3 days and counting...

So less than 3 days now unti I leave KL and I'm beginning to panic that I'm not going to get everything done in time. Even though I've been away from home for so long now (nearly 2 years) I'm still useless at packing and always end up bringing a bunch of stuff I don't ever use. However, this time I'm determinded to only bring essentials and to have a half empty backpack (for future purchases!), but somehow that's easier said than done.

That said, I am doing good on my plan to meet up with some of my relatives before I leave, so thats a start. Earlier today I went over to see my grandma and uncles family in Klang, a town on the outskirts of KL and tomorrow I'm meeting up with my mum's youngest brother's family and also an aunt on my dad's side. Anyone else will just have to wait until I'm next back in Malaysia, which hopefully won't be too long a wait.

I don't think I'll be able to update my travelblog website too much more before I leave KL on Sunday, which is a shame because my aim was to get up to date - perhaps I was aiming too high! I've only added one new post in the past month or so and I'm still 9 (soon to be 10) countries behind...!!

Today, though, I did discover something new and very exciting! Well, I found it very exciting, not sure if anyone else would! While browsing a local drugstore, similar to that of Boots and Superdrug back home in England, Danny came across a pair of pinhole glasses that were for sale on the pharmacy counter. He said they were for helping to improve eyesight and I just laughed, thinking how could a pair of very stupid looking glasses (imagine black sunglasses with a loads of holes in the lens) help improve eyesight. That was until I took my own glasses off and put the pinhole ones on... and tada!! I could see!! Well, maybe not perfectly, but I could still see much better than without my glasses. Apparantly, with regular use they can actually help improve eyesight. I think I just might buy myself a pair if I see them again in the shops.

Diamonds really are a girl's best friend

Earlier today I treated myself to a facial, not something that I'm really into, but one of the beauty salons near where I'm staying in KL are currently doing an offer for a Diamond Peel Facial, RM88 instead of their usual price of RM288, so how could I refuse?!

So I booked myself an appointment and off I went. I wasn't really sure what to expect, all I had been told when I booked myself an appointment was that its a type of MicroDermabrasion facial and it'd take around 90-120 mins, which to me, the novice facial go-er, sounded like quite a long time!

The actual diamond peel procedure was over pretty quickly, after cleansing my face with 2 different types of cleanser, a wand tipped with diamond particles (although who knows if it actually was since I didn't get to see it!) that was attached to what I can only imagine was a vacuume machine was passed lightly over the skin of my face. It felt like very fine sandpaper but didn't hurt and wasn't unpleasant. After the beautician did half of my face she handed me a mirror and asked if I could see the difference between the side that had been done and the one that hadn't. I hate to admit, I couldn't really see a striking difference, but the side that had been done felt a lot softer, so that was a start! The rest of the time was taken up by more cleansing, an eyebrow clean up (that was not included in the package), a relaxing massage followed by a tingly facemask and a bit of a tone and moisturise.

Based on the fact that I couldn't see much of a difference when she handed me the mirror earlier in the procedure I didn't have high hopes for the results of the facial. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find my skin much clearer, brighter and just looking a lot healthier! Definately RM88 well spent (by the way, RM88 is around £15).

So while I was on a roll, I decided to get my hair cut! And now not only do I have a radiant looking face, I'm also sporting a shorter more conditioned hairdo. Not bad for a days work.

Hot Hot Heat!!

Kuala Lumpur is currently in the middle of a heat wave. Yes, I know that sounds somewhat ironic; Malaysia, a country on the equator with a tropical humid climate has heat waves? But it's true and one is happening right now. Its been averaging around 35 degrees C for over the past week, crazy humidity thats not doing my hair any favours and lightening storms nearly every day... but no rain. Where is the rain?! Never thought I'd hear myself ask that question!

Even the locals are wondering whats going on with the recent weather we've been having out here. If they find it hot, can you imagine how I'm coping?! Aircon on full blast while sitting in skimpy shorts and vest tops, sipping ice cold drinks isn't always enough to stave off the heat. Though saying that, I know that when I get to New Zealand in a little over a week I'll be complaining non stop about how cold it is and how I wish I was in hot Malaysia sweating away. Some people are never happy.

Hawker centres and Ice wine

After spending almost 6 months on and off in Kuala Lumpur, the time has finally come to leave and even though I'm looking forward to moving on to pastures new, I'm also very sad to be leaving what I've been calling home my second home. It's been fantastic living here in my family apartment, experiencing Malaysian life as a local and getting to know the relatives I only saw for a few weeks every couple of years when I was growing up.

With just less than a week to go before I leave, my lazy days of hiding from the relentless heat are over and have been replaced with lists of things to do in order to get myself organised for the next leg of my travels, heading to New Zealand to meet up with Stacy, my travel buddy since last June who is already over there. I've still got a fair few things to do and relatives I need to say goodbye to but its all coming together nicely and I know I'll get most, if not all of it done.

The first of my farewells occured last night when myself and Danny went to dinner with my surrogate parents out here, aka my Aunty Kuan and Uncle Min as well as my cousins to a local hawker centre, Asia Cafe, one of my favourite places to dine in the area. And with such a large choice of local food there, who could blame me?! After feasting on dim sum and wonton noodles we all headed to another food centre for some roti tisu, a new dish I only discovered a few months ago and has fast become one of my favourite desserts. I'm glad I started going to the gym recently because all this food hasn't been good for my waistline!

Back in the apartment after dinner I tasted my first ever sip of Ice Wine, a very yellow sweet dessert wine while we watched Man on Wire, a documentary about Philippe Petit's amazing tight rope walk betwen the Twin Towers in 1974. Saying goodbye, especially to my cousins as I probably won't see them again before I leave, is always hard but after the past year or so of travelling I'm slowly getting used to it and I know we'll all be seeing each other again soon.

Welcome to my alternative blog, the one I hope to keep up to date with...

Yesterday, to my great delight I discovered that Wikipedia has an entry on 'Chindians', individuals of mixed Chinese and Indian heritage. And there was me thinking myself and my brother were the only ones of our kind in the world! Actually, I did know better. Infact, I've come across one or two in my time, though its always exciting to know that there are more of us out there, we're still quite a minority group in the real world.

Anyhow, I digress. Discovering that Wikipedia article helped me to finally come up with a name for this blog, something I'd been pondering for a while but couldn't quite make up my mind about. I've been quite lax with the current travel blog that I have up and running, 9 months and as many countries behind, I've come to realise it might just take me a while to catch up, so while I'm doing so, I thought I'd have a bash at a new blog. Why start a new blog if I can't even keep up with my other one I hear you ask?! Good question, one that I don't really have a proper answer to other than the fact that I wanted one!

New changes are ahead and what better way to document this than with a new blog?!