HK in KL #1

Greetings from Kuala Lumpur!

So now I remember why I always wrote my blog on another document and then transferred it to the blog on the website...because it is very easy to lose all your writing. I just finished a nice long initial blog on my new adventure and somehow hit one key and whole thing disappearing. Ugh!

No matter, being awake at 4:30 a.m. is always a good time for blogging. My jet lag is pretty much over but I still seem to get really tired in the late afternoon and end up taking a long nap and then I don't need to sleep past early a.m.

I have now been in Kuala Lumpur for nearly a week. I left KCMO last Sunday and about a day and a half later ended up in KL. The basics were a 14 hour flight from LAX to Taipei and another 4 hours to KL from there. I was flew on Malaysian Airlines which was very nice and I was lucky enough to have several seats to myself. I understand going the other way from New York adds one hour of flying time. If you are reading this and planning a trip that may make a difference depending on where you are flying from to get here. I am not certain of the flying time from Europe but understand Virgin has really reasonable flights to Hong Kong and it is about 90 min flying time to KL from HK.

This is the tropics and it is very humid and warm, about 25-30 Celcius (77-86 F). It rains nearly everyday in the afternoon. Sometimes the showers accompanied by huge thunder, lightning, and wind. It is really beautiful and can be very refreshing. People pretty much just stop what they are doing outside when it comes down really hard. The lighter rains don't seem to affect anything but have the unpleasant effect of making it seem even more humid.

This weekend I did some exploring and left my private little world of the KL Hilton. This is the nicest Hilton I've ever seen and you could live here and be quite happy. The most amazing breakfast buffet which all different types of regional cuisine available including English, Malay, Japanese, Chinese, and European. I've had everything from congee (rice porridge) to fresh squeezed melon juice, french cheese, fried rice, and made to order omelette. YUM!!! A great way to start the day.

I should be moving into my apartment on Monday 21APR and I am so excited. I'll be living in an area of the city called Capital Square and it just outside the Golden Triangle. It is a brand new high rise building and I'll be living on the 15th floor with a view of the KL Tower and Petronas Twin Towers. This place is amazing and very spacious so start planning your trip now.

I've sampled some delicious street food as well as had some typical Malay dishes including Kari kepala Ikan (fish head curry ), Nasi ayam (chicken rice), and Nasi lemak (classic Malay dish with rice cooked in coconut milk served with ikan bilis, cucumber, peanuts, eggs, and sambal). Ikan bilis is dried fish that comes many different ways but is typicall quite salty and made from small fish like anchovies. Sambal is the chili dipping sauce that is also available in limitless variety. The sambal I've had so far have surprisingly not been that "hot", just delicious and full of flavour.

I expect to have a full and busy week of work this week getting to know the team and our client in KL. I have been asked to go to Singapore next week to support a sales effort there.

Last night I was sitting out at the amazing freeform pool on the 8th floor with the palm trees swaying overhead and had to remind myself where I am. The sky was pretty clear last night and the moon looked like it was on its side. It seems to me that is a trait when you are closer to the equator. I am so very lucky to have to this opportunity.

Prior to travelling here so many people told me that everyone falls in love with SE Asia and I think I am falling fast.

Selangat tinngal!