Holes in the Wall = Home

My husband, always safety aware - goggles and ear plugs to plot a point on the wall {tease}

We have been here a month! How crazy it that?

Ever since Nate hung up our pictures its now very much starting to feel like a home. There is something permanent about a couple of a holes in the wall. Its a mark of ownership! We don't really know if we can actually drill holes in the wall - we did not speak to the owner. We have a 24 month lease in this place and since our renovation, Nate has become extraordinary at patching walls, so I kinda feel okay about doing it. We don't think we have rent inspection? We will find soon find out.

We have loads of more art works to acquire. There are some big open walls in this condo to fill - I am trying to establish what mode of expression and form I like. Right now its all about photographs. I heard that its because I am a novice to this whole experience.

I am also super stoaked to report we now have a Garmin Nuvi 2565 GPS! I tell you, many a eff bombs have been dropped whilst I am driving... I am so so sick of getting lost and totally confused by junctions like this:

Its really been an art having to self navigate with my iPhone map, which keeps recalculating the bloody routine at the most inconvenient time. The iPhone will say take left, and 20m into that left the road splits into another 3 options of straight, left and right - I will look down at my phone to see where to go and surprise surprise either is recalculating the route or the 3G has dropped out. Chuck in 1.2 million youths on their motorcycles who may pass your car on either side, with heads bowed, jacket on back to front (?) and little engines screaming away, usually with inches of your car. Dear Lord! Its enough to unnerve even the most hardcore navigator!

Having the GPS with Daniel's soothing voice to guide me through the spaghetti junctions is just pure bliss. I even get a 3D picture of the junctions with a nice clear purple route marked out for me to follow. Its all just so pleasant. And it means I can 100% focus on the road and my surrounds.

iPhone 4 vs SRL

We use our iPhones to take photos A LOT. For me, its because I am still not 100% sure how our SLR works! With the iPhone there are great apps to disguise just how bad the photo is - its great.

In KL, the advise has been to keep your handbag close to your body, preferably with the strap across your body... bag snatchers are on the prowl for oblivious victims. I already have one hand back to worry about, why the heck do I want another bag (SLR camera bag) to protect too? I dislike how heavy it is, and I dislike having to clutch onto two things... its just means I have another thing to loose or leave behind at a store.

I hauled our SLR camera out last night, blew the dust off the case and turned it on for the first time in ages. I started looked through the photos we have taken over the past few months. There is just something about a the photos, even though they are by know means professional, that I like. The clarity, the light?, the sharpness. Dont get my wrong, iPhone cameras are the bomb-diggi, but there is just something about the SLR. I have decided to do a course. I haven't actually found one yet, I will. I would like to know how to use this thing to its full potential. I would like to buy better lenses and really get into it. Still have the extra bag problem though... maybe if I got one of these... it would inspire me to take it out!

Here are some photos from the last few months:

Pink Ribbon High Tea - C3 Church Crawley

Phil Pringle Gallery Opening

Phill Pringle Gallery Opening

Victoria

Victoria

Victoria

Victoria

YA Retreat

John and Danielle Pearce

Christmas Dinner at Stock Road

Christmas Dinner at Stock Road

Yallingup

Yallingup

Yallingup

The goal is to use the SLR more. And do the course. And get lenses. And maybe that cool bag [will have to see what the minister of war and finance says first though]! 

Time to get started

For the last 2 weeks its felt like a holiday, its only just starting to sink in that this beautiful place we now live, is a permanent thing. Our surroundings make me feel like I am in a resort. The pool, the gym facilities, the shopping, the playing house, the lush green surroundings... its all been so surreal. Because my mind thinks I am on some sort of getaway, I have been in that mode. Lazy sleep ins, late breakfasts of pancakes and bacon, reading, lounging by the pool... watching tv series. I have not really felt like going out, sure, done the ABW outings, but wont do more than that. I find myself turning down coffee dates, lunches and trips to the nail salon... just because I want to be here, in our house.

