Pit Stop

What more could you ask for? A working desk with a beautiful view, plenty of good food to keep one satisfied (in fact the Nooodles restaurant serves a fine Hong Kong Wantan mee) and the lounge has lots and lots of space that you don't feel crowded by other people. I could spend a long time here ... or until my flite anyway and that's still 5 hours away!) . I love Malaysian Airlines Golden Lounge. They seems to get this one right.

Let's see the shower and gym later ...

Of Pirated Software, DVDs, CDs

I walked around Imbi Plaza earlier and lo and behold, the Malaysian authorities seems to have cleaned up the place. It's still dirty, but what I meant was the pirated software, the PS2 CD, DVDs, and what have you have all been banished! I've also heard they've arrested some traders.

First they cleaned up the porns (Petaling Street is JUST not the same anymore and I do love the cat and mouse games the traders and authorities plays some evenings), now this? Hehe. What next? But the fake T-Shirts, Handbags and Watches are still being sold openly. Brunei may yet become the last outpost for pirated goods in this region. Now that's a scary thought.

Ignore me, I'm just killing time while waiting for my flight.

Chinese New Year 2007 in Kuala Lumpur

I spent 2 years of my early life here in Kuala Lumpur. Staying mostly in TTDI and also around Sentral. So KL does not offer much surprises for me, although I love how it progresses everytime I come back here. But, always, always, its food, its Indian curries and its roadside nasi lemak remind me that the old Kuala Lumpur is alive and kicking. When I passed through customs yesterday (I love its premier lane!), I really didn't have any plan apart from getting a new business shoes, relax at a coffee shop somewhere and do some people watching. But being the nite before Chinese New Year's eve, I decided to soak some of the celebratory atmosphere and walk around all the major shopping malls in Bukit Bintang.

Red lanterns lined some of the streets around Bukit Bintang and it does genuinely feels more livelier. KL Plaza has cherry blossoms placed on mock tress outside its entrance and at its main hall. Sungei Wang Plaza has a magical garden theme going-on in its concourse level, and Berjaya Time Square has a big Cherry Blossom wishing tree and Gazaebo at its entrance.

But unlike in Hong Kong, decorative figures depicting the pig, or rather the boar, seems conspicously absent. Maybe I wasn't looking hard enough. Anyway, I would think most people would already have started their journey to join their family earlier in the day so the shopping malls themselves were not really crowded but there are still some people doing their last minute shopping for CNY. The CNY sale seems to offer plenty of good bargains after all. I joined in the mood and bought some shirt and trousers.

To all, enjoy a bountiful and prosperous new year. Gong Xi Fa chai.

Kuala Lumpur, 16-17Feb 2007
En route to Osaka, Japan
KLIA express to KL Sentral: RM35
Taxi to Bukit Bintang: RM20 (Should perhaps take the normal city taxi on the 2st or ground floor)
Taxi from Bukit Bintang to Sentral: RM10
Shops closed around 9.30pm. Shops close on New Year itself.
B$1 = RM2.265
I changed my money KL Sentral.

Jade Goody at the London Marathon

A reminder that marathoning is not for everyone and it does take lots of commitment and training before one should attempt a marathon.

BUT .... on the other hand, you do have to give her credit, to have the courage to be at the starting line of the London marathon and to have done 18 miles without proper training or nutrition.

Excerpt from entertainmentwise.com

Big Brother’s Jade Goody has been criticised for not training properly for the London marathon.

Goody was forced to quit the 26.2mile run after completing 21 miles due to exhaustion, she later revealed that she only took part in four training sessions and had been binging on curries and booze before the race.

Race director, David Bedford has said of the reality TV star: "We, of course, recommend that everyone that takes part in the marathon trains, and to start by thinking I'm just going to walk round and not even be able to walk a marathon clearly shows she's done nothing and is not in good shape,"

"I don't know whether the marathon money that she was raising will be lost because she dropped out. That, of course, would be a great shame and would in some ways show that she should have taken the event more seriously."

The one where I went to Hong Kong

Hong Kong - 28th Jan 2007 to 4th Feb 2007.

Forgive me if I got some of the name wrong as I'm basically writing from I remembered in my head. But I've decided. I love Hong Kong. The shopping (Shops selling branded and designer goods aplenty!), the places we visited, the food (the Dim Sum and the desserts were awesome!) and especially the weather. Hong Kong was hit by cold snap the first nite we were there but temperature range from 18 to 22 Deg C throughout our stay. There was no rain and the weather certainly made our stay there much more memorable.

Hong Kong remind me of a lot of London or Manchester. Which makes sense I guess as they are a former British colony. They have duble-decker red buses, the buildings are quite compact, the similar looking road signs, the eer cheesy British adult magazine and the weather, mercilessly windy and cold.

Our hotel was in Causeway Bay which turned out to be the most ideal place to stay in during our 1 week visit to Hong Kong. The Peak is nearby as are the HK Convention and Exhibition Centre. I love some of the little shops (especially around Sogo) and the market (selling cheap souvenir t-shirts). Lots of fresh flowers on sale too and the oranges we bought was gratefuly juicy and sweet.

Across the bay in Kowloon, we shopped in Harbour City and Ocean Terminal. My most notable purchase would be New Balance triathlon short (Ocean Terminal), New Balance running shoe M1222 (Times Square), Adidas pants and running T (Giga Sports), Hi-Tec Trail Running Shoe (OT). A nice haul of sporting goods! The prices were not exactly cheap but I like the variety of mechandise the shops keep and they carry bigger sizes for the shoes.

Exchange rate approx BND 1 = HKD 4.92
Taxi from the Airport to Hong Kong Island - Not more than HKD400
Train to the city - HKD90 / HKD100
Taxi generally expensive.
If you plan to use the bus or train to travel around, get the Octopus Card. HKD150 which include HKD50 deposit. You can also use the card at McD, 7-11 shops or certain supermarket. Quite handy!
Halal food - Some around Causeway Bay. In Kowloon, head to ChungKing Mansion along Nathan Road. I bought Nasi Beriyani from one of the shops there for HKD15.