This heat, this heat

Who needs an alarm clock when you have jetlag? Awake this morning since 5am, about 7 I thought I might as well go for a swim. The water in the outdoor pool was still warm – it never gets chilly here, but it was refreshing enough to make my kilometre seem appealing.

Yesterday we started off with a brisk walk around a local park with some other expats. I had good shoes and my bottle of water, and fresh off a walking holiday in the Pyrenees, I had no fears. But the steep hill and the heat – high 20s at 8am – combined to slap me around, and I had to concede defeat after the first circuit. I sat in the shade and panted, and watched the monkeys in the trees overhead.

From September 2011 - Rugby World Cup trip

We adjourned to a local coffee chain called “Coffee Bean”. You would think this would be some indicator for the quality of the coffee, but sadly it was not. Oh Coutume, where are you when I need you?? However, I had a very interesting conversation with a Malaysian woman of Indian origin who has lived overseas for many years and has now returned home, and it was fascinating to get her take on race relations and modern Malaysian society. I may sound completely naïve, but it is much more complex than I had imagined.

We went up the road for roti for lunch, and it was the lightest and fluffiest roti I’ve ever had. God, I’m being so spoilt – luckily Wellington is one of the best places outside of Malaysia to eat Malaysian food. Otherwise I’d really be in trouble.

From September 2011 - Rugby World Cup trip

I spent the afternoon at the Islamic Arts Centre, a very new and well-presented museum illustrating the evolution of Islamic art and the spread of the culture across the world. It had sections on Islam in India and Malaysia, which were not suprising – but China! I had no idea. The sections with models of different mosques around the world was fascinating, including Chinese mosques (often adapting existing buildings so not as different as you might think). The ceramics were also fantastic, tile designs which I have seen in Southern Spain and Morocco – and now to see variations from around the world. The building was filled with domes, signifying unity, but most impressive was the upside-down dome.

From September 2011 - Rugby World Cup trip

The museum closed and I decided to have a look at the old Railway Station. It has been 54 years this week since Malaysia gained independence, so there are still national flags everywhere. I walked down the road approximately 500 metres to the station, then I gave up and got in a cab. Sorry to keep going on about the heat, but every time I come out of the aircon it hits me like a blast from an oven. It was a relief to get home into the aircon and sip a nice glass of kiwi sav blanc while we nibbled on the cheeses I had brought over from France. They survived the trip, although the mild Neufchatel had picked up a bit more bite along the way. Vacumn-packing is a wonderful thing, but it’s not perfect…

From September 2011 - Rugby World Cup trip

We watched the Topp Twins documentary, which was terribly interesting. I’ve never seen much of their work, but I could still hum half the songs. Really their history is a history of protest in New Zealand since the early 80s. I thought they could have had more material on some topics, but it was a wonderful tribute. I’ve still got to go back and watch the last 10 minutes though, because the combination of pinot gris and jet lag… fatal.