18 February, 2006
Stephen, a good mate who is currently doing his PHD in New York recently posted a story about the time we were in Montauk working as chefs. It was a few years ago now and a lot has happened since then, but neither of us will ever forget it. 3 months and 2 weeks or so we spend in the states with plenty of dollars in our back pockets.
Stephen’s bed was in the sitting room… and he never got much sleep. Added to that was the fact that there was another bed in there with two girls who were (whats a nice word for drunken messy idiots). The “apartment” was a mess but it was ideal for student accommodation. At any one time we had anywhere between 8 and 15 people sleeping in a place that had beds for 9. Anyway here is a picture of the Tipparary Inn kindly supplied by Google Maps:
The first thing we did when we arrived was get jobs in the Lobster Roll. I had worked there the previous summer and I had a lot of fun. My girlfried at the time, Carmel was also working there because I had gotten her a job there and I knew she would make a lot of money as a waiter. The next day we bought bikes with the intention of getting fit.
I will never forget the first day when Stephen had to cycle to the Lobster Roll on his own. The basic directions was head to Montauk village and hang a right and keep going until you see it. But what did Steve do, turn left and cycle about 5 miles to Montauk Point Lighthouse where he realised that he had gone wrong. I have done this cycle and it is tough. Now he was at least 15km away from where he needed to be…
There was one other very funny instance when Carmel and myself asked Steve to pick up our washing from the laundry service… it just needed to be put in the dryer. We came home after a late shift and went into our room to see a mountain of clothes, most of which didn’t belong to us. The next day we both had double shifts so we couldn’t do anything about it. The following day, I put all the spare clothes in a black sack to bring back to the landry so that the people missing probably all of their clothes could hopefully be reunited…. Luckily and rather embarrasingly I met two girls on the way who were desperately looking everywhere for their clothes… 
Perhaps the most bizzare of instances that occured was when Stephen arrived in one night and told me he had fallen asleep on his bike on the way back down the hill into Montauk Village. I told Stephen he was crazy and it was impossible to fall asleep on a bike… about two weeks later, after working 3 days of 12 hour shifts, I was cycling down the same hill and fell asleep. I managed to cycled down Main Street, turn left and I didn’t wake up until I hit a speed bump on the way out… Very strange indeed…
There are tons of other stories about Montauk and I might try and add some over the coming months. There was the time we decided to cycle on the hottest day of the summer and didn’t bring any water and decided to take the scenic route which was twice as hard… we were both dehydrated but Stephen was in worse shape and the head chef made him sit in the freezer to cool down… There was the time we almost got knocked down by some idiot who saw a car parking space…
After spending 3 months in Kuala Lumpur it is time to reflect and think back over the last few months and everything that has happened. I am heading home in a few days, and while I am looking forward to hanging out with my mates and getting back into my life, I will always be sad leaving such a great place.
December
I arrived on December 2nd to a typically hot KL day. I landed at the airport and took the KLIA Express to Sentral Station and from there a taxi to where my parents were living. My parents wanted me out in KL because my little sis was about to do her mock exams for her incredibly difficult IBs. I also wanted to come out as since my little sis left for KL two years ago, I have only seen her during the brief times we happened to be in the same country.
The first two weeks in December flew by; I got into a routine of working and relaxing which was great. Around the 14th of Aunty Mary arrived. She was the first of the many relatives and friends coming out for Christmas. Mary and I went to Penang for a few days during which time she kept telling me I wasn’t eating enough. This ‘not eating enough’ then turned into the possibility I don’t have enough blood and I might be damaging my organs…
I got back to KL and 2 days later we left for Penang for Christmas. Penang and is a beautiful Island it is my favorite island on the west of Malaysia. It is a fishing island with a road around which is great for riding motorbikes. My little cousins were with us so I had great fun.
New Years Eve was spent in KLCC where we had dinner and then watched the amazing fireworks display. It was great having such a large number of the Mentons and several close friends together.
January
January was a quite month. I was sent for blood tests to make sure I was ok, which it turned out I was. The only thing I had to watch was that I was getting too much protein from my diet which was great since I was a vegetarian and I wasn’t even anemic. Luckily my organs are still unharmed J
The only two major things were I joined a gym and started working out again and we moved apartments. Life in the other apartment had grown unbearable due to awful air conditioning to such an extent certain rooms were not useable. The management company didn’t do anything about it despite numerous complaints over a number of months. They knew Mum and Dad were moving to a new house in the near future so I think they backed them to stay and put up with it.
The new apartment in Sri Tiara is fantastic. I have stayed here before with Damien, Danny and Chris in September. We are on the 13th floor and we have amazing views over the city.
March
With my focus very much on work, thoughts started to turn towards going home. I went out with Niamh’s friends a couple of times and while there are a number of them I like a lot, I also learned the downside of an American style school. If you have seen the film ‘Mean Girls’ you will know what I mean, if you haven’t, watch it.
People who I had been very friendly with and had met several times just blanked me. I am old and wise enough to not let this bother me, and I will never meet these people again if I can help it, but I also learned more about what Niamh must have gone through when she first joined the school.
It is only a few days before I go home. I may or may not go out tonight to meet some of Niamh’s friends. Tomorrow morning I am going hot air ballooning for the first time which should be amazing. Mum is now getting worried. Initially she thought we would only be going up in the air a little bit and she was worried about threes and electric wires. I put her straight that there will be no trees or wires where we’re going (slight back to the future reference J) and now she is more worried.
Overall
It has been a great trip and although I didn’t achieve all that I wanted to while I was here, and at time so much family around was a pain, I enjoyed it. I had thoughts of spending next Christmas in Ireland, but we will see….I know my accountant is looking for me, so life goes on.
Empire - A Tale of Obsession, Betrayal, and the Battle for an American Icon
Mitchell Pacelle
Back Cover: In this fast paced book, named one of the “top ten of 2001″ by By Business week, Mitchell Pacelle tells the gripping story of the ten-year struggle for control of American’s most famous skyscraper - a tale of greed and duplicity that consumed, and nearly destroyed some of the real estate worle’s most controversial tycoons.
Status: Not Read
- The Little Book of Sientific Principles, Theories & Things
Surenddra Verma
Back Cover: The Little Book of Scientific Principles, Theories and Things explains 175 laws, principles, equations, theories and things that form the foundations of science. It features the great names in science, including Pythagoras, Galileo, Newton, Darwin and Einstein as well as more recent contributors such as Rachel Carson, James Lovelock ans Stephen Hawking.
I love this book. It really puts the world in perspective and explains everything you need to know to understand the principles etc.
Status: Not Finished
Jose Mourinho - Made in Portugal
Luis Lourenco
Back Cover: Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, has made an immediate impact on English football, with his unmistakeable self-confidence, drive and ambition. His rise from relatively humble beginnings as assistant coach to Sir Bobby Robson to most sought-after club manager in Europe, is a fascinating and revealing story.
An interesting read for any football fans. It shows what goes on behind the scenes in fooball clubs and explains Mourinho’s approach to the game and coaching. Well worth a look if you are a football fan IMHO.
Status: Not Finished
Money Ball
Michael Lweis
Moneyball is a quest for the secret of success in baseball. In a narrative full of fabulous characters and brilliant excursions into the unexpected, MIchael Lews follows the low-budget Oakland A’s, visionary general manager Billy Beane, and the strange brotherhood of amateur baseball theorists. They are all in search of new baseball knowledge - insights that will give the little guy who is willing to discard old wisdome the edge over big money
Status: Not Read
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
John Perkins
Back Cover “Economic hit men,” JOhn Perkins writes, “are highly paid professionls who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex and murder. They play a game as old as Empire but on htat has thaken on terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization”
Status: Not Started
