Comfort Zone

I rarely venture out of my comfort zone on my off-days, which means I usually hang around in the vicinity of PJ and the Lake Club. Yesterday was a little different. 2 reasons. The 1st - I had to go get a 'house gift' for a friend whom I will be putting up with in Kota Kinabalu this weekend. Another friend of mine, Kay, had introduced me to this chic homefurnishing/interior design store called Peter Hoe, which is located on the 2nd floor of Lee Rubber Building in Petaling Street. Kay has an eye for designer-wares and he is a good reference point when one is looking for something stylish. The 2nd reason - a long overdue lunch date with Yoke Choo, a friend and colleague of mine during my days up in Genting. Yoke Choo works in Maybank, not too far from Petaling Street. So voila, I decided to 'kill 2 birds with 1 stone' so to speak.

I probably haven't ventured into Petaling Street in years, even a decade perhaps. The variety of food and drink, the hustle and bustle of street vendors plying their goods, the throngs of tourists, the sights and sounds really, all these were a feast for the senses. A little over an hour is not sufficient to fully appreciate the allure, complexity and charm of Petaling Street. As I told my friend Yoke Choo after a lunch of 'char kway teow' and 'air mata kucing', I will make it a point to come back for a more thorough experience.

What all this boils down to is the fact that when we venture out of our comfort zone, we sometimes get to savour new experiences, or at least get re-acquainted with experiences of the past that have somewhat been altered by contemporary influences. Whatever the case may be, these are the encounters that keep life interesting, reminding us not to stop dead in our tracks, but rather to embrace what the world has to offer, no matter how trivial, no matter how significant.

Photo depicting the long queue at the renowned Air Mata Kucing stall, Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur.