Sobering Thoughts

Not surprising that we ended up at Tatsuya for dinner again. The evening's topic of conversation was of course the contents of World Wildlife Fund's Singapore Seafood Guide. Selecting sustainable food choices would not be a priority for many, but it is important to me and many of the friends.

Okay, before I continue, this post is highly personal to my food preferences and it's not for you to judge my choices. It's second nature to me to question where food comes from, but it might not be so to others. For many, they find my obsession with food (not in the eating way) vaguely disturbing and bordering on neurosis.

Many would know that this Chinese New Year, pomfrets have risen in prices at the wet markets and supermarkets. It's a trend that will continue because pomfrets are overfished and supply is running low. So think twice before you eat pomfrets from Indonesia and South China Sea. Indonesia's grey and tiger prawns are not as plentiful as I thought either. Oh well, I don't eat prawns, so it's no loss that it's on the list. I'm most disturbed that seabass is now not an option for me anymore.

Apparently abalone from China is sliding into the endangered list. But who eats abalone from China anyway?! I stared at the abalone on my plate. "Very fresh. Japanese!" The chefs helpfully chimed. A lovely meal that was. But we've not forgotten an imminent world disaster, again. We keep the other side of the world in our prayers as it reels from the shock of a mega earthquake and Hawaii is bracing itself for first impact of the tsunamis. Not nice. Sheltered in Singapore, what do we truly know of the pain and fear that now grips another continent?

Like this, I might as well go vegetarian instead of the pecestarian diet I'm working hard to maintain. Grrrrr. I'm glad that my time on earth is only so limited. I really wouldn't want to be around in 100 years when it all crumbles. The extreme winter (say NYC and Maryland) and extreme heat we're currently facing will only get worse. Call this talk highfalutin. But remember, your children will inherit this earth which is the result of our actions. That will not be pleasant.

Afternoon Tea

While I generally like all sorts of tea (with no milk, no sugar or honey), there're favorites. Japanese green tea aside, I love how a smoky lapsang souchong reminds me of a peaty single malt whisky. The Chinese white tea is lovely. Those are delicate and refreshing.

I like tea in the afternoons. Loose leaf tea is alot more fragrant than teabags. But I'm so lazy to brew it in a teapot and to have to wash it. So at the office, I make do by using the tea ball. The last 2 months, due to extra exertion of brain power, I've been gravitating towards lighter teas. The white teas are perfect calming medium on days when I want to strangle people.

The tea leaves in the tins of bi luo chun (碧螺春) and bai hao yinzhen (白毫銀針) in the office drawers have been rapidly diminishing. I think it's an indicator of stress levels. I'm going to look for the assam white next. I want to see if the supposed malty flavors come out.

The Young One

Only the cutest humans get angpows from me. This one, however, kept trying to return her angpow because in her world view, it came out of my purse and therefore it belonged to me.

I kept putting the angpow right back into her little hands. After a while, she gave up the tussle and passed it to her Mommy. Finally!

I've learnt the routine of this little girl. We can take her out anywhere and she'll be absolutely good-natured about it. But come 4 - 4.30pm, she'll need a nap before she turns cranky. A good hour's nap is sufficient to rejuvenate her. We've timed our outings as such. Not a hassle at all. Fits our schedules too. Then we can rest at home before the evening activities. The nap gives us time to thaw the kurau for her dinner.

I'm amused that she has recognizes our flat and the bed. From clinging on to her Mommy during her first visit, she's now running about and clambers on to the bed willingly to nap. She also bullies my bears. She has learnt to pick her favorite bears to traumatize. As much as she's Mommy's girl, she now doesn't protest too loudly when I pick her up once in a while.

What a joy and a privilege to watch the little girl grow from an infant to a rosy-cheeked toddler! Alot of my contact with her is due to her gutsy Mommy who's always up for new experiences and brings her out all the time. She's one of the most unfussy Mommies around who never sees her baby as an impediment to her social life. If anything, I think both has been successfully integrated. I'm terribly glad that this is one friend I haven't lost contact with due to her having a youngling.

Bring On Another Gruelling Year At Work

At my appraisal session today, what came out of my mouth was, "Boss, I'm happy that the department has found my contributions useful. I'd like to stay on and do what I can. I'm quite free. Pile it on please."

Then I groaned. What have I signed up for? You know, I've been thinking and thinking about quitting. There is no push factor. (Well, aside from the fact that not being able to install Skype on the work laptop does piss me off in a huge way.) I love my team, the environment and what I do, very much so. If there's ever a perfect job fit, this is it. But at the same time, the pull factors are strong. My time and efforts are increasingly needed in my personal charity projects which give me greater satisfaction that work achievements can never match. The double workload on dual fronts in January and early February stretched me to limits I've never gone before. Truth be told, I slacked off a bit at work so that I wouldn't be a total zombie in the nights when I pulled the charity shift.

The hibernation over the weekend was to mull over whether I should quit the job and focus on the other things I intend to do. Then, I'm reminded of a promise made and it must be fulfilled. I have to stay another year. I owe my boss that much. A promise holds greater weight than any legal bond. I've never bothered with scholarships or bonds. Why start now? The Imp Fund can more than feed and clothe an imp. Should I go study, I will resign to mark the start of another chapter. I'm thinking of studying because I truly enjoy the subjects. It's very clear that the point of studying is not to come back to a job hoping for a promotion or higher pay. Chances are, my area of studies will have nothing to do with a bankable job. Ha.

I mustn't quit just because I can. I have to acknowledge the blessing of a perfect job fit and not let it go to waste. Before you term me ungrateful, I'll have you know that my job doesn't sustain my lifestyle. It never has and it never will. The job has enriched me in many other priceless ways and made me a better person. I am however, grateful that my salary has contributed to the old folks on my roster. It has helped in many ways- think new wheelchair, extra sturdy handrails in the bathrooms and bedrooms of their flats, kettles, tv sets and supplies of medication. Of course there're the truly irksome bits in the job (say, the culture), but it's never that bad to justify walking away from it. The good moments still count. I've come to feel a sense of obligation and belonging to the department (not the organization). So it was with a newfound sense of purpose and peace that I joined the colleagues to lo hei at the local kopitiam.

Now, since I'm not quitting, can I collect all the money I've won from the bets and side bets? Don't think I dunno. Faster pay up. These earnings are more profitable than if I'd gone gambling at the casino. Tax-free too.

Spacing Out

I brought 2 pairs of flip flops and a pair of sports sandals- water friendly Havaianas, slinky beaded Blahniks and trek-comfy Nikes. They've served me well so far. I didn't bother with pretty dresses. I schlupped around in workout gear. Dri-fit stuff to suit the humidity. I've suddenly acquired a whole new wardrobe that looked as though it's sponsored by Nike.

I've finally caught up on all the episodes of House, Supernatural and finished Dollhouse Season 2. How awesome it is to sink into different worlds and have the mind be occupied with frivolity. Unfortunately, restaurants in Bali have also succumbed to Valentine's Day madness. We avoided all restaurants decked out in stupid candles, balloons, flowers and ribbons. They've also learnt to jack up menu prices for Valentine's Day. It was so dumb, I tell you. I chose to squat by the road for nasi padang (sorta) for Valentine's Day dinner.

With all the stretching at pilates, I didn't need alot of massages. I had only one; that was sufficient to knead and stretch the muscles. This weekend, I didn't have to sit in a chair all day to crunch keys on the laptop. The lack of those activities already did wonders to alleviate the aches.

A good break this has been. Bali has given me sufficient reflection time and plenty of thinking space.

