I love Asia. Love it, love it, love it! There is just that feeling you get when you are here. That everything is different, exciting, random. Got off the plane in KL, and there is a woman talking on her mobile as we walk across the tarmac. The guard blows his whistle at her (yes, a whistle) but she simply ignores him & carries on her clearly super-important conversation. The guard blows his whistle again, then just watches her walk past, then smiles & shrugs his shoulders at us as we walk past. Only in Asia.
The Air Asia terminal in KL is separate to the main international terminal, and was so laid back. I think the woman checking us in in Perth was more concerned about our visas than immigration here. The lady who stamped our passports in KL seemed very unconcerned & disinterested in us, & was perhaps practicing what the sticker on her lunchbox said “Remember to praise Allah everyday, and in everything you do.”
Hopped off our RM8 bus into town, and got dropped somewhere. Hopped into a cab to find our hotel & got taken for a ride – literally & metaphorically! Taxi driver said RM20….then proceeded to drop us around the corner! As we get out I notice a sticker that says ‘No haggling, metered cab’!! Our meter read RM8…oh well, gotta be ripped off sometime, may as well be at the start! That said, we are talking $6… Big spenders!
Have done a mix of relaxing and touuristy. Did the tourist thing & got on a bus to further explore KL. For 3 hours we sat on a poorly airconditioned bus in heavy traffic, sweating profusly while a multitude of wonderfully airconditioned cars whizzed past us. Traffic here is insane, but a very organised insane. Much like the rest of KL I’ve discovered, very orderly, polite and helpful.
We’ve also checked out Chinatown, Little India and the Petronas Towers – but are still to go up them (I’m holding off till you get here Sun!). Chinatown is as you would expect anywhere, a mass of people and markets selling fake everything. Have managed to hold off on purchasing the fakes – wait, the shopping part will come though! Little India was fabulous. There were people everywhere, and it was facinating to watch a multitude of women in hijabs (the muslim scarves covering their head) shop. Hijab scarves were available at nearly every market stall in a blurr of colours. As tempting as it was to buy one, I couldn’t really see much of a use for it back home.
In other news, I am ready to give up my job as official airline food critic for my newest profession…massage critic! That’s right, I have decided it could be my ulitmate job. I was working off the theory of a massage per day while on holidays, and so far it is 3 from 3! Of course, I am upping the ante every time, going from 1hr, to 1.5hrs, to 2 hours last night. I was scrubbed polished, buffed and massaged at 11pm last night. Who in the world doesn’t want that!
Also, I’ve fallen in love…with Charles…& Keith….yes, Charles & Keith is a brand of shoes. I seem to purchase them everytime I am in Asia, yet forget about my love for them until I am back. The shopping here is incredible, and I can see why one would come over just for a weekend to shop. Lorraine is hunting for a bargain iPad, so when we come back to KL in 3 weeks, who knows…
I like KL. I like that is slightly different to other asian cities, as it has such a muslim influence. Just makes it that little bit more interesting. As well, the newer and older parts of KL are blended much more than say Singapore or Bangkok. I mean, in Bangkok you can always go around a corner and see more run down areas, but in KL it seems to blend well, and not be hidden away so much. I think these parts have the most charisma, and are the parts that I want to explore. Have spent the last 3 nights wandering down alleys and through markets, just to see how people live.
But, this morning we had to say a farewell to KL, and hello to Alor Setar. The 2nd wedding is in Kangar, in the very very north of Malaysia, on the Thai border. We flew KL to Alor Setar, with the view of then heading to Kangar, a 40min drive. Well, those of you who follow the news might know that parts of southern Thailand have been flooding….and yep, you guessed it, floods have hit Kangar. Got off the plane to a text message saying that our hotel in Kangar had been ‘flooded in’ and that we needed to stay in Alor Setar for the night. It is all good and well to be ‘safe’ however I want to be where the action is! Not withstanding the fact that we are staying in the hotel WHERE THE WEDDING IS! What will happen if we can’t have this wedding?! I am so looking forward to it!! Anyways, we are waiting till tomorrow to work out what we can do. For those interested, google ‘Kangar’ and check out the pictures/news of the floods up here. Seems I can’t escape floods…maybe I should have packed gum boots….
PS – would put up photos, but am sure that internet is being delivered to this computer by Malaysian carrier pidgeon.
