I have an Australian friend who tells me he does not understand why Malaysians love to head to the shopping malls every weekend and during public holidays. Don't they have anywhere else to go?
To him, a weekend is best spent going to the parks or hiking in the forests, or go fishing by the lake, or even climb a mountain. Surely anything is better than a trip to the shopping mall!
Come to think of it, I quite agree with him. And yet, there are times I spend a whole day at the shopping mall! Am I cursed like all Malaysians, cursed to spend our time in shopping malls?
But really, what is there not to like about shopping malls? I mean, take 1Utama for example.
Photo of 1Utama courtesy of backpackingmalaysia.com
If you want to know, this is how my itinerary for a typical whole day during the weekend at 1Utama looks like.
9.50am - Park my car. Of course must be kiasu a bit and arrive before 10am to get the best spot! Try arriving after 11am, and you'll be lucky to get a parking space, don't talk about choosing the best spot!
10 am - First things first. Go collect the cinema tickets which I booked online the day before at GSC cinema. Don't want to lose the tickets just because I did not manage to collect the tickets 45 minutes before the show starts!
10.30am - Have a nice relaxing breakfast at Delifrance.
11.30am - Watch movie at GSC cinema. Oh, before that, buy some popcorn first! I know, I know, we just had breakfast, but what is a movie without popcorns?
2 pm - Have lunch at Delicious by Ms Read. Or should we go Canton-I? Or maybe Vietnam Kitchen? Or Sushi Zanmai? Nah, too long queue! Decisions! Decisions! During lunch, chit chat about the movie we just watched, plus any other things that are worth chatting about.
For the ladies, it's usually gossips and more gossips. For the men, it's hot chicks and the latest gadgets and online opportunities and maybe football. For gays, it's about cute guys and sex. But I usually go out with a mixture of males, females, straight and crooked. So we chat about all the above!
4 pm - Must stop our chatting otherwise we would chat till dinner! Time for shopping now! It is after all the Malaysian Mega Sale Carnival right? Why miss all the good bargains? Actually, really got good bargains or not? Sometimes I cannot help feeling it's all a trick to make us spend our hard earned money!
6 pm - So hungry after all those shopping, so just drop by Theobroma Chocolate Lounge for some chocolate drinks and desserts! Yummy! But feel like eating those gui ling gao at Koong Woh Tong. Maybe should go Waffle World for their ice cream waffles! Choices! Choices! Is life difficult or what! Haha!
7 pm - More shopping! And I must drop by MPH to get some books! Or should I go to Action City to shop for gifts? Maybe should go Best Denki to check out the latest plasma TV. Time is just so short! And I have so much to do!!
8.30 pm - Have buffet dinner and karaoke at Neway Karaoke. Don't know whether to eat or sing, damn it!
12 am - Time to leave 1Utama. I am game for a midnight movie, but I don't think anyone else is in the mood for that! Looks like they are larks and I'm the only night owl! Must gather more night owls on my next outing! LOL!
So what do you think? Is it fun to spend the whole day in a shopping mall or not?
And I haven't even mentioned other interesting things you can do like bowling, rock climbing, visit the Secret Garden at the rooftop etcetera, etcetera.
Of course the damage to my wallet is HUGE! Even the parking ticket is enough to pay for 4 lunches at my usual chap fan (aka economy rice) stalls!
No matter how fun it is, I don't think I can do this every weekend. Not that I would go bankrupt or anything like that, but I would prefer more variety during my weekends, like going to the park, hiking in the forests and maybe climbing a mountain! Sometimes doing absolutely nothing but just lazing around at home is great too!
What about you? What do you do during weekends? And can you spend a whole day at shopping malls? Like this weekend?
FIRST COMMENTER
No way! I can't
I will be so utterly bored and tired from so many hours there. Max. is maybe 3-4 hours and I dislike over crowded malls where there's just a sea of people.
I so agree with your Aussie friend...just that over here's lacking good parks and places outdoors within a short driving distance from the city.
