Bob's Blog

My old Mum always used to say this, and the time was any time at all. Whatever the situation – good or bad – a cuppa was the answer. If the occasion was sad, a cuppa would cheer you up, she claimed. If the occasion was joyful, then a cuppa was an excellent way to celebrate. When arriving home from school or work, there was always a cuppa ready.

Malaysia is a photographer's dream playground. There's a good shot everywhere. This photo was taken at Balik Pulau, the other side of busy Georgetown, Penang. Lung-washing is to become a tourist initiative in Malaysia, we are told. ‘Lung-Washing’ is a medical procedure in which the lungs are literally washed out with a saline solution – about 30 litres of it. The process allows people who have had difficulty in breathing – in some cases for many years – to breathe normally again. The breathing difficulty has the technical name of    Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis, shortened to PAP. It  is characterized by the accumulation of protein and lipid material, called  surfactant , within the lung air sacs or alveoli. The alveoli absorb oxygen from the air into the blood. To do this, the alveoli are lined with surfactant. Surfactant serves to keep air sacs open to capture oxygen so that the blood can transport it from the lungs to the rest of the body. The process of lu

This is the reply I generally used to give when people ask me why I continue to be an expatriate living in Asia, and there is a lot of truth in it. I am just entering my 27th year as an expat having lived and worked in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia during those years.

This is an invitation that is not so common in the West, but in the East it is quite normal. In Malaysia there is an eating-out culture – for all meals, including breakfast. And the ‘out’ can be quite literal. Because of Malaysia’s tropical climate, eating al fresco is a norm all year round. And the choice of breakfast menu is also very wide. All-time favourite breakfast and lunch Soup Flat Noodle (Kwe Teow).