There was Cheng Ho, of course. But much earlier, and taking the overland route, there was Xuan Zang. As featured in Journey to the West: The Musical at the Istana Budaya last Saturday.

Very enjoyable. They'd decided to get away from the mythologized version, with its monkey kings and demons, and concentrate instead on the real figure of the pilgrim himself. Whose story, let's be honest, was quite dramatic enough. He leaves China illegally, and spends his journey confronting dodgy disciples, grasping kings, snowy mountains, burning deserts, bandits, and enraged fire worshippers. In one of the great ironies of history, he arrives in India in search of the true Buddhist scriptures just as Buddhism is declining. Still, he studies at Nalanda, and eventually, 17 years later, returns home. An astonishing feat.

One day I too will journey from China to India.

But in the meantime, my Malaysian life oscillates between China and India on a regular basis. For Sunday lunch we had Chettinad chicken varuval and egg biriani at Anjappar Restaurant in Brickfields. Then we watched Shah Rukh Khan's Happy New Year. It was almost three years since we'd watched our first Shah Rukh Khan movie in Jaipur... You can't beat that inimitable Indian mix of slapstick, action, drama, music, dance, and romance.

On Monday we had more Hong Kong desserts from Hui Lau Shan. They supply delicious things like red bean chewy ball desserts, mango juice with mango jelly, watermelon juice with pandan jelly, taro cake, and radish cake. I passed on the harsma dishes, though. Depending on who you read, this is frogs' ovaries, or the fatty tissue near frogs' ovaries, or frogs' fallopian tubes. I somehow feel I can do without it.

And at that lovely restaurant in the temple courtyard near the university, I had pork and yam, which is another delectable Hakka dish.

One day I too will journey from China to India. Via Tibet and Nepal and Bhutan. But for the time being, I can relish the fusion I live in.