've ever seen. Great restaurants and bars 360 degrees around. I had a Singapore Sling and wasabi icecream at the piano bar (both yuk but I've ticked them off the list now!). The toilets were ridiculously posh. There was a staff member in there who rolls the hand towels and turns a large wooden wheel which powers the taps.

And I guess I'm here for work not holiday...so this is what's happening...I'm currently translating a technical report from manglish to english - right up my alley! The clients don't talk to me much yet, which is actually a bit of a relief since I'm trying desperately to get the hang of their names and roles before being thrown in deep end when Jimmy leaves.

We went to a workshop today at the Mines Beach Resort & Spa, at the site of what used to be the world's biggest tin mine. The tin mine has been converted to a huge lake with huge and imposing buildings all around (apparently there is talk of something similar happening with the Supa Pit at Kalgoorlie eventually?). I love the architecture here even though it would probably look a bit silly in a developed country. The resort we went to has a gorgeous "beach" and a lagoon for swimming and a day spa. For a 25RM taxi ride (A$8), the Mines looks like a good little half day getaway from the big smoke. Naturally there's a huge adjacent shopping centre too ..."The only shopping mall you can sail into!" - but really, how many giant shopping centres does a 3 million population city need? - not that I'm complaining of course! Shopping (along with eating) is a national pastime, although lots of people don't actually buy anything. A new friend has coined a verb for it - "malling". I'm staying away from the night club called the Beach Club where apparently there's an expat equivalent called "mauling"...:)

On our way back from the meeting, I was delighted to meet a taxi driver named Viknes who has a taxi with seat belts in the back (including the buckles to clip them into!!). He also used his indicators occasionally, didn't drift in the middle of 2 lanes very often, didn't complain about the traffic one bit and didn't drive at terrifying speeds either. I asked for his phone number and he looked very chuffed when I explained that I liked his driving. He told me proudly that he used to drive for the Czech army.

Time to scoot - there's my room service!

first weekend in KL - Hashing and Hallowe'en

11:07am Sunday, Oct 28
Badly needed some time to explore and maybe even put a few items in the fridge. I've discovered that even though Malaysians are very friendly, checkout chicks are universally miserable and surly. The sooner they make checkouts fully automatic the better for everyone. I had some fun exploring the shops yesterday (somewhat of an understatement - I felt like I was in heaven and I haven't even gone to the good mall yet!). I showed some restraint and managed not to buy the bling Ipod.

Malaysians are beautifully presented. This next comment would horrify my friends but delight my mother - I could be turning into the sort of person who can't go anywhere without makeup. But I went fresh-faced to my first hash yesterday. KL is where the Hash House Harriers started in 1938. I went with my colleague and his dad. His dad has 4 x 6week old shitzu puppies and I predictably fell in love with them. Eventually tore myself away and went running. Have never sweated so much in my life. After a 2 hour walk/run/scramble/slide through jungle in 100% humidity, the beer looked pretty good. The "on-on" (Hallowe'en style after party) was at an AMAZING house built by an ex-pat - The owner of the house has 2 labradors and during the setting of the course for the Hash, one of them got a python wrapped around his neck. The dog couldn't even bark (being strangled) but the owner noticed and bashed the python with his stick. Lucky dog survived but not the python. I am assured that this sort of thing is quite rare! I met lots of people on the hash. I am feeling very optimistic now about having a great (AND healthy) time here. Time for reflexology now...

mangos

In case there was any doubt about whether I'm going to enjoy it here and whether my mango-fetish family should visit, I will mention this:SEVERAL VARIETIES OF CHEAP MANGOS! I don't even hear the morning prayers from the Mosque anymore - it seems my Muslim advisors were spot on about Westerners rapidly developing an auditory dead zone.

Something I can't get used to yet is not wearing a seat belt. All the taxis have them in the back but nothing to clip them into. Apparently 5 motorcyclists are killed a day here. Driving is erratic and rules like speeding/drink driving don't seem well respected....

I spoke my first words of Malay this morning, somewhat timidly, and was delighted when the taxi driver seemed to understand and didn't chortle. The girl in the office is coaching me. We went to a Hari Raya party last night and the Malays wore full traditional costume. The guys wore checked things like kilts (called Sampin) over their trousers. Would have loved to get a photo of a matching couple in full pale pink, but it seems totally ungrateful to poke fun at my very friendly host country's traditional outfits.

