One Night

I had just showed up in-country in SE Asia, Malaysia; I'd just spent 18 hours on an airplane. I was just a dumb American, I knew nothing. I had the address to my hotel and I gave it to my driver. I showed up in my suite and there was a set of keys on the kitchen table. My colleagues had left a note; "we will meet you at the hawker stands in Bangsar, it's not so far away...you can make it. We'll see you there!

I had never driven on the left side of the road, and I was just a "pup", but that's how it goes for the nooby's. By the time I dumped my suitcase and showered it was dark...and it was POURING down rain in sheets. I had no idea where I was, how to drive, how to get where I was going, or even how to find some colleagues I'd never even met before. You see, this was how it worked...you either figured it out...or you went HOME. No rookies need apply. I knew this, and it was a challenge, but I also knew I'd get no help (and my US phone was useless). I was alone...in the SE Asian monsoon rains and in the dark. (remember, this is actually a story about "food" (hence the forum), so keep reading).

After a while I was hopelessly lost, headed out of the city of Kuala Lumpur on a road I had no idea where it went. All the maps I'd bought were useless, none of them agreed with the roadway names I saw. The maps looked like someone threw a bowl of spaghetti up in the air and when it landed they took a photo...voila' "map"! There wasn't a straight road in the place...and the rain was coming down so hard not even my Rover windshield wipers could keep up. (Plus, I was driving badly, being form the US). It was horrible.

At one point I wound up on a distant jungle road which seemed to go nowhere. My phone didn't work, I couldn't call anyone, it was just pouring rain. I actually figured I was lost forever. All the signs were in a foreign language...it was crazy. It was my first night, but I couldn't panic. In the dark, and the rain, the notion of always knowing north and south was laughable. Any hope of seeing any direction was obscured by mountains, clouds and torrential rain...I was just LOST!

I resigned myself to drive, trying to follow the next biggest road, to get back to the city. I eventually made it (ironically right near my hotel), but I still hadn't met my colleagues yet. To make a long story short....

I eventually did make it to Bangsar Baru, Malaysia that night. I did find my colleagues, albeit very late. They were still there, amazed I'd made it, but I had.

Now you see, a "hawker stall" is an interesting place. They're basically street vendors. My colleagues told me to have the "Fish Head Curry" when I asked them what was good. It was a joke (to them), but I didn't know it. So when the little waiter dude showed up that's just what I ordered..."Fish Head Curry...just as HOT as you've got it!!!" In my mind, 'whatever doesn't kill me will make me stronger!' I couldn't imagine eating this dish, but I was going to do it right in front of them...just because!

When my food was delivered what showed up was a giant fish head, cut off well back from the gills. It was cooked in a wonderful curry sauce and had TONS of meat on it. This was no crummy eating fish eyeballs experience, it was WONDERFUL! It was FANTASTIC! My colleagues joked at first, until they saw how great this dish truly was, and how unexpected it was. They'd told me they all ate it (but they never had). It was all just a DARE. Nobody would EVER eat a dish called "Fish Head Curry", right?

I took leftovers home that night.

And it was my first night...of what would become a 20 year adventure in all of the "World"

Never be afraid...sometimes the things which scare you the most, can be the most rewarding.

It's true...I know.

Best,

That sounds awesome!! I long to travel, to get lost, to experience some other life beyond my 'normal'!! I would totally try fish head soup!! The cheek meat is the best on fish anyway!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Well, I like fish (most) and I like curry so WTH?

Why don't you write a book?

Apologies in advance if you already have and I don't know.

a reply to: TNMockingbird

Perhaps I will one day. In many respects I already have; what with all the journals, thousands upon thousands of photos...and memories of every moment.

I've just never really been sure anyone would want to read it.

It's not about the money, it's about the "heart". And, it's about the journey, hard and crazy as it has been.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I think there would be a following...
if your post history is any indication.

You should consider it.

Funny...it was just a story about a fish.

(emotional moment)

Yes, *chuckling* I am aware that it was JUST a story about a fish but, it started out like this.......

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
I had just showed up in-country in SE Asia, Malaysia; I'd just spent 18 hours on an airplane. I was just a dumb American, I knew nothing. I had the address to my hotel and I gave it to my driver. I showed up in my suite and there was a set of keys on the kitchen table. My colleagues had left a note; "we will meet you at the hawker stands in Bangsar, it's not so far away...you can make it. We'll see you there!