Sculpting A Piece Of Wood

It's amazing how time seems to slow in Bali. Perhaps it could be due to the fact that I've been waking up at 5am to do things- walks, pilates, swim. By 9am, the stomach even has the chance to get hungry and have a leisurely breakfast. Bali wakes up early. It does seem like there's plenty to do in the day. Checking out the local markets of Pasar Burung and Badung is a complete assault to the senses. Pungent smells aplenty, but oh so colorful.

I'm not familiar with Indonesian art beyond viewing the stuff at the galleries in Magelang and Yogyakarta last year. I need to learn more about the concepts and background to Indonesian art. In Bali, I was briefed on the different aspect of Balinese paintings and art. The different brushstrokes for Sanur, Ubud, Batuan, etc. I spent some meandering through the art markets to glean a broad understanding of Balinese art today as opposed to 10 years ago.

I wanted to take a closer look at the wood carvings. My hosts arranged for me to spend 3 hrs sitting on a stool to watch an artist craft the image of the goddess Dewi Sri out of a wooden block. He's not quite done yet, not even halfway through. He said it would take another 2 days or about 12 hrs to finish the image that would be as tall as a human waist and would eventually possess life-like expressions. It's so therapeutic to watch each stroke of the knife shape and will the wood to the artist's fancy.

I'm not interested in purchasing the wood carvings of gods/goddesses/humans. Honestly, they creep me out, so I shall stick to admiring the process of creation and wherever they're placed instead of having one stare at me at home. But those of flowers, trees and naturalscapes ain't so scary. Those feel rather innocuous and pretty.

Bali

(Photo borrowed from Amandari's website.)

I've had quite enough of the city. Most of the vacations last year have been spent exploring nooks and crannies in the cities. As much as I enjoy the wonderful array of theatre shows and gigs, I still like island vacations where I simply bring 2 pairs of slippers and no shoes. After a quick perk-me-up in Pangkor Laut island last week, Bali is a good break, and I don't even have to take leave from the office to get here. Just so you know, I'm starting 2010 with 40 days of leave. Highly doubtful that a good portion would be utilized. Of course I could quit and leave immediately. *bright grin* But the colleagues might just yell 'traitor' at me. :p

While I love the sea and the beaches, I've always gravitated towards the hills in Bali. I'm fond of Ubud and the walking trails along the Ayung River. I spent an enormous amount of time in Bali years ago. Those were great carefree and irresponsible times. Am missing that nowadays. Haven't been to Bali for a while. It feels good to be back.

Hearing the friends whine about the bad parts of the festive season, it seems that modern day celebrations have been so overshadowed by negativity that the positivity is all lost. We've no Chinese New Year obligations to fulfil. I can't even begin to tell you how blissful that feels.

I wanted to sleep for at least 12 hours. But I didn't. How could I miss out on the lovely sunrise, sights, sounds and smells of nature? I went to bed at 9pm when all was still and the stars were twinkling. I bounded out of bed at 5am. Waking up to the chirping of birds and crickets was so refreshing. I've forgotten how crisp the air can be. Most of all, I've forgotten how liberating the island makes me feel. Relaxed and not so tense, the exercising comes easy. The stretches sink deeper and longer. I relish sessions of pilates by the infinity pool overlooking verdant rice terraces.

32

I did succumb to one fancy meal tonight. The staff at Tatsuya put a bright smile on my face. They definitely didn't know it's my birthday. Yet somehow, the omakase selections were fabulous. The serving staff were in an especially cheerful mood.

I relished each moment today. I made a choice to spend my birthday at the office. People kept chasing me home. But I wanted to stay till the sky turned dark. We're fighting wars on all fronts and I want to be with my team. While we each have our own hurdles to jump, it's a fantastic feeling knowing that we're standing shoulder to shoulder to get over these tough months. Nothing is more assuring than to know that we're able to lean on one another in times like these. I'll miss this most when I leave.

