Never in a million years would I think of going to India.
Not because I’m snooty or anything. It’s just that I wouldn’t know if I could survive Mother India, after all the stories I’ve heard about “don’t drink the water”, “don’t get ripped off by porters” etc. My best friend travelled to India many years ago and she told me that they had to do their toilet business somewhere in some bushes, covered only by opened umbrellas!
So I didn’t really have that much expectation when Nic and I went to Kerala, India recently with our client, the team and management of Paul Penders Co. We were invited to tag along as they were doing a feasibility tour of a new business they intend to embark on in the state of Kerala.
I wasn’t even excited. I was thinking, OK, this is for work. Hopefully I won’t get dysentery or some stomach bug.
The AirAsia flight from KL to Bangalore took 4 hours. The thing is, we travelled to the west so we gained time. Though we left KL at 3.05pm and the plane actually took off much later (after some dawdling on the runway), we arrived in the ultra-modern Bengaluru Airport about 6pm India time. Bengaluru is the local name for Bangalore. For our Malaysian stomachs, it was 8.30pm and we were thinking of dinner.
Before we could exit the airport, we had to fill in the immigration forms. I felt a bit peeved because the form asked for so many details. Fortunately the Indian customs officers are not as rude or curt as the HK ones.
It was here that we met an Indian national who had completed his work contract in Malaysia. He was smart; he heard us speak BM and pounced on us in a friendly way. He wanted me to help him fill in his entry form because he was illiterate.
Anyway, what with the form filling and etc, we finally got out of the airport and Joji and Jegan, our Indian hosts for the one-week trip welcomed us with fresh roses. So there we were, a huge group of different nationalities – Dutch, Malaysian, Indonesian, Indian. We were going to be travel mates for the next 6 days, exploring the Ayurvedic-herbal route.
According to Joji, we were going to travel in a convoy of 4 Toyota Innova’s from Bangalore to this place called VanaMoolika in Wayanad district, Kerala where we would be staying for 3 days.
What we didn’t know was the car journey from Bangalore to Wayanad was going to take 6 hours. In the end, we found out that it is possibly 6 hours if the roads are like our PLUS highways. On Indian roads which are pot-holed and narrow and in some places, without adequate street lights, the journey took us 12 hours!
(At this point, I am glad we gobbled our ‘dinner’ aboard AirAsia. A travel tip: Eat first if possible. One never knows how long some journeys are. It is better to eat dinner twice than not to have one at all. Even going by local time, we figured we would arrive in VanaMoolika at midnight. Someone said there was going to be a feast for us! By Malaysian time, that would be 3am. Could I even eat at that hour?)
As we left the airport, we headed straight into the city and by that time, it was the evening rush hour where people were getting off work. Jegan, who sat in our car, told us that some 27 million people lived and worked in Bangalore. That’s like the entire Malaysian population in one city.
The most eye-opening experience for me was the fact that honking is very much a driver’s pleasure and pastime. The second was their utter disregard for traffic. Cars, autos (resembling tuk-tuk’s in Thailand), lorries, buses and animals all wove their way on the roads, honking, swerving and driving too close to each other. I didn’t know if it was our driver who drove badly or the traffic was horrible but the start and stop jerks of our Toyota Innova made Hong car-sick.
The third eye-opening experience was everywhere is your personal rubbish bin. When Hong puked into a plastic bag, she was gripping tightly to it and told us she was going to throw it at our next toilet stop. Our Indian guide told her to wind down the car window and chuck it out of the car! (Over the next few days, I found out that it is so hard to locate a rubbish bin. You see people throwing rubbish everywhere!)
Finally our Indian hosts decided to make a quick stop at a local hotel so we could go for our toilet break and have some tea and snacks before the really long car journey. I thought, “OK, this is where we get some food!” By then we had all but digested our airplane food.
They still insisted that we would be having our ‘dinner’ some 5 hours later so some snacks would be good. In the end, we really had tiny morsels of food, samosas which were tasty but too small to make a dent in our tummies. Luckily I downed it all with a cup of masala chai, a very silky smooth milk tea scented with cardamom.
We packed ourselves back into the Toyota, bracing ourselves for the next 5 hours.
To be continued….
Year: 2010
The Story of An Accidental Author
We were fretting if anyone would come to Joan Hon’s talk.