The last year or two have been huge for us. Dating > Sold a house > Changed jobs > Engaged > Bought a House > Changed Jobs Again > Married > Renovated a House > Changed jobs > Moved country. Its been awesome. Its been fun. Its been challegening. Its been tiring. As a result, I find myself really battling to get into a good routine. The last couple weeks have been lazy ones for me [pretty sure my husbands tale will be different!] and its starting to show... not only in my waistline, but this morning I woke up with a zit the size of Switzerland on my nose :-/. I seem to be super happy to sit inside and watch The Good Wife and breaking it up with swims, reading and eating. My day revolved around food, and not the healthy type [hence the zit!].

So from today [or tomorrow] I am going to get a routine. If I don't I am endangered of becoming one of those morbidly obese people who watch Ricki Lake and order in XXL pizza with 10 litres of diet soda.

The goal is to be kinder to my body - not eat so much rice and drink as much beer. Increase my intake of fruit and vegetables, drink more water. Go to the gym... really, its only 2 floors down from my front door... and not say no to hanging out with people!

No more holiday mode for this Buma.

Korean Strawberryies

I hate buying strawberry's - only because the top few are always ripe, juicy and red but with further digging into the tray, the ones at the bottom or middle are nearly ALWAYS mushy and gross.

NOT THESE KOREAN BABIES:

I heard on the radio that a few of governments around Asia are going to crack down on working hours for blue collar workers... apparently Koreans work the longest hours... that's coz they hand bubble wrapping their strawberries for export!

I wish I had thought to take a photo of them BEFORE I took them out of their packaging - but each strawberry was individually bubble wrapped! I know I can over exaggerate at the best of times, but let me tell you, this is no embellished story. Next time I will take a photo :-)

Its not always Black & White

GDTL & Alice Smith School

I have always wanted to stick a DipEd on top of my Honours Degree - in my opinion its a great qualification to have. I rekon you can teach anywhere in the world. I assume we will be on the Expat train for a while I figured that when we moved here, it would be a great opportunity to study.

I had two 'issues' - [1] Would I study correspondence or here in a Malaysian based University, [2] What age did I want to teach - the course is broken up into Primary, Middle and Secondary.

When we came over here last year, I had a look around at different Universities and the programs they offered. I am really glad I had a chat to Scotts (Nates boss) wife - she is a teacher in an International School. The advice was to rather get qualified from an Australian University as it would make it a little easier getting into an International school to teach. I must admit it was a bit tricky finding a University that (1) had distance learning for the course I wanted to do, and (2) would allow me to do the practical part of the degree not in Australia.  After loads of emails, calls and a bit of frustration, I found one! I am now enrolled at The University of Southern Queensland's Graduate Diploma of Teaching. There is only one real drama, but I can work with it! When if I ever want to teach back in Australia, I have to do a few more units and do some prac at an Australian school. Thats doable I think!

The second 'issue' - what age to teach! I do love the little ones! They are so very cute. I have enrolled be able to teach Secondary School. Mainly because the subject that I LOVE is Geography, and I would love to teach that subject. So it kinda made the decision for me... little ones don't really do specific subjects - they just play right? ;-)

I am off to the Alice Smith School for an interview with the Principal on Thursday. Its a British school and one of the oldest International schools in Malaysia. I need someone where I can do the 75 days prac... he sounds rather intimidating. Its a little strange - most schools would welcome and extra pair of FREE hands. I am putting it down to the fact that a teachers assistant in high school isn't really a helpful thing - more of a ball ache really maybe? Who knows!

So we will see. Ill keep you posted!

The Watts Family

Andrew [Dougal] and Elizabeth [Liz] Watts. Parents of Molly [4] and Annabelle Watts [2]. Neighbours to the Bumas. Fellow member of the Association of British Women [Liz]. New found friends. What GEMS!

I am super stoaked that we have met this little family. I met Liz on a ABWM thing, was happy to know she was in the same block of Condos. Since then we have wined dined at theirs and yesterday, Liz organised a BBQ by the pool with us and two other young families.

Huddled up during the downpour

I will say, that this Condo houses LOADS of young families! I am almost sure I can boldly state, as a cold hardcore fact, that Nathanael and I are the only expats without young children.

