If you like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain...

It's been an eventful couple of days. My main task has been to study for my exams, but in the middle of that have been doing some other things as well. I bought a small motorbike about a week ago, after finally getting sick of not having my own transport. KL, in all it's modernity, is really not THAT accessible if you don't have a car or bike. It was a good investment(and quite fun at that...), but of course, there are the little details(or annoyances if you will) that come with it. One, a perpetual case of helmet head. And because it's so hot out, and you sweat so much, the end result is not good... Can't get around wearing a helmet here, but it certainly makes for even worse hair days... Two, rain. Lots of rain sometimes. Yesterday I went in search of bus tickets for a quick trip to Singapore, coming up this weekend. Got the tickets, after going to a number of places in search of good departure and return times. It started to rain on the way there, but I managed to duck into a coffee shop before it started pouring. When it let up, I went on my merry way. The ride home I was not so lucky. Managed to stop for the first downpour, hanging out in a rain shelter with the locals... the second time I stopped, waited, but the rain did not. After about 10 minutes I realized it wasn't going to, so had to ride on home in the rain... I got very very wet. But, as I was driving home I realized that sometimes this is just how life goes. Sometimes, you're gonna get wet, it's gonna be uncomfortable, and even difficult... but it's all in how you choose to weather the storm... Not that I haven't figured this out before... traveling teaches you that particular lesson over and over and over... it was just yet another, particularly timely reminder.

Now, the pictures below... New experience number two. Today we went on a trip to a village about two hours south of KL called Kampung Kanchong Darat. This is a village where they produce snacks and baked goods which get marketed all over Malaysia, and the world. The village was established in 1904 by Javanese migrants. Almost everyone who lives there today is a descendent of the original 15 families who settled there. What was interesting to me, was listening to the different people talking, and hearing the mix of Indonesian and Malay words in their speech. Anyway, the people who lived there in the village were very welcoming. We saw the process in which they make the different foods from beginning to end. Most all of the ingredients originate right there in the village, from the various fruits that grow there. This village also boasts the home of the world champions in badminton. In this part of the world, this is a huge sport, so they are understandably proud for this. We visited the home of the parents of these guys (they are brothers), which seems to double as a shrine to the team. You'll see a pic or two from this as well. And at the end of the day we had a very yummy traditional Malay lunch. Though forks and spoons were of offer, I was encouraged to try eating the way people traditionally do here, with my hands, which, it turns out IS easier... and quite liberating...