After all, we know how Malaysians love to read (yes, that is said with a sarcastic grin).
And the true test is that, the talk was going to be held on a Tuesday afternoon in downtown Penang. It was a double-whammy all right – first, no one attends a week day event and of course, no one reads so who would be interested in Joan’s talk right? That’s what everyone tells us.
Wrong. Oh. So. So wrong! (Damn, I love proving naysayers wrong.)
You see, if you want it bad enough, and in our case, if you do your prep early enough and get enough media publicity and promote it like crazy (Josephine and I emailed almost everyone we knew and literally told them this was a once-in-a-lifetime event and “you’d be crazy to miss it”), things do happen.
Lyndy, a friend who works with The Little Penang Street Market, wanted to help us promote it at the market too but unfortunately the timing was not right (the market is held on the last Sunday of each month). But I am grateful so many friends helped us forward the email out and came forward with suggestions to help!
Yesterday we had a blast of a turnout for Joan’s talk. I bet even she was surprised!
We had anticipated only 25 people since the venue wasn’t very spacious. But so many people turned up – so much so that some had standing room only. It was a special event supported by WomenBizSENSE, my businesswomen’s network.
Joan’s talk was made possible because Josephine believed in a dream – a dream of helping her fave author come to Penang and promote her book “Star Sapphire” and “Relatively Speaking”. Josephine had read “Star Sapphire” as a 14-year-old school girl and never forgotten how it made her feel.
Now interestingly the talk attracted a number of attendees in their 50s and beyond. It even attracted 3 visually-impaired attendees who came from St Nicholas Home for the Blind. One Mr Liew flew in from KL that morning just to meet with his longtime teacher too. It was so heartwarming! And even a famous Hong Kong celebrity attended. Two astute attendees recognised her (later I saw them taking photos with her).
Many who attended were there to learn about the ins and outs of writing. Some were writers who had published their own books! It is heartening to know of so many aspiring writers in Penang.
In a way we were all learning about Joan’s learning curve as she referred to herself many times as the ‘accidental author’.
With self-depreciating humour, Joan recounted how she became Han May (the pseudonym she used for “Star Sapphire”). From Joan’s words, I felt that she enjoyed being Han May the most. Joan uses her real name Joan Fong when she writes Singaporean curriculum books (she was a physics teacher) and Joan Hon when she writes non-fiction books such as “Relatively Speaking”, a book about her father’s growing up years and his Finance Minister years in Singapore.
Her first draft was 100 pages long, typed out on her typewriter. She then gave the draft to her daughter to read and she also did research by reading other famous authors like Joseph Conrad (though she admitted she didn’t really like his style). Later, her entire draft turned out to be 700 pages long!
Luck and being with the right people at the right time possibly helped Joan’s work – she knew the right people who not only helped her get the draft done well but also when the book was published, helped with publicity and promotion. Having a good editor was a bonus too.
Joan looked pleased when she told how her daughter’s NUS English professor liked her book “Star Sapphire”. After all this English professor was known to be terribly critical of written work. To have this English professor enjoy her book was an incredible compliment indeed!
Of course she recounted these like mini stories and one elderly gentleman decided to leave because it wasn’t what he had turned up to hear. It was not like she didn’t give her tips on publishing and writing. It was not listed out -one had to listen to her stories to hear the pearls of wisdom in them!
If you are keen to buy Joan’s books in Penang, you can get them at Precious Ones Collections. “Star Sapphire” sells for RM30 while “Relatively Speaking” sells for RM60.
As for me, I met some friendly bloggers too namely Alice Teh and the jovial husband and wife duo,Gill and Jason. All this because Josephine took the time to attend Blogfest (which happened the weekend I was in Kerala, India) and got to know these nice people!
Alice has written a lovely post with even lovelier snapshots of the talk yesterday. Go on over to view them!
P/S: One final thank you to Mr Khoo Kay Soon who gave me his book “Madam White Snake” to read!
The Star Features Miss Hon
Happy news!
The Star published their interview with Miss Joan Hon today. Thanks to Christina and of course to Mr Choi, the editor. (Who’s Joan Hon? Read this for a quick background update and of course, please come attend her talk on 12 Oct, which is free!)
Hankering for Penang
By CHRISTINA CHIN
PENANG-BORN Joan Hon — an accomplished author and daughter of Singapore’s former finance minister — hopes to retire in her hometown which still evokes a myriad of fond memories.
The 67-year-old ex-teacher sees herself settling back in Penang where she used to live on Logan Road in her childhood days.
“It has always been my intention to retire in Penang where I’m happiest,” said the Singapore-based writer in an email interview on her coming talk in Penang.
Hon said her husband had just passed away and she was trying to redefine herself without him and still had attachments in Singapore.
“Penang is so different from what I remembered as a child. There are so many tall buildings and new condominiums now.
“My childhood haunts have disappeared but my favourite foods like heoh pneah are still available.
“Now I’m discovering a bunch of relatives I have never met which is pretty exciting,” said Hon, whose last visit to Penang was for the Feast of St Anne in Bukit Mertajam recently.
Better known by her pseudonym Han May, Hon will deliver a public talk about writing at the WomenBizSENSE premises, 56, Lorong Selamat, Penang, at 2.30pm on Tuesday.
Hon, whose writing is inspired by “simply having things to tell and talk about” said she would speak about the subject closest to her heart — writing.
“It will be motivational. I will be speaking about how I came to be an accidental author — and liked it; what I have been writing; my books; and how to write.
“Hopefully, some of the participants will find the impulse to start writing if they haven’t tried before,” she said.
Hon graduated with a BSc Honours in Physics and Diploma in Education from Singapore University and is a member of Singapore’s Institute of Physics.
She has published six non-fiction books — two of which received the Highly Commended Book Award and another the Com-mended Award from the National Book Development Council of Singapore while her only fiction work, Star Sapphire, also won the Highly Commended Award.
She also described her father, Hon Sui Sen, as a very well respected person.
“I learned from him integrity and honesty — and not to have too great a regard for money.
“I have never seen him lose his temper and wish that I had that quality in me,” she said, adding that they both shared a love for music, science and books.
For details about her talk, e-mail info@womenbizsense.com. Admission is free.
A Writer's Journey by Joan Hon
I just got home from Kerala, India after a delightful one week.
India is pure madness, a country of such incredible contrasts that it is Incredible India.
But before I delve into that post, here’s something more important.
This is a free talk that my businesswomen’s group is organizing on 12th October.
Josephine, one of my friends and a die-hard fan of Joan Hon’s books, mooted this idea and asked if we could help her organize a talk for the Singaporean author.
Joan is a 67 year old Singaporean who has ties with Penang. She has written both fiction and non-fiction, with her most popular fiction being “Star Sapphire”, a sci-fi novel about a headstrong girl called Yva Yolan on her adventures in space.
Her science-fiction romance Star Sapphire won a High Commendation Award from the Book Development Council of Singapore in 1986, the same year when she was also awarded a Commendation prize for her better-known book Relatively Speaking on her family and childhood memories.
Josephine had presented me an autographed copy of Star Sapphire; I am halfway reading it now (as I am also halfway reading Edward de Bono’s Simplicity, Brian Tracy’s The Psychology of Selling and a book I got from India called Healing Mantras).
Come join us as we pick Joan’s brains about writing and being a writer. The fact is, it is rare for writers to come to Penang so this is really your golden chance to speak to a writer who is making a special trip here and whom you get to meet, for free!
We have limited space though as it will be held at 56, Lorong Selamat (1st floor). Here’s a map to the venue.
Title: A Writer’s Journey by Joan Hon
Date: 12 October (Tues)
Time: 2.30pm
Venue: 1st Floor, 56, Lorong Selamat, Penang
[Open to public, men and women alike]
Please spread the message to your friends too, especially those who love writing, love books and want to meet Joan, who is also the daughter of the former Finance Minister of S’pore (her father, the late Hon Sui Sen, was actually from Balik Pulau).
She wrote a book “Relatively Speaking” chronicling her father’s growing up years in Balik Pulau and later his position as the Finance Minister of Singapore. Among the anecdotes were about her father’s attempt to learn Mandarin together with Lee Kuan Yew, and how they shared tapes and monitored each other’s progress!
Her late father was often regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s most successful economic planners besides being one with the most integrity! A British official, upon meeting Joan’s mother, says, “Pleased to meet you. I hear your husband is the most honest man in the [Singapore] civil service”. This remark, says Joan, was to her the highest accolade and the most meaningful among all her father’s achievements.
The Star will be publishing an interview they did with her, hopefully before Joan comes on the 12th.
Joan will share snippets of her writer’s life and how a physics teacher like her ended up a sci-fi writer!
Below are some areas she will be talking about on 12 October (as copied off her email to Josephine):
* I would tell my “accidental author” story how I came to be writing books.
* Account of how each of my books came to be written.
* How I seem to have three identities: Joan Hon writes non-fiction, Joan Fong writes Physics, Han May writes fiction.
* Giving talks to sell my books in schools and libraries, book signings in bookshops.
* My attempts at printing my own books. Setting up Hope Publishers.
* Difficulties of publicising and the options nowadays. POD publishing.
Email (info@womenbizsense.com) to reserve a seat at this talk.
I will also be talking to Joan Hon when I meet her next week so stay tuned, I might dig up more anecdotes from her about the writer’s life! I’m super excited!
The online community is also helping to promote Joan’s talk in Penang, thanks to Josephine who attended Blogfest recently. Thanks Jo and thank you fellow bloggers!
Alice Teh’s blog
Taman Sri Nibong RA Blog
YourPenang.com
PenangBloggers
Maxim & Coral
I’ve been meaning to write more about my Hong Kong trip but so many things have gotten in the way. So now, back to the regular programming until something else catches my blog fancy.
In the first few days in HK, we did the absolute tourist stuff but later we found out that there was more to HK than Disneyland (which I never went anyway) and shopping (I am not that crazy about shopping and carting home clothes and anyway, I’ve never been a brand-conscious person so I didn’t even know if the prices of branded items were cheap or not!). Some people were aghast I didn’t go to Disneyland. Maybe next time, I shrugged.
HK Urban Planning Is Marvelous!
The convenience of living in HK cannot be underestimated. SP’s apartment was located above a shopping mall. While her location wasn’t exactly in the heart of the city, HK urban planning is such that you’re really not missing anything even if you don’t enter the fast-paced city.
The mall had everything one wanted. Let’s see… there was a fairly large JUSCO supermarket, fastfood chains like Burger King and KFC, Chinese/dim sum restaurants, hair salons, bakeries, boutiques, PC shops, Mannings (HK version of Guardian pharmacy), Popular bookstore, heck, anything you wanted was inside this mall. I realized even in places we considered the boondocks, their malls were heck of a lot superior than our Penang malls! It was absolutely crazy.
On days when we were too tired to eat (after a day of walking about and jumping on and off MTR), we’d gone to the JUSCO downstairs to check out what’s good. They had all types of sushi which were sold cheaper after 9pm.
(While I am talking about food, let it be known that Milo sold in HK cannot rival the original Malaysian Milo. We found out why SP’s stash of Milo was so precious (just like the cili padi she bought in some rural area of HK). She buys her Milo when she comes back to Malaysia because the HK Milo just does not cut it! I agree. The HK Milo is too milky and sweet. Yeccchhhhh!)
Their Version of Kopi Tiam
Before we set off for a day of wandering, we had to fill our tummies. Luckily, we could pick the HK version of our local kopitiam in the downstairs mall. This was a superfast cafe called Maxim. The concept is like a factory production line. And it helps A LOT if you are fluent in Cantonese. The cashier will give you a blank stare if you speak in English. Pick up some regular Cantonese to bluff your way through, especially when it comes to ordering food.
We ate a lot at Maxim’s during our HK trip partly because Nic marvelled at their efficiency. Their system was quick, quiet and orderly. The variety of food was good and tasty, and most were sets like breakfast sets, lunch sets and dinner sets. If you eat at Kim Gary’s a lot, it’s somewhat like that but in Kim Gary, at least they come and get your order.
In Maxim’s, you first looked at the menu of the day which was on this board at the cafe entrance. Decide what you want. Then order and pay at the cashier. Do not hesitate and dilly-dally or she gets impatient, giving you THE STARE. HK people are always in a rush somehow. Even if they are behind a cashier’s counter. As a Malaysian, I am made to feel a teeny weeny bit slow like a turtle. They zip past you like Dash.
