Expressions May 2012

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The primary purpose of IWA Penang is to provide asupport network for expatriate families living in Penang.WA Penang offers various social, cultural and sportingactivities for its members. In addition, the organisations very involved in community service projects withinPenang, especially those associated with women andchildren. IWA Penang supports those charities with itsfund-raising efforts, and a strong volunteer programme.

No. 28 Lebuh Lembah Permai 4,Tanjung Bungah, 11200 Penang, Malaysia.Tel : 6 04-898 2540Email : [email protected] : http://www.iwa-penang.info

Office HoursWeekdays - 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.Weekends - CLOSEDPublic Holidays - CLOSED

The Office will be closed on any day where we hold aGeneral or Annual General Meeting.

Expressions is printed 10 times per year by IWA Penang,International Womens Association. The Editor reserves the rightto edit all submissions regarding length, accuracy and clarity.Views and opinions expressed or implied do not necessarilyreflect those of the Expression staff, IWA Officers or the IWAmembership. The IWA shall not accept any responsibility forservices and/or advertisements appearing in this publication. Ourpolicy is to make a clear distinction between editorial features andpaid advertisements. All editorial content is based on its individualmerit such as thematic relevance and context, newsworthinessand general interest value to our readers. Please be advised thatany names listed in this publication and the IWA Directory are

for the exclusive use of IWA members. Any commercial use isSTRICTLY PROHIBITED.

IWA Penang, Inernational Womens Association 2007No portion of this publication shall be reprinted without permission.

ISSUE DEADLINES Materials are due on the first day of themonth preceding the Month of Issue.

LAYOUT & DESIGN, CW Design,www.cwdesign.com.my

PRE PRESS, Eefar Lithographic Sdn Bhd,Tel: 04-228 7155

PRINTING, Jutaprint, Penang,Tel: 04-282 0327

If you are not receiving our e-newsletter and would liketo do so, please call the office at 898 2540 to ensure wehave your correct contact details.

1

Regulars3 Presidents Message &

Board

5 Letter From The Editor

7 IWA Welcomes You

9 IWA Forthcoming Events

36 Friends of IWA

38 Interest Groups

39 Calendar

Features6 New Members of the

Board

8 Selamat Jalan RuthMcEwan Lyon

10 Penangs Got Talent

11 Spring Lunch - SpringChickens!

12 To Sculpt And Mould - Or ToLeave Well Alone?

14 Club Scene in LembahPermai

15 Teapottery

17 International Womens Day -Lunch at Spassos

18 Unplugged At The Canteen

20 Coffee Morning at Aseana

22 Sailing Into The Sunset24 The Hidden Treasures of

Kedah

26 The Freshest of Fresh Fish

28 Bus Trip in Senegal

30 An Anglo-Indian Tiffin atSuffolk House

32 Whats Up on Pearl Hill?

34 The Bangkok Rattler

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Matt Burke - Middletown Virginia.Cover: Times They are A Changin,reproduced by kind permission of the

artist. As a child Matt grew up watchinghis aunt maintain a career in theanimation and illustration industry, thisintroduced Matt into the art world. Mattalways made sure he was enrolled in anart class throughout school. He derivesmost of his inspiration that goes on thecanvas from the music he listens to.Matt is young and exploring the worldof art, constantly trying new techniques.His most influencing artists are TimBradstreet,David Garibaldi, Richard T.Slone, Stephen Fishwick and Jeanne

Kean.


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April Fool

April 1st is known around the world

as either April Fools Day or All Fools

Day. The origins are a bit unclear but

it seems to date back to the sixteenth

century in France when the calendar

was changed and the New Year moved

from the week of March 25th April 1st

to what we now celebrate on January 1st.

Communications were very slow in thosedays, unlike our modern internet where

news circulates the world in seconds, and

especially for those living in rural areas

it took a very long time before the new

trend was universally observed. For those

more sophisticated people, the country

folk who still insisted on celebrating New

Years Day as April 1st were regarded as

fools; they were sent on fools errands,

invited to non existent parties and had

practical jokes played on them.and

that is how the whole thing started! Thetradition quickly spread to Scotland and

England and on to the colonies.

In Rome the holiday is known as the

FeHappy April!

PresidentsMessageExecutive Board

President

Sandie Lenton

First Vice President

Ella Schmidt

Second Vice President

Carol Ashcroft

Secretary

Judith Ellidge

Treasurer

Chizuko Nakazato

General Board

Fund Raising

Judith Mould

Community Services

Faye Ong

Events &

Entertainment

Rebecca Marck

Membership

Charlotte Smart

Sunalini Blandford

Hospitality

Dianne Sidebottom

Carol Ashcroft

Expressions Editor

Frances Wilks

AdvertisingKate OSullivan

Tours & Classes

Rohana Turner

Shammina Wright

Auditor

External

We are looking forsomebody to offer theirservices as OfficeManager NOT to do

it on a full time basisbut to advise Penny onoffice procedures andadmin.

Also we are looking forawebmaster for thenew website.


