I'm home, jet-lagged and recovering from the nastiest intestinal bug I've had since visiting Beijing 2 1/2 years ago. This time, I hadn't the foresight to bring antibiotics along, so I suffered the full effects for 2 days until one of my colleagues graciously gave me his emergency traveler's first-aid kit, which contained much needed electrolyte packets, anti-diarrheal medications, and most importantly, kick-ass antibiotics.

Nevertheless, I spent a grueling 20+ hours in the air with severe stomach cramps and frequent trips to the toilet. No human being should suffer that long in economy class when in full health, let alone with traveler's diarrhea. Why airlines haven't been forced by law to provide seating that can actually accomodate normal-sized human beings instead of pygmies, is beyond me. I'm smaller than average, and even I can't sit comfortably in coach for extended periods.

I'm pretty sure that I got sick at another Indian restaurant on Wednesday night. No rats were in evidence at this establishment, and the 2 colleagues who dined with me didn't get ill, so I must conclude that I am being punished for mocking elephant-headed Hindu gods and their rodent familiars.

Normal posting will resume shortly. Stay tuned.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 6:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I decided to do some sightseeing in the planned city of Putrajaya today. My hotel offers a free shuttle to the Alamanda shopping center, so I started there. It offered a few things that I wouldn't find in the mall back home, like Chinese antiques, hookahs, and traditional Malay clothing, but otherwise, it was pretty much the standard fare.

After an hour there, I hopped into a cab and headed over to Putra Mosque, a huge construct of pink granite that sits along the shore of Putra Lake. The mosque was closed for prayers, so I wandered over to see the Prime Minister's office complex, Perdana Putra, and took a stroll by the lakeshore where I could see giant carp swimming in the silty water.

It was bloody hot and humid like you wouldn't believe. Within minutes, I was dripping with sweat, and I felt as if I'd just stepped out of a sauna. I hailed a cab and headed back to the hotel to take a shower and a nice afternoon nap.

I've uploaded a few more photographs to my gallery.

Now, I think it's time for a couple of cold beers before dinner. TTFN.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 1:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Those of you who've been waiting for me to get off my fat ass and post something cool and interesting about my trip to Kuala Lumpur will be happy to know that I paid a visit to the Batu Caves, and the Mayalsian National Museum today. Here's a photo gallery of my perambulations for your perusing pleasure.

[Link: Kuala Lumpur 2006]

The Batu Caves were extremely cool (except for the creepy little monkeys). If I were religious, I'd definitely be Hindu, because who can resist all those groovy, all-singing, all-dancing Technicolor deities of theirs?

They can stuff that piercing with metal hooks crap, though.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 7:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Here's a little horror story for you from Kuala Lumpur.

I went out to eat with some of my students last night. We took a taxi from our hotel to the very fashionable Bukit Bintang district, which is near the world's tallest building, the Petronas Towers, and ate dinner at an Indian restaurant called "Bollywood". The food was delicious, with very distinctive and unusual Malay spices.

As we finished the last of our meal, I noticed some movement in the empty booth next to us out of the corner of my eye. I turned to look, and saw a giant grey sewer rat, about 2ft. long from snout to tail, scampering along the seat cushions.

Needless to say, none of us ordered any dessert.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 9:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Just a quick note that I've arrived in Kuala Lumpur. Due to extreme jet lag, I laid low yesterday and stuck close to the hotel, but today I plan to venture further afield. I'll post some photographs when I get a chance. I had Nasi Goreng for breakfast yesterday. It was delicious. However, I passed up an opportunity to have chinese porridge with 100-year old eggs. Maybe tomorrow.

Be seeing you.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 6:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Well kids, I'm off to Malaysia for 2 weeks. I'll probably be uploading a few pictures and posting a travelogue of my weekend adventures in a few days.

While I'm absent from the Blogosphere, please amuse yourself with this photograph from my last visit to Malaysia back in 1970, when my parents and I spent several enchanting days on the island of Penang. My folks were quite the hipsters, weren't they? I, however, look like a total geek.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 6:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

In case I forgot to mention it, I'm leaving for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this Thursday, where, after a brutal 20 hours of flying in cattle-class, I'll be spending the next 2 weeks at this lush tropical resort in the Cyberjaya Multimedia Super Corridor. The only drawback is that I'll be quite a ways from the city of Kuala Lumpur itself, so I'm trying to sort out the best way to do some sightseeing over the weekends.

And by a happy coincidence, Agent Chin of fwak! Animation will be arriving the very same day as I am. Hopefully, we will be able to hook up for dinner while she's spending a few days visiting her family.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 6:12 PM | Permalink