Order in Cantonese. Make it quick as this is breakfast time and people are lining up behind you. When you get your receipt, you go stand at another counter. You pass the receipt to the workers who are quietly assembling your food as you wait. If you order the famous nai-cha (HK milk tea), the tea appears. Your food tray slides to the next counter for your bowl of noodles or bread or whatever. And if the item you order isn’t ready, you are asked to take a seat. They will announce your number when the food’s ready.
All the while, the workers slapping together your order are not talking, not bitching, not stressed. They wear gloves and have mouth covers. It’s clean, bright and fast. Everything flows methodically. They work fast but they are not stressed. I’ve seen them in action during the very hectic lunch hour and still they aren’t a bit fazed. Amazing.
As good as they are, Maxim’s isn’t just the only fastfood cafe for Chinese-style food. I wanted to try Cafe Coral which is similar to Maxim’s but didn’t have the chance. Maybe on my next trip then. Cafe Coral’s concept is similar. It is also all day dining from breakfast onwards till dinner. And Cafe Maxim and Cafe Coral are everywhere in HK, especially in shopping malls. With such a big variety of food, you’ll never get bored even if you eat at these cafes every day! Price-wise, they are very good value for money.
Tea-time is also a good time to drop in as they have fantastic yet filling tea sets. Don’t expect the Queen’s tea with cucumber sandwiches. This is the hearty HK fare of noodles, chicken wings, toasts and soups. Again I like the tea-time sets because tea time is such a major event for HK folks. Everyone converges at 3pm to have something to nibble! (Actually it’s more than a nibble. For me, it was a complete meal!).
Next time: Checking Out The HK Supermarkets…My Other Pastime
For Merdeka Day
May we really embody the colours of Merdeka and not be hypocrites. We may say something but the media says something else. Especially media which panders to their own racial group and become ‘batu api’.
May we really mean what we say when we say we are one nation. This nation consists of people who were never natives to begin with. We’re all migrants, with mixed ancestries and blood. The only true natives are the ones who still need our help.
May we really honour each other and respect each other. I don’t want to ‘tolerate’ you because in my mind, tolerate just means I need patience because I need to bear with you.
May we truly understand what being sensitive is about. Let’s not be sensitive about the wrong issues. Why can’t there be healthy discussion and debate? Why must everything be “you don’t know, therefore you should not comment”?
May we truly be sincere when we say we want to become better Malaysians. That means stop bribing the cops, stop acting like the bourgeoisie that you are, stop pushing your kids to be top scorers, stop throwing rubbish, stop being stupid and juvenile.
May we understand that the enemy is not within. There has never been an enemy within. The enemy is all in your head.
May we live up to what Yasmin always imagined in her mini story adverts.
May we celebrate our freedom and independence from shortsightedness and mediocrity.
May we celebrate the uniqueness that we are Malaysian.
Selamat Menyambut Hari Merdeka to you and me. We need to remind ourselves what 53 years of independence really mean. Especially now. Especially when this is as much my home as it is yours.
The Amazing Sri Nibong Hunt
UPDATE: See this for more of what happened during our fun hunt. Plus pictures too!
Finally, we’ve gotten our sponsors and Jay’s done his recce (and setting questions soon) and so now we’re officially announcing that the Amazing Sri Nibong Hunt is open! (Our banners will be going up around the taman latest by 1 Sept.)
Get the entry form by downloading the PDF here.
Participation is FREE for all Malaysians.
The prizes with a total worth RM4,500 are generously sponsored by Langkawi Online, Penang Adventist Hospital, Mizz Studio, Penang Passion, La Herballe, Priority Fitness, Tropical Spice Garden and lots more.
We have 3 top prizes plus a bunch of consolation prizes and lucky pick prizes up for grabs.
1st Prize: 3D/2N Hotel Stay at The Lanai, Langkawi for 4 persons (worth RM1200)
sponsored by Langkawi-Online.com
2nd Prize: Coral Island Cruise to Pulau Payar Marine Park for 4 persons (worth RM800)
sponsored by Langkawi-Online.com
3rd Prize: Family Photo Session + Exclusive Photobook Album (worth RM800)
sponsored by MizzStudio.com
How To Join
Participation is open to all Malaysians, regardless whether you live in Taman Sri Nibong or not. Children above 12 years old and adults are welcome to join.
