We have arrived!

Day One - Penang April 2017

After an early morning start we stumbled into Adelaide airport at 6.15am. I must admit this is where the Business class seats began to shine. Cues of people clustered at the economy checkin lines. Seesawing between guilt and glee Al and I sailed past to the business check in counter. No one was in front of us. In 5 minutes we were checked in and directed to the Qantas club lounge.

As soon as we stepped in a waiter came up. "Can I get you a coffee?"

I think it was the red rimmed eyes, hanging out of my head, which signified my need.

He pointed at a seat. "Just sit there, I'll bring it out."

I plonked my weary bones into a padded chair, while Al went to investigate the breakfast offerings. Free breakfast! I oggled the pancake machine, yes Dad they have a pancake machine, but I decided it was a little too early for that.

The beauty of business class conytinued when we went to the gate. Again a queue of hundreds of people lined up, waiting to board. And again we bypassed the hoardes utilising the business class express lane.

The seating was great. My personal space heaved a sigh of relief as I eased i to the large, wide seat. To talk to Al I had to lean across a foot wide table. The air hostess offered me a drink and a refresher towel. Bliss!

I wont go on and on. Lets just say I love business class. It made it harder to go into Economy for the flight to Penang. One thing to remember, and noone really checked when we boarded our internal flight but you have to clear customs before leaving KL.

Arriving at the airport we whipped through to the arrivals hall and were collected by our hotel's driver. One hour later we were at Mangotree Hideaway, a cute little redone shophouse, on Lebuh Pantai. Wei, the Suitekeeper (self named.....Ghostbusters anyone?) Showed us around and piled us with maps....most of them food orientated.

We were upgraded to the Yellow Suite, which has a separate lounge, black and white tiled bathroom and a king sized bedroom.

Our bedroom for the next few days

The separate lounge area has it's own tv ( yes there's one in the bedroom too) and it's own airconditioner. I can see a few rainy afternoons spent here

Al in the Suite

After settling in for a little while, we ventured out for dinner. Not too far, since it was already after 7pm, or 8.30pm Adelaide time and I was exhausted. Luckily right next door to Mangotree is a new Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Viet. I know, I know, we were there to indulge on Malays food, but Malaysia is such a melting pot of cultures, that I felt okay about it. 

Pho Viet was airconditioned (yay!). One thing to remember about Malaysia is that if the lpace is airconditioned that it is a restaurant. If it is not, it's street food. Restaurants have higher prices. Still our dinner at at Pho Viet came to a grand total of 50 RM (about 17AUD). This included two lime juice dirnks, a pork and rice dish, prawn skewers and kangkong with fried garlic. ( Kangkong is a water spinach). The kangkong was my favourite....fresh greens lightly fried with whole cloves of garlic. Yum. I can see this being our go to place if we are too tired, or it is pouring with rain. 

Sorry...the food looked so good we ate half of it before I took photos. 

That was the end of a long Day One.  Back soon with Day2.....

DAY minus 1 and counting!

Thursday morning and I'm rushing around like a mad woman trying to get everything organised for out trip to Malaysia. But I'm excited. And let me tell you why....

We booked our tickets with Malaysian Airlines, in economy...cattle class. Sigh.  But Malaysian Airlines allows people to put in a bid for an upgrade. We did. Just a small one, never thinking we would win. But we did! We're now flying business class to KL!

It's a shame that I don't think we'll win an upgrade for the flight back...that is happening overnight and I would love to try our the lie flat beds. Oh well. Something to aspire to.  So I'll keep packing and dreaming.

Ciao for now, Sam

At the Cross Roads

I’ve decided there are two types of people in the world; those that know and those that don’t know. 

I am, unfortunately, a don’t know person.  

My brother, from a very young age, wanted to be an engineer. He never wavered; he walked straight down that path and formed a successful career as an engineer. When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up I said I don’t know. I still don’t.  And I’ve grown up. Physically at least. 

As school was finishing, my parents asked what I would do. I don’t know, I replied. Go to University they said. Okay. What do you want to study? I don’t know.  

Writers fall into the same categories; those that know and those that don’t know.  Some writers know exactly what genre they wish to write in, others dabble at several until they publish in one. Again, I am a don’t know person. Sigh. 

Write what you like to read is a phrase I hear. I read anything about Lithuania, I read fantasy, crime, romance, paranormal romance and chick lit. I have story ideas for them all. Which one do I choose? I don’t know. 

 

I’m studying writing at the Adelaide College of the Arts.  I thought that may help. During one subject we had to write a synopsis about our novel. I had to choose. Mass panic, which one do I choose? 

I chose to start on the fantasy.  My ideas for that would last at least three books. Do you know how hard it is for a don’t know person to create a whole world?  How does the magic work? How far is it to the next town? What do they use for money? What religious beliefs and Gods? What political system? What are the houses made of? Do they live in houses? Arrrgh.  

I bumbled through that subject and at the end, decided I would start something a little easier. I’d start on my mother’s story, about her experiences during World War 2. Nothing to make up. Except I’m not a war buff, and many people are. I needed to get my facts straight.  Was season was it when she ran? What path did she take? What sort of guns/ planes/ tanks were used?  I don’t know. She doesn’t either. I think she’s a don’t know person too.  

So my crossroads are slowly becoming a fork in the road. Writing about the paranormal has too many fingers in the fantasy pie. Too many don’t knows.  So that leaves romance, crime and chick lit. Chick lit can have romance and crime elements. I’m covering my options. I’m taking the chick lit path, with some Lithuanian elements of course. 

To Facebook or not to Facebook, that is the question

Last month I received an email from a supermarket chain; they told me the store I normally shop at had groceries I normally buy on sale. By using my loyalty card, I allowed the store to collect information about me and my shopping habits. I was horrified, I never thought of my personal data being so avidly collected.

Ha! I’ll shop at a different store next week. I thought.

After my shopping trip I subsequently received an email, telling me what specials were on at that store.

Mr Samane keeps telling me that personal information is the currency of the 21^st Century.  I didn’t want anonymous people collecting information about me. It reinforced my desire not to sign up to social media network sites such as Facebook. I don’t have a Facebook page.

My friends keep telling me to sign up to Facebook. You can keep track of what your friends are doing, they say.  If I want to touch base with my friends I’ll ring, or email.  But the photos, you can see photos.  Okay, true, I can’t see photos over the home phone. 

But I’m a writer. Or at least I want to be. Ooops. Positive thinking. I am a writer. Most writers have websites, blogs, Facebook pages and even Twitter accounts. It’s all about marketing. Being a successful writer is about selling books.

Having a Facebook page also allows fans Hi Mum and Dad to see what you are up to, review books and keep posted about when the next one is due out.  That’s what my research tells me.

So I’ve leapt. I’ve given in. I’ve signed up to Facebook. I have a blog. 

Welcome to my blog.

Now I just have to get published!