Farewell Navin!

We had a team dinner on Thursday night to farewell a member of our team. He's been a real friend to me in the last three weeks and I am sad to see him go. We're already making plans for me to go and visit his home near Panang in Malaysia.

Dinner was at one of the large hotels on the outskirts of the CBD. It was standard hotel buffet, but we ate a lot of seafood and I particularly enjoyed all the desserts. I must start using that malaysian desserts cookbook I bought in 2004 when I get back. Dinner was followed by drinks at a cute jazz bar. My usual vodka lime and soda had to be substituted by a vodka a tonic - the sacrifices!

I have accepted a challenge to eat some durian while I am here. Now I have something else to look forward to. The restaurant was serving it inside Roti, so unfortunately Thursday was not the night for it (Roti is an indian pancake made with flour, so contains gluten). There were many stories of durian overdoses told - it seems plenty of people on my team love the stuff. I still can't get over the smell.

On Wednesday night I participated in a conspiracy to throw Navin in the apartment complex pool. I am told I was the only person beyond suspiscion that had any chance of getting him up to the pool without him thinking that we were trying to get him thrown in. After the story I had to make up I have a nickname at work of drama queen. Unfortunately no photos of the incident were any good. Must buy that new camera.

Good luck with your new adventures Navin.