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[RC] 70 dollar tea - Steph Teeter

3AM in the Taipei airport, 3 hours till the shops open in the terminal, 6 hours since my last meal (japanese noodles in miso broth), and I'm starving and don't have any food or local money. The only food to be found is in a vending machine, and it's actually only drinks but I'm getting desperate and sugarless gum no longer seems to be helping. The smallest amount the ATM will dispense is $2000 TND (Taiwan New Dollars) so I get a visa withdrawal of $2000 TND (equivalent of $65 USD) plus there will be a withdrawal fee. Now I'm holding 2 $1000 TND bills, and the change machine won't give change for bills that large. There is one bank open that I finally find on the 1st floor of the terminal, so I exchange one of the $1000 bills for smaller bills and coins (plus a small exchange fee) and weakly drag myself (I'm really really hungry) back to the vending machine where I try to buy a can of Nescafe coffee (sweetened with milk, it's actually good, and I figure the milk and sugar will cure the hunger) - but.... there's an X lit up on the coffee button, it's out! So I punch the button for the canned stuff next to it though I can't quite tell what it is (maybe chocolate milk?). I quickly open the can and take a swill (I'm really really hungry) and it's tea! Sweet cold tea with milk, the best tea I've ever had - a bargain at $70!

I found an outlet next to the closed 'Cathay Life Insurance' kiosk, and now I'm happily reading email and drinking the last of my tea! I might even get another one ... which would reduce the cost per tea to $35, right? Much better. I fly to Kuala Lumpur in a couple hours, then on to Terengganu and finally finally finally finish this most amazing Malaysia WEC chapter! This will be my 8th trip (I think... I've sort of lost count) over here. From the first trip in April 2005 for the Edaran Classic (which Dr. Nik helped arrange) - when Malaysia Endurance was just getting off the ground - a handful of riders, and Tuanku Mizan (the King) was 'just' Sultan Mizan, and hadn't even discovered Endurance riding. (Dr. Nik was also involved in this as well!) - To today, where Malaysia Endurance has grown to the point that they will host an FEI World Championship.

Malaysia is a very complex nation - sophisticated, a parliamentary democracy, English language is the official language, many well developed universities and a highly skilled labor force, yet still 3rd world in other respects. Friendly and smiling to all, but never underestimate their resolve, and determination!!

Steph
10/20/08

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