To the victor go the spoils

As far back as 1999, and I think in an attempt to sound more worldly than I actually was/am, I have been chucking around the old chestnut of being in Malaysia more times than ever being in Manitoba. As of this trip, I think those numbers are 7 to 3, in Malaysia's favour. This to say that I fancy I have some familiarity with the place, and know roughly what I'll see while getting sunburned and eating mango.

On the flight here from Seoul, I proposed a wager: first one to see a monkey gets to choose the breakfast place and have their morning meal paid for by the other for a week; first one to see a hornbill gets an especially fancy dinner in the locale and time of her or his choosing. While Deanna may have expected to get out the city before peeling her eyes, I knew to be vigilant from day one. And sure enough, over our first cup of morning coffee in KL, I saw a good-sized primate ambling down the street. Deanna picked up the breakfast cheque, and every one since then.

We had been on Pulau Pangkor no more than six minutes today before being buzzed by some frisky hornbills, which I spotted first, to my own great delight. I'll spend the next few days lounging in the shade of a palm tree planning a suitably impressive meal at the loser's expense.