Aaah(rgh), theese moments...



Dear readers,
Today I have a confession to make. Today I did definately NOT wake up in an adventurous mood, more like dragging myself out of bed. Was this it? Was my honeymoon-period-living-in-India over? Was my enthusiasm and joy for the life of an expat here coming to an end? I stared at myself in the mirror. I felt furious! At the lady who were after my wanna-be-Pradas, at the paperwork and endless forms, at the people who stare everywhere we go, at the man in the shop who says sorry-mam-we-dont-have-backpacks and then you discover that they hang just behind his back... At the dirt, the dust and at whoever is responsible for the kids living on the streets and for a woman being raped and killed while taking a bus with her boyfriend.

I marched to the kitchen, made a cup of tea and went to the balcony: aaah dear readers what can I say: lovely sunny 24 degrees and a nice morning breeze waited for me there.. I sat down, sipped my tea, looking down at the green park and at the blue sky. I sat there and felt my anger slowly fade away. Of course it will be like this, some of the experiences we see and live are so different, so strong - we have to digest them somehow.

Yes, the airport people are just doing their job and I did get to tell the man in the store that it is a bad sale-trick to say no to a customer before you ask what they really want. And I use a lot of my time at my NGO which makes it possible for kids to have a better future. And then I recalled something my grandfather quoted to me once: "Aaah, these moments which came and went away. I didn't know that they were life itself" And I laughed. I want to use my energy on the right things, let the little things go, and enjoy the moments. Here are some turn-ups that made me laugh. Cherish the moments everybody!

From Langkawi airport. Colourful umbrellas if it's raining when you walk to the plane. Something for my hometown Bergen? 



Sit! Do not stand on the toilet!

Elevator..

And just to finish of with a nice moment from KL. Could it be Santa waterskiing?

Do 3 things you have never done before?!

This morning I woke up in an adventurous mood. I feel so lucky to be able to see new countries and cultures with my family, and I try to enjoy every moment of the day. My favourite saying is: " Yesterday is history, tomorrow's still a mystery. Live today!"  You can learn from the past but dont let it dictate your present. So, dear readers, today I decided that today I wanted to do 3 things that I have never done before in my life. And we are not talking about throwing myself off cliffs in a hangglider or climb the Himalayas, but more like small excperiences I have never done but that in some weird way seemed appealing to me.Why waste any time? Live today right?

1. Test-what -the- shisha/nargileh/hooka -is- all -about. Ok, readers- this was for fun as I have seen this again and again in Greece, Turkey, Dubai and India,and been fascinated. Today was my chance as we had a great lunch (with haloumi) at Al-Amar Lebanese restaurant. They have a separate waterpipe section where a Shisha Master told us about the history and showed how to use it and how it works. To be honest- cant't really say the light applesmoke made any revelations to me. But - I've tried it. 2 to go!

Shisha master

Nice lunch at Al-Amar

2. Getting-my-nails-done-at-Bling-Bling. Well, there is a first time for everything, also for getting your nails done in a crazy way with glitter and glam. No, not saying that you have to, but it was a fun moment sitting theresurrounded by pink, red, glitter, polish and stars. The Asians sure know nails, I tell you that. Feeling like Dame Edna and barely being able to pick out my wallet,  I still wandered out with my long glittery shiny nails. 1 to go!

Pick and choose

Tata!



3. Dance-like-Zorba-in-a-Malaysian-hotel-lobby. So last but not least, how about spreading your joy for music to the world? Hm. Not quite there? Well, neither was I, and I have to admit this was not on top of my To Do list, but when you are challenged by someone close to you, what do you do? And why not, live today right!? So, yes, I danced my way in to the hotel. Did I feel like Zorba The Greek? Not so much, but I had a bobbly feeling inside. Dance, did you say dance?

Oh, dear readers, a memorable day indeed! And the best of it all was the way I was laughing my way through it all with the people I love. So what's up for tomorrow? Will you try something you have never done before? I might, and if not tomorrow, another day I hope. Cheerish the moments!


 

Silk, orchids and Daging Panggang

Dear readers,

We have been busy exploring KL the last few days. Today we went to an art craft center, and I just loooved the fabrics. If you remember from when I was in Sari heaven in Mumbai you know I love colors, and this was the Malaysian batik techniques. I love orchid, the national flower of Singapore, but also the hibiscus, Malaysia's national flower is lovely. At the center they showed us how they paint these flowers on silk, cotton and other fabrics. Aren't they beautiful?:

Hand painted silk fabric

So over to culinary explorings. We discovered -Oh Joy-that there was a Greek restaurant also here in KL! With our divine Eating-with-the-Greek-Gods-in-Goa experience still fresh in our memories, we headed out to enjoy Greek Food. To make a long story short: not many Greek Gods here! We should have smelled the fish reading things like sulvaki, the famous greek dish paella, and Greek salad with tortilla and chilisauce.  So today we decided to go local and had a wonderful dinner at Bijan. We were seated outside in their small garden and enjoyed Opor Rusuk,  Daging Panggang and other local goodies, full of flavors! A great evening under the stars. Stay tune for more tales.
Good evening from KL!

The bar at Bijan Bar&restaurant

Delicious food at Bijan

Good evening from KL:)

An Indian in Kuala Lumpur?

"So, where are you from?"  The teksi driver looks at my husband.. "Well.." My husband smiles and give us a here-we-go-again-look. "Well, my wife is from Norway, I am from Greece, but we live in Mumbai." We have said this tale before, and usually the person comes up with a "Why?", "Greece-is-beautiful" "I-have-a-cousin-who-went-to-Oslo". This taxi driver however, just started to laughed and concluded: "Sooo, you are Indian!"

I am not sure how wise it is to tell a proud Greek that he is anything else but A Greek, but on the other hand they have a saying in Greece: Opou gjis, patris, meaning wherever you live, is your homeland. I have always liked the sound of that - but on the other hand, as expat, your roots are important. I believe you can have both. You can have a wonderful live where you are and at the same time cherish the roots to your homeland (s).  Being here in Kuala Lumpur, I started to think back to when I was a little girl, and my dad and I were laughing at that funny name: Kuala Lumpur. We thought it sounded so funny - like a name you find in Donald Duck. AND HERE I AM!

And a funny thing: we keep meeting a lot of fellow Indians here in Kuala Lumpur, we passed Little India with the car, we walked by the restaurant A Taste of India, and our guide turned out to be from Kalkata. And last but not least: where do you think we went on the first-day sightseeing tour? Well, only to one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage sights: The Batu Caves. Aaaand we keep saying that after KL we are going home to Mumbai.  Before that, we will celebrate New Years Eve here, close to the Petronas Twin Towers - remember the stunning scene from the film Entrapment - with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Sean Connery? Well, that is where we'll be! And we feel lucky to be able to see this exciting parts of the world -we greek-norwegian-indians expats! 

The Batu Caves, and yes, we went all the way up.

The monkeys were following us all the way up to the caves.

Inside the Batu caves

Kuala Lumpur and the Twin towers

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!! STAY TUNED FOR EXPAT TALES 2013!

Farewell Paradise! Hello Big City!

Dear reader, 

A Christmas is almost over.. This year we have had a Christmas with bare feet and sand between our toes, with shorts, sunglasses and bathing suits. It has been sunny days, long meals, sightseeing and exploring a new country, nature, food and culture.  

For us, it has been a Christmas watching the majestic Eagles circle over our heads and staring at the monkeys who were staring right back at us! We have been surfing the waves in a small wooden boat, just to end up at the most amazing white sandy beach, and we have been driving in the deep deep jungle forest. We have admired seahorses, tropical fishes and colorful parrots. We have enjoyed Malay hospitalitan friendliness. It has been a Christmas lying on the beach under the palms with Frode Gryttens "Saganatt", sending messages and warm thoughts to our loved ones in Norway and Greece, and to our friends all over. 

We have been creating lovely memories together. More than anything we have had a Christmas with a lot of time, time to be together, time to laugh and talk and to try to digest the changes our life has been through the last 6 months.The expat experience we have had. 

Well, now, we will leave Langkawi with fully charged batteries:-) Our next stop is Kuala Lumpur - stay tune for more expat travel tales! 