THAT'S HOW WE LIKE IT :-)

We met another Aussie family, from over east, with their twins +1. Then another white/Malay mixed couple with their 2. And then of course the very very cute Molly and Annabelle. Are they not the two most English names? Let me tell you, those pom accents that accompany the little terrors are enough to make me give them anything they want, just to keep them talking.

One comment that Molly made has kept me giggling since I heard it! We were at the Watts for a couple glasses of wine dinner, the girls were asleep. Molly woke up from the sounds of the near by Mosque...

Molly: "Mummy, who is singing?"
Liz:"Its coming from the Mosque my darling"
Molly: "Whose wearing a mask?"

Classic.

Back to the BBQ... it started off being a rainy day, which I thought looked like it was set in for the day... but I am learning that the weather here is totally unpredictable. One minute its bucketing down with lighting and thunder, the next its sunny and clear! By the time 3pm rolled around, there was no sign of rain, and we all had the most glorious time by and in the pool. Liz has her parents over from Cyprus for a month. Phillip, Liz's dad was in the Army all his life, and her mum was telling me they have moved 22 times in the last 25 years! How insane! They decided to retire in Cyprus, and are in the middle of renovating a place - it sounds so lovely.

As a complete aside, Dougal was also in the Army for many years, in Prince Charles regiment. Before I knew this, somehow the conversation went to the Royal Wedding... I proceeded to give a long soliloquy as to why I think Charles is a snivelling bastard [totally in camp Diana]. Turns out Dougal really likes him, has met him, hung out, the whole shebang... and asked me (because of my very strong opinions) whether I had ever met the man, because obviously I had, if I had formed such strong opinions. EEERRRRGMMMMM. Negative. Never met the man. Dougal proceeded to say "its okay for people to just get opinions from the media..." the convo ended with me say: "well I guess he isnt toooooo bad...". Dear Lord! More wine?

Back to this BBQ... so it was great! We swam, we ate, we chatted, we drank, we swam some more. It was a delightful afternoon. The rain arrived towards the end of the feasting, which the kids LOVED! Its so warm here so they are never in very much danger of catching a cold from being wet and outside --- they were running around like mad things in the rain, loving getting wet.

The Watts came over for a wine coffee and chat later that evening. The girls had some milo!

Blankie and Baa Baa - two things the girls do not go without at bedtime

Nates going riding with Dougal on Saturday and we are planning a trip with them to Melaka. I pop down and see Liz and the girls often. We are really enjoying them and so thankful to have met such lovely people. Looking forward to our visitors (YOU!) meeting them.

From The Tally Book - 10 Ringgit Challenge

So here's the deal... I feel my choice in dining establishments has potentially been misrepresented... that with the 'hawker food' tag comes the mystery that you aren't really sure whether the 'beef' is actually beef or that stray dog from down the road that you don't see around anymore.

I want to change that image. Welcome to the 10RM challenge. The rules are simply - I leave the office with a 10 ringgit note in the pocket and see exactly what culinary delights I can get for my lunch.

Now to put in perspective 10RM is equal to about $3 Aussie and change. Really not a lot. In Perth that might get you the following:

• A really bad coffee
• A cheese burger
• Three Ikea hotdogs (6 on Saturdays - nearly unbeatable value)
• A vegemite scroll for the baked section in Woolies
• A discounted servo pie that has been sitting in the warmer for the better part of a 12hr shift

You get the drift.

Compare this to what I found

Day 1

Location: NZ Cafe

This is what is available 2 minutes walk from the desk. One of the cleaner 'hawker' spots you will find. Comes with all the perks. A roof, a concrete floors, void of stray cats AND the water mist style fan to keep you cool. What more could you ask for!

 

It is wonderful to get away from the towers - you can become a bit 'mallified'. So I went for some fresh air and exercise. It is a  bustling place (ok so this describes most local lunch spots in asia) with either a menu selection or buffet. I went with something off the menu option - a safer bet at the start of the week, a tried and tested (all be it not here) Tandoori chicken and with a side of naan. As a surprise bonus you get a side of season vegetables, dahl, and a green dipping sauce for the chicken.

