Hey you. I'm back. After almost two weeks of hopping from KL to Singapore to Melbourne to Singapore and back to KL, I am refreshed and rejuvenated, and somewhat re-born.
The trip was a wonderful blend of business and pleasure, and I am ever grateful to have spent the time with good friends - Victoria, Raimy, Monica and Depika, David, Dharshini and family, Fische, Wai Bien, Mei Yin, Beng Ti and Claire. I am happy to have also got the chance to make new friends - Ramia, Francis, and especially John, Mel and baby Claire.
I managed to track trends in international retail economics e.g. differences in prices of Nine West shoes and trinkets from George Jensen, and the vast variances of cafe lattes (or crappy lattes as they are more aptly known as in Singapore) from country to country.
The trip was indeed a gastronomic delight, Singapore a near exception until we hit that Nasi Padang place. Melbourne's restaurants and residents were wonderful hosts to a fussy pescetarian diner, and they never failed to deliver.
Some highlights (or at least the ones I could remember) were Ackland St and its pastries, Georgios (a wonderfully light spaghetti marinara), the whole of Lygon St, Cafe Nova on Brunswick St and its quaint fireplace, Cafe e Cuccina on Chapel St, LiveBait at the Docklands, the Curry Club in Richmond (a nice reminder of what Indian food should be), Laurent (I will never look at French pastry in the same way again), and not to forget, my most favourite place, Callis and Forrest - for a most wonderful farewell breakfast (their signature roti and scrambled eggs with chilli jam is not as it used to be, but close enough to remind me of days gone by).
I was fortunate enough to have friends who took me to high places - Mount Dandenong Observatory near Melbourne, The China Club at Capitol Tower and The Ritz Carlton in Singapore.
I had some wonderful solitary moments at St Kilda Beach at sunset, contemplating life and what the future holds for me. I even managed to get some tips from The Rage of Placid Lake, a newly released Australian movie.
I took a lot of shots, most of which of food - Mon called me 'the frustrated food photographer'. I may even consider that as a potential career change option, if I get to keep the camera that was lent to me.
I'm tired yet rested, with a sense of clarity that only the clear endless skies of Australia could give one so used to the busy KL skyline. This post will serve as a temporary placeholder, as I unpack my AUD100 worth of Tim Tams (yes, you people at the office get some too...) and nougat, and slowly ease myself into my mundane KL existence.
*sigh*
To those who have not tasted the real thing, what you get in kl is not the real thing. There is a stark difference. If I am kind, I will allow you to partake in a taste test. Meesh, you're already recruited.
Posted by: Najah at 2003年09月11日 00:06Yes, I've been 'briefed' of the virtues of the original TimTams from Australia by my friends. Heheh.
Posted by: Idlan at 2003年09月11日 01:54Najah, you are kind and gracious to offer to enlighten me in this Tim Tam taste test :)
Will give you a real hug when I see you!
Posted by: meesh at 2003年09月11日 08:08Unless imported, chocolates in Malaysia do not have the same cocoa (butter) content as those imported, hence they taste different. Not necessarily worse, just different. If you have a preference for stronger, darker chocolate, then imported ones are you best bet.
BTW, I find chocolates in Britain as insipid tasting as Malaysian ones...!
Posted by: jikon at 2003年09月11日 08:48Welcome back home, girl. Missed your words. I like the last photo.. you ( i presume ) and a friend walking towards the end of the jetty and with the darkening skyline. A poetic photo, I think :-)
Posted by: omecool20 at 2003年09月11日 08:54Welcome home! Everyday I checked your blogs for new update while u r in Melbourne, tapi tak de update..Now that you are back, I can finally continue reading your blog, yay! Err you went to Singapore? Dah check for SARS?? hehheh..kidding.
Posted by: jemi at 2003年09月11日 09:08u are back! wuhuu!!!
couldn't agree more on the australian tim tams and malaysian tim tams :D
Posted by: maria at 2003年09月11日 10:34hi,
i came across ur name masa baca column limau nipis.. emm.. no wonder it rings a bell. u ni SSPian. nice work, enjoy reading ur writing. admire your commitment in writing coz it's hard to start but even harder to persevere... u should be a journalist..hi..hi..
Victory belongs to the most perseverance
....Napoleon Bornaparte
Hi all! Didn't realise I was missed... :P
Anyway, don't get me started on the subject of Tim Tams. I am very serious about this particular Australian 'produce'.
Jemi, I was secretly hoping that there was quarantine in the vicinity of where I was staying so that I didn't have to go back to work... but thank God, no, I have no fever or any SARS-like symptoms.
Nora, thanks for your comments. I never favoured writing about stuff journalists write about, and I guess I don't have the discipline to write about things other people tell me to write about. Hence, blogging is more my forte, I write what I want, and I don't have to quit my day job.. hehehe...
Posted by: Najah at 2003年09月11日 16:10but timtams are nothing compared to penguins!
Have you tried the tim tam slam? A must-try, works with Milo.
If you're a tea and biscuits person - check out (http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com/biscuits/previous.php3?item=47) : a review of timtam (au) vs Penguin (british). that site is one of my faves (esp in cold cubicle temperatures).
haxa : i'm in kuching lah! :p
najah : think the tim tams in kuching are imported directly from oz. gotta check it out at choice daily's. they also stock a lot of arnott's biscuits. woooo!!!
Posted by: Wena at 2003年09月11日 16:59Oh God. It's so strange that everyone's going ga-ga over Tim Tams. I've never even seen what a Tim Tam looks like much less tasted one. To me, cream crackers in black coffee is a treat!!! Haahhaaha... I'm so sheltered!
Posted by: spit at 2003年09月11日 17:06Najah...looking good there :) Thanks for sharing the pictorials!
Posted by: Brendan at 2003年09月15日 23:41Hello....sorry,I have a question to enquire u all,can I find all kind of Tim Tam in Singapore or Malaysia?Coz I'm studying in aus and would like to buy some home,if I can find In M'sia or Singapore,I think there is no need for me to buy,can you give me a guide?thanks so much....
Posted by: Jason at 2003年10月30日 12:21