I know the sort of
things that family and friends have been wanting to know. You have
waited patiently, so here come some answers for you.
The Region
It took well over the
expected 2 hours to drive here from KL, a slow trip the result of
torrential and mostly uninterrupted rain. I coughed and hacked much
of the way, and the wet tickle which triggers occasional, disabling
coughing fits continued through today as well, though I seem to be
otherwise over the cold. We left KL quite late (after meetings with
D, the accountant and other staff, then a lunch, more meetings and
some waiting), and arrived in Kampar in time to rush off to Ipoh to
buy some sheets, pillows and towels, then drive back to Kampar for a
late dinner. Harry was the most amazing host throughout, driving us
around, making sure we were comfortable, filling us in on local
language and customs and generally making us feel welcome and well
looked after. His fluent English (spoken with an American accent) and
easy conversation made for a fascinating drive. The company credit
card was never far away, and a day on which I expected to feel a
little abandoned, overwhelmed and far from home, was a most warm and
welcoming start to the Malaysian leg of our adventure.
The highway from KL
passes through a green diorama of oil palm plantations, kampongs
(villages) and other rural postcard scenes, but nearer to Kampar,
great limestone formations twist and jut from the Earth like verdant
sculptures. The landscape is quite spectacular, each of these
goliaths rising suddenly into the sky, with caves and stalactites
carelessly strewn around their edges, and jungle clinging
precariously to any surface it can take hold. Around Kampar and Ipoh,
many of these bear the gaping wounds of years of tin, limestone,
granite and marble mining.
The Town
We are living on the
edge of the town of Kampar, walking distance from Tesco, a
respectably-sized store which stocks a wide range of groceries as
well a good range of variety goods. In the modern, air-conditioned
centre, Tesco is surrounded by a cluster of small specialty stores
which include a KFC and a number of other food outlets. Also within
walking distance, albeit further away, is UTAR, a large university
which may some day become the source of my daily occupation as a
student or teacher. The town of Kampar is small and we feel
comfortable here, the roads are relatively uncluttered and the people
have been incredibly friendly and helpful. I have been astounded at
the number of friendly smiles I have received from strangers in the
shops and streets, and also maybe a little surprised that I haven't
seen another western face since I arrived.
The House
While around half the
dwellings in the neighbourhood appear uninhabited, the neighourhood
gives the impression of an honest and homely, if somewhat
dishevelled, community. Although a large, mouldy block of flats
occupies most of the opposite side of the street, our house overlooks
the park at the end of the ugly behemoth. Our street, like the
half-dozen identical streets parallel to it, is consumed almost
entirely by a single line of terrace houses, with just enough space
at the front for the parking of a vehicle. The partially-open
wet-area/ kitchens at the back meet a small service road and face the
back of the next row of houses.
The majority of the
downstairs floor of our house is occupied by a large lounge/ dining
area which Harry has furnished with a simple timber and leather
lounge, coffee tables and dining setting. The kitchen area adjoins
and contains nothing but a fridge. Please understand when I say
nothing, that means nothing- there is no stove, no cabinets and no
sink, though there is a sink with cold water in the wet area behind
this. There is also a small room that may become our office (the man
who is to become great already calls this the maid's room!), a
storage room under the stairs and, to my utter dismay and horror, the
downstairs bathroom which is a tiny arrangement of sink and
Malay-style squat toilet. Upstairs, the enormous front bedroom which
we occupy has its own bathroom, the largest in the house, and an
airconditioner which Harry and some men from the plant fitted on
Friday. Two other bedrooms upstairs share a small bathroom. The
flight of stairs will be offering us some good daily exercise, as the
ceilings are quite high, hence the staircase is also quite high. The
position of our house, in the middle of a row of terraces, dictates
that there are few windows, so we have a vast expanse of walls,
something to which we are quite unaccustomed. The walls are a little
mouldy, peeling and unkempt, as seems to be the case with the vast
majority of Malaysian buildings, both inside and out. At Tesco today,
I spent nearly 300 ringgats on groceries which were largely cleaning
products and equipment, and tomorrow I plan to use them. The clever
one tonight installed the washing machine and put on the first load,
which hopefully will be more successful than the first “load” in
the new kettle, which reportedly had a very new and unpleasant taste
to it.
The Car
We have been given a
dark blue Isuzu D-Max to drive, the pedigree of which is assureed by
D, who used to drive it himself. It is diesel, dual cab, automatic
and airconditioned, with an open back tray, and for a four-wheel
drive, it handles very well. Had I chosen it myself, I could not have
chosen a better vehicle for our purposes. The car was presented to us
beautifully clean and well maintained, and I was shocked to discover
it has covered more than 300,000km around and between the mines and
plants of the company. On closer inspection, it has worked hard, but
it is very comfortable and suits us perfectly. In fact, I am somewhat
relieved that I won't be driving a new car on Malaysian roads.
Today I had my first
foray into the unknown world of Asian driving, as I drove to Ipoh to
buy some things for the house. The driving was surprisingly relaxed,
and while the traffic is mostly law-abiding and organised, I was
thrilled that I also handled the more chaotic, Asian moments with
what I felt was a well-measured and typically Asian combination of
calm and raw nerve. I managed today without denting the car, but
doubt I will venture that far into Ipoh again for some time. It is
too big, too crowded and too time-consuming to visit without a GPS.
I'll be happy with Kampar for now.
Obviously there is more
to tell, but now it's time for sleep that will hopefully be
undisturbed by annoying coughing. Tomorrow, new opportunities await.
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