Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Scarlett and I hit Central Market and Chinatown today. We are still stumbling our way around but have found that to actually be a bonus. With no clear direction we just wander where our eyes, noses and stomachs send us. And boy did we find a gem today!

BookXcess at RexKL is on the upper floor of the old Rex Cinema, which used to house the first-class seats and the projector room. We had just finished having a wander through the main part of Chinatown after getting soaked in a massive afternoon downpour.

Jagged left then right after exiting the main market and fell upon this incredible space! Both being avid book lovers it was like falling into a big slice of heaven.













The building itself is marketed as a lifestyle hub offering numerous boutique-concept shops on the mezzanine and first floor, this mindblowing book shop on the second floor and a series of modern-concept hawkers and cafes on the lower floor as well as a table tennis table! I have been reliably informed the food is great so definitely coming back for dinner with the family. They even had a bar which was an added bonus!

RexKL Address
80, Jalan Sultan,
City Centre,
50000 Kuala Lumpur

Closed Mondays

Operation Alby complete!!

 ……and the eagle has landed! Check out Alberto sussing out his new digs! Making himself quite at home! 

Here We Go!!

We are off and running on next adventure! We arrived in Kuala Lumpur last Monday night. To say it has been wild is an understatement! My apologies for not updating you all sooner but it has been all systems go since our arrival! 

We arrived quite late but thankfully we had beds made up for us in our new home. It is a “furnished” apartment but a very loose definition of the word. Whilst we have the basics like beds, couches and TV’s it will be up to us to fill it with the things we take for granted. Our shipment has not arrived yet so for now we have a cardboard box for a rubbish bin and a small assortment of items supplied by work in a “settling in kit” which we return when our things arrive. Living the minimalist lifestyle! No complaints here though as the view from our lounge more than makes up for it. 

Hit the shops early to buy some food the next day and we are ordering plenty of Grab deliveries which is KL’s Uber. 

Scarlett and I have been out to visit her school and Nick has barely skipped a beat getting back in to work mode. Thankfully I do not return to work until the new year so I can really get us all settled. 

Went and bought some plants to liven the place up which were an absolute steal. 

Perhaps the hardest part of all is that Alby is still in Quarantine. It’s been the longest 11 days! The pet relocation company has someone who visits him every day and he sends us video updates. (We are not allowed to visit). I am assured he is fine but we can’t wait to be reunited TOMORROW!!!

I can’t imagine what he has been through and what he must be thinking but it’s nearly over! 

Once I have my computer set up I will be able to provide more updates on a much more regular basis. For now just know we made and all is well! 

Empty

 

Well, the uplifts are done. Half of our belongings are on their way to KL and the other half we won’t see for a few years! I culled as much as I could. It’s a very weird feeling to take a stocktake of EVERYTHING you own. Quite a reality check and a reminder to stop buying stuff! (Let’s see how that works out!) The house is empty and nearly ready for rental. Side note, I’m a bit of a clean freak and was horrified at how dirty things are when the place is empty. I mean I know you can’t clean behind the fridge every week but OMG! It’s a beautiful family home and I really hope we can find a family who love it as much as we do and they can create some happy memories there over the next few years. 

While Nick and I spend a few nights at a local hotel (and it’s literally nights as we spend the days getting the house sorted), Quiddy and Alby have the place to themselves. Alby bless him is super confused. If the disruption of a house full of removalists for days on end wasn’t enough he is now wandering around looking for his “stuff”. Thank God for Quiddy who has been Albys one constant. No greater love than a boy and his dog! 

Tomorrow is our last full day here as we leave on Monday. A day of goodbyes, and, for those who know me well, also known as “my worst nightmare”. I absolutely hate goodbyes and usually avoid at all costs.

Time seems to have gotten away from us and I don’t think we will have the chance to raise glasses with so many people whom we would  have loved to have seen before we go. It’s ok though as we know we will see them soon. Whether it be here in Australia or even better visiting us in KL. 

Boxes

There is something very strange about packing up your life is almost like a stock take of not only your current possessions but a reality check on what means a lot and what is just “stuff”. As hard as it is to pack up your life I have found  it a fantastic opportunity to cleanse and donate. Over the years we have collected so much and this has been the perfect opportunity to really look at what we have. What do we need? What can I live without? What can be better served by donating to others who will benefit from it more than it being stored in a cupboard that I will rarely use?  Apart from these altruistic sentiments it’s also a really good time to just throw out the stuff that we have just stored away because “we might need it one day”. I started out conservatively .By the end of it, I was very much, nope, it’s gone! I remember coming back from our last posting and thinking “what the hell was I thinking keeping this!” With this in mind I was pretty ruthless. 

So, can’t tell a lie, when you stand there and some stranger says sign here and you confirm that your life is enclosed in 100 boxes,  it’s a little confronting. My kids will attest to the fact my favorite saying is “rewrite the narrative”. My life is not enclosed in 100 boxes. My possessions are. My life is travelling with me. My amazing husband and children. Part of my life will remain with my friends and family who are not only in Australia but all over the world. As bizarre as it is too see all of your worldly possessions in the back of a truck it has had also served as a reminder to me that that if I were never to see them again I’d be ok. My family and memories are worth more than my possessions. (It’s still weird though!)