Malaysia 1978-1979 April 1978 to January 1979, Price Waterhouse, Associates, Hong Kong @ Penang Port Commission On Penang Island I lived in the Eastern and Oriental Hotel (E. & O. for short). The E. & O. is one of the fast disappaering breed, the grand old hotels of South East Asia. It was built by Martin and Tigran Sarkies, two of the famous five Armenian brothers who also built Raffles in Singapore, the Strand in Rangoon (Burma) and the Crag Hotel on Penang Hill. They were alos proprietors of the Grosvenor and Sea View hotels in Singapore. In over 100 years of history, sultans and their retinues, planters, tin miners and businessmen have stayed in the E. & O., so-named because it was once two hotels, the Eastern and the Oriental. In the 1920s, the hotel advertised itsefl as the 'premier hotel East of Suez' with the 'longest front of any hotel in the world' (257 metres). It was bordered by a delighful walk, shaded by whispering palms, gently rustled by the soft sea breeze. But the pride of the establishment was a ballroom but by Arshak Sarkies in 1903 which became the 'centre of the social life and gaiety of Penang and the neighbouring towns on the mainland'. The hotel's vast lobby is said to have an echo. Guests included Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham and Noël Coward. The best bedrooms still faced the sea and I occupied one of them. Through their vast picture windows I could see the delightful garden with its canon, coconut palm trees and stone sea walls. At night the soothing sound of the waves lapping against the wall and the sighing of wind in the palm trees lulled me to sleep. I loved breakfasting in the garden near the swimming pool and the spirit tree, with small offerings beneath it to placate the spirits, tables and chairs neatly set out for breakfast. The view from the garden took in fishing boats, distant islands, dark green in the aquamarine sea, sandy beaches, and the faintly purple mountains of the mainland. To be honest about my public speaking experience, I've addressed more envelopes than groups A consultant: someone who wears a hat when he craps so he knows which end to wipe.