I had never driven on the left side of the road, and I was just a "pup", but that's how it goes for the nooby's. By the time I dumped my suitcase and showered it was dark...and it was POURING down rain in sheets. I had no idea where I was, how to drive, how to get where I was going, or even how to find some colleagues I'd never even met before. You see, this was how it worked...you either figured it out...or you went HOME. No rookies need apply. I knew this, and it was a challenge, but I also knew I'd get no help (and my US phone was useless). I was alone...in the SE Asian monsoon rains and in the dark. (remember, this is actually a story about "food" (hence the forum), so keep reading).

After a while I was hopelessly lost, headed out of the city of Kuala Lumpur on a road I had no idea where it went. All the maps I'd bought were useless, none of them agreed with the roadway names I saw. The maps looked like someone threw a bowl of spaghetti up in the air and when it landed they took a photo...voila' "map"! There wasn't a straight road in the place...and the rain was coming down so hard not even my Rover windshield wipers could keep up. (Plus, I was driving badly, being form the US). It was horrible.

At one point I wound up on a distant jungle road which seemed to go nowhere. My phone didn't work, I couldn't call anyone, it was just pouring rain. I actually figured I was lost forever. All the signs were in a foreign language...it was crazy. It was my first night, but I couldn't panic. In the dark, and the rain, the notion of always knowing north and south was laughable. Any hope of seeing any direction was obscured by mountains, clouds and torrential rain...I was just LOST!

My tales are not cool but last year I was in a eastern Germany coal town for a few month, I don't speak german and most people in the town learned Russian and German in their childhood, so communication was scarce.

One day my laptop hd busted and I decided to go to what I hope was a mall 5 miles outside town, with my phone I walked there, Comunist Germany is not as nice as capitalist Germany, so after walking on the side of the road, tunnels that may had graffiti from ww2 I finally arrived to the place, got the overpriced hd and the phone batery died before the trip back, I was hungry and hypoglycemic from the trip there so I saw a bus and tried to ask the driver if he was going the city I came or the next city down the road, as she dint seem to get # of what I said I decided to go anyways.

The bus left me in the town I needed to be, but I was so damn lost, i had no idea how to get back home, nor the name of the street home was, it may be the first time in my life I felt lost, so I tried to walk in a direction I though it was the correct, it was raining and like 5c, after 5 blocks I arrived were the bus left me.

There was a Vietnamese restaurant nerby and I decided that was it, eat whatever or die, the owner of the place dint speak something I understand and trying to figure out Vietnamese food in German was more challenging that I anticipated, at the end I picked something random, it was like 4€, I picked something else because I assume for that price I would get an egg roll or some really small piece of dog.

As I was the only client in the place the guy took like 5 mins to cook all, whe he arrived with the biggest dish I have seen in a restaurant it was the best duck I have ever eat in my life with a huge portion of rise, I'm a cheap bastard and never tip, that day the total was 8€ and I gave them 20€.

That food cleared my mind and after 2 hours of walking I was home, I went to eat 3 days in a row to that place

a reply to: Indigent

Your tale was cool.

I have never been a fan of duck, seems greasy or something to me. Unless it is covered in a ton of sauce!

Perhaps I need to eat it at a a Vietnamese restaurant in Germany .

a reply to: TNMockingbird

Getting lost makes all tastier

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Not really! It was a story about you, fish just being the highlight! I would read a book with stories like that! Shows adventure and still having that quality of being just a normal person! Best sort of stories are the ones you forget who the character is and just want to hear what happens next!

a reply to: MaMaa

It really was about Fish Head Curry.

But, no one can ever honestly tell a tale of eating the dish without the story behind it.

Food, like life, is an adventure.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

How awesome to have something so good to read.

Thanks for sharing your story.

It was an interesting read and sounded like quite the adventure, but that meal...I don't think I could ever eat something that was looking up at me. I imagine it had eyes if it was a fish head. EEEW!

a reply to: Night Star

When you bit into that juicy steak, do you ever think about those big soulful cow eyes?

Sorry. I know that was mean. But more steak for me.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

You do truly have a gift at story telling. I bet you would be a real asset around the fire pit with a bottle of brown liquid being passed around.

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: Night Star

When you bit into that juicy steak, do you ever think about those big soulful cow eyes?

Sorry. I know that was mean. But more steak for me.

I know, I know, poor cows!