Of course if you live here, the advantage is that you know this area well and might probably do better during the walking hunt on the morning of 16 September (which is a public holiday by the way).
Please read the rules and regulations carefully before you fill up the entry form. Remember we are accepting a limited number of teams so it really is a matter of first-come, first-serve.
The objective of this walking hunt is to enable all of us to get to know our neighbours, have fun and remember what Hari Malaysia truly means to each of us.
The walking hunt will have questions about this area, puzzles to solve and some physical activities.
So what are you waiting for? Round up your friends/family and join this hunt!
Where to Submit Entry Form
You can pass the entry form back to me directly or you can submit the entry form at the Taman Sri Nibong RA Hall on 4 Sept and 13 Sept (between 6pm to 7pm).
Closing date for entry form submission: 13 September, 7pm.
We're Like The Aussies
Jo told me that Malaysians are a bit like the Aussies.
Whenever friends from abroad come to visit, we tend to invite them to stay with us (with open arms). Just like the Aussies, she says, They will even tell you that their house key is in the third flower pot and “just make yourself at home”.
We had this funny conversation when we were having lunch at Pastamania just last week and I was telling her how we love looking up friends when we are abroad.
It’s just fun to catch up with friends this way especially if we know them really well.
Like my childhood friend in London. She’s been asking me to visit her and stay with her when I do go. I’ve known her since we were both six years old.
And remember my HK trip? All made possible because dear SP gave us her entire apartment to stay in during the 10 days we were there (not to mention her extra set of keys so we could waltz in and out of her apartment as and when we wished).
And of course, when I am in KL, I am so fortunate that I have friends I can stay with, any time. They’ll open their guest rooms for me and that’s so Malaysian right?
And guess what? I do the same too.
I told Nir, my uni mate, that she is welcome to come and stay with me any time she comes back from Germany. And she also means it when she tells me,”Come visit me in Dortmund and come stay with me. And this is not ajak-ajak ayam, okay.” And I know she means it.
That’s the Malaysian way of being hospitable.
But that’s not the Singaporean style, I heard from Jo. Singaporeans would never think of impinging on the privacy of their friends so they’d rather go to a hotel room. When a Singaporean does ask about accommodation, she asks, “So which hotel are you staying at?” The very (Malaysian) offer of “come bunk with me” isn’t done.
Frankly speaking, I love hosting friends. I don’t normally open up my home to people I don’t like or to mere acquaintances. And yes, when friends come and bunk over, I have a set of keys for them too. So they can have the freedom to come and go as they please.
I was telling Jo that when I do go to Singapore, I have friends I can really bunk with. In fact, that’s the best part about travelling right? You meet with friends, you catch up, you save on hotel costs and you have a gala time.
So is it true that Singaporeans are like us in many ways but also NOT like us Malaysians in many ways?
I’d really love to hear what you think!
Walk, Hunt and Win
As I’m part of the Taman Sri Nibong RA Committee, I’m using all means to get our little residential area in the news. I’m new to this area, having moved here late last year but immediately I was roped in by a friend to help in the committee. (Thanks to our intern Jensen who helped me design the banner above which can now be seen around Taman Sri Nibong.)
Anyway, I’ve also been roped into the sub-committee to organize Hari Malaysia which falls on 16 September (which will be a public holiday!). Finally Nic’s gotten his wish to really celebrate the formation of Malaysia. For Sarawakians and Sabahans, it is quite unfair to celebrate Hari Merdeka without giving due respect to Hari Malaysia.
This time around, I’ve suggested that the Hari Malaysia celebration include something special, something other than the buffet dinner and performances and lucky draws.
I’m organizing a 3-hour walk-a-hunt on the morning of 16 September for the residents of Taman Sri Nibong. Not only is it FREE (don’t we just love free stuff!) to join, winners will also get good prizes.
Jay of WebMazers has agreed to help me set up the questions for the walk-a-hunt. It will be simple, he assures me. I’ve taken part in Jay’s treasure hunts and they’re quite cryptic!
But he knows that this will be a hunt for residents to get to know each other and cultivate a sense of neighbourliness so he’s going to make it really easy for the participants. And I’ve asked him to do it pro bono for us as this is a community event.
I’ve always taken part in treasure hunts but this time, I’ll be the organizer.
We’re limiting participants to 30 teams of 4 persons each as any more than that is simply over stretching our resources.
If you want to take part, it’s simple – you need 4 people in your team and everyone should be Malaysians. You should make yourself available on the morning of 16 September (8am to 12 noon) for the walk-a-hunt around Taman Sri Nibong.
Winners will be awarded prizes during the dinner that night. It is NOT compulsory to buy the dinner ticket but you must be there for the prize-giving. If you do want to attend the dinner, we welcome you with open arms too. It’s only RM18 per adult and RM12 for per child with food, fun and lucky draw galore. To buy tickets, you can email me.
It’s a brilliant way to get to know your neighbours! And win some cool prizes.
The first prize is a 3 Day-2 Night hotel accommodation in Langkawi for 4 persons.
With some 10 other prizes too. In total we’re looking at some RM4,500 worth of prizes for this community treasure hunt. Thanks to all my fantastic and generous supporters who immediately said yes when I asked them to help out with the prizes!
Did I tell you I’ve arranged for a pole dancing performer during the buffet dinner too? 😉 I am now trying to get the Penang Dhol Blasters to come and perform. I’ve watched this bunch of Sikh guys do their drum thing and I think they’ll be such a fab addition to the Hari Malaysia celebrations.
Stay tuned for the treasure hunt entry forms for the Amazing Sri Nibong Hunt! They’re coming up real soon!
The Heady Smell of Herbs
I’ve been dutifully composting my food scraps using the 10-pot system and it’s been about 7 months now.
Don of Green Crusaders (that’s him below) taught me this system and since using it, I’ve never had to throw out any food scraps! I have actually reduced the amount of rubbish I throw out as I compost mostly everything (except unedible and inorganic stuff).
I can safely report that all’s fine and I couldn’t tell you how pleased I was to find big, fat earthworms in my compost a few months ago. Earthworms make the job easier! Of course besides the earthworms, there’s a host of bugs, milipedes, ants and such but that’s part and parcel of the composting process.
But there is no smell. No stink. That is the beauty of Don’s 10-pot system. It’s really simple once you get the system all set up. And you don’t need to buy those plastic bins or composting contraptions which look really huge and ugly.
Now with enough compost, I can start my little herb garden. (Compost must be mixed well with regular red earth in 1:1 portions. Compost on its own will kill plants as it is too ‘nutritious’!)
I’ve always been interested in gardening. I wouldn’t say I’m Miss Green Finger but I do enjoy getting my hands dirty, watching plants grow and best of all, eating what I grow. That’s the best organic kind of food.
Of late, I’ve been poking around C&L Nursery (opposite Convent Green Lane) and buying pots of herbs.
Rosemary is one herb I really adore, especially its heady aroma as one brushes against its spiny leaves. I am still figuring if it needs direct sunlight or not as my previous pot of rosemary died after 2 years (that pot was kept on the balcony away from direct light). I don’t really use rosemary for cooking – I just want to inhale its fragrance!
Next I came across a type of mint which smells like lemon. Its mint leaves are thin and papery but again, it smells like lemon and lemongrass when you light brush your hands over its leaves. Again I bought this because of its citrusy smell.
Recently a friend gave me two cuttings of Indian borage. It is also known as local oregano because it smells just like that!
The heart-shaped leaves of the Indian borage are thick. big and hairy. In Malay, it is known as Daun Bangun-bangun. Apparently it is a hardy plant but what makes it attractive as a must-have herb in the garden is its ability to help with coughs. A fresh leaf boiled with some water is a good tea to sip if you have persistent coughing. Or pick a leaf and chew it if you have a sore throat.
And here’s more uses for Indian borage – if you have a blocked nose, crush some leaves and inhale.
If you have skin problems or insect bites, crush the leaves and use as a poultice.
If you have dandruff, use an infusion to rinse your hair.
This herb seems to be multipurpose. You can use it for increasing milk flow for new moms, to reduce flatulence and stomach cramps, to reduce menstrual pain and insomnia. Oh yes, it can also get rid of kidney stones!
Besides these herbs, I am also trying my hand at growing turmeric, plantago, basil and Thai basil. There’s something really special when you can eat the stuff you grow!