Malaysians eat. Continuously.

Colleagues Syal, Anita and I try ALL the restaurants near the Northern village we're training at. This on is near Big Pumpkin. Yeah, that is its name.

Malaysians eat 5 times a day.

Once we've made our way to the 8th floor in the building's single lift to clock in sometime before 8am, the real work begins.

Breakfast: Grilled fish. Chilli squid. Veges in shrimp paste. Fried eggs. Fried noodles.

The English Teacher Training Institute's Breakfast Buffet. Fish paste. Hmm mmm.

Cafeteria Cashier: My icecream habit is a source of amusement.

A bit later the lecturers arrive back from course delivery in far flung corners of the country and they have goodies.

Morning Tea: Mould cake (green and looking like mould unsurprisingly) from Kuching. Meringue type things. Puffed dark brown sweet rice biscuits.

Roger: You know he RANG ME UP from Kuching to tell me about the prawns he was eating.

Very unfair I agree, but have to withdraw from the discussion to squash in a planning meeting because its

Lunch time.

Despite the restrictions on leaving the campus, there seems to be general agreement amongst my colleagues that this meal is way too serious to be dealt with in our somewhat unhygienic cafeteria.

Dept Head Puan-Chet in her equally vibrant car as we go jalan-jalan cari makan: Venturing out in search of food!

Today we head off to a Malay restaurant which turns out to be right near my apartment. [So get on a plane, people!]

One small section of the massive Kelantan-style buffet

Razali with Kelantan Hot Pot

The gorgeous Puan-Zurina & Puan-Chet doing what Malaysians do best...

This is food from Kelantan, it is carefully explained, as I am also given the Malay translations of various items, the contents of dishes and accompaniments, methods of cooking and eating them, their effect on my organs, and on the smell of my urine. [Not positive. Eat these beans for cleansing purposes. Do not eat when out on a date].

The Urine-Tranforming Bean, Hot Sambal, and Fermented Durian. Yeah, the fruit that smells like a sewer even UNfermented.

We buy cakes from the same restaurant. Some items from the banana fritter stand from across the road.

Yes, it's Afternoon Tea Time.

The wonderful Ka (Big Sister) Yang and Puan-Nazean - Heroines of many a Simone Rescue Mission [see post below]

Banana Fritter lady.

And [very] shortly afterwards I head off to meet a mate visiting from Oz to take him to an Indian restaurant recommended by my Indian colleagues.

Dinner: Go upstairs and have the Banana Leaf.

John & Heidi eat Banana Leaf: Or rather, the yummy stuff on top.

After dinner, John, Heidi and I stroll around Bangsar Village stopping off along the way at an upmarket pet shop.

Liza: If you really love your cat, you need to feed her high quality food, with no additives. This will stop her shedding.

Sigh. And I thought I needed a vacuum cleaner.

Cubicle Colleague, Enaliza: Chief Advisor to Simone on matters ranging from fridges to cat food.

My over-indulgence of the small neurotic beastie known as Ant is much commented on. However, she herself has just pronounced on the matter, wolfing down half a bowl of new, improved and much more expensive dry biccies, in favour of Friskies Tuna/Salmon (previous fave), and even real canned tuna chunks in springwater meant for human consumption.

The inadequately fed Ant, on inadequately vacuumed stairs.

Mission accomplished, I head home but get lost down back roads leading past block after block of high rise housing. Fortunately, there are heaps of people who can be asked for directions as they enjoy the evening outside, chatting, drinking and

No I don't think I need to spell it out.

Come visit Malaysia and eat!

Simone the Sated - as in satisfied, people. not spread with chilli peanut sauce and skewered. At least. Not yet. More on the non-eating parts of my job, later...