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Presidents Message


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U p the H i l lA couple of Sundays ago I went up Penang Hill. It was adelightful experience in many ways. I rambled along the pathson the hill, and wandered into the grounds of an old bungalow,Convalescent, where I used to stay as a child. Sadly itsabandoned now but there are still echoes of its healingpast. Theres a new Monkey Cup Garden (no monkeys tothe disappointment of some visitors!) a mere mile from the

station, but I was shocked to discover that people are nolonger expected to walk on the summit but instead are ferriedaround in golf buggies. It felt slightly surreal to walk alongthe pleasant hill paths as little carts whistled by with crowdsof merrymakers comfortably tucked inside totally insulatedfrom the rich and refreshing jungle experience. I felt a littlesad because the cool air of Penang Hill makes exercise sucha pleasure.

Another thing that surprised me was the absence of foreignersof any kind. The crowd is almost totally Malaysian. Thinkingback to the RM30 that was demanded of me as fare (the localprice is RM8) I was no longer amazed. Whether consciouslyor unconsciously, foreigners seem to be boycotting PenangHill. Even in David Browns Tea Rooms there was not aforeign face to be seen. If you add RM30 per person to thecost of your lunch, it is no longer economic to eat there. Itsparticularly a shame in view of the fact that David Brown hasjust opened a new cocktail terrace with spectacular views. Idid think about suggesting an IWA sundowner event there butwith the mark-up it would be impossibly expensive. How sad!

A l l at S eaA group of car enthusiasts and yachties (quite a few of them

IWA members) gathered together to witness the Penanglaunch of three new cars from Mercedes Benz. It was a lovelyoccasion, a great chance to admire the new Benz and also tocruise around Penang Harbour on board the Blue Dolphin(an 80 foot super yacht) quaffing champagne. On the boateverything was white which gave a very cool, clean feelingand the cabins were superlative. The owners suite even hadits own sauna.

Quite a few people were interested in the new cars thoughnot everyone could afford the hefty price tag which Mercedescommands. However, they are in a class of their own wherecomfort, performance and engineering are concerned. Theyare also the only brand of car named after an Austrian girl with

a Spanish name! In 1897, an Austrian businessman namedEmil Jellinek, travelled from his home in Nice in the south ofFrance to buy a car in Germany. On his return to the FrenchRiviera, his new Daimler Phoenix caused such a sensation

that he decided to enter it into a local touring competition,under the name of Mercedes after his favorite nine year olddaughter. Realising the business potential for the new car,he not only placed an order for 36 more, but secured thefranchise for selling them in several countries under the nameof Mercedes. We all very much enjoyed viewing the newMercedes on Penangs own mini Riviera at Straits Quay.

O ne Y ear O nIts a year since the Japaneseearthquake and tsunamiwhich claimed so many lives.It was marked by festivalof remembrance at StraitsQuay. There were quite a fewflower cards with prayers andpersonal notes posted. The oneon the left of the picture saysGod bless Japan and I think we all join with our JapaneseIWA members in echoing that wish as Japan continues withreconstruction after such a huge disaster.

T i mes they ar e a Changi nThis April will see a major change for the IWA the openingof the new clubhouse. Its been a fraught time for many ofthe committee members who were involved with the move,packing, painting, labeling, sorting and all those endlessbut necessary tasks. (I stayed well out of it, knowing that Iwould only create more mess!). A big thank you to the newVice President, Ella, who supervised the move with a teamof stalwart helpers. We hope that you will all enjoy the

new clubhouse and use it often and for all sorts of events,happenings and gatherings.

Another change that weve seen recently is the arrival ofyounger women joining the IWA. Our new Assistant Editor, KatFatland, is in her early twenties, but already has considerablejournalistic experience. Shes here for two years with herpartner. Its great that were not only inclusive in terms ofnationality but also becoming more appealing to a wider agerange.

Have a great April!

Frances

EDITOR

From the


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Sunalini Blandford(Membership)

Sunalini Blandford is from India. She moved to Penang in

May 2009 from Hongkong, where she worked as a flight

attendant with Cathay Pacific airways for 14 years.

She is now is learning to be an Iyengar yoga teacher and

will stay in Penang for 3 years.

New Members of the BoardFor the first time in living memory we will have a full IWA board. Weasked each of the new members to provide a picture and a short biogra-phy of themselves. Heres what they wrote. Because we have so many,we are doing half the new Board members this month and half nextmonth.


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by Charlotte Smart

Anne Gibb moved here in July 2011 with her husband,

Stanley. Although they are both originally from Scotland,

they have lived in Qatar for five years and before their

move to Penang, they lived in Cairns, Australia, where

Anne ran a bakery and her husband worked as a QA

Welding Engineer. Anne enjoys swimming, reading and

yoga and has joined the IWA Scottish Country Dancing

group. She is hoping to become involved with the Craft

Group and is interested in Cooking Demonstrations. Anne

lives in Tanjung Bungah.

Elsie Kennaugh is Annes Aunt, although they moved

here quite independently! She will be dividing her time

between Dubai and Penang and has only just moved into

her new apartment this month. Elsie and her husband,

John, have visited Penang several times and he works

in Dubai as an airline Simulator Instructor. They are both

originally from the UK and have two grown up children

and two grandchildren. Elsie has lived in Australia, Germany

and Belgium. She likes yoga, pilates, dancing and cooking.

Elsie has already tried the IWA Scottish Country Dancing

group and is interested in our yoga classes.

Mecky


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April 11 (Wed.)

- 9:30 am to 11 am

Sneak-a-Peek at our new digs!

Join us for the first Coffee Morning at our new

clubhouse, located at:No. 28 Lebuh Lemah Permai 4,

Tanjung Bungah.

Its in a small retail complex on the back sidefacing a childrens park.

(Call 04-898-2540 if you get lost.)

April 26 (Thurs.)

- 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Quiz Night At The Library Pub in StraitsQuay.

Relax by the sea with tasty food and bargain-priced potent potables. Then rise to thechallenge of a genuine British-style pub quiz.May the best team win!

All this fun for a mere RM5 donation towardsthe quiz prize of course theres a prize! Livemusic to follow from 9:30 pm

May 1 (Mon.)

- 11:00 am. to 2:00 pm.

Why not spend this national holiday withyour family at the official Open Day atour new IWA Clubhouse (address above).

Show your hubby where youll be spendinghappy hours. Let your kids play in the child-friendly park across the way. Explore the foodand drink outlets that are our new neighbors.And if you felt like bringing some sort ofnibbles to share around, theyd certainly bewelcome!

May 8 (Tues.)

-11:00 am

Equatorial Hotel Coffee Garden

- Buffet Lunch

All you spring chickens come on out to mix &mingle and hear Dr. Neil Solomons explain hismeaningful work in the field of reconstructivesurgery. (And hell have some tips on howwe, too, might benefit from a nip here and atuck there.) International cuisine and vocalofferings from our own IWA choir will remindus what a delightfully multinational group weare.

The Expat Magazine is targeted at all expatriates living in Malaysia who are interested in reading an English languagepublication. The purpose of the Magazine is to increase expatriates understanding about Malaysia and all aspects of life here.The Expat magazine believes the more expatriates know about the country they are living in the more they will enjoy it.

If you would like to subscribe to this FREE monthly publication,just visit: www.expatkl.com or e-mail [email protected] 9


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Frances Wilks drops in on the new

clubhouse as the organized chaos starts

to give way to a great space to meet,

hang out and run the IWA from

..The new clubhouse is up and runningbut getting there has been anything butan easy ride! As you may remember, theIWA inherited the shoplot in LembuhPermai from a nail salon which has sincemoved to Straits Quay. We had to takeover all the fixtures and fittings, a bit of amixed blessing as some of them were alittle impractical. For example, the board

room/games room had a raised platformwith three luxurious armchairs and threefoot basins. Perfect if you need a pedicurebut a little less useful if you want to playmah jong! After a bit of deliberation theBoard decided to remove this and putdown carpet tiles on the now flat floor.The result is a large and beautiful spacewhich is already being very successfullyused.

There were considerable benefits is taking over an alreadyfitted out space despite having to make some modifications, itwas a lot cheaper than starting from scratch. Sterling work was

done by some committee members during and after the moveto make the place habitable. Ella Schmidt, our; Vice President,masterminded the move with a great deal of help.

Its great, more room, more modern and more comfortable.

I feel proud to bring a new member here

Some areas have been a little more worked on than others.Heres the kitchen which Becky Marck was bravely tacklingwhen I arrived. Much of the kitchen stuff was still in the boxesprovided by Crown Relocations who so kindly sponsored ourmove.

Parkings much better. In fact everythings better..

premises, then wait until you see the upstairs! When thecurrent tenants leave, the IWA will take over the upstairs spacewhich has two separate offices, one could be sublet and a hugespace which could be used for a variety of purposes.

Heres Penny working manfully at her desk amidst theclutter of the front office which will become a tea and coffeearea. Pennys going to be working upstairs in a breezy officeoverlooking the square gardens.


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I dont feel the place is about to fall down

and I love the pubs and the park nearby

Its a great area and very friendly. Its goodthat our parking wont irritate the neighboursand that theres plenty of it. Were alreadymaking good contacts with the businesseslocally and Annabelles (a little further up ourrow with delicious Windsor teas on Thursday,Friday and Saturday afternoons) has justmade the offer of a 10% discount for IWAmembers. I expect it is the first of many newFriends of the IWA.

So come and see it if you havent yet were

open normal IWA times (mornings 9.30 -12.30)and were having a special Open Day (pleasesee Events for details of this). By then theplace will look spic and span and youll neverbelieve the effort that it took to get there.

Judging by the quotes scattered throughoutthe article, it would seem that the memberswhove used the new clubhouse have given ita thumbs up. Whats your view?

Reading Corner

The start of the teapot collection


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My husband recently whuffled

off to another country to work,

leaving me behind to be a lady

who lunches here in Penang.

Nothing special about that. Lots

of you ladies can say the same.

But can you claim to be married to

a bona fide Japanese salaryman?

Well, I can!

To say that working in Japan

is the antithesis of toiling in the

local Penang workforce is to put

it mildly. The difference is really

night and day. Heres how my

husbands workday typically goes:

At 7:50 a.m. everybody is in place

and has their computer booting up

so itll be ready for the 8:00 a.m.

start of the workday. At 8:00 the

Big Ben chimes are soundedand the section head strides to

the front of the room. He says Ohayo gozaimasu! (Good

morning!) and bows to all the assembled employees - and I

do mean all! (Nobody comes to work late or lingers around

the water cooler gossiping.) The staff all bow even more

deeply back to him and return his greeting.

Then, according to a predetermined rota, the designated

employee rep of the day goes to the front, faces the other

staffers, and says (three times), Welcome, welcome,

welcome. Then everybody in unison, following the boss

prompts, does a call-and-response of the company slogan.

Translated, it goes like this: Today we promise to greet

each other warmly, respond politely and quickly, and do

our best to create quality products. Its a kind of reminder

and affirmation of what theyre all about. The designated

employee then says, Thank you all for coming to do todays

work and final bows are exchanged. Then everybody goes

to work straightaway, no delays, no chatting, no warming up

- they just start immediately after the daily ceremony is over.

The morning break starts at 10:00. Smokers rush to the

exits, ladies to the restroom, etc. A Westminster chime

summons everyone back at 10:05, not a minute later.

Nobody comes back late, nobody! And lunch hour isnt an

hour, but actually 55 minutes, from noon to 12:55. The chime

A (British) Japanese Salarymans Saga

By Rebecca Marck

sounds at 12:50, though, so people can get back to their

desks on time.

The lights are doused in the whole workspace during the

lunch break while everybody is up in the dining hall because

this company, like most of Japan, is conserving energy in

the aftermath of the nuclear power plant meltdown a year

ago. The automatic front doors are no longer automatic

for the same reason. And nobody (except the lunch box

deliveryman) uses the elevator to get to the third floor staff

cafeteria. The fabled Japanese unpaid overtime has been

abolished, too. In order to save energy, everybody is out

of the office by 7:30, a rarity in a country where teachers,

office workers and others routinely stay on the job (or at

least in the workplace) until nine or ten oclock at night.

But I digress! The afternoon break is longer - a whopping

ten minutes this time. Again, no one returns late. People

in Japan, or at least in this company, actually want to work

and are happy to be working there. Theres no noise, no

shouting, no distractions, just quiet, steady, organized

productive activity. Diffrent strokes for diffrent folks, of

course, but my British hubby is happy to be a Japanese

salaryman, and he wears his blue company jacket withpride. I just hope he washes it once in a while!


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Judith Ellidge

Three years ago when dbee came toPenang she was a lost soul. Having givenup a high-powered job to accompanyher husband she found herself with longlonely days. Even all the IWA activitiescould not fill the long hours whilst Davidwas at work.

Luckily, she was able to join an Art Club(Penangs Creative Art Club) and I havewatched her progression from a talented

amateur painter to a gifted professional.She works in a variety of mediums, watercolour, acrylic, pen and ink and takes herinspiration from both her home in the UKand all the places she has visited duringher stay in Southeast Asia. So keen isshe that, newly returned from a trip toAustralia, she was inspired by AboriginalArt, one of the paintings was only finishedon the afternoon of the Opening. It wasstill wet!

The evening began with a few shortspeeches from both the gHotel anddbee. Then we were given a live demoby dbee using watercolour on rice paper.After painting an orchid, dbee invited allguests to have a go at painting a flowerthemselves which some of us enjoyed.The gHotel provided refreshments whilewe chatted and viewed the paintings.One painting Cat with Bamboo was soldon the night to an American staying at thegHotel while on business here in Penang.

Probably best to let the paintings speakfor themselves!

The exhibition is on from 1st April to 15thMay at the gHotel.

Note - All the paintings are for sale andare also available as limited edition printsin various sizes. For more informationvisit dbees web site www.dbeedoodah.com or contact her on [email protected]


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MakingChickens Spring!

Frances Wilks

The theme for our Spring Brunch is Spring

Chickens and members of the Events Team

got together to make the centerpieces for

the occasion. We thought it would be more

fun and a lot cheaper than having the hotel

supply us with their idea of a spring chicken

table centre. Ours are custom-made please

remember that, especially if it comes away in

your hand! Oh I cant believe I said that..

So a select group of us gathered at Rohana

Turners beautiful apartment to assemble to

chickens on a plinth of wood (offcuts from the

new clubhouses old platform floor), fasten the

fake bird to it, and to place an egg (presumably

that the chicken has just laid) on each display.

It wasnt easy at first to work out how the feet

of the hens could be attached to the plinth.

However, with liberal doses of hot gum from

the glue gun and a bit of foot straightening

(thank goodness no animal activists werepresent!) we managed it, artfully massaging

some flowers over the said feet to hide any

glue drips.

Then came the egg part. Becky Marck had

thoughtfully blown the eggs and washed out

the insides of the shells. Otherwise there could

be rather a mess if one cracked and the yolk

went flying everywhere Once the eggs were

safely in place, the chickens were decorated

with a necklace (available for one person on

each table to take home as a bracelet presentfor their daughter/friend/significant other).

The only question I have is whether cockerels

actually lay eggs. I rather tend towards the

belief that they dont but hey, were going to

the lunch not only to enjoy ourselves but also

to learn about some of the miracles of modern

medicine.

So see you Tuesday 8th May from 11

onwards at the Equatorial Hotel for aspectacular buffet lunch and talk by DrNeil Solomons. Dont forget to book firstwith Penny at the office.


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Frances Wilks

Over thirty IWA members had a treat on 11th April a double bill

coffee morning. As well as coffee and finger snacks, there weretwo interesting talks on very different subjects.

The first was about the work of Kawan, a faith-based NGO thatworks with the homeless people of George Town. People endup on the streets because of a complex set of circumstanceswhich may include family breakdown, financial problems,substance abuse and mental illness. Its essential to reach outto them with love, respect and care, to give food and help andwhatever support is appropriate. Befriending without an agendaor judgment is also vital. To support this outreach work, Kawanhas a drop-in centre at 37 Love Lane which provides breakfastand lunch on weekdays, shower facilities and a rest area. Theywill also help with referral to rehabilitation centres.

The Kawan shop, at 41 Chulia Street, which sells donatedsecond hand clothes, toys, books and electrical items, raisesbetween RM 2,000 and RM 3,000 a month which goes to thedrop-in centre (which actually needs RM 6,000 a month tosurvive). Donations of second-hand clothing, clean and in goodcondition, are always needed. Perhaps its something that theIWA could organize sometime? We probably all have unwanteditems in our closets and by arranging a group donation of themto Kawan, we could help homeless people to feel a bit lessisolated and a bit more cared for.

The second talk was by Laurence, who is the manager of the1881 Chong Tian Hotel. Its a magnificent building, superbly

renovated, full of antiques and beautiful historical items.Laurence described the history of the building, constructed inthe latter years of the nineteenth century, as a hotel. It lookedvery different in those days as its clients were the merchantswho traded in the nearby port. Called Chong Tian, which meansmiddle sky or middle heaven in Mandarin and looking up atthe divine view through the three storied courtyard, its not hardto see why the name was appropriate. After World War 2, thebuilding ceased to be a hotel and became a goldsmiths shopon the ground floor and a brothel on the second floor. Gangwarfare was rife in this part of George Town as recently as the1950s and the area became rather rough and unruly. Happilythose days are over as 1881 Chong Tian has become a gloriousboutique hotel.

Laurence showed us some of the treasures his family hascollected: a cupboard that used to belong to the first PrimeMinister of Malaya, and the father of Malaysia, Tunku AbdulRahman, which has both Arabic and Chinese motifs. Heexplained the symbolism on some of the gorgeous wedding silktapestries which adorn the ground floor. The phoenix and thedragon are both very important icons for the Chinese; the formersymbolizes the feminine, or yin, principle, the latter, the yang,or masculine principle. In the entrance hall of the hotel there isa pair of wedding cupboards, one with dragon symbols (for thehusband) the other with phoenix decoration for the wife. We alsosaw a mother-of-pearl inlaid wedding bed made for a Peranakanfamily which several people thought was very uncomfortable

looking. The tour was concluded by seeing some of the gorgeousbedrooms of the hotel with rather more comfortable beds!

All in all, it was a fascinating morning and a wonderful insightinto two very different aspects of George Town.


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We all like to look as freshfaced and as unmade up aspossible these days but hownatural would you allow yourfurniture to go? Would you beprepared for it to be alive?

While stripped pine has beenin vogue in Europe since the1970s, and minimalism sincethe 1990s, designers havemore recently come out withfurniture that really goes green.

In some cases, quite literally.

The Picnic Chair

Great for sitting on the grass but not having to go

all the way down!

The Green Carpet

Dont forget to water the grass, darling!


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The Ticklish Sofa

Dont lean back too far on this one!

The Bamboo Bench

Simple, elegant, unpretentious. Comesin kit form.

The Salad Bar

No need to worry if you forget to make a sidedish. You can pick your own at the table.

The Three piece suite

If you dont want to lounge on this livingroom set then you could always turn it intoa miniature golf course!

And so to bed..

Have sweet dreams in this romantic tree house bed. Bird isextra.

The Three piecesuite

If you dont want to loungeon this living room set thenyou could always turn it intoa miniature golf course!


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Judith Ellidge

Dianne is not Hospitality Chair without good cause. She hadpacked a picnic, large, delicious and varied enough to satisfythe entire Formula 1 participants. I brought the appetite! Wearrived in fine style and Dianne cleverly discovered the freewine by the pool, we indulged, copiously.

Saturday, we devoted to shopping. The Loaf, opposite theWestin in KL has the most wonderful sandwiches and coffee.We accidentally wandered into Amee Philips wonderful jewelleryboutique in KL, full of gorgeous things and I accidentally boughtsome of them.

I had taken the precaution of locking into the room safe my

laptop, iPad and Kindle. Safety First is my watchword!

We arrive back at the hotel and I attempt to open the safe complete failure! I call the Front Desk, a delightful lady attemptsto open the safe. Complete failure. She calls for her friend, whotries to open the safe. Complete failure. Maintenance technicianis called; he tries to open the safe. Complete failure. He sendsfor re-enforcements. Two more chaps arrive, still no success butthe chambermaid (a man) decides to join in. Much discussionfollows and a party atmosphere is happening. Lucky reallyas I was very bored with all my toys locked in the extremelysafe safe! Front Desk lady, taking charge again, calls out thetechnicians from the safe company. They refuse to come on thegrounds that it is Saturday night and they are out having fun.

More hotel technicians arrive, bearing a very large drill and aneven bigger crowbar! By this time we are almost hysterical. Torecap we have; Front Desk lady and friend, Maintenance, aboutfour, one chambermaid (man) two cleaners forgot to mentionthem, they spotted the fun and joined in, swiftly joined by twomore cleaners, one with vacuum cleaner and the other with abrush. Copious amounts of holes drilled in the safe, severalattacks with the crowbar and hours later, including a very longwait as the battery in the drill failed success, the door iswrenched off to shouts of joy all round.

By this time our tears of hysteria have turned to tears ofexhaustion and we fall into bed long after midnight thankingour lucky stars that passports, plane tickets and tight schedules

had played no part!

Serious stuff now, off to the races. As we had a late bookingwe could not buy a designated parking place and had to takeour luck with the rest of Malaysia, very, very bad move. Havingdone several laps of the track on the outside, we finally werewhistled into a slot in a Palm Oil Plantation (whistles are VERYimportant at the Malaysian Grand Prix thousands are deployedboth inside and outside the track, their use baffles me, but thewhistleblowers are very happy and feel very important whilstnot actually contributing anything to the smooth running of theshow). Our part of the Plantation was clearly marked Parking10 duly committed to memory by both of us.

Out onto the Perimeter road again, this time to pick up theshuttle bus to take us to you thought I was going to say theentrance didnt you to another shuttle bus. Shuttle bus onecarried us to a parking area, full of other shuttle buses, as we

had no idea what to do and there was no direction and nosignage, we followed the crowd, crammed our way onto shuttlebus two. How can I put this next bit.......in a less welcomingcountry the maximum number of passengers would be 50.However, it is deemed unkind to leave anyone behind so 200 isno problem. This is the reason we did another lap of the trackon the outside. We had no idea where we were!

Yes we did finally achieve our seats and settled down towatch some exciting racing. Oops! To no-ones surprise themonsoon began. We amused ourselves during the hours delayby kicking water botlles, empty beer cans and the like ontothe unsuspecting heads of those seated in the cheap seatsdownstairs (not really but we could have there is nothing toprotect those sitting on the ground floor from being bombardedfrom above you have been warned).

We will draw a veil over the outcome of the race which was notat all to my liking.

Now we have to get back to our car, Parking lot 10. We lose ournatural European politeness, out come the elbows and we get awindow to check parking numbers, 1, 2, 3, and 4 fly by withouta stop by the driver (by the way, all drivers seem to be TrappistMonks moonlighting as drivers, not a single word or even gruntfrom any of them! Five is a very popular stop and lots of peopledescend. Six, seven, eight, people get out, nine arrives andDianne and I are poised to quit the bus. Next stop must be tenbut the sign has disappeared but out we get. Never seen it inour lives, it is now pitch dark, it has monsooned so we are up toour knees in mud, panicking, banging into trees and wonderingwhat to do. Back to the bus stop in the hopes that we will getanother shuttle. Happily we did, see beginning of article forfarce that is bus service. We are now on our sixth outside lap of

the track. Alonso did not go around as often as we! We sit thereand count, we get out at ten, guess what! Same bl**dy place,by now it is even darker! We are rescued by a totally charmingMalay guy and his sons who declare they will not part from usuntil we are re-united with our car. He then pointed out that wewere in a Palm Oil Plantation, all the snakes and scorpions etcwould probably be ticked off at having their quiet life disturbedand we needed to take care. Dianne cannot help that she isscared stiff by snakes and scorpions - great fortitude was shownwith safe-cracking staff snakes and scorpions are beyond hercomfort zone, she leapt on my back screaming, this caused meto fall into the mud, I leave the rest to your imaginations, sufficeit to say that I do not think there was a snake or insect within200 kilometres. The totally lovely guy found our car, I was sohappy I asked if I could kiss him, to which he readily agreed,which leaves me wondering as to his eyesight.

