Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Oh Malaysia. How pleased we've been to spend a few days in your beautiful capital city. Despite thoroughly enjoying our months in Nepal, it has been a relief to get back to a city where the lawns are mowed by machines rather than cows, dogs are seldom seen on the streets, traffic flows according to a set of rules and piles of rubble at the side of the road are there for a reason, rather than simply because someone started building and stopped. Our flight from Kathmandu passed by reasonably uneventfully, save for a few bumps due to turbulence, and Jenna remonstrating her neighbour for turning his phone on to send a text message at 41,000 feet. In a similar way to our fellow Indian travellers on our flights to and from Colombo, many of the Nepalese passengers on the plane seemed to think the 'no phones' rule didn't apply to them, especially during landing, when several phone conversations could be heard. Despite this, Air Asia surpassed both of our expectations; the food was good and the service excellent. It seems Easyjet and Ryanair could learn a thing or two from Asia's biggest budget airline. Our arrival in KL's airport gave us an indication of things to come. At immigration, despite keeping a look out for forms to avoid another Sri Lanka-esque mess up, we found there was no paperwork requirement, approached the desk and obtained a 90 day entry without the need to hand over any money. What's more, our bags were already on the carrousel and we were waved through customs with a smile. Roughly 40 minutes after landing we were checking into Tune Hotel located about 200m from the airport terminal, thrilled that despite there being barely any space for backpacks, we could have a hot power shower. Jenna exclaimed excitedly at the immaculate white sheets, and we spent a very comfortable first night in Malaysia. Of course, given that we'd spent our entire daily budget and a bit more on the room, we'd expected nothing less. The following morning, Dave treated Jenna to a luxurious lie-in while he went in search of a cash point, food and bus tickets to KL city centre. Despite being called KL airport, the facility is actually located around 75km from the centre, hence the reason we'd been forced to spend so much money on a hotel and the need for bus tickets. He returned with tea and coffee, slightly perturbed as to why he'd been unable to withdraw RM 15,000 at the first few cash points he'd tried, and withdrawals were limited to only RM 1000. This was until we realised his calculation error, and established, with confirmation from our currency converter app, that RM 15,000 is the equivalent of over £3000. Thank goodness for £250 cash withdrawal limits. Slightly more successful was Dave's bus ticket purchase; for RM 9, we'd got seats on the air conditioned Skybus, with departures every 15 minutes. