Bintulu

On my trip, I had the chance to go to Bintulu and visit a factory with a Malaysian-Chinese man and a Japanese man. The factory is the product of a joint-venture between a Malaysian company and a Japanese one and exists to supply materials to a huge Japanese manufacturing plant. The giant Japanese corporation decided to locate this huge manufacturing plant in the industrial area near Bintulu, at least in part because of the availability of cheap electricity generated by one of the largest hydro-electric dams in the world. This dam was constructed at a huge cost to the Malaysian taxpayer and involved the displacement of groups of indigenous people who lived in areas that needed to be flooded.

The industrial area I visited is pretty new, with only a few major factories in operation. The surrounding area is still being cleared of jungle and the land leveled flat in preparation for construction. There is a contrast between the green of the uncleared areas and the red-orange clay colour of the cleared land. As we drove along the immaculate, long and straight roads, the two Asian businessmen discussed among themselves which pieces of land are better than others. I imagine they had visions of the factories that can be built in these locations...white-washed concrete buildings with steel roofs...flag poles flying flags with company logos...parking spaces with clear white lines on the black tar seal...

I guess nice new factories are impressive and they produce stuff which is useful...probably...but it is a shame that jungle has to be cleared to fit them in. I hope that the indigenous people who lost their homelands are going to be benefiting from this "progress and development" somehow.

Singapore part one

This is part one because I am spending a couple more days here next week before I fly home. We will see if I still feel like writing stuff by then...extended Malaysian family time is probably just as good as work, if not better, at sucking the will to live and desire to write out of me...

I arrived in Singapore after a fairly unpleasant 10 hour flight. I had kids sitting in both the rows in front and behind me. I have covered my feelings about kids on flights in a previous blog post. So I was tired and grumpy when we arrived at Changi. My feelings changed as soon as I stepped inside. God, I love Changi airport. Changi is like the charming, successful friend who you wish you could spend more time hanging out with, but who is busy living their awesome charmed life. You are just grateful for the catch up every other year and occasional email. Whenever you catch up, it's like you never spent time apart and they are genuinely interested in your life and open and sharing about their life. Maybe I am taking this metaphor too far...but you get the point. Immigration was fast, I got my bag without too much of a wait, bought some duty-free deodorant, went through customs and then got in a taxi. Very smooth experience, Changi... If I could, I would so write a glowing recommendation for you on LinkedIn...and it wouldn't even be one of those crappy fake ones that people who are looking for work write for each other.

After checking into my hotel, I rest up, check some emails...do all the things an important business traveller does...well no, but when I stay in nice hotels, I like to pretend in my mind that I am a big cheese. I eventually ventured out of my hotel room (after checking all my fantasy baseball teams) with hopes of consuming ribs at Tony Roma's for dinner. This was shattered when I saw the whole building was under renovation...no ribs for me. Tony Roma's is/was located next to a dodgy/semi-redlight mall called Orchard Towers. It got me thinking about if/when I will end up like the middle-aged men who frequent these places. I am not particularly opposed to the concept of prostitution or sex industry in general (obviously I am against exploitation and slavery), so I think there is an economic threshold that I could end up sleeping with prostitutes at. Fortunately (perhaps unfortunately?) I am nowhere near this threshold yet. Let's say it would cost $100 to make use of such services (I'm not sure of the exact price)...that is a lot of money to me. That is 3 plates of ribs at Tony Roma's... I'd much rather have a plate of ribs and then the prospect of two more in the future...and maybe have a wank if I need to. In future, maybe after I get married, have kids, go through a bitter divorce and have a lot of money (well, as much money as you can have after a divorce...maybe I married up)...maybe maybe it might make sense. This post is going to get some people disappointed and disgusted in me. Maybe it will always be too difficult to remove the crime and exploitation out of the sex industry so maybe I won't...I do eat chocolate without regard for its origins.

I ended up having a bowl of pho from the food court in Takashimaya. This morning I was unusually moderate and did not pig out at the very good hotel buffet breakfast. I think I am learning and becoming wiser as I get older...

More content coming soon...probably

It's been ages since I last wrote anything substantial for this blog. I guess it is unsurprising since this blog doesn't really have a purpose or theme. It's just a dumping ground for when I feel like writing...and I haven't felt like writing. It makes me feel bad that I haven't felt like writing because it means I don't have any spark or inspiration. I blame work for sucking the life and excess writing capacity out of me. But, I am on holiday now and if there is any time I should be inspired to write, it is now. So I will get over myself and accept that my writing tends towards self-indulgent, trite and rambling... and just write some stuff.