I was engaged in backing the car out of a Palm Oil Plantationin the dark, trees are everywhere without lights, we spot a veryyoung Malay couple looking lost. Told them to jump in, mygrandchildren are coming soon and I have bought a Baby seat,guy has to sit in it, beggars cant be choosers right! They haveno idea where they parked, so, off we go on our 500th lap ofthe circuit on the outside. Sad to say we did not reunite themwith their car. I suspect it was illegally parked and towed away.

The PR lady at the Shangri La came to our room next morning,mortified about our stay (room in total disarray when we got

back from Grand Prix, glad to report Dianne is as messy as mein a hotel room) and has promised us a free weekend next year.Dianne is returning to UK for ever next month, that leaves mewith a spare room . . . . . . best answers on a postcard!

Grand Prix orEndurance Test


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Friends of IWAMany local businesses will give discounts to IWA members. Remember to carry your membership cardand show it at the time of purchase or ordering in restuarants

ABT Money Changer(Aboothahir Enterprise Sdn Bhd)Basement Gurney PlazaTel: 04 227 8787

Special rates for money changing

Amee Philips109 Kelawei Road. Tel 04 229 5755Exclusive jewellery. Special discounts

Bella Italia RestaurantBelissa Row, Burmah Road.Tel 04 227 2195Italian restaurant.10% discount

Book Zone1st Floor Penang Plaza, 126 JalanBurma. 10050 Penang.

Tel: 04-2265585. 10% Discount onbooks.

Creative Furnishing Sdn Bhd416-428, Jalan Dato Keramat.Tel: 2274 980 / 988 Island PlazaTel: 8908907Furniture, handicraft & gift items 10 to20% discounts

Crown Jewellers101 King Street.Tel 04 264 3101 or 012 460 2436Special discounts

Curio Pack -Removal specialist. Tel: 04 262 3802IWA members entitled to 5 free archiveboxes when booking your surveypacking.www.movemalaysia.com

Cutting Edge Hairdressing20 Lorong Burma.By Appointment. Call May OoiTel 012 534 0133. 10% discount

Denise Wine ShopPulau Tikus Outlet Only.425-D Jalan Burma. Tel 04 2280390 Attractive discounts for certain wines

throughout the year

Euro DeliGurney PlazaAuthentic port sausages and draughtbeer. Special discounts

Four Seasons Resort LangkawiSpecial rates for IWA membersCall Reservations at 04-950-8700 or

[email protected] &quote IWA Rate & IWA ID.*Terms & Conditions apply

Flower Series Sdn Bhd7a, Ground Floor, Weld Quay (oppTanjung City Marina)Tel 04 2611677. 10% discount

Glamour Nail SpaStraits QuayTel : 04-890 436310% for IWA members

Gorgeous Beauty & Spa98-1-39 Prima Tanjung.Tel 04 898 2957Facelift without surgery RM600 on 1stTrial facelift plus other offers.

Hisago Modern Japanese Restaurant3E-1-1, Straits Quay, Jalan Sri TanjungPinang,

10470 Penang. 10% discount

Hong Kong Homes Decoration66 Lorong Selamat.Tel: 04-2269199, 013-4307543Curtains, Wallpapers, Blinds &Upholstery - 20% discount

Jantzen Salon (Gurney Plaza) SB170-04-02 Plaza Gurney, Gurney Drive.Tel 04 227 2700. 20% discount.

Kaffa CafeStraits Quay. 10% off food and wine for

IWA membersFiesta Night (Mexican food) everyFriday

Lao Sher Tea HouseJalan Burmah. Tel: 04-227 3139.Open from 11.30 am to 11 pm.Closed on Wednesday.10% discount for IWA members.

Lynn Boutique124D Burmah Road. Tel 04 2260982.Fashion. 10% discount

myTESOLLearn to Teach English. Get QualifiedIWA Members RM500 off.www.mytesol.com HP:017 426 1408

NUSKINDeep cleansed, skin becoming lighter,firmer, finer pores and reducedwrinkles. RM120 /session or RM300for 4 sessions. Contact 012-4014316.By appoinment Only. Discount for allIWA members:

OE Fine Jewellery

Gurney Plaza,Bayan Lepas Factory StoreTel 04 647 1288, 04 228 8908.Special discounts

Orlene Beauty House48 Ground Floor Jalan Irrawady10050 PenangTel : 04-227 2029

10% discountPenaga Hotel.Jalan Hutton. Tel: 04-261 1891Massage 1 hour at RM85.00 nett*.35% off all other Spa Menu treatments

Royal Selangor Pewter3A-G Straits Quay, Tanjong Tokong,10470 Penang.Tel 04 891 2016. Pewterware andcollectibles. 10% discount

Russell Salon (Penang) Sdn Bhd170-03-61A Plaza Gurney.Gurney DriveTel - 04 226 9699. 20% discount.

Restaurant Palace dIndia2F-29, 2nd Floor, North Zone.Queensbay Mall,Bayan LepasToll Free No: 1800 88 9787.15% Discount

Sams Batik House183-185 Penang Road. Tel 04 262 1095Clothing, homeware and accessories.

15% and special promotions

Sams Nail Beauty Salon29 1st Floor, Prangin Mall (behind B+L))Tel 04 263 3463Manicure, pedicure,nail art. 10% discount

Signature Spa125M, Desa Tanjung,Jalan Tanjung Tokong.Tel: 04-8981286. Children/ElderlyMassage. 10% discount

Sigis Bar & Grill

Golden Sands Resort.Batu Feringgi Beach.20% off for event nights.

Tan OptometryPenang Plaza (Giant Spermarket)126 Burmah RoadTel 04 227 3959. 20% off eyewear only

The Wine Shop15, Lintang Burmah.Tel: 04 226 0331Wine. 15% discount


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8:30amHILL TREKKINGFor a fun & different way to exercise,come trek the beautiful paths of PenangHill. Walkers of all levels welcome. Justbring good walking shoes, and plentyof water. We meet in the car park onthe right just before the entrance to theBotanic Gardens. Experienced trekkersare welcome to teach us new routes.Contact Inge Viermann 012-462-4979.

8:15am - 10:00amYOGA FOR BEGINNERSDo you need to stretch and tone yourbody? Try Iyenger Yoga at Sri Pangkor.Call Karen 04-229 7494 or 017-469 1325

1:00pm - 4:00pmBRIDGE CLUB BEGINNERS &ADVANCED at IWA Office: Would youlike to learn to play bridge? Looking for

a regular game? Are you willing to helpsome less experienced enthusiastsimprove their game?Call Karen Gillanders 229 7494

2:00pmSCRABBLEEvery Monday afternoon, venue to beadvisedCall Judith at 017 578 0965 or [email protected]

8:15am -10:00amYOGA FOR INTERMEDIATEDo you need to stretch and tone yourbody? Try Iyenger Yoga at Sri Pangkor.Call Karen 04-229 7494 or 017-469 1325

9:00amBUGGIES, BABES & BUMPSFor mums with young babies andpregnant women to meet at the BotanicalGardens every Tuesday morning for awalk. All nationalities welcome!Contact Liza Faskerty 012-491 0081

10:00amMAHJONGIWA Office. All players are welcomedto join in the fun, from beginner toexperienced.Contact Faye Ong 04-890 8271

10:30amCHOIRLove singing? If you can carry a tune andenjoy singing please come along and joinus each week at 48E Taman Jesselton;Choir Director - George Swalwell.

Contact Marlene 228 5691, 016-491 1658or email [email protected]

2:30pmTUESDAY AFTERNOON BOOKCLUBMeets on the second Tuesday of eachmonth; new members are welcome.Contact Faye Ong 04-890 8271

8:00pm - 10:00pmSCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCEHave fun and get some exercise! All skilllevels are welcome and no need to bring

a partner. Please wear soft shoes andbring your own refreshments. 10RM perperson to cover hire of the hall. Meet inthe hall at St. Nicholas Home for the BlindContact Hilary Kelland 016-473 [email protected]

9:30am - 12 noonWED. MORNING BOOK GROUPMeets on the last Wednesday of eachmonth. Regular group attendance is notrequired in order to join a discussion of aparticular book.PLEASE RSVP to Rosemary Lee012-566 2604

2.00pm - 5.00pmCANASTA at IWA OfficePlayed cards but dont know Canasta?No problem, come along to one of ourWednesday afternoon sessions andwe will show you how! Beginners andlearners are welcomed. Contact: BarbaraWilliams - 04-899 5889 or 012 560 1208

8:15am - 10:00am

YOGA FOR INTERMEDIATEDo you need to stretch and tone yourbody? Try Iyengar Yoga at Sri Pangkor.Call Karen 04-229 7494 or 017-469 1325

10:00amLEAGUE & SOCIAL BOWLINGCome join us, relax, have fun and meetnew people. Penang Bowl, 38B LebuhFarquhar.Contact Rowella Colk 017-405 6442

10:00amCRAFT GROUPEnjoy relaxed sewing with a cup of coffee,

snacks and good company. From quiltingto cross-stitch, tapestry to smocking -whatever your craft, bring it along. If youare a beginner, there are plenty of willinghelpers to get you started.Barbara Williams:04 890 4079or 012 560 1208

7:30pmQUIZ NIGHTHeld the third Thursday of each month, allare welcome.

8:15am - 10:00amYOGA FOR BEGINNERSDo you need to stretch and tone yourbody? Try Iyenger Yoga at Sri Pangkor.Call Karen 04-229 7494 or 017-469 1325

10.00am - 12.00noonINTERNATIONAL PLAYGROUP- for babies and toddlers 0-4 yearsHeld at the IWA office. The group is opento 0-4 year olds and their mums but duringschool holidays children up to 7 years old

are welcome to join in.Admission: a donation of RM5 per childper entry to go to a child related charity.Please bring a towel and swimsuit foryour child if he/she likes to try our paddlepool. Healthy healthy snacks to share arealways welcome.

MONDAY

THURSDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY


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