... or KLPD part 1
Yeah ok sue me, my phone's camera sucks and I'm too cheap to buy a real camera. The 5800 is a waste of a phone if you're looking for any kind of picture quality. Actually it's a waste of a phone if you're looking for anything.
That apart I'm in KL, Kuala Lumpur for the uninitiated, the capital of Malaysia for the geographically challenged and for the few who've tried to call, I'm not at home and am a proud user of Maxis 3G.
I'm in KL on work (would you believe that) and today work is almost done so I shall begin to wax eloquent about the joint.
At first sight, it's deceptively like home. Hot and humid, a mess of an immigration counter, positively scary looking cab drivers, Indian restaurants and of course Tamil.
Then the drive from the airport changes everything. Gas stations with attached 7-11 type stores open all night, an awesome road system, well planned city and all that. It's been a good two days. For brevity and due to a fast failing memory (remember my bad phone camera? it's why I prefer to write) here are some of the salient points that I'd like to remember...
- 2.30 AM day 1. Drive with cab driver who says the following,
Teksi driver - you from India? Bengalore? where is that? north India?
Me - no south, near Chennai (much as it pains my heart)
Teksi driver - but you're not dark?
Me - I was but I haven't seen too much sunlight in the last 3 years...
Teksi driver - Aaaaah! ok. So you know Priyanka Chopra?
Me - we used to play hide and seek as kids but now that she's a big actress and all that we've lost touch...
Teksi driver - Really? I read in the news paper that she's looking for husband. Maybe you get lucky la... hahahahahaha
Me - facepalm.
Then did some cool d-i-y travel from Kl Sentral to KLCC, and gaped astonished at the subway entrance and exit gates that swallowed up my ticket and let me in and out and felt like it was the whole town mouse, country mouse deal all over again. Anyway KLCC is a beast of a convention center and beautifully done up.
The conference goes on for another day and honestly barring some strange names and stranger people who would effectively be in abundance at a November (as opposed to august) gathering of brain surgeons nothing spectacularly interesting's been happening except for meeting the who's who and all that.
But then again discovered that Starbucks in 10RM a cappuccino and Carlsberg's 7RM. Do the math.
8.30 AM Day 2 KLCC - saw people licking their fingers at KFC.
Agar firdous...
The food's of course fabulous.
The conference banquet featured octopi. Chicken kebab and the the most amazing red snapper, steamed Cantonese style. I'm threatening to like fish...
More in the next update - Melaka