 This was simply delightful!

Total spend - 9.50RM (~$2.95AUD)

Day 2

Location: Restoran Zhing Kong.

I had to do it. I was in Chinatown. 

On a trip to the post office I was heading back to the towers when from my vantage point that was the elevated train platform i saw this corner store... 

There was one thought - I only live once.

Besides food would have to be cheap and Chinese places like these hard to find around the towers.

I will confessed - there was doubt. Places which house a family of rats in the alley next to the kitchen are a little risky, particularly so early in the week!

Choices range from beef noodle (soup), chicken rice, various curry's and of course dim sum. Now at this point I will add that for a whitey in a place like this ordering a meal is a little confusing. Although it looks like a singular 'restaurant', in reality it is a collection of street vendors with their own carts, tills and menus... I clicked on to this fact after sitting at a table for the better part of 5 minutes waiting for the non-existent waiter with the laminated piece of A4 paper which I can't actually read or understand anyway.

I went the noodle. Sounded good. Tasted ok. Broth - fantastic! However I chose to avoid the testicle looking balls which they came with (lesson from Thailand)

Also had a pork dim sum. I rate them. Used to be a brekky regular when I had access to the hotel buffet. Plus I am in a Muslim state so I figure get pork where and when I can.

All up - soup: 5.50 and dim sum: 1.50 for a grand total of 7RM (~$2.15AUD)

Day 3

Location: Little Wok

Not all cheap food locations are in 'exotic, off the beaten track' locations in an open air environment made complete by their very own set of pet cats.

No you can find cheap and cheerful right in the heart of one of KL's main attractions - the mall.

Most likely here to feed the people working in the stores rather then the people visiting them (and spending a fortune).

These places seem much cleaner, are air conditioned BUT I must warn you - they are certainly NOT for the faint hearted! This place gets crazy at lunch. So busy you end up sharing a small 4 seat table with 3 other randoms. Its about as awkward as it sounds. Particularly if you are white, don't speak any of the local dialect and gatecrash what was likely a couple on their first date.

I have learnt my lesson and now eat at 2pm, reducing the random count to 1.

Food - Exceptional. I generally only eat at Little Wok. Simply cause the menu is massive, portions more then substantial and I haven't picked a bad dish yet.

My buy - Szechuan fried rice

Total spend - 6.90RM (~$2.15AUD)

Ps you will note my choice of two chili add-ins. Delicious but a mistake. Recommend keeping it to 1.

Day 4

Location: The Office

Ok so I will confess. I took a little side step in my challenge… BUT I didn’t break the only rule.

Now for those who know me at all I find it very hard to give up a free meal. So when a few plates of sandwiches, croissants, muffins and token fruit gets dropped literally outside my office door I am hardly going to say no…. for the sake of the challenge I was tempted. 

But free is certainly less then 10RM… PLUS it gave me the opportunity to highlight one of the many facets of my new job that I love. A free lunch is never far away. Be it vendors, bosses, a lunch time meeting... food gets piled on. It is actually getting a little out of hand. 

It started off with egg and 'bacon' (turkey not pig - Muslim country) croissants with donuts on a Wednesday mid-morning. Then egg and sausage muffins where added in on Thursdays. Those muffins were quickly upgraded to more baked delights and starbucks. Now my boss and I are scheming to see if we can get each of our vendors to bring in something to cover every day of the week. Haven't got there yet but last Friday (on the same desk as the food above) there suddenly appeared chocolate, chips, and about four containers with various varieties of nut mixes. 

So now I have a new hobby to keep me entertained... watching the waning self-control self-control of the 50+yo plus engineers.

Total spend - 0RM (~$0AUD)

Day 5 

Location: Side of the road.

My failure to eat anything Malaysian was the primary driver behind today's choice. 

I will confess, i tend to steer clear of Malaysia cuisine for a couple of reasons: the seemingly high popularity of fish and the fact that local hawker places don't really cater well for an ignorant whitey as there is a distinct lack of English on the menu. 

It's a combination that has the potential to go terribly wrong. 

The secondary driver was that I had yet to go street side... Literally...

You know the whole "fold out table with make shift shade and home made goods in open plastic containers which are at just the right temperature that you can also see the bacteria having their daily bath" thing...

I knew this meal was going to be something special.

Selections included:

• Something in a snail type shell
• Wilted (aka stirred fried) vegetables
• What appeared to be chicken (or at least some undefinable section of it) in various coloured sauces,
• And of course whole fish, head to tail with sections of the middle missing

So I got rice (figured I couldn't go wrong there). Chicken rendang (have tried before), spicy chicken (the extent of explanation given to me) and a potato paddy with who knows what else in... (Didn't have a choice with the last one - it was the last one in its container and it was thrust upon my rice... probably an end of day special).

 

Verdict - it was good. Chicken was a little tough and if you can get your mind past the flies going from dish to dish it was a tasty meal.

Next time I might just try the fish.... pending how I fair tomorrow!

Total spend - 7RM (~$2.15AUD) and i am fairly sure that I got stung with a considerable  a white man tax!

ok thats it.... see you-lah

Its not always Black & White

When we were in Yallingup with my family over Christmas, the girls (+ Doug) popped into random things along/off Caves Rd... we stopped at this gallery and my brother (Doug) found this awesome little book:

We basically bought all the copies in the store. Thats how cool this book is.

Louise (my sister-in-law) does this Point+Shoot and Wordless Wednesday thing on her blog which I think is radical. So I am taking notes (coz she is the most consistent blogger I know) and I have decided Wednesday! That is my day for a wordless post --- well maybe just a few words!

After yesterdays happenings (shhhhhhhh), and how my mind is being renewed with thoughts around Real Beauty, I thought this was appropriate:

Too Short? Erm... my box is labelled too tall!

From the Tally Book - 10 tips to driving

1. Word to the wise - avoid peak hour.

2. Look left. Look right. Look bike. A lane there or not scooter drivers have an unshakable bravado. They will undertake or overtake - wherever a gap can be found.

3. When merging - if you go, they will stop. As you soon understand, the Malaysian road system is guided by a 'loose' set of rules. This works because unlike the aggression that is Australian drivers, Malaysians are incredibly courteous on the road. So despite the traffic being bumper to bumper. If you start to pull out someone will stop.

4. A premise to the above point - size does matters. And I like to take full advantage of the (comparative) beast that is the hilux.

5. Where there is space... A lane can be made. What works for a scooter also seems to work for a car. This is super practical and something I have readily adopted (much to the 'delight' of my wife). This includes emergency lanes, road shoulders or just straight down the middle of a dual carriage.

6. iPhones fail as a comprehensive navigation device.

7. Carry some extra change for that embarrassing u-turn thru a toll bridge after missing an exit. 

8. Asian car parks are not made for a dual cab hilux. The 10 point turn is an art one must quickly master!

9. On the topic of parking - beware that double park. Similar to the case with driving it seems that if there is space then that means you can park. A wonderful freedom to have with a hilux. Just simply mount the curb and quadruple park across the free scooter bays. Of course there is a downfall to this system... As you can see in the photo... 

Here this 'free space' includes the section of road directly behind your car. What to do if you find yourself in such a predicament? Simply lean on the horn and keep blowing, hoping that the owner is somewhere close by.

10. My personal favourite...

When in doubt - speed... You will receive the same fine regardless of how much you are over. Such a great concept. Fixed priced speeding fines!. So I figure if I am going to get caught (and it will happen cause sign posts are ad hoc at best) it might as well be worth it.

ok thats it.... see you-lah

NB

Taman Tun Doctor Ismail Wet Market

For the next 3 Thursdays, I am on a HELLO KL! course, which is run by... yip, you guessed it, the Association of British Women (I am all about them at the moment!). A group of 10 women, including Mandy and Pauline our tour guides, will be adventuring around KL for the next few Thursdays.

Mandy has been living here for I think on 3 years, Pauline has been here for 2 years. They are both a fountain of knowledge and great people to know! They run the HELLO KL! course for 4 consecutive Thursdays. The aim is to get newies settled.

