Blitzing Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 1-2nd May.

Kuala Lumpa, Malaysia
1st - 2nd May

OK so it was a loong trip to get here, the dirty 10 hour night train from Sapa, in the north of Vietnam to Hanoi arriving at 5am then taxi to bus station, then bus to airport then 3 1/2 hour flight to Kuala Lumpa then another bus ride to the centre...you get the picture! Once in Malaysia, I was delighted to be met with sunshine again after the drizzle of the last few days of Vietnam. I met an aussie guy 'Dusty' on the bus from the airport who was on his way to London from Perth and so we traipsed around to find accomodation finding a box room with no windows but in a friendly but very basic hostel called 'Oasis' for 15,000 each. We immediately struck out to find some food, and found our way to Little India' where we shared a really great Massala for the ridiculous sum of 75 pence each! Our hostel is the China town district, so after wandering around I had ticked off two of the areas worth visiting in Kuala Lumpa, reflecting the diversity of the cultures thay populate the city. Arriving back at the hostel, my friend Gene, a local who I had met in Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) was waiting for me after I had skyped him earlier. Me and Dusty the aussie were well knackered so we chilled for a bit before heading out. Gene was great, he acted as our guide and we blitzed the main areas including the Petronas towers, The golden triangle, the malls, Lot 10, Jalan Alor Yore food street where we sampled but didn't buy! We also popped in to 'Mandarin Oriental' - one of the most expensive hotels in Asia - costing 900 ringet a night. One day....! We also walked by Berjaya Times Square which is a modelled after the New York Times Square. Even journeying on the sky train was an event, seeing the landscape. Apparantly it is digitally driven, by computers. I don't know how that would work in London...what would computers do in the event of there being a suicide? They dont seem to have them here.. Being in Kuala Lumpa is soooooo refreshing after the various cities of Camodia, Laos and Vietnam. It is much more western, but unlike for example London, it is very clean and slick, sophisticated, classy. Unlike Saigon or Bankok there isnt the obvious pollution, and thankfully a distinct lack of coninuous beeping, more order than chaos. I guess it is reminicent of the South Bank on a good day, as we also came across buskers playing the coolest music. Apparantly there is a big regage culture here. Beer is very expensive so we bought in the shops and sat under the towers and as we walked around. (We obviously didnt fit into the classy scene!)

I just really enjoyed the whole evening and could definately spend a lot more time in KL. The next day I managed to find Jetairways to pay for and get out of my new flight itinary and had a Kentuky Fried Chicken in the mall. Oh how nice to see The Body Shop, Zara, and Top Shop! But Oh! My soul cries out to have the money to buy new clothes too! Ah well. The architecture is really impressive and a sight in itself. This is a place I wont forget. Gene has some time off work so is gonna come to the Cameron Highlands with me for a day and night. Its good being with a local too! I will definately return to KL one day after all this was just a little pop in added extra before India...and how easy it would be to pop across to Australia for like 95 dollars.Air Asia is pretty cool and definately an airline to remember for the future. It makes travel so affordable.It would prob have cost me the same on buses and overland borders and visas but an awful lot more time.