Someone recently asked me whether i’m a native in KL
and i immediately said yes.
It struck me as strange that they would ask that,
till they reiterated that i just didn’t speak like someone from Malaysia
(i’m not exactly sure what that means)
but i’m thinking that it’s probably attributed to my extensive traveling experiences.
People may think traveling is a whimsical way to spend money
but i strongly feel it feeds my soul and inspiration,
which in turn,
feeds other areas of my life that need it to strive – like my career, outlook on life, and relationships.
Everything that i see, touch, taste, and experience
Everyone that i meet, get to know and learn from
Shapes me into who i am.
I learn something new in every country i visit
Below are some which have stuck within me ever since
I learnt the True Meaning of Hospitality in Thailand.
Two men called Happy Sun and Vincent invited me into their home in Chiang Mai for lunch. They didn’t want to take our money or anything!
Just wanted to feed travelers with their yummy Thai cooking and talk to us.
I will always remember their generosity fondly
Also in Thailand, Kanch and i got invited to a country house in Pak Chong,
where we met Rafiq, Ooh, Jak + friends for the first time.
They cooked a magnificent dinner, fed us lamb and fish,
gave us a massive room to sleep in for the night,
played songs on the guitar, sang,
brought out sparklers to dance with…
And REFUSED to take our money so we could pay our share of the food!
There’s just something about Thais and not taking money from visitors.
Even when i was getting a taxi in Bangkok to party with a bunch of hipster Thais i made friends with, they’d refuse to let me pay for the cabfare. “No! We must pay! We are Thai!” shouted Omm (this small cute girl) “No! I want to pay! I am Malaysian!” i’d shout back.
I learnt so much love from Thais
In Sri Lanka, i learnt the power of the Smile and Hard Work.
People are so poor in Sri Lanka, yet everywhere i went,
everyone was giving wide grinny smiles at us.
They’d come up and say hi, ask where we are from,
and offer to take pictures with us.
Even the ladies plucking tea leaves in the plantation would stop for a minute and end up crowding around us curiously.
They work so hard too!
Throughout my trip there,
i saw people plucking tea in the rain and shine, all day long.
Had to tell myself to never complain about my own work after that!
Compared to them, i have such an easy life,
i don’t have to do backbreaking work to survive…
and must always remind myself what a lucky bugger i am.
Was, our driver, kindly bought us a bottle of local arak to drink with him one night
(he didn’t let us pay for it too -_-)
and we talked about his country and their opportunities.
I discovered that… most of them never *get* the chance to travel outside of Sri Lanka,
cos they’re too poor.
They take holidays in their own country.
I imagined what if i was born there instead.
My life would have been so different.
How fragile and swift the Fate of birth can be.
In Copenhagen, i learnt the beauty of Simplicity and Design.
The Danes are one of the richer cities in the world.
Their Crown currency is of high value
and a basic job salary pays more than enough for one to rent a place and enjoy their lifestyle at the same time (i asked a lot of questions when i was there!)
Because they’re such comfortable people,
they get to divulge in increasing the quality of their lifestyle
in terms of F&B, design, art, fashion, and music.
Their design sense is mostly minimalist, clean, modern and wonderfully inspiring.
Their rave parties sound badass (i didn’t get to attend any boo)
but i did visit many bars and lounges there, that are on a level of their own.
In Amsterdam, i learnt how to do Nothing.
A book i have called How To Be An Artist states how Doing Nothing is one of the Best Things To Do to urge creativity.
People in Amsterdam are so relaxed and spend most of their summer time sitting next to the canal or in Vondelpark… doing nothing.
Talking, eating, chilling.
Nothing.
The Best Thing.
It’s not something i can do in Asia cos it’s way too hot,
but such a lovely ENJOYABLE fun thing to do…
I miss doing Nothing in the park!
Especially with Yishyene.
In Barcelona, i learnt how WONDERULFUL architecture can shape a city!
I love Barcelona.
It’s one of my top three favourite cities in the world.
There’s so much to admire as i wander about,
they take so much care in how every building looks.
Spanish are friendly, and place great importance on food, drink and quality time with loved ones, sounds like my sort of people!
In St. Tropez, i discovered a world of wealth, sunshiney art, and the best ice cream.
St. Tropez is gorgeous.
Such a sight.
Everything that i’ve garnered from pictures and stories,
and nothing i’ve ever seen in my life!
Beautiful people dressed to the nines,
in exquisite threads that just about cover fit bods.
Sweet-coloured buildings, and even sweeter ice cream.
Also, one doesn’t get judged for havingi Heineken for breakfast in St. Tropez
I could go on and on… but this would end up being too long a post!
Something to be saved for… a book!
But you see what i mean?
I wouldn’t have learnt all that if i didn’t CHOOSE to spend my money on traveling.
Open your world.
Travel.
See.
Experience.
Learn and Love.
Went to Klang for a meeting.
Highlight of that was having bak kut teh after!
‘Twas so good i had 1 and half plates of rice.
Shocked my new colleagues who think i don’t eat much :p
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Had a perfect Friday night armed with food and wine and best friends.
‘Cept Steph couldn’t make it
Cammy provided her place and nasi lemak
Aps brought foie gras and fromage
Dhanya made a killer pineapple and apple salad
I brought one and a half Ayamas chickens and shiraz
I meant to bring one chicken…
but Ayamas is having some crazy promo where if you buy 1 chicken (rm27)
you can have another half for rm1.
At first i said no to the girl at the counter cos i thought it’d be too much food,
but she repeated herself.
Prollie couldn’t believe i was turning down half chicken for rm1.
I faltered and took it.
Um oh!
And i got myself some new Shu Uemura eyeshadows.
Went into Sephora KLCC at first,
got so intimadated by so many products with fancy packaging
and walked out.
Dunno la, i get so headache figuring out what is what and i already have lots of staples.
Was really looking for something i don’t already have.
Went to Shu to buy new eyebrow pencil (my one pencil lasted more than 3 years!)
and saw they have new BRIGHT eyeshadows which i reckon i can pull off for a party
So besides eyebrow pencil,
ended up with 4 bright eyecolours (hving a promo where palette is free, sucker i am)
and new eyeshadow base so colours will pop more.
It’s been a LONG time since i’ve gone for a Moonshine show
but made the effort last Thursday night
cos i really really wanted Clem to watch Az do his thang on the guitar.
Az Samad is such a wonder on his guitar.
The way he picks, strums and teases it gave me goosebumps of delight.
Even more so when he played my favourite song Lagu Royalti Belum Datang. I clapped so hard i had to remove my giant ring as not to hurt myself!
Clem and i had Kilkenny – 2 for rm39.
1 pint each turned into 3… -_-
We just ended up staying longer and longer cos all the music was so good!
Initial plan was to watch Az and go home cos i was a physical wreck.
My days now are so packed from Monday-Friday that by Thursday…
my battery needs some major recharging.
Gabba Gabba was up next and they rocked my Thursday like it was a Friday.
They made me think of TAG in the old days
Crazy dancin’ and head bangin’
I just visited their FB page, they’re not signed to a label?!
SOMEONE SIGN THEM UP
After Gabba Gabba, Clem and i thought OKAY we’re going to leave NOW. Then Reza told Clem that the next band is really good too
and Clem’s bromantically in love with Reza so i got hijacked to stay.
Bassment Syndicate is an instrumental funk band
who perform a lot more mature than they look.
I couldn’t believe i was hearing the stuff they played, in Laundry…
felt like they should be performing in a 5-star hotel.
After that Clem and i stayed for a couple of songs from Bihzhu (below)
before we left cos i was really about to pass out on the table from exhaustion.
I had such a GREAT TIME AT MOONSHINE.
I forgot how nice it is to go out for a drinking & music sess.
embrace Malaysian music
and feel really proud that we have a scene like this.
Thanks for giving me some happy battery energy to last me Friday
After we left Munduk, we drove West to pass by two lakes – Danau Buyan and Danau Tamblingan:
Then we drove down South to another lake called Danua Bratan,
where Candikuning town and market is.
Balinese have this amazing ability to balance all sorts of things on their heads.
The most astonishing sight was a slight woman carrying tree trunks on her head!
I asked Clem whether he could do that.
He said OF COURSE. -_-
I really got to get myself a multicoloured brollie like this one!
I bought something from a lady JUST SO i could take pictures of Maurice sitting on tiny toys without feeling guilty.
Bought quite a number of these fantastic wooden animals carved by this sweet man.
One of the nicest public toilets in Bali!
I really wanted to buy nasi padang for lunch at the market,
and asked this lady below.
She smilingly said she only sells nasi campur,
and pointed me to a nasi padang shop.
In the end i bought nasi campur from her because she wasn’t pushy (unlike everyone else in the market!)
She gave me a little bit of everything (which turned out to be a LOT)
and charged me 10,000 rupiah / RM3.50!
It turned out being one of my best meals in Bali.
We left the market and drove to the Bali Botanical Garden which was much more impressive than we thought it’d be.
It’s massive and immaculately kept!
Eating great food in the sunshine is one of my FAVOURITE things to do in the world!
I can never resist holes in clouds
The reflection is so Monet
Wilson!
I put on a sarong that Clem bought (he loves wearing sarongs at home)
when we went into a temple so i’d be decently dressed.
The gardens are so huge that people drive around the whole place…
which was fine by me. My thighs were hurting from hiking around Munduk for hours.
Is that a natural knot i see?
I found some balloons in my bag so we blew them up and stopped by a lawn to play with them
This pose reminds me of Archie comics
There was a cactus glasshouse as well
which Clem wanted to have a look at
I was like, SNOREEE! But it turned out ok cos it was empty so we could take pictures without people staring at us
I should’ve made him take his shirt off to ‘blend in’.
Wilson blends in! Sorta. Wilson-shaped cacti!
Very suggestive cactus…
And super hairy ones that made me think of Cousin It.
I thought this looked like a Disney tree!
Can you see a face on it?
CAN YOU?!
It’s like a side view of a face, with an eye closed, a curving mouth and the bit sticking out is its nose.
Maurice managed to ride a flower all by himself!
I was mighty proud of him
After messing around the gardens for two hours,
we decided we did enough garden time and made our way down South back to Seminyak…
Last post with awesome villa pix to come!
(Damn i still have Laos and Sri Lanka posts to edit.
Macam tak habis man)