Things claire hasn't done in KL yet

10:45pm Wednesday, Oct 24
Things Claire hasn't done yet in KL:
1) Sat on a sofa in her apartment
2) Used a single utensil in her apartment
3) paid more than A$1.50 for a meal!
4) bought an item of clothing
5) had a soursop smoothie
6) got homesick (I haven't had a chance!)
7) got drunk - but I'm not used to going out on Tuesday and Wednesday nights (not since Hippy Club Backpacker Nights anyway!)
8) got fat - this is Claire's tourist week but after that, deep fried stuff and desserts shall be cut back!
9) been caught in rain. I still don't believe it rains here but am carrying an umbrella religiously because I'm a play-it-safe-left-brainer.

Air con very fierce here. I tend to put ON my jacket when going INSIDE a restaurant - the opposite of what happens in Perth in winter. And instead of buying a glass of vodka, lime and soda at the bar, it seems the done thing is to buy the whole bottle! There seem to be lots of transvestites here (some of them utterly gorgeous!) and one of them blowdried my hair tonight at the hairdresser. He was quite pretty but was still wearing men's shoes ... which really doesn't bode well for Claire "Thorpedo" Wilhelm finding any footwear that fits.

This place is much less western than i expected. Every toilet I've seen has a bidet / hose thing???, often with signage asking people not to splash everywhere. KL is also much less dirty/smoggy than expected (only 3 million population... I think that means there must be a shop and a restaurant per capita!) I guess I thought it would be like London or Bangkok where you sneeze black soot every day. I chatted to as Malaysian Muslim girl today who said that Muslims here aren't supposed to have dogs as pets. I never knew that because there weren't any dogs in Hassi Messaoud camp (Algeria). They also aren't supposed to go to Genting Highlands Resort, which is the local casino / amusement park, i.e. KL's answer to Las Vegas. Incidentally, Tan Lim who built Genting and Burswood casinos died yesterday of old age. Although this is hardly important world news, it's a refreshing change from Ben Cousins, daylight savings, Rudd vs Howard and current affairs programs about the woman who wanted to have 10 kids all by different fathers...*sigh*

no more sleeping in...

Mosque and hidden power station

Was woken up at 5.30 this morning by prayer time at nearby mosque. Hoping to get used to it - or else I can chuck out my alarm clock... There's a power station next to the Twin Towers and the Mosque (this is what powers the Twin Towers). The power station is disguised as an office building but there is smoke coming out the top 24/7. Wow! And the Twin Towers themselves, double wow! I went up for a meeting today. There are as beautiful inside as out. If my apartment is Freedom showroom, these are Monro.

Obligatory sunset shot of twin towers from balcony

Breakfast at hotel is scrumptious. Chilled starfruit juice! Dragonfruit! Cheesy omelette whipped up in front of me. Smoked salmon and capers! I am going to start investigating exercise options...

Malay looks like a great language to learn. E.g. Lift Lobby is "Lobi Lif" in Malay! How cute is that. O well - time to get degreased for dinner.

KL - first impressions

View from apartment


Wow! It's much greener and less of a concrete jungle than expected. The twin towers are STUNNING - like giant wedding cakes (or someone else described them as giant corn cobs!). There's a 1.5km springy running track around a park en route from "home" to office, lovely. "Home" is amazing - I feel like I'm living in a Freedom showroom, with ottomans galore - the furniture is exactly my taste. "Home" has a definite 'hotel room' feel about it at the moment, but once I've filled it up with Lauren's paintings and more Claire clutter, it will be better.

The shopping centre near my apartment (underneath the Twin Towers) is a zillion floors high and open till 10pm. Full of all stores like Zara that you see in Europe but not Oz, so I'm going to have to show restraint and not buy every darn thing that fits. I think the struggle here could be finding the time to do all the stuff I want to do, while also trying to fit in that pesky Work Thing.

Andrew picked me up from the airport this afternoon, checked me in and took me for a walk around town which was lovely. We are going for dinner tom night with his g'friend and my other colleagues. Then out for dinner Wednesday night with more colleagues, and then to a another dinner thing Thursday night. The kitchen in my apartment is a bit pokey and that's fine because I doubt I'll be in there much!