Ferrero Rocher, Spot the Difference.

Same Same but somehow different, have a look at these. Can you spot the difference?

Medical and Health Care Support, Hospitals in Kuala Lumpur.

As an expat in KL finding a good doctor or emergency services can be a minefield, especially when there are so many centres and hospitals to choose from. The 2 medical centres that I have had verbal recommendations for and that keep popping up in conversations are: Prince Court Medical Centre and Pantai Hospitals.

Prince Court Medical Centre is affiliated with the medical university of Vienna, Austria. For more details
please visit their website: http://www.princecourt.com/

Pantai Hospitals have various Hospitals around Malaysia. Details can be found at: http://www.pantai.com.my/

Most international companies and schools also have memberships with International SOS, who provide medical assistance, security and evacuation services all over the world. They also provide medical advice and information over the phone via a large pool of registered and recommended doctors. For more details have a look at: http://www.internationalsos.com/

Up and coming events, Where expats mingle & meet in KL.

A couple of events that a lot of expats will be attending over the next 2 months are:

1. Grand Prix at Sepang Circuit just outside KL (on the way to the airport) on the 10th of April, 2011.
You can buy tickets at: http://www.bookf1.com/

2. The MANZA Ball at the Hilton Hotel, KL on the 21st of May, 2011 from 7pm. Tickets can be purchased at the MANZA house. Go to: http://www.manza.org/

3. Scottish Comedy and Bags of Rock Concert at the Hilton Hotel, KL, on the 28th of May, 2011.
To buy tickets go to: http://www.ssas-online.com/

All three should be a great social event and the Scottish Comedy will definitely have you in stitches.

Enjoy!!

Online grocery delivery, Kuala Lumpur.

If you are doing a hundred and five things and simply do not have the time to do the food shopping in person,
why not try ordering online and having it delivered? I haven't actually used any of these sites but I have met quite a few people who are simply run off their feet juggling too many to do lists. I personally like to shop for food so these are not an option for me but may be a real help to you.

Check them out: All information below correct as per each website on 23/03/2011.

http://www.presto.my/ :
Payment methods: Cash or credit card upon delivery at your door, credit card online or pre payment at a presto store.
Delivery fee:        fee structure according to total spend. Free delivery for 100 RM or more.
Delivery areas:     for home and office in specific areas. See website for list
Times:                 10.00 to 22.00

http://www.doorstep.com.my/
Payment methods: Cash upon delivery at your door, credit card or debit card, internet banking.
Delivery fee:        fee structure starting from 1RM. Minimum spend is 50RM..
Delivery areas:     for home and office in specific areas. See website for list
Times:                 10.00 to 22:00

http://www.virgrocery.com/
Payment methods: Cash upon delivery at your door, paypal (credit card).
Delivery fee:        Total spend below 50RM, 10RM fee. Free delivery for 50 RM or more.
Delivery areas:     Specific areas. See website for list
Times:                 Delivery windows between 10.00 to 22.00 but not on Sunday's

A walk through a wet market in Kuala Lumpur.

Follow me through a typical wet market. I love going places where I don't recognise all the food/vegetables/fruit/sweets on offer. Here in KL, I don't even have to go to a wet market, the supermarkets have tons of vegetables and sauces and noodles that I wouldn't have a clue what to do with. So here we go, a gentle beginning with some apples and pears:

How about some Durian: king of all fruits? The customer looks like a Durian stock broker on the phone with her client! Buy, buy, buy....   Sorry this is actually Jack fruit (Thanks Hannah for the correction!)

How about some flowers for your meal?  As a side dish, not for the vase!

Banana flowers:

or some pink flowers. I thought these were lotus flowers but I am sure I am wrong. Can anybody tell me what these are?

How about some dried fish and some fresh chicken?

I thought it was "The giant/Jack and the beanstalk and not "The Giant Beanstalk"? Does anyone know how to cook these enormous things?

And round it all off with "Hoof " on the barbeque!

There is much much more but will let you digest these first before posting more!

Wishing you an adventurous journey into the world of exotic food!

Try something different: Crocodile meat!

Yup, you have read correctly: crocodile meat or also known as "gator" meat! Where can the bold and adventurous among you have a taste of this delicacy? Well none other than at the lovely Havana bar at Changat Bukit Bintang. Don't worry if Crocodile is too daring for you, they have an extensive menu and beautiful seating inside and out. Upstairs there is a dance floor too, so you can exercise a bit after the meal.

The same owners of Havana also run the Magnificent Fish and Chips bar at 28 Changat Bukit Bintang. They serve an excellent typical British Sunday Roast and of course the famous British dish of fish and chips. The Magnificent is also open for breakfast!

So if gator meat is too wild for you, the option of a tamer meal can be had both at Havana and The Magnificent Fish and Chips bar. Bon appetit!

Photo of Crocodile meal below: very tasty!

Where to Live in KL? Property in KL.

New comers to KL who wish to stay in up market areas which are popular with expats need to decide 3 main things:
1. How far do they want to live from their work place?
2. Do they want to live in a house or a condominium (condo)/apartment?
3. Do they want to be in the city centre or a bit further out with some jungle views?

Most expats live within 15-20 minutes drive to their office and others even walk it. KL is beautiful in that way. It is a very green city with pockets of parks and vegetation here and there. Traffic permitting it is very quick to get around. Traffic is very slow though when it rains and during rush hour and even more so when traffic is held by street police to allow a VIP convoy to pass. So with this in mind pick a location near to your office so that you are not wasting time increasing your blood pressure whilst stuck in traffic!

A hot spot for those who work in the Oil and Gas industry is right in the Centre of town close to the Petronas Towers and Suria KLCC. There are several condos in the area and the prices reflect the prestigious location. Rents range from 7000 to 10 000 and above malaysian ringit per month for 2-3 bedroom apartments.

Some other popular areas are Bangsar, Damansara Heights, Damansara, Ampang, Mont Kiara and Sri Hartamas.
All areas have a mix of houses and condominiums with the latter being more prominent. Condominiums tend to come with a shared pool, a small gym, parking, a snack bar, a jacuzzi. Others have creches/nurseries, saunas, tennis courts, badminton court, squash court and a small convenience store.

I personally live and love Mont Kiara. It is in the suburbs and a bit cut off from the city centre but in return we have a view of the jungle and a view of the Petronas Towers (albeit a view of 2/3rds of them). Situated on a hill we also have a cooler breeze in the evenings and less city noise. A very good location if you work in Bangsar or Sentral.

Depending on your budget there are of course so many other places in KL to choose from.

A very helpful agent to use is MR KY Wan of Chester Properties. You can reach him on +60196529886 or sentohwan@gmail.com

For more details on prices and pictures of properties visit one of the many sites available.
For example: http://www.iproperty.com.my/
or http://www.thinkproperty.my/

For flat-shares click here: Flat Share, Apartment Share

For Tips on Moving Abroad with ease click here:
 TIPS: Moving Abroad

For Help understanding Malaysian Culture and Culture Orientation please find info here:
Cross Culture Learning

Any questions, please leave a comment and I will be glad to help out.

Picture of a typical condominium below: