Truly Asia

I went on a trip to Malaysia for my work on Thursday and Friday with a full plate of things to do. My boss gave me a lift to Senai airport in JB and I was basically on my own. From JB I had to fly to KL, do some stuff there and then fly again to Penang on the same day (Thursday). Stay one night in Penang, do some stuff there then fly back to JB and find transport back to Singapore (Friday).

I thank God for guiding me throughout this trip and providing me with friendly people that gave me friendly directions to get to certain places in the best possible way (apparently taxi is not always the answer). I also thank God for stretching my time making me able to catch all my flights as my schedule was very tight, in fact I almost missed the one from Penang to JB.

Two incidents come to mind as I think about my trip there. First, I was in KL taking the Malaysian version of the MRT to a bus interchange to catch a bus that would get me to the airport. Some guy I approached for directions suggested the train instead of a taxi to avoid the rush hours jams which are massive in KL. It was a brilliant suggestion as I got to the airport with enough time to check in and have my dinner at the airport. I also saw the jams when I was on the train. They were MASSIVE.

But when I was on the train, someone who apparently thought I was a local asked me for directions. He asked, "hello, are you familiar with this area or not?" I said no and that I- like him was not from KL. I don't think it takes too much observation to figure out I was not from KL. First I have a piece of luggage that I was carrying around the entire time I was there. Second, I was blur as sotong during my train journey, anxiously looking for my stop and checking constantly to see of the train I was on was the correct one. I stood out like a sore thumb. Yet the gentleman apparently thought I looked like a local.

The second incident happened when I returned to Singapore. Finally smelling home air after two days of hard work in Malaysia, the feeling was good. I boarded a taxi at Kranji to return to my office in Macpherson. During the journey my taxi driver and I engaged in some small talk. Part of it when something like this.

Taxi driver: "wah, its been raining here everyday. How is the whether in Malaysia?"

Me: "ok lah, it was also raining the 2 days I was there"

Taxi driver: "hah? 2 days only ar, you not Malaysian meh?"

Me: "No I am Singaporean."

Taxi driver: "orr.... I thought you Malaysian..."

Judging from these two incidents, I apparently look like a Malaysian (no offense, I think Malaysians are nice people :) ). Which reminds me of one last thing. I met a potential customer in Penang to give him some brochures of the machines we sell and their prices. When he saw what the machines costs he quiped, "with the amount of money these machines costs, I can buy a plot of land in Malaysia build a house and stay there." Maybe I should do that, since I already look the part.