Channelling Mr Toad

Well, after nearly 8 months in Malaysia, my Bahasa is coming on a treat – and without a single lesson, I’d like to add.  It seems that we talented linguists simply soak up the language effortlessly. So when I came across this fiendishly difficult quiz, I simply had to have a go, and of course…

Have gone native and been living in the jungle for a few days. Directions to find our particular patch of jungle were along the lines of … turn left at the stream – cross the waterfall – Then turn right at the fourth passionfruit tree – and suddenly we’d arrived. Our hut is just behind…

Next week is Independence Day in Malaysia, and the flags have been appearing all week. There was an article in the newspaper saying that any business not displaying a flag will not have its licence renewed next year – hence the zealous hoisting of flags all over the country. I was glad to see that…

The new KL metro line has just opened, and we can now get a train directly into the city centre, which is very good news as the traffic can be appalling, particularly at rush hour.  So I went on my inaugural ride this week, to spend an evening in town. There are very helpful notices,…

I’m sick and tired of getting insolent stares from monkeys I’ve always been under the impression that we evolved from monkeys, and not the other way around, so I don’t know what they’ve got to feel so superior about. One minute they’re staring down their nose at you or flaunting their crotch in a so-what-are-you-going-to-do-about-it…

My three year-old terrorists were back under the table this week.   But this time they built a barricade of chairs to stop me getting anywhere near them.  It was just like a scene from Les Misérables … with me as Javert, obviously.  But I quite like the idea of playing the baddie – it’s…

Life in the expat staff common room is certainly different.  Last week we were all given sheets of Shakespearean insults and instructed to use them at all possible opportunities – presumably to underline our own Englishness and to enrich the students’ vocabulary. And we all have to have our own boxing ring entry music.  This…

I was very impressed a few years ago when Olivia managed to dismantle two single beds and then reassemble them in another room, using just a spoon and a knife.  It struck me then that cutlery is very much more versatile than it would have us believe; just lying there passively on a table for…

Imagine the excitement of reading a review in Time Out of a fab new cocktail bar, and then discovering that it’s just around the corner! As soon as I’d read it, I was determined to visit The Pawn Room, but it’s one of the new, secret, speakeasy-style bars, which are very difficult to find.  In…

With less than two weeks to go before the eagerly anticipated public holiday to mark the King’s birthday, he changed the date … again! I wondered what would happen in other countries if a public holiday was changed at such short notice … rioting in the streets, probably.  Here they just shrug and accept it,…

As a belated celebration of Ascot, Henley, Wimbledon and the whole English summer season, I hosted a Pimm’s party last night. I had originally planned it for 4 July – but an American friend cut up rough about that … can’t think why. I held my ground, insisting that 4 July was a perfect day…

I went on my first jungle hike this week. ‘Don’t pee in the forest,’ Frankie said sternly as he drove us out to the jungle. I promised that I wouldn’t, thinking that this was a very sensible rule, given all the snakes and spiders and other nasties that you wouldn’t want to find attached to…

I’m starting to realise that I’ve never been particularly vain;  I’ve always prioritised being healthy and in (relatively) good shape, rather than wanting to look 20 years younger than I am. This approach to life, which I can only attribute to serendipity rather than wisdom, must have saved me shedloads of cash and endless trauma…

No expat should pass up the opportunity to spend a couple of days in hospital in another country, just to enhance the immersive experience. My weekend jaunt to the local private hospital cost about as much as a weekend at the Dorchester, and was considerably less fun. The view from my room wasn’t bad But…

As W.C. Fields so memorably said, ‘Never work with children or animals.’ Actually, I need to be careful what I say here, because Mr Toad is reading over my shoulder and he has a very disapproving expression on his face. So I will concentrate on the ‘not working with children’ bit, and leave animals out…

Today marks the end of Ramadan, and in the true spirit of Malaysian gourmandising we decided to go to an all-you-can-eat brunch. Our choice of venue – a prosecco and pork extravaganza – wasn’t exactly in keeping with Islamic principles, but the intention was there. Then on to a gin palace, where behaviour deteriorated somewhat…

Manglish is an English-based creole used in Malaysia. They also use British English, which is considered to be a second language rather than a foreign language in Malaysia, but it is a very idiosyncratic type of British English and takes some getting used to. For a start they use some very quaint words and expressions,…

I knew Ramadan was going to be a big thing in Malaysia when I saw that Tesco was selling special Ramadan boxes of tissues – Hari Raya is the Malay name for Eid, which will be celebrated next Sunday after a month of fasting. In the daytime, it’s difficult to notice much difference, as most…