I DISLIKE walking aimlessly in mall( i.e shopping to most of you) unless I need a particular item or an arranged venue to meet up with friends. I DISLIKE movies at cineplexes because I will fall asleep. I DISLIKE eating in the mall because they are priced higher and I can eat the same, if not better food, at a nearby coffeshop. So, what does that lead to ...am I a BORING zzzz person ? I like playing and learning the piano (PBY method)though..so can you give me FREE lessons as part of your charity drives to give and share with your fellow blogger or should I called myself "commenter" ???
Climate is different! Malaysia is too warm, so people head to air-conditioned shopping malls.
When I was in California, I liked the winter sun very much!
Mall so nice, got air-con. Outside so hot, will get sticky all over - not so nice when you are out on a date. :)
I used to spend hours and hours in the mall with Zaini. No more now. :D
Wah, u so rich hor...go movie, eat at restaurants, shopping....
I veli anti-social and poor so we usually stay home on the weekends, I cook the meals, watch pirated DVDs or lousy reruns on Astro, and if we do leave the house, we go to the playground near our place for my son to run around. The furthest we'd go is to the beach or to the recreational park. Free, healthy and plenty of fresh air.
Wat2do, no $$$ to spend it on shopping malls mah so have to do cheap things lor.
Besides, what's so fun about going through the jams heading to shopping malls, going round and round searching for parking and then wandering around with huge crowds and some more have to queue up for seats at restaurants. Ceh. Waste of time & $$$.
~the cheapskate Foong who prefers to spend weekends at home away from the maddening crowd~
Yes, yes and yes!! Gotta run but will be back to read the post. Happy Friday, Foong.
u must add at 7.30pm, you noticed a mysterious stare from two strangers who happens to look like ethan and his mommy who also happens to be in MPH browsing children's book, sporting this guy who looks like foong! LOL.. one day I am bound to bump into you foong!
I can, and I like hanging in shopping malls too because there are so many chicks to see. :)
Weather here is so hot, so people tend to go to shopping malls for the free air con.
WAH!!! so productive lah u in a single day O_o
weekends i usually stay home and rest, since i stay near to mv/1u/curve area, i just go shopping after working. hehehee without crowd and jam. besttttt, + cheaper parking too! ^_^
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Hi there foong.
Wow a whole day in a shopping mall. Yea my friends love that. Out with them and the itinerary would be like yours but I always end up getting drained before dinner and a massive headache because when you're in a shopping mall all day, you really take much less water compared to when you're home.
I prefer to spend my weekends at home unless I have things to buy then I will go shopping, else it is cheaper at home. Watching movies are preferably done in the weekdays.
Oh yes and I agree with xin, shopping in the weekdays is better. cheaper parking and no crowds :D.
The spirit is willing but the wallet is weak.
Hahaha, I oso watch pirated DVDs mah!!
I wouldn't want to spend the whole day in a mall, I'd get bored staying at just one place. Maybe 2-3 hours only. ;)
spending a whole day wandering aimlessly in a mall maybe good for your body but sadly it is my wallet getting all the work out most of the time.....:)
for my age, i beh tahan la.. whole day in shopping mall not my cup of tea la.. so i want to taibik to u.. u geng..i lark..not night owl also..
gone are the days that i could walk and walk for hours.. now? darn.. cannot walk so much la. back pain, leg pain, ankle pain.. apa pun pain!!
Me...nah I can't. Unless if my wife wants to. Hahaha :D But nope...I can't walk for the whole day. I would rather sleep. By the way bro...how come your blog is infected by malware again?
I the maximum I could be in shopping complexes is around 5 to 6 hours max including watching movie and makan lar. Haha :D If more than that, I would feel so damn tired already.
I still remember there are a few times when I went out with my friends to the shopping complexes. Those girls were so happy to shop..but then I was so drained out...guess what I did? I slept on the chair for a long time untill they are done with their shopping. Hahaha :D
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Back in my college going days, it used to be early bird movie + lunch + wandering = half a day. I miss the days when I can catch the first screening of the first day of opening. But now I go on Wednesday nights the following week because I'm cheap like that.
