Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Chinatown and Jalan Alor

Kuala Lumpur was so removed from my radar that I all but forgot we were going there until we actually landed. It was my very first Asian visit (if you don’t count the Maldives) and oh boy, was it a Baptism of Fire. The city seems to pulse with energy and life, the air is so unbelievably humid that at times, it feels like you could cut it with a knife (I sported a rather impressive ‘fro for 4 days), the traffic is so dense and moves so fast that it is virtually impossible to cross the road – you just have to kiss your butt goodbye and run for it. I have to admit that I was incredibly overwhelmed on that first day, the heat, the breakneck pace of life, the smells, the poverty, it all just felt a little too much for me but by the last day, I was heart-sore to leave. It grew on me, got under my skin like no other city before. KLites (as the locals are affectionately called) are super friendly, we had more than one stop us to hand out maps, directions and photo ops – they are BIG on photo ops in Asia. I also had no idea how diverse the culture would be as Malaysia is made up predominantly of Islamic Malays, Chinese and Indians (there are also large numbers of foreigners). It makes for an extremely interesting mix of neighbourhoods, foods and languages. For me, it’s a city of vast contrasts, from the abject poverty and rundown buildings in the old quarter, to the city with its unashamed displays of wealth and glamorous high rises. I’ll start with Chinatown and the famous street food market, Jalon Alor. We ate like kings during our few days there but the princess in me just couldn’t bring myself to eat in Jalan Alor, especially not with the giant rats that scuttle around your feet. No siree. 

(I couldn’t resist a bit of editing with these photos, as they served as the perfect backdrop for some filters).

All images via Wishful Thinking

Life as a Sydneysider…

Hello Strangers! After a crazy few weeks, I have finally made it to Sydney! And in case you are wondering, I LOVE IT! I don’t think I will ever be able to fully articulate all the feelings I went through before I left London. Worry, excitement, doubt and jubilation were some of the big ones. Every single person who asked me about my plans balked and cringed at our decision to emigrate without actually ever having stepped foot in Australia – panic ensued. But deep down, we both had a very good feeling, something positive just nudging us along, urging us to take that leap. From the get go, the decision felt right. As the plane descended from our stop-over in Kuala Lumpur and I caught my first site of Sydney, I had a split second of terror: What if we hated it? What if they hate us? What if we have to live on a park bench and eat baked beans forever? You know, that kind of thing. I am happy to announce that so far, my fears have been unfounded (although the jury might still be out on the park bench and baked beans). From the minute I stepped out of the airport and into the blazing sun, I knew we had done the right thing. It felt so familiar and yet excitingly different (a bit like our home in South Africa, but cleaner and with fewer AK 47s). After spending our 4th consecutive day on the beach, Jordan and I keep pinching each other and grinning from ear to ear, repeating a mantra of “we live here, we actually live here”. We are by no means out of the woods yet, we still face potential financial uncertainty and housing upheaval but after falling so in love with Sydney, we are more determined than ever to make it work. So the interview clothes are ironed, the CVs have been sent out and we are putting our best foot forward. Wish us luck!

Thanks so much for sticking by me over the last few weeks, I can’t wait to catch up on all the blog news. I am hoping to blog regularly from here on out but Jordan and I are currently sharing one laptop between us in a teeny tiny studio (it is so small that one of us has to go for a walk when the other goes to the loo… overshare but that should put it into context for you). I’ll keep you posted, not on the loo situation but on the blog situation! I’ll leave you with some sub-par Instagram shots of our new home.

Sunset in our street

Saturday on Maroubra Beach – 29 degrees celcius!

Bit of a blurry shot of an Aussie post box

Darling Harbour

Water Taxi

Sydney Harbour Bridge

More of the harbour

Dedes on the Wharf

Pretty buildings in The Rocks

Isn’t she lovely?

This is where we had lunch. Not bad huh?

And so begins my addiction to Tim Tams.

Farewell My Fair London

I can hardly believe I am writing this (bleary eyed, tearful… and from the trusty squeaky airbed that sort of deflated in the middle of the night) but it’s my very last day in London. This city has been so many things to me, it knocked the stuffing out of my 18-year-old-attitude-problem-self, it taught me how to use an escalator, how to walk at constant breakneck speed, how to cross the concourse of Victoria station at rush hour. I have seen the world from the city, met some fantastic people, gotten married, passed my driver’s licence (no mean feat in this city), cheered my husband on as he passed his degree and finally, had our Australian dream realised. There is a part of me that will always consider myself a Londoner to the core. This city is incredible and I am certain I will look back at these last 8 years and think, WOW. It’s now time for a new adventure. Sydney, here we come!

I’ll be taking a wee break from blogging while the craziness commences. I am spending a few days in Malaysia to break up the journey and hopefully get some much needed rest (on the luxury of an actual bed) before we head to Sydney next week. So the next time I blog, it will be from my new home. Thanks so much for all your words of encouragement over the past few months, it has continually kept a smile on my face. And I am convinced it is you guys who are responsible for my unusual, but welcome, zen like state.