Malaysia...oops

Ok so the start of the Malaysia experience…..Reg and I and
David left the school at about 1:30 thinking it would be a hard time checking in at Chinese New Year…fastest we had ever done…got there and not one person in front of us….so we checked in and went to Burger King for a bite to eat and wait for Ron who arrived about 15 minutes later….

Great start as we breezed through that only to be held up on the runway for 1 hour. Met a girl on the plane who said she recognized me…she had been a tour guide in Harbin…must be a memorable person…chatted on the plane for ½ hour….6 hour flight….arrived about 1 hour late and did NOT have the taxi that I had notified Expedia about…so took 3 hours negotiating over about $5…got to our hotel at about 3:00 in the morning and went to bed in a small room…Reg and I slept in and Ron and David were out exploring….had a good breakfast (western) and went out for a small walkabout…decided to take the tour of the city Hop On Hop Off for all around Kuala Lumpur…a warm and very young city…..lots of new buildings and lots of development….saw a couple of interesting things and took some pictures…met Dave from San Francisco…he came with us for most of our tour….quite an informed person in real estate…but with the housing crunch he decided to do some touring

Had a sit down appetizer of skewers that afternoon and tgeb we waited for an evening of Indian food….traveled across the city for the meal…damn Indian food is hot….so I broke down and had a couple of beers to cool my tongue….got back and traveled around the shops but they were closing up….sat down for another beer at a bar/restaurant and chatted up a guy working in Sweden but born in Australia…over a couple of beer and another bar we solved all the world’s problems and then some….got in quite late and had a sleep in …..Reg ate for both of us at breakfast…I needed my beauty sleep…

Left at 8e30 for the airpot…this time the cost was 120 ringitts for the ride not the 210 they charged the night previous…funny too but the cost of the cab at Langkwai where we went was 27….short flight at the back of the plane with the employee helping us out with our seat selection….not a good one…..Air Malaysia…..got off the plane…plus 30 heat….but good….all in all we have been having a fun time lots of joking and bantering….Ron and I will play at least one round of golf…after all I did bring my clubs for a reason other than holding my dirty clothes…..Ron donated about a dozen balls to my cause…guess he now know that I tend lose some and I had mentioned that I only had a couple left …..bought a couple of Billboard (by mistake) pair of shorts (cheetahs colours) for the kids as well as a wrap for Jennifer…not sure if it will fit but it is a wrap around….had an early meal and then a massage which David arranged…..then we went for a dip in the ocean around 8:00…..took some of the sand off the beach for Janet…back…..to hotel…. then I booked a flight to England for the summer…….what a bother….anyway done after being wrongly booked to London Ontario….Ron was sick not sure why….so we left him and went out to a bar for one except it was two…met a couple… …he was a radiologist who made a mere $650k for the year….then home for an early night……think I will start running in the morning

Not a good sign…didn’t wake up to the sound of my cell phone….realized I had either lost it or left it at the massage parlour….early morning walk to find out and they weren’t open….oh well some sun soaking and then off to find out if I still have the phone or not….here’s hoping….

Think I will start jogging again…..we shall see….Ron is checking out the golf and Reg and I need to get some money from the ATM….not an eventful day….just a vegging out day…

Well I guess Nokia and I are not meant to be…went to the places I thought I could have left it but not there….may be starting to get a complex about phones….next one will probably be a cheapie …jeepers creepers…not a good first day here but will make the best of it…one redeeming thing…I think I can make the phone somewhat useless …I copied a serial number and believe it can be “jammed”….fat lot of consolation that is…..

Ah well…move on.

Off to the afternoon to get burned on the outside…..sunscreen and reading my book trying to decide which places to see in Europe this summer….any ideas out there?????????????????....

Had agood evening meal and then went to bed late....

Morning.....Ron and I went golfing....about 1/2 hour away. Ron shot a 91 and I was 105 I think....only lost 6 balls.....so if not for lost balls, I am shooting my hundred....yeah right...got back and Reg and David have scooters booked until tomorrow....we'll see what is up for the day...they are off to the beach and I am getting this off my computer....spotty reception so when I can it is gone....take care out there and I will be sending another report later.

Christmas 2008 and then 2009

Well, made it home in one piece from Beijing through Vancouver that had snow...first time I think I had ever seen snow that stayed there...it stayed until I left again on Jan 1...will include some family shots

Met with Tony in Calgary and dropped off the gifts that I had brought. Jan didn't come because of the weather....we had a good meal at Montanas and had a great talk. We almost didn't find each other but eventually with the help of Cell phones we were able to locate each other. Air Canada was a little behind woth their flights so I was an extra 3 hours in Calgary...meant that I got in at about 3 in the morning in Regina. Doug was there to pick me up. It took about 6 days to get over my jet lag and then had to go back to China to get re jet lagged again....the question that almost everyone asked was "Are you going to stay another year?".....Who knows?

Had a great time overall with the family....stayed with J and Doug for the first couple of days....went to Saskatoon on the 22nd and met with Marlene and Norm Paproski....also with Jerry Demeria and also my financial investor, Waylon Danyluk...stayed overnight with Norm and then left for Chaplin stay with mom overnight before J and Doug picked me up as we went to Marks for Christmas day...

Mom and Clarence are doing well..mom still a not wearing her hearing aids enough but still active....still wanting me to stay in Canada but then realizes that I am not her little boy anymore...

Spent Christmas eve and day with Mark and Tammy and part of her family....lots of presents to open and kids scrambling around and opening presents and paper and bows and the Hetherington singers in the background...a nostalgic touch as that was what we always listened to.....even though the two kids complained vociferously....my last present was a Christmas card that J gave me with a note referring to my 5 hmmm 5 grandkids....they are expecting another some time in August.....a great surprise and another great day.....and a great meal topped off the day....even with the cranberry sauce...woo hoo....

Mark's job is going well and he is hoping to move back to Sask as soon as he can sell the house in Redcliff...we all went tobogganing and I thought Jaxon got hurt as he wanted to go down the hill by himself and hit a patch of ground and was tumbled head over heels...he stayed down a few moments and then got up and went down with Grandpa on the two man toboggan..we had a blast...well at least old grandpa did....

Took a quick afternoon trip up to see Janet...we spent the afternoon there and showed some of my photos and returned some watches to Janet that I had left at Jennifers.... Kenzie had stayed with Janet in the summer....she had a blast there....we spent a good afternoon talking and laughing...returned to Marks later that night.....

Returned to Moms the next day...J and Doug returned home....I stayed a couple more days and talked with some friends....spent a day with Jack and Renee...asked the question about returning from China...left and stayed a couple more days.....we went to a New Year's Eve get together at the Ramada Hotel...they had comedians...it was a good evening...the dance went into the morning....we stayed at the hotel as it was storming outside.....J drove me to the airport in the morning and Marina met me at the airport as well....a nice touch......had a very quick trip to Vancouver and a short layover and then a quick trip to Beijing...with a spare seat beside me which allowed me to sleep a couple of hours on the flight.....so a good start to 2009.....even had a massage by Wang Yang Lan..... spent Jam 3rd getting some food and supplies for the start of the year....tomorrow will mean the planning for the next few weeks and then we are off for another holiday with Chinese New Year...wand we are off to Malaysia...just to see what that is like....

Happy New Year ...best wishes for 2009