Adieu my wonderful beach!

Dining like Shirley Valentine?

Dear readers,
In the 80's, one of my favorite films was Shirley Valentine. Do you remember that one? About the British housewife who went to Greece for holiday and just stayed there? Want to remember what that was all about?  You can have a look at youtube here! You may, like me, love the film for many reasons, but my absolute favorite scene is in the end of the film, when they have moved a taverna table and some chairs just by the edge of the sea, and Shirley Valentine is sitting there waiting for her husband while the sun sets in the Aegean Sea.


A table next to the sea

Well, you may remember that we, and in particular my husband, has a thing for the sea? I told you earlier about our search for the sea in Mumbai? Well, here in Malaysia you can live next to the sea -and we do - and my husband more than anyone! Reading, relaxing, thinking, and last but not least, dining next to the sea - just like Shirley Valentine!

Malaysia has really great seafood, and we have dined at local fish-tavernas and at classy restaurants. The common and wonderful thing is that they are all next to the sea. What a great feeling that is: having the sound of the waves, feeling the sea-breeze while enjoying the tasty food. Allow me to give you a small taste here, and have a continuous wonderful holiday wherever you are: sea, mountain or city..Stay tune for more expat tales


At the local Fish Farm restaurant

Yoummie seafood

Stylish scallops

Tuna fish starter

And a delicious sweet finish to the meal

  

A tale from Animal Kingdom

With Thailand in the background - only one hour away!

So yes, dear readers.
Still in Malaysia, still in that wonderful Jungle Paradise - though today I feel more like I am in Animal Kingdom! I already told my family that I am not leaving Langkawi without having seen the famous monkeys - up close and personal! Well, today they came! Suddenly they were sitting there, just by the road. We stopped the car and they looked at us.. probably thought we had food for them (well, guess they would not like our Coke or Tigerbeer cans...)

Hmm. Wonder what he was thinking... Come- on- you- strange- lady- in- the- car- give- me- some- food?

Before we saw the monkeys, we had been with a boat to see the wild eagles- such majestic birds!

Feeding place for the eagles

So, as for Animal Kingdom- they have it all here in Langkawi: bats, crocodiles, snakes, squirrels, otters- it is their home. We are the visitors. Langkawi is green, clean and friendly. Still, we feel like they try to keep tourism as low impact as possible. The beaches are long, white and not crowded and the forest is thick, clean and green with a lot of space for the natural animal life.

We also chose to visit the very popular Underwater World. I loved the seahorses there, they have always been special to my heart! In Malaysia they also have an organisation to save them: SOSMalaysia- save the seahorses. I also enjoy watching all the other visitors- and here they were from all over the world. Oh, well, we are just a part of Animal Kingdom too right?

Stay tune for more Malaysia tales soon!

At the Underwater World.

The fascinating seahorses

   

Welcome to Jungle Paradise!

Langkawi which means brown eagle - the symbol!

Welcome! Welcome to Jungle Paradise! - our taxi driver opened both his arms like he wanted to hug us all! We couldn't have had a more enthusiastic welcome! So, yes, dear readers, we are in Jungle Paradise - or to be more specific: Langkawi Malaysia.

Believe me: Christmas day on a paradise beach in Langkawi is not bad! Ever since I visited Malaysia for the first time,  I always wanted to come back - and here we are! I love the colors her: white beaches, crystal- blue water and green, green forest with palms, trees and bushes... And monkeys. They told us that there are more monkeys living on Langkawi than there are people. Already the same day we came we saw some along the road.

Do not feed the monkeys who appear on our balcony!

Langkawi is north in Malaysia - almost at the border of Thailand. It consists of 99 island -a fact that led my Greek husband to tell the guide about the over 3000 Greek Islands. The nature is gorgeous, and it is no wonder that the islands has received UNESCOS World Geopark status. The high season is December to February, but tourists find their way to Langkawi all year round. It is also a tax-free sone... So, on this Christmas Day, I wish you all a Merry Christmas morning from the beach in Jungle Paradise. Stay tuned for more Malaysian tales:)

Green forest all around!