Malaysians are a lucky lot - whether you grew up in a kampung in the backwaters of Kedah or in a cosmopolitan city like Kuala Lumpur, you would have experienced the exciting night markets (pasar malam).

Having been brought up in good old Penang where there is always a pasar malam somewhere on any given day, I tend to take them for granted, but foreign friends always cite these vibrant places as one of their best shopping experiences.

My visiting friends often tell me that the honey peddler's 'live bee act', the medicine man's 'snake performance' and, of course, the hawkers' amazing juggling acts (have you noticed how the char koay teow man can toss the flat noodles in the wok with just one hand while preparing the ingredients for another order with his other?) are among the memorable things they have witnessed during their stay in Malaysia.

For them, the haggling and the shouts of traders hawking their goods all contribute towards making the pasar malam experience unique.

So when it was my turn to visit them in London, my friend insisted that I go to Notting Hill (not so much to see the famous blue door featured in that Hugh Grant movie) but for the Portobello Market experience. Notting Hill has a reputation for being an affluent and fashionable area.

It is known for its large Victorian townhouses with attractive terraces, high-end shopping stores and restaurants, but its most famous attraction is perhaps Portobello Road.

A stall selling porcelain mugs and quaint teacups

Being a hard-core music buff, I loved the numerous second-hand music stores around Notting Gate and, of course, the many CD and vinyl stalls along Portobello Road.

Although it is mainly known for its antiques, the Saturday morning market also boasts great shops selling funny T-shirts (what can I say, wry Brit humour gets me every time!), colourful hand-painted signboards and lots of branded second-hand items. I actually came across a Louis Vuitton silver pendant complete with a certificate of authenticity and a Dolce & Gabbana leather belt that had clearly seen better days in one of the shops!

As you navigate the meandering cobblestone roads, you will come across many brightly painted townhouses that serve as a perfect backdrop to the thriving market. At Portobello, you will probably find fishmongers and farmers selling their produce side by side with a man selling antique rifles!

Perhaps it is this unique mix of traders that make Portobello Market one of the top 10 most visited tourist sites in London. Like our rojak, Portobello Market is interesting because of its diverse mix.

While I found the market to be one of the most interesting shopping haunts I have ever stumbled upon in my travels, I must say the people are not as friendly as their loud pasar malam counterparts.

If you are planning to take pictures of the stalls, the rule of thumb is to ask first. Most traders are happy to pose for a picture but there will be those who will insist on you buying something first!