Now I last about 4 hours max before "admitting defeat" and going home. These days I find myself going to malls simply to go around collecting skincare and cosmetic samples, haha.
I mostly spend my weekends at home catching up on talk shows.
For me, I prefer explore new place or engage physical activities during the weekend. Shopping mall is not my choice
very easy job.. i can go gym, go lunch, go shopping, go movie, go dinner, go for a drink, go read some books.. ah, that is easily one whole day already~~ :p
ahehehe iam not so fond of malling... so i think i would not dare spend my time just for shopping heheh
oh but i can spend a day in blogging lols what yah think?
I think i'm OK with that there are plans to do so like yours... if aimless loitering there, it'll be a real bore!
i can!
i was trained by mami since young...
every weekend were spent in shopping malls fr 12hours...that was last time la...now no more, mami says cannot simply spend economic so bad =.=
If eat, watch movie and sing k I can. But if just walk to shop (especially NOT buy my things one) then I definitely can't. It takes less than 3 hours to kill me that way. Haha.
used to. but not anymore.
go somewhere that allow u to get discounter parking rates after shopping. ie lot 10. or klcc. :P
1U, yes! One of my fav malls. Perhaps we've passed each other by without knowing, eh? You think?
That's one itinerary I sure can fit into esp rounding it up with karaoke.
Yeah lah, finding a parking lot is horrendous. There was once we just left after not being able to find a space after 1130am.
You said, For the ladies, it's usually gossips and more gossips.
I protest! As if guys don't gossip. Don't bluff.. LOL!
Thanks for sharing your weekend at the mall, Foong. Fun to read.
Aisehman, such a long comment. I should have split it up into TEN segments so I can make it to the top of your Hall of Top 10 Commenters. hahahah....
Goodnight, Foong.
Foong, btw, I just left this comment at Mei Teng's. Bringing it here in case you miss it. hehe..
Foong, BINGGGGGGGGGG...... I scored one in your list - Handyplast
You forgot ciggie butt and screw. Ewwwwwwww...........
Yep, found one of these three items in a Chinese restaurant in a 5-star hotel! Oh well.. life goes on..
Actually I kinda agree with your friend in Australia? I actually hate going to shopping malls on weekends now. Problem is, in Malaysia there are no nice places to go during weekends. Sadly we don't have nice parks or forest reserves - the really big, hike-able ones are all very far away from town. :\
BTW foong, come to my blog now and join in the game to win a novel for yourself (or your friend)! 240-pages, BRAND NEW. :)
course I can! it's in the asian blood foong! hahaha!
when I'm stressed i usually go to mall, eat there, stroll and shop. i usually last the whole day most esp when I'm alone or with my bestfriend. Not with hubs, oh well atleast he's fine even if i stay whole day in the mall as long as he's not tagging along! haha
I love malling before. But when I learned to blog, I seldom go to the mall since.
Wow we can be good friends! LOL I can see myself doing what you wrote, but of course not every weekends. Now I mostly go out for 4-5 hours, probably also due to the parking rates! Haha... But I think being in the mall for a whole day would hurt our wallets due to the frequency we eat! :P
Mall got free aircon mah! Like the cartoons! LMAO!
i can't :) i can't even stand several hours in the mall, i would prefer to be in the ocean or in the mountains, going for a hike or ride the waves.
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Hi.
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thank you for your time.
I can. And have done it numerous times but of course not in KL because you can always come back tomorrow! Well, if I have lots of money, I can surely spend the whole day there.
spend whole day if I got the money no problem!
wow. ur $$ spent for the whole day is enough for me to live for a week.
I live in a small town and no big shopping malls like KL. Therefore, no chance to enjoy whole day shopping at mall. I love shopping as well. :)
I used to spend my whole day in the mall 'shopping' only. But not anymore.
I prefer doing what your Australian friend said. Hiking, climbing, go kart... any outdoor activities but but cannot find kaki le.
sorry for being late i just gave you the 250 Ec prize
There are lots of shopping malls in SG but I would not spend a day in one of them.
I have no time to go toilet, how to waste my time away on shopping! lol
of coz I can! I love shopping.. lol! :-D
Dropping by this wet rainy Tuesday Foong! Hope u're having a good week. :)
no i cant.. lol.. my legs will be tired in the end.. and i dont know what to buy.. window shopping? not really interested.. haha.. =D
kenwooi.com
but it depends la.. if im like at outstation... or hanging out with friends.. i dont mind.. hehe..
Hahah funny cartoon! Yeah I think I can spend like a day in the mall but not shopping the whole day!
mei teng, I also don't like crowded malls. But 1Utama is still OK, unlike Mid Valley! Of course shopping during the weekdays are better, as there are no queues and you can even try on your clothes as long as you want without worrying that someone is waiting for you to finish trying on your clothes.
For me, I can still spend a whole day at the mall provided there are things to do and I'm with friends. Even without shopping, I can spend the whole day sitting at a cafe and chit chat!
But definitely not every weekend! That would be boring! : )
bura 10, I also dislike walking aimlessly at the mall, normally I go with the motive to buy something or to meet up with someone.
You will sleep in cineplexes? Why? I love going to the cinema!
Eating at the restaurants in the mall is definitely more expensive, but sometimes it's OK to enjoy eating there. Coffeeshops can be boring if you go there everyday! haha!
Free lessons? haha! I can give some tips lah : )
khengsiong, you may have a point there! That's why Malaysians don't like outdoor activities. But if the climate here is like Genting Highlands, I'm sure more people would prefer to go to the park or something instead of visiting shopping malls! : )
lina, why no more now? Is it because everyday you spend your time in Mid Valley or the Gardens? Haha!
foong speaks her mind, haha! You have got a point there. Why go shopping malls during the weekend and compete with everyone else for parking space and empty tables at restaurants? Go during the weekdays and you can avoid all these problems!
That's why I must park my car before 10am! haha! : )
happysurfer,happy Friday! Although this reply should be last Friday's! LOL! Too busy so only reply now!
merryn, oh so you always go 1Utama also? Next time I must go MPH to see if I can spot you both. I definitely will be able to spot Ethan. Haha!
neo, hahaha! No need to tell me also I know! Weather is hot but I think you find shopping malls hotter with chicks all around : )
xin, oh you stay near 1Utama and the Curve? Yes, it's much better to go shopping malls on the weekdays. But most of my friends are working and the only free time is weekend : )
alexl, thanks for the recommendation. I try not to use too many widgets on my blog, but will consider it next time, thanks! : )
ladyviral, true shopping during the weekdays are definitely better with less crowds and less queues and cheaper parking. But most of my friends are not free during weekdays, so it has to be weekend for me.
On weekdays, I normally shop and lepak alone : )
jonzz, haha! That's a spin from the famous quote "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak". : )
mariuca, I prefer to watch movies in the cinema. I like the darkness and the big screen! At home, always get distracted when watching movies on TV!
I won't get bored if there are friends with me. But I will get bored if I am alone, unless I'm reading a book and sipping a drink : )
manglish, haha! Yes, somehow you find yourself spending unnecessarily : )
reanaclaire, so I guess I better lepak more at shopping malls while I'm still young? haha! Eh, but good what! Walk more, lose more weight. Not bad, right? No pain, no gain : )
tekkaus, my blog infected with malware again? I did not know about that! No idea why!
Maybe you are a sleepy head, that's why you sleep while others shop! Haha! Hey, you are still young, how come you so easily get drained out? : )
Absolutely no for me. I only shop when I have something to buy. But I do window shop quite a lot when traveling because you have more new things to see in overseas.
hello foongpc
gosh i been so busy lately
i try to handle everthing here
hope everything will go back to normal