I also made a conscious choice to defer many fancy meals. Instead I've apportioned that time to pack Chinese New Year goodie bags for the old folks on my roster. The usual stuff. I've been extra busy this year. Little elves could be sent to do the packing. But I don't feel right. That isn't the basis of my volunteer work and it should never be. I don't care about Chinese New Year and I don't celebrate it. But the old folks on my roster do. That is enough to make me join my other team to hurl sacks of rice into the jute carriers. We've completed a good number. More to do over the next few days.

32. How interesting. I've lost the weight gained in 2008 and early 2009. I've no wish to be 58kg, but not back to the 44kg at my thinnest. I've slowly changed my diet. At least on paper, the medical records show that I'm at the healthiest point of my life. The body isn't as flexible as the period when I was a gymnast, but cartwheels and backflips are quite easily done still. Good lawwd, has it been so long?! I'm reeling from the many blessings I have. It's imperative that these blessings are gainfully utilized. I've always lived my life the way I want it so that if I die tomorrow, I'll have few regrets. I totally intend to continue doing so.

This is what turning 32 means- to be less selfish. Not to my friends unfortunately. My nearest and dearest all quietly bear my flighty friendship with fortitude and magnanimity. For that, I'm eternally grateful.

I can't wait to be 33 and older. Honestly, I want to be 40 as soon as possible! There're very few women I admire. Those whom I do, I stand in awe of their elegance, graciousness, intellect, determination and wit. They're generally older and possess a certain charisma that makes me want to seek their approval, gladly defer and bow down to.

And I wonder if I can ever become someone like that.

I Feel Bad Over This

I'm upset.

After a long day of mind-boggling negotiations, my visitors were going to grab a taxi back to their hotel. Seeing that it was close to 5 pm (witching hour in Singapore when taxis disappear), it wouldn't be easy to have cabs come into the lobby porch. I thought I would just walk out to the main road to get cabs to turn in so that whoever waiting at the lobby could sort out the queue numbers and whatever.

There was a woman standing at the side. She could be waiting for a cab but she was on the phone. In my zonked state, I didn't think to walk over to let her know that the first cab that turned in would be hers if she was waiting for a cab and not a husband or some other pick-up. That was my giant mistake.

After minutes of waiting, I finally got a cab to turn into the driveway. The woman was in a fine fury, striding out to stop the cab mid-turn. She looked very annoyed. Obviously. "How can you people do this?" She got into the cab and left.

Sigh. I knew it. The situation appeared that way and of course she perceived it so. It was in the middle of the driveway, I wasn't about to argue or provide an explanation. So I gritted my teeth and replied "Sorry about that."

I'm upset that my actions upset her because when I spotted her earlier, I didn't listen to a small voice within. If she's pissed enough to send in a complaint (not that she can identify me), I'll just apologize, explain I didn't see her and plead ignorance. My instinct is NOT to apologize. If this is in a personal capacity, I die die also WON'T. However, apologizing is easier than refusing to and then try to justify intentions. I'm very clear that this isn't about defending my actions, it's about not diluting the image of my organization, and that is of paramount importance over personal principles. Sometimes.

I'm tired. I should leave the office soon. I want to go to Hermès and Cartier, and buy 2 SOMEthingS, then go box the sandbag (not the man, I do mean the real sandbag).

Gigs In February

I've been drinking too much beer, even at half pint. The friends keep laughing at my cute tiny glass of Pure Blonde. Hey, don't laugh leh! That's about as much beer as I can stomach before a gig. Otherwise I'd need to keep going for pee breaks. Pure Blonde's smooth lah, so I really don't mind it.

The XX (Sunday 7th)

I was quite psyched for Florence + The Machine. I don't really know many of the songs. Going up and down KL-Kluang last week allowed plenty of time to check out both bands on the ipod. Additional cool when I realized The XX would also be the first act. It figured- both bands had only one album each. They wouldn't be able to fill 1.5 hours on their own.

XX's sound was reminiscent of the 80s. Sparse and very electronic with lots of backbeats. The guitarwork was plonky filled with single note melody lines. We had the urge to get her a distortion pedal. The sub-bass nearly knocked me off my feet and made my heart skip many beats (not in a good way).

Florence + The Machine (Sunday 7th)

Baroque pop meshed with art rock, Florence blew my mind with her voice. I didn't listen to their albums over a high fidelity sound system. I had them on stock earphones over the ipod. Those didn't do her sounds any justice. Live, she was simply amazing.

Echo & The Bunnymen (Monday 8th)

I wasn't too keen on catching Echo & The Bunnymen even though they're the grandpapa of post-punk. Our parents grew up rocking out with their music. I didn't exactly take to Echo & The Bunnymen. But I took to those they inspired- Oasis, Interpol, Editors, The Killers, etc.

'Rescue', 'The Cutter' and 'The Killing Moon' brought us on a trip down memory lane. I didn't care for the backlighting and silhouettes tonight. Ian McCulloch kept his sunnies on all evening. Grrrr. Couldn't they just be gracious and show us their wrinkles? DOH! The band and their first album are as old as I am!

Rounding Up The Week

Since I wasn't even sure of my schedule for the next week, the friends decided to hijack me and head to an impromptu meet up at San Low Seafood again. I didn't mind! I love that fried beehoon and fresh fish. They were definitely going to dig in the black pepper crabs!

Importantly, I want to leave Malaysia with better memories. Pangkor Laut Resort helped loads. A yummy seafood dinner with the friends would so complete it.

We ate for 2 whole hours! The friends demolished the black pepper crabs, took a break, ordered another set of chilli crabs and massacred them all. WAHHH. The fried man tou soaked in chilli and black pepper sauce were literally finger-licking good. I didn't take the crabs, but I did my share with the huge pieces of crayfish that were sinfully fried in butter!

Plastic chairs were trotted out, but hey, this is just a modest zi char place in Johor Bahru with minimal bells and whistles. I too, know very well that it isn't about the venue sometimes. It's also about the food, always. So long it's good food! What I thoroughly enjoyed, were the company of my dear friends and the laughter that rocked the evening.

End Of The Week

I'm terribly relieved that the week is over. Like I said, each work trip to Malaysia leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Even though I'm perfectly clear about why this trip is necessary and about its benefits to us all, it still makes me feel disillusioned and fairly resentful. I almost pity my counterparts. Then I remind myself, there is no pity needed because things work on a different level, scale and system. Those are systems that we won't work with, but it would suffice that our counterparts are able to navigate around with ease and familiarity. Therein lies the purpose of this trip- to understand and try not to judge.

Glad that I'm able to rinse out that sour aftertaste with an extended jaunt to Pangkor Laut Resort, a destination that has been almost forgotten. I want a clean room, towels and cups without stains, thick quilts and a safe door. In addition, my neck and back are killing me. It's glorious to be able to grab a slot for pilates to twist into a pretzel and settle in for a good massage to ease the aches away.

I feel human again. And normal. I hate the work garb that I've had to don for the week. Work clothes make me feel dowdy. My wardrobe makes a clear distinction between 'normal', 'party' and 'work' sections. I've also heard that there is a new Macbook Pro waiting for me at home. Cool! I do like gadgets! Can't wait to get back to fiddle with settings!!!

Lunch Trays!

I'm most intrigued by these food trays. I've never seen them before! Those small ones that contained Chinese New Year snacks ain't counted. These are big and I see them being used at mealtimes this week. Practical really. They rotate smoothly and we could all get food without fuss.

Instead of a Lazy Susan and food placed on the usual separate plates, portions of food for 10 are gathered onto one single giant tray per table. Wherever we went for casual lunches hosted by our counterparts, these trays stood out prominently. We were served traditional Malay food with all its spices and colors. Quite interesting really. Chicken always featured as the ONLY meat. *shudder* For me, curry, vegetables and a little bit of crunchy Malaysian rice were sufficient for a meal.

