Day 142

Trip Start Sep 14, 2006
1
126
169
Trip End ??? ??, 2007


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Flag of Malaysia  ,
Sunday, February 4, 2007

Saturday in this provincial capital of Pahang. I had my complimentary breakfast in the slightly plush hotel and thought about switching to a cheaper place. I wandered around the streets trying to find a place to get my yellow fever and cholera jabs done. The tourist information guy was helpful and sent me off to a clinic in a shopping mall. That place was closed on Saturdays so I went to the main hospital. At reception I was ushered to the front of the queue which didn't seem fair since others were waiting (you always seem to get treated better for being a tourist, or white, or both). I explained that I needed the immunisations and he started writing on a form. Next to me sat a bloody-nosed elderly Malaysian who was also being served at the reception counter. The same form was being used for him too which didn't feel right - I looked down at my form and next to "Chief complaint" was a freshly written "FEVER". "No I don't have a fever, I need immunisations for yellow fever and cholera" I interjected 01 The Masjid (Mosque) Negera
01 The Masjid (Mosque) Negera
 . Anyway so it turns out I needed to be at the outpatients department which of course is closed on the weekends - typical

I spent a few hours getting my blog up to date and then found what I thought was a sports bar in the huge Mega View Hotel to watch the Mersey derby at 9pm local time. The bar was empty except for four girls who looked like they worked there. They all came over to my where I was sitting and introduced themselves, shook hands with me and sat down. That was strange so I immediately thought they were hookers. But the hotel was upmarket so that didn't fit. None of them were drinking and one was making conversation with me while I was trying to concentrate on the team news! This attention really was unwanted so I continued to express that I was here for the football and that Liverpool was my team and that I'd been waiting all week for this game etc etc. As the bar filled up later on the girls dissipated amongst the men (there were no women customers) and I later learned what the deal is with them. They basically are there as company for business men types. They don't earn a salary but get commission on drinks that are bought for them. In my book that makes them sort of hookers and I'm sure if you wanted that's the service you could get from them too.

The match was a disappointment - 0-0. In the second half they turned the sound off and I got an earful of karaoke which is ever popular in South East Asia.
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