05-Feb-2024
When we've been away for a while, the first few weeks after our return always involve a lot of pacing: What's changed, what's new, what's gone, what do we have to try out?
We're doing all that, but at the moment a lot of our time is taken up by the need to work on our visa extension applications. We're here under the auspices of the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme. It's a 10-year visa, but half-way through you need to do a renewal application. I guess that lets the authorities know you're still alive, still want to be here, still have a few ringgit, and so on. Amazingly -- the time has gone really quickly, despite the torpor of covid in the middle -- it's coming up for five years since our MM2H approval.
So we've been going through the process of collecting all the documents needed for this. It's all a bit tedious, so I won't bore you with the details.
Rather, I'll share our catching-up process so far:
Progress report:
Unfortunately, this 32-storey monstrosity, which threatens to be a monstrous carbuncle on the end of Jubilee Park, is going ahead
File in the "not quite sure" category
A library-sponsored book corner seems to have appeared at The Hills. This is separate from the mammoth second-hand book sale that takes place there every year at this time. I've already taken advantage of that, and will no doubt go back for another rummage before it's over
Slowly but surely, the front of Tiong Hock Kiong is being 3D-ized
Trying out new places:
This is Ted Lin Kopi, on Jalan Wayang, which has sprung into being in the period we were away. Nice decor; nice coffee; nice tarts. But a tiny bit too pricey for our taste
Another new coffee place, on Jalan Ewe Hai this time. This one is called Moon and Sun Coffee, and our verdict was pretty much the same: Cute decor, good coffee, high price tag...
Breakfast diary (there's still so much to catch up on in this area...):
Fried rice cakes, Choon Thian
Kolo mee and wantons, the stall at Tai Pan Corner
"Fast food" (the unassuming Sarawakian term for wonderful spreads, set out buffet-style, from which you choose your favourite dishes), Min Hong Kee
Fast food, Country Kitchen
We've also been catching up with people, of course. And even meeting a few new people, which is always a bonus. So, the hard yakka of visa applications notwithstanding, we're enjoying being back.