For many of us, the closest we can probably get to cooling ourselves is Cameron Highlands, Fraser's Hill, Mount Kinabalu or Genting Highlands.
Then again, not all Malaysians are cut from the same cloth as there are quite a number of Malaysians - namely the rich and privileged who can afford to spend a couple of weeks to be away from the burning cauldron Malaysia has become.
The question is, where on Earth would they go and what would they do once they are there?
Apparently, the latest trend among the young rich and privileged is skiing, and under the heatwave, it really will be heaven sent for them.
And like the top 10% world over, when these folks want to go skiing, only the best powder (the quality and depth of the snow) will do. It may sound pompous that a bunch of elites from a tropical nation would demand the best powder for skiing.
However, do bear in mind that many of these gentry were raised and schooled abroad, where skiing was picked up as a favourite past time, while the rest of us picked up the sports of the peons - football and badminton.
So, where do these ski addicts hunt the best white powder? Is it Aspen, Colorado in the United States or the mountain regions in the Swiss Alps?
Then again, not all Malaysians are cut from the same cloth as there are quite a number of Malaysians - namely the rich and privileged who can afford to spend a couple of weeks to be away from the burning cauldron Malaysia has become.
The question is, where on Earth would they go and what would they do once they are there?
Apparently, the latest trend among the young rich and privileged is skiing, and under the heatwave, it really will be heaven sent for them.
And like the top 10% world over, when these folks want to go skiing, only the best powder (the quality and depth of the snow) will do. It may sound pompous that a bunch of elites from a tropical nation would demand the best powder for skiing.
However, do bear in mind that many of these gentry were raised and schooled abroad, where skiing was picked up as a favourite past time, while the rest of us picked up the sports of the peons - football and badminton.
So, where do these ski addicts hunt the best white powder? Is it Aspen, Colorado in the United States or the mountain regions in the Swiss Alps?
The answer is actually closer to home because as exclusive as those areas are, they are yesterday's news. And God forbid being caught in a place that was so last millennium!
A member of one of the royal houses in Malaysia who has a love for skiing said that the best powders are found in the mountain regions of Northern Japan, namely in Hokkaido, Tohoku, Niigata and Nagano.
"The best quality powder are formed in the Siberian region due to lack of human habitation and less pollution. The snow are blown to Japan's Northern island of Hokkaido. That's why they have the very best ski resorts there.
"Why do we hunt the best powder? Because powders are formed during heavy snowstorms and leads to deeper snow... and you have no idea how exhilarating it is to shred waist deep powder as you soar across the snow.
"The feeling is a lot different when compared to alpine skiing (normal mountain skiing which uses a different skill set due to more compacted snow)," said the royal who requested anonymity.
So how much would a skiing trip cost them?
"It depends on how many days we are going to go, the resorts I would book would charge me around RM5,000 a night and I might stay there for about four to five days. If I plan on shopping as well during my trip... well... in total it might cost be around RM100,000 to RM150,000," explained the royal candidly while many of his subjects would be able to buy a small house with his vacation expenses.
Escaping the heat is one thing, but where do these high and mighty go on their yearly vacations?
One group of tycoons have a love of cruising. It has become a yearly affair for this group of 10 to 15 couples to book a cruise and see the world while being pampered like kings. Yes, even though they are pampered like kings here, there is a huge difference in being pampered by Asians and getting to boss the orang putihs.
"It gives us a chance of reverse colonialism for a short while," joked a Tan Sri who is a part of this group.
"The feeling is a lot different when compared to alpine skiing (normal mountain skiing which uses a different skill set due to more compacted snow)," said the royal who requested anonymity.
So how much would a skiing trip cost them?
"It depends on how many days we are going to go, the resorts I would book would charge me around RM5,000 a night and I might stay there for about four to five days. If I plan on shopping as well during my trip... well... in total it might cost be around RM100,000 to RM150,000," explained the royal candidly while many of his subjects would be able to buy a small house with his vacation expenses.
Escaping the heat is one thing, but where do these high and mighty go on their yearly vacations?
One group of tycoons have a love of cruising. It has become a yearly affair for this group of 10 to 15 couples to book a cruise and see the world while being pampered like kings. Yes, even though they are pampered like kings here, there is a huge difference in being pampered by Asians and getting to boss the orang putihs.
"It gives us a chance of reverse colonialism for a short while," joked a Tan Sri who is a part of this group.
"My wife, friends and I have been sailing for close to two decades annually. Number one, you have a six star mobile hotel that takes you to more places than a normal hotel stay. And it's convenient. For instance, when we sailed the Mediterranean, we started in Istanbul, Turkey. We flew to Istanbul a few days before our ship was due to sail and explored the city.
"Once on board, we visited Malta, Athens in Greece, Rome, Monaco a few other cities and we finally ended up in Barcelona. From there we flew to London, shopped for a few days and fly back to Malaysia. And on board, we have a lot of activities. At night the gentlemen can go gambling at the ship's casino and the ship also has a lot of activities on board.
"I met one American couple during one of my trips who rented out their home on Manhattan Island and they managed to sail the world for a whole year... a whole year! That's the life... butler service every day where they come and wake you up, prepare your tea in the morning, breakfast in bed, draw your curtains... Makes me feel like I'm a King!" said the Tan Sri whose vacation expenses could easily buy a good terrace house in the Klang Valley.
How much? This Tan Sri thinks nothing of spending around RM750,000 and more because he travels with his personal entourage inclusive of bodyguard, personal assistants, etc.
Once reaching terra firma, the tycoon group like many of their peers prefers to stay at six star hotels such at Bvlgari in London, St Regis in Spain or Waldorf Astoria in New York because of the same kind of luxury pampering they receive on the cruise.
A 37 year old banker's daughter also pointed out that she and her friends no longer find London or Paris as "the" place to go anymore.
"It's like... balik kampung you know? Many of us went to school there, in London and we have homes there. London is our pit stop. We prefer to go and find more exotic places to visit, places where no one has gone to before or just new... like Moscow, Budapest, South Africa for the Krueger National Park Safari - places like that.
"Even Hong Kong is so, so, so last year. Nowadays the place to be is in Shanghai," she explained, "simply because the city is extremely expensive and it is a status symbol to see and be seen in Shanghai. Only new money would think of going to London, Paris, Hong Kong... old money families like mine practically grew up there."
One can only wonder at the wealth of these Malaysians. - http://www.theheatmalaysia.com/
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