Do we use these trays in Singapore? Which malls sell them? And yes, I expect one of the answers to be 'Mustafa'. :)

A Different Sight

On a blazing hot day, we made a brief stop at Puteri Harbor in Nusajaya. The sky was blue and the clouds were fluffy. The shimmering waters and panorama were a soothing sight. Over the yonder, lies Singapore's Kranji restricted military zone.

We were glad to get out of the meeting rooms for a walkabout. The one thing we sighed and marveled over was the vast expanse of land available for the various developments across the Causeway. It's mind-boggling as to how much available space there is to create tangible architecture out of blueprints.

With the Oakleys and Raybans matching our corporate chic suits, we kept it kinda cool under the sweltering heat. Truly we wilt without air-conditioning. Headaches, sore throats, sniffles, etc. If there was one thing we couldn't understand, it was the requirement to be in a suit (and tie) all the way. I suppose it's the one cultural quirk we've to understand and accept.

One Night Of Love

On the work front, it was a huge joke to be placed at KLCC for the afternoon on a workday. Not that we really cared. We were like 'whatever' and split up to do our own stuff.

I wasn't going to farking hit the shops. Like there weren't enough malls in Singapore. I had a quick foot rub before heading off to meet the friends for tea. That was the highlight of the day. The only cheerful thing in the week! I wasn't sure if the boys and girls could make it because I gave them such short notice. But they managed to turn up! *loves*

When I sank down into the armchair at hotel lounge, I was like, my gawwd, I've almost forgotten how that felt like. What a luxury. Clean chairs and a pot of hot tea in clean utensils. Oh, to be pampered by the girlfriends!

Even though I have to crawl into bed early (5am wake-up call tomorrow!), a stroll to Laundry is on the cards. It's a Thursday night yo. Die die must go. Not leaving KL without checking it out.

So damn glad that tonight, I don't have to stay in a crappy room. Tonight, I get a thick quilt (as opposed to the room's cheap budget brown piece of fluff with holes), clean air-conditioning, a dry bathroom with a rainshower that promises warmth and happiness (as opposed to the teeny stream of water from the shower in the hostel that could only be described as pathetic. I might as well shower from a tap) and most of all, a peace of mind.

My Magical Potion

By mid-week, I seriously needed a drink. It was beyond craving for one. NEEDED TO DRINK. Go spell desperate. Anything to knock me out cold from having to deal with my stark pathetic dirty hostel room.

Surprisingly, I was open to the idea of hanging out with the fellow colleagues. I'd loved to hang out at Laundry. But I don't think it's their scene. Heeee. They're very young in this nightlife thing. :p I'll save Laundry for the evening with the friends. So I just went with whatever venue they suggested. I wasn't exactly dressed for clubbing, so I definitely didn't want to go to anywhere fancy.

We ended up downtown in a not-too-noisy bar with a not very good band playing Top 40s and current bubblegum hits. So while you peeps at home rocked out to Muse at Fort Canning, I stuck in the earplugs to listen to the band bumble through their playlist. Points for trying lah. They tried a couple of rock numbers, but wah lau, super fail lah. I didn't really care. I just wanted a drink. I was very focused wanting single malt whisky. The bar stocked Glenlivet 12 y.o at RM$21 per glass. The bartender decided to be nice and gave me 1.5 shots instead of the usual single shot in each serving. WOOTS.

I can't for the life of me imagine how I was able to dance to the songs the band was playing. But I wanted to jump about a little and just hang loose. To my great surprise, the colleagues joined in! Best.

8 glasses and 3 hours later, everything felt alright again. We were a giggly bunch stumbling back to the hostel at 2am. We felt almost guilty for breaking the midnight curfew! WAHAHAHAH. It was amazing how we could all make the 7.30am roll call.

Finding That Silver Lining

As tired as I was, I couldn't just sleep all the way from Kluang to KL. The scenery along the North-South Highway is quite breathtaking. I must take in some of it.

There were cemetries of all sorts next to the highway. Undulating hills, palm oil plantations, etc. Plenty of green and such vast horizons as far as the eye could see.

The ipod's battery life lasted the trips up and down KL, or as some friends put it- enough to run a marathon. The songs kept me upbeat along the way. Jiving in the seat was a good way of keeping the backaches at bay.

I sat right at the front of the coach. I dislike driving and have no intention to get a Class 3. However, watching the road whizz by as we sped down the highway made me feel like driving with the radio volume turned to the max. Heh. If I live in any other country, I'd definitely need to get a car to drive around.

Not everything on this trip is a downer. There're plenty of bright sparks as well. As disillusioned as I feel about the programme this week, I'm very glad for the company of the fellow colleagues. They kept up good spirits; there's always a joker to cue 'chillpill' and plenty of jibes. It's quite amazing how affable the bond is among the Singaporeans this time round. It helps that we're all on the same page and laugh along the same frequency.

The best memories of this trip are definitely gathered over teh tarik, nasi lemak and rowdy laughter over at meal table.

A Morning Stroll

Since I couldn't sleep, I got up at 4 and left the room. Staying in would make me more morose and drive me crazy with silly thoughts. Dressed snugly in a tracksuit and walking shoes, I headed for the little pavillion in a corner cloaked in darkness, but within screaming distance near the dining hall where it was rather brightly lit. There was a hive of activity where women were busy preparing the morning meal.

Point of this little jaunt- to stretch the muscles and warm up the stiff body before hopping into a what I know to be a damn cold shower.

The heater in the room doesn't work. Comments last night by colleagues made us realize that there is no hot water in many of the rooms. That didn't matter last night when we came in all hot and sweaty from the day's grime. But in the morning, a cold shower would suck, big time.

JumpingCricketsPapayaWatermelonBrokenBoots. That water froze my tits and ass off! Last night's shower lasted 9 minutes. This morning, I took all of 4 minutes under the bracingly cold blast. Shower pressure was good though!

Now, I need to go get some Kluang coffee into the body. That should last for a while before I fall asleep for the ride back to KL tonight.

Slightly Better In Kluang

This hostel in Kluang has decidedly better front door locks than the one in Kuala Lumpur. At least it uses a passkey instead of a physical key and a push button lock.

This hostel is rather charming. It looks more like a resort set in the middle of idyllic plantations and fields. The rooms are better equipped than KL's. Cleaner too. However, while the rest of the group pried out yellow flesh from really really pungent durians, I scrambled to change a room because I realized the balcony doors don't really lock.

Now, you know I'm paranoid about security right? So I didn't just test the locks of the sliding doors to the balcony. I needed to be 101% sure that the doors lock properly. So I pushed and pried them apart while they were supposed to be locked. To my horror, the doors opened. Fuck. I gathered my stuff and asked for a change of room.

When I travel alone, I sleep with a torchlight and the multi-tool next to me. It makes me feel better. On this trip, with security this lax, I don't just barricade myself in, I can't sleep. My sleep has been fitful. I slept best in the coach on the way to Kluang. When I get back to KL tomorrow night, I might just take up the girlfriend's suggestion to stay over at her place for the rest of the week and have her driver send me back to the hostel early in the mornings. Just like last year.

The Original Kluang Station Coffee

We've all see the fancy coffee joints named Kluang Station Coffee. So we've to take it that it came from Kluang. For us, we went all the way from bustling Kuala Lumpur to sleepy Kluang to verify that. We got there just in time to try the original Kluang station coffee before it closed for the day at 6pm.

No air-conditioning of course. The kopitiam is, obviously, situated next to the Kluang railway station. Rustic and very charming, the late afternoon tea made for a good break away from the lengthening rays of the setting sun. It's been a hot hot hot day.

