Follow your heart

On my last day in the office before I left Sydney, a good friend and colleague said to me,
"Sometimes you just have to follow your heart."

And that really is why I'm here. While others might move overseas to seek adventure and new experiences and challenge themselves, I will admit I was perfectly happy with my life in Sydney just the way it was. So when my boyfriend of 3 years was given the opportunity to move to Kuala Lumpur and set up a new office for his company, I definitely had mixed feelings. On the one hand I wanted to be supportive of something he's wanted to do for a long time; on the other hand...I didn't want to leave home! I didn't want to quit my job! And what would KL do to our relationship?

While KL plans had been on the table for quite some time, things were only finalised at the very last minute giving The Boy literally about a week to sort out his life in Sydney and move. He left in such a whirl that in between cleaning the apartment to put on the rental market and sorting out his travel insurance, there was barely time to be sad about our impending separation. I moved back in with my parents and younger siblings while I planned my own departure, thankful that email, Skype and Viber make long-distance romance slightly easier to maintain.

4 months and one brief visit to KL later, it was me checking in the world's biggest suitcase at Sydney International Airport and hugging my dad goodbye. And here I am. No friends, no car, no office - I'm starting from scratch with The Boy the only familiar thing left from my old life.  

To be honest, until The Boy's job opportunity came up, KL wasn't even really on my radar as a travel destination. The only memory I had of the place was of a late-night stop over at KL airport way back in 1998 en route to London. And it wasn't a particular good memory either - I had managed to lose my camera and was desperately trying to ask airport staff for help finding it. I never did get it back and spent the next 3 weeks in Europe buying a disposable camera in every city.

This time around I'm hoping for better memories. I've followed my heart to KL and I know this will be the biggest test of our love but also the greatest opportunity. We could have stayed in Sydney and stuck to our comfortable routine, knowing exactly what each day, week and month would bring. 

But instead we're here, out of our comfort zones and for the first time really having to depend on the other person to get through. I miss my family and friends in Sydney and KL is full of frustrations, but I know there's nowhere else I'd rather be right now. 

Nasi Lemak!

I can't write about eating in Malaysia without trying Nasi Lemak, an unofficial 'national dish' in this country. Literally meaning 'fatty rice', this tasty dish is not for the health conscious!

Nasi Lemak consists of light, fluffy rice cooked with coconut water and accompanied by cumber slices; ikan bilis (small fried anchovies); hard boiled egg; peanuts and a sweet-spicy sambal. The version I had also included curry chicken and a small side dish of pickled vegetables, making it more of a substantial meal.

Nasi Lemak at Madam Kwan's, Suria KLCC

Traditionally, nasi lemak is served wrapped in a banana leaf and you can get different variations to eat at any time of day. I was surprised to find it is typically a breakfast dish with the optional meat etc. added for lunch or dinner.

Nasi Lemak is found widely here in KL, with budget versions available for as little as 2.50RM (less than $1AU) from hawker stalls, to pricier versions served at Malaysian restaurants such as the popular Madam Kwan's.


This is definitely a crowd-pleaser and even if you are not a fan of spicy foods, give it a try because it's really not that hot! The sambal has more of a kick than real mouth-burning spice!

I just don't know what to do with myself...

Only a week in to my new life in KL and I'm already feeling stuck. After a weekend of settling in (bought new pillows!) and getting to know my way around the local area (i.e. the nearest shopping mall), The Boy is back to his long work hours - the perils of starting your own business - and I find myself with every afternoon completely empty.

There is only so much time I can spend by our glorious pool having grown up in a country all too aware of the risks of sun exposure, and as much as I love to shop, after walking past the same stores every morning and night even the mall starts to lose a little of its lustre. Not to mention I am trying to remain faithful to our extremely conservative budget, which translates to about $15AU a day!

So in an attempt to find something to do that lets me
a) stay inside
b) not spend money
c) feel like I've accomplished something

...I've decided to start a blog.

This isn't going to be the sort of thing where I whinge and pour out my emotions and philosophies on life to an invisible online audience. There will probably be a bit of that. But I want to use it more to tell stories about the places I go, the dishes I eat, the shops I like...all the things about my new and different life in Malaysia that might be interesting, or useful for people to read.

That is my hope anyway. Wish me luck.