From The Tally Book – Just a Few Ways To Fill a Long Weekend

One of the perks of my new job is the work life balance…

·         5 weeks annual leave

·         Half day Fridays

·         Paid public holidays

The last one is awesome.

In a culture where there are three distinct cultural groups – Malay, Chinese, Indian… plus the add bonus of appeasing us whities (the Melbourne Cup is did not make the cut)… the total number for the whole Malaysia region is 41.

Unfortunately for me that only equates to 15 days extra I get off this year (certain holidays only valid in certain states and a holiday falling on Saturday are not replaced on a Monday).

Still… it eclipses the 10 back in Perth so I won’t complain.

So what to do with all that time? Here’s a few ideas

Friday – Drive across a country…

I finished work as per usual at 12noon. Another hard week – 3 and a half days. Significantly more than the 2 and a half days the week before, and the 2 and a half days that was to come. Still I was not going to let fatigue hold me back. A promising weekend of beach and snorkeling lay ahead… well so I thought.

Some important background info. I am Dutch. Exploring is in my blood. Particularly the region that is South East Asia. I have read all about what the V.O.C once did. They came, they saw and they conquered. I thought it necessary to honour such a legacy. Unfortunately for me I was soundly defeated, lasting only a night and returning home, tail between legs.

Let me let you – it was a long way to go to find some tasty “Supreme Pork” (which was really incredible) and a sea breeze to match the 40 knots of Geraldton. We landed in Malaysia’s ‘Quran belt’, in the middle of monsoon season, with no pubs and a nightlife that consisted of driving to the foreshore for a fanta and (halal) fish balls on a stick.

Here is a lesson for all of us –read the lonely planet travel guide.

The trip wasn’t all for waste… we did drive the across the Malaysian Peninsular and touch the South China Sea. Tick and Tick.

Saturday – Enjoy a night on the town…

Following the 6.5hr return leg we needed some excitement. What better way heading out to the popular night strip of Changkat Bukit Bintang.

Initial plans – have a ‘beer tower’… head to Jalan Alor for a feed… probably come home with Ruth and tuck her into bed then go out to Ministry of South for a dance with ZJ (side note – in case you hadn’t realised the ‘we’ was myself, Ruth and my bro Zac)

What actually happened – randomly run into some of Ruth’s friends from the “Association of British Woman”… drink Moet and Kilkenny… share Zac’s exploits as a ‘semi’ famous rock star at home… encourage Zac to ‘sing along with the band’… have a dance… shared a unique cultural experience that is drinks on the streets of South East Asia… eat a burger… head home.

We were all very grateful of our decision to bail on Kuala Terengganu.

 Sunday – Do something manly…

I confess. There are times when the inner child in me needs to be satiated. And the voice had been crying out for some time. Months in fact. Back to the time when Ruth and I were at these very cool antique markets and I saw a guy walking around, full S.W.A.T suit (hardened plastic face mask included), with bb gun in hand. I needed one.

Problem being is that if I bought one then, I knew that it would only be so long before I tired of shooting targets and would want to shot someone… it doesn’t take a genius to realise the wife is NOT that someone… however the little boy inside if often NOT a genius. In fact he can be rather dull witted and slow, believing the repercussions are worth the course of action.

Thankfully Zac arrived. And with an unexpected weekend in KL what better thing then to go around, inflicting pain on each other (top of the foot, point blank takes the cake).

Monday – Do something fun…

A trip to park average… Sunway Lagoon. A day wasted is enough. I won’t waste your time reading a description of it. I love theme parks… and this one does not deserve such a title.

That is all.

Tuesday – Experience culture…

Let me paint the scene:

• Imagine me on your shoulders (I weigh 80kg’s and change)… walking up a few thousand stairs... on a forty degree day with humidity topping 80%.
• Add a million people shoulder to shoulder with a general hygiene standard which would consist of a once a week shower (I do not exaggerate).
• Throw in all the colour and noise of Bollywood .
• Put a 10mm metal skewer through both your cheeks and individually hang 20kg’s of oranges on your back with fish hooks.

 Welcome to Thaipusam.

In a nut shell Thaipisam is is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community and the Batu Caves of Malaysia is its Mecca. For those who might like to read more - Wikipedia is the place to go. My insights are those of an uneducated whitey.

Surprisingly this was one cultural experience that I was happy to experience on the sidelines.

I took pictures… they are graphic so viewer discretion is recommended. For those whose visual tolerance does not include men suspended in the air with hooks through each limb a very inadequate summary of what was witnessed includes:

• Massive commercialization of what is to some (evidently) an extremely sacred day (look out for the pink elephant and ‘Hotlink’ sponsorship in the pictures below)
• 100’s of tents offering food, a vast array of idols, electronic goods, pots, pans and CD’s of locally recorded Punjabi hip-hop
• A portable theme park next to a throng of worshippers shouting “AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!” in support of the unlucky few who have been selected to carry the burden of the masses to as a  penance to a god
• The danger of trying to funnel a few thousand people through a single gate onto a limited capacity train

 For me personally... next to actually being there pictures do the event more justice then my words:

(...the following content may be a little too much for some viewers...)

and that.... was our weekend.

see you-lah!