Top 10 Reminders I'm back in Malaysia

Technorati tags: Humor, Top Ten, Malaysia, Reminders

Re-Post Note: Due to some glitch between Windows Live Writer and Blogger, this post got over-written by a latter post. What you're reading is a re-post. Thank goodness for backups...

Yes, sports fans, Walski's finally back home, after being away for 3 weeks in the UK. The journey back to KL (via Dubai) was mostly uneventful. Our flight out of London Heathrow was delayed about an hour due to a runway de-icing exercise (causing traffic backlog), but the flight itself was quite pleasant - 2 movies, half-an-hour's nap... one happy traveler.

A hazy Dubai skyline captured on the flight home

Okay, the luggage decided that it wanted an extra day in Dubai, but other than that, the trip home was pretty uneventful. Fortunately, it was a trip home, and being that we (the Mrs & Walski) made the conscious effort to not overpack, we still have most of our clothes at home.

And then, it came time to experience for ourselves that we were finally back in Malaysia...
(the Top Ten list, and more, in the full post)

Top 10 Reminders that Walski's back in Malaysia

10. Wet Public Toilets
One of the things that Walski will miss about the UK is the lack of trepidation whenever he walks into a public toilet.

9. People working behind counters hate their jobs (and show it)
Somehow, the term "customer service" is one that is generally absent from the vocabulary of folks working behind the counter. In some cases, "thank you", as well. Okay, it's improved over the years, to be fair, but still not a ubiquitously enjoyable experience.

8. Wet, and smelly, Public Toilets
Bad enough that they're wet, but somehow the smelly-ness is one key characteristic of Malaysian public toilets that somehow no disinfectant can overcome...

7. Lanes are a figment of the Malaysian driver's imagination
Driving in the UK was truly a pleasure - not even the motorway delays, queues, the M1 closure (more on that in a separate post), or the long distance traveled (over 1,600 km) took away the joy of driving. This is another area Malaysia and Malaysians can do with some improvement

6. Crappy radio, complete with totally annoying deejays
Somehow, and not being sexist here, all female Malaysian deejays have really whiny voices, and the male ones try too hard to sound cool (and fail miserably). Walski used to deejay on radio while in college, and he knows a lousy announcer when he hears one... most Malaysian deejays fit this bill, unfortunately. And the lack of good music just makes radio in Malaysia intolerable...

5. Waking up to 30 °C rain
Rain that you can go out and frolic in... without getting pneumonia... Joy!

4. Wet, and smelly Public Toilets with no tissue, toilet paper or soap
Is further elaboration really necessary?

3. Manageable hair
For some strange reason, the humidity helps the hair stay manageable. Every day in the UK was literally a bad hair day for Walski.

2. Crappy TV (Astro really leaves a lot to be desired)
One of the nicest things in the UK was the TV. Not just the Sky cable service, but even the free terrestrial TV... and when they say adult-oriented entertainment after 8pm, they really mean adult-oriented. Not the G-disguised-in-R-rating like in Malaysia

... and the Number 1 reminder that Walski's finally back in Malaysia:

Democracy and Due Process are still two concepts totally absent from the Malaysian vocabulary.
Yes, Walski's talking about Perak... and you'll definitely be hearing lots more thoughts from him on this one...

Yes, folks... it appears that Walski's finally home.