Kuching Kapers

I'm nearly halfway through my return visit to Kuching. I'll be sorry to leave, even though I'm very much looking forward to the next stage of my travels.

Kuching and I seem to have a serious fling going on! It feels like home, and it keeps delivering great people into my path. Fabulous to spend time with Emily and Rita again. We've had various dinners, including at Rita's house with daughters Kah-Yee (just graduated as a pharmacist) and Kah-Ling (studying law). Emily and I have been to the movies, where we froze watching "Kung Fu Panda 2" in 3D. Emily has also put me together with a Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, Dr Tay, for help in clearing up the cold I've had since April.

I'm also taking the opportunity while I'm here to have a complete medical check-up.

New friends Samantha and Min, with kids Sean and Sara, and Belinda and Eng Hooi are a total delight. I met them very briefly in January at the end of a run. We used Facebook in the intervening months to stay in touch, and it felt like we were already old friends when I joined them for dinner at Sam and Min's house last Saturday night. We've had two runs together (Sunday and Wednesday), and have a few more planned. They are training for the Kuala Lumpur half marathon.

I love seeing familiar faces along the waterfront of a morning when I'm doing my run. It's one of my favourite places.

Last night, Eng Hooi and Belinda made a nasi lemak feast at their home, where I met a couple of other people who sometimes join the Sunday morning group run.

I've also caught up again with artists Ramsay and Narong, and hope to have them here for dinner next week.

As usual, I'm staying at Batik Boutique Hotel, where I know a lot of the crew from January. Maz and Jun and I had dinner this week, though they haven't been able to convince me to go to karaoke again.

I've also seen Josephine H for another of her extraordinary facials, and will squeeze in another couple over the next fortnight.

As always, work is very busy.

This photo of the area near Kuching's waterfront was taken by Darroll Lo, Emily's brother.