Greetings From Ipoh

Cought a sight of this party taxi just as I was departing. There were plenty more balloon on the back seat! I wonder how much the fare is for them! Maybe tak pakai meter!Made it to Ipoh finally by 4pm, after the drama at the start - see my previous post and update.

I am here representing the UM Medical Faculty to the Perak Medical College. They will have the same exam as our UM boys and girls from tomorrow. Since my wife is from Perak, she decided to follow. So we rented an extra room, and both Idlan and Irfan were having a blast. We were at the pool for nearly an hour and a half. Ordered food for afternoon tea, which they gobbled down. We just got back form dinner, and they were running around like headless chicken in the lobby.

Casuarina Ipoh - now known as Impiana Casuarina - is one of those 80's hotel, old school style lobby, old furniture in the rooms. I remember staying here in the late 80s with my parents. It used to be more 'happening' then. It used to be buzzing with people, a place where who's who used to chill. I remember bumping into the previous Menteri Besar and his family while his children were playing in the pool. I bet it will not happen now as we can't even be sure who the Menteri Besar is here.

The Main Lobby at Impiana Casuarina tonightThe lobby was expansive but felt empty. There were nobody playing on the grand piano, there was no background music or chatter. The cafeteria was also pretty basic, although I was told that it was one of the best 'high tea' Ipoh has to offer. We had buffet there for our dinner. The spread was nothing fancy, the main dish being beriyani with a couple of sides. There was also some pasta, some basic salad with dressings. A disappointment really, at a place I used to look forward to visit when I was young. Maybe I was pampered too much with good food in Bangsar and around KLCC. 

The only thing that got the place going must be the swimming pool. We stayed here sometime last year when my wife's uncle died. The boys wanted to hit the pool but time was tight. They got their wish this time around.  The breakfast then was pretty OK. That is something to look forward to tomorrow morning.

As for my boys and girls in the final year at UM, they will have their Final MB coming up tomorrow. So all the best. Stay calm. I am sure I will have to call you with Dr as the prefix in a couple of weeks time. Good night and good luck. 

Cuti-Cuti Malaysia

Irfan running around in front of the chalet at Bukit Merah ResortIt was another breeze driving into UMMC this morning despite the downpour. I wished that the school holiday is every week at this rate. Cut down my driving time from close to an hour to half of that, despite leaving home later. I'm certainly not complaining. This story about holidays brought back memories about my own previous breaks, not the freebies the pharmaceutical companies give for 'meetings', but the one I fork out money for with the family on tow.

There is a trend forming. I used to hate going for holidays in Malaysia as a Malay. The experiences certainly has not been kind. June 2006, during a quick break to Port Dickson, we stopped over for lunch at one of the five-star hotels. Drove the car into the driveway at the main entrance, stopped over to drop my two boys, my wife Anita and my mother-in-law. The two doormen just stood there while my mother-in-law clamber off, and my wife dragging down my boys. They did not even bat an eyelid. Another car pulled over behind us with a Mat Salleh couple in slippers. Usian Bolt would have cringed at the speed the two stooges raced to open their door. To add insult to injury, they even picked up the luggage and opened the door for them. My mother-in-law being a Mak Datin did not take it lightly. She was livid. We didn't bother staying, we promptly left for another joint.

There was another incident in a hotel in Penang, sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. I went to check in with the rest of the party, mainly Chinese doctors (my family was not with me). I noticed that they were eager to serve me first but probably changed their mind when I opened my mouth. They must have thought that I was a Middle Eastern type, until I started speaking in proper Penang accent!

By last year, it has gone a lot better. Maybe because the flock of foreigners with cash were thinning out. I have to mention two places that looked after us very well despite being Malaysians. I actually wrote on Kementerian website to give kudos to the two venues. They were Bukit Merah Resort and Eastern Pavillion in Cherating. The Gurney in Penang was also excellent. We were not asking for much, just to be treated fairly. Try this. Stand in front of the counter in a hotel lobby, next to a Mat Salleh. Who will person behind the counter serve first? I can bet RM50 that it's not going to be you, unless you happen to be a Leng Chai or something! If the Ministry want to make the Cuti-cuti Malaysia a success, they have to address these issues. It may appear small, but these are the things that can spoil a good holiday!

For those going cuti-cuti Malaysia, props to all of you. I might be heading to Putrajaya one of these weekends. The Pullman Hotel certainly look nice on the website.

Cherating