Yesterday was all about getting to know the places to shop around Bangsar. They highlight important places like the post office, the hardware store, the woman's doctor, the wine shop, a good hair dresser, flower shop, nursery's, children's doctor, a dentist... the list went on and on. All things one needs to feel more at home.

The first stop was at the Taman Tun Doctor Ismail (that's the road name!) Wet Market. Before we arrived Mandy gave us a run down of the day, and where we would be heading... she said (in her very proper accent)

"We will be visiting TTDI Wet Market, its a marvellous market for meat and such things"

Hearing the words meat and market in the same sentence, sent my alarms bells a-ringing. Hello people, do we not know that meat out in the open, surrounded by flies and God in Heaven only knows what other germs... is a recipe for some serious food poisoning and life long viral onslaughts? I admit, I do remembering thinking to myself "FAT CHANCE I am shopping there for our meat! Tescos, Village Grocer or Cold Storage is where its at for the Bumas"

As we approached the Wet Market I was chatting with Liz, my new friend (lives in the same condo as us, is a couple years older than me, has two girls 2 and 4) and she says (in her also, very proper accent):

"I am so looking forward to seeing this meat market. Apparently the hotel chefs buy their meat from here directly. I have had such unpleasant experiences with the meat I have bought from Tescos, Village Grocer and Cold Storage - its gone off between purchasing it and arriving at home...and apparently you can buy Pork at this market!"

There you go. Once again, my assumptions and prejudices have been blown out of the water.

It was a wonderful experience, the vegetables and fruit were straight from the farm and half the price they are in the super market. There were stalls after stalls of fresh flowers and lots of spice stands. I can see me going there weekly for all our fresh goods. The meat section, was clean and cold. No flies, no hanging carcasses, no bad smells and all rather (much to my surprise) civilised! And you can get pork! I didn't realise, but apparently (according to the ladies) pork is hard to come by - makes sense being in a Muslim country I guess!

The Bumas will be buying all their meat at the Wet Market!

I had such a wonderful day with the girls, that I forgot to take photos! I did steal this one however from another persons blog. I needed to show you the meat!

x

A standard Indian delight

We have had the privilege of eating out every night since we arrived here - that's what happens when you have none of your household belongings (well actually its just so cheap)! Its been a real experience - I am quickly learning that my standard of hygiene vs Nathanael's standard of hygiene are on two opposite ends of the spectrum.

There have been a few nights where I have found myself gripping onto his hand was we wonder down ally ways towards whats known as "hawker" food establishments. Basically they are eating houses bigger than your average street food stand and usually characterised by plastic chairs, tables and open air dining. There have been some that we have visited where I have bathed my knife and fork in hand sanitiser, and not let my lips touch the drinking vessel... to my husbands credit though, those have been the places with the most tastiest food!

I am learning to become more tolerant of the surroundings and not as judgemental. Although I do have my limits. The sad thing is that the busier ones tend to attracted limbless beggers who hover around the tables trying to sell tissues or they sing into very distorted amps which they drag on wheels behind them. Then you have the ones who sell fake watches and lazers... not my idea of a romantic night out! It kinda messes with your head a bit. I guess that's just 3rd world and something of an every day norm here. 

As mentioned above, we have been going out every night, majority of the time has been spent cruising around Bangsar. We have noticed this spot which, night after night, has crowds of people. Being a hawker joint, its nothing fancy, but seriously, its busting with people most nights. We decided to try it. Nirwana Maju it was called. 

2 x Banana Leaf Sets.

2 x Watermelon Juices (+ another 2 because the food was so spicy!)

Thank you garcon!

First they put together a ricketty table with some plastic stools on the pavement, I think we had the neon white lights of a mobile phone store as our backdrop! 

Out came our plates

Then onto our eco friendly plates they pile three condiments (?) 

Some steamed white rice

Curry gravy 

And shamwow, your banana left set is ready for consumption!

So thats the basic banana leaf set, which then you order meat based curries to accompany it. This type of dining seems to be a standard at the hawker indian spots around town. Its super delicious and this time, we had no budding entrepenuers pestering us to buy their tissues/lazers/debut ep.

x