I'm not fond of kopitiam coffee because of its acidity and sour aftertaste. So I decided that a kopi-siu-dai was in order. I can't come here and not drink its famous coffee right? Okay, effectively, kopi-siu-dai brings it out the best flavors and hopefully it would not be too acidic. It was pretty nice! Still too sweet though. Some of the groupmates zoomed off to buy packets of this famous Kluang coffee powder.

There was food too. There were kaya butter toast, mee hoon goreng and nasi lemak. That sambal in the tiny packet of nasi lemak packed a punch! I loved it so much that I tapau-ed another 2 small packs back to the hostel. That settled dinner. Heh.

Satay Kajang

Our hosts brought us to dinner at the famous Kajang area for satay (or 'sate' as Malaysia spells it). It was to Sate Kajang Hj Samuri at Damansara Uptown in PJ. If you like satay, you'll definitely enjoy the spread at Hj Samuri. The entire place sells only satay with thick cuts of meat.

We had only chicken and beef satay on the table. There was nothing else to order at the makanplace. It was famous specifically for its satay. I'm the only one in the group who has strange dietary preferences. I've decided not to make my diet known. I'd just shut up, look at whatever that was on the table and pick out what I could eat. In any case, I've tons of muesli bars and cup noodles to see me through the week.

I took a deep breath and ate the first 2 sticks of satay. As for the rest, don't ask how I did it, but it didn't go down my throat. It kinda sat in a mushy mess in a plastic ziplock inside my bag till I got back to the hostel.

What I relished, were the ketupat pulut, bawang (onions, raw) and raw cucumbers. I ordered a whole plate for myself. That went fabulously well with the peanut sauce. Oh that peanut sauce is awesome. We were told to add sambal into it. The sambal was really really good. I initially added only a dollop as I wasn't sure of the degree of spiciness. Sweet and spicy, it was damn tasty. I daringly scooped a huge spoonful to go with the vegetables.

I bet you that I will lose even more weight after this week in KL.

Living Conditions

Am terribly appreciative of M passing me a pack of disposable toilet seat covers. I'm even more glad that I brought cleaners for the toilet bowl, air fresheners and a decent roll of toilet paper. I can't stand the brown stains on the toilet covers. Luckily I brought my own towels too. I can't tahan the smell and those eeky stains on the towels provided. The room has a glass in the toilet, presumably to hold water while I brush my teeth. I'm not using it. It's got weird stains and stuff stuck to it. Damn gili lor.

I hope my fellow group mates are alright. We're not talking about it, but looking at the size of their suitcases, I know they're mentally prepared and have brought toilet rolls, towels, bottled water, etc.

If this is a camping trip or a sojourn in a third world nation, I'm happy to rough it out. But sadly, it isn't. When we saw the hostel room, we couldn't stop laughing in relief and amusement. Relief- because the room is much better than we imagined. We definitely prepped for the worse. Amusement- because it's so.....how shall I put it, juvenile. It feels like we're back in school living on campus, albeit more luxurious as the room comes with an attached shower stall and toilet, no need to slum it in communal bathrooms.

Thank goodness the room isn't fully carpeted. Can you imagine if it is??! Eiooow. Importantly, I'm so grateful for hot water and especially the steady internet connection. (Doesn't mean it aids VPN access to the work inbox.) If there isn't, I'll go out of my mind, truly. I've had fantastic vacations in Malaysia. But when it comes to work trips to this country, each time has been just so, demoralizing.

What I can't deal with is the lack of security on the compound. The push-button lock on the room door is something I can pick with a multi-purpose tool and a hairpin. I just tried picking the lock. I did it in 43 seconds, slow by any standards. That is NOT a good sign.

I'm highly paranoid. Therefore, I've pushed a cabinet against the door. If I don't do this, I will not be able to sleep. I'll be alert for any kind of noise at the door. I shall barricade the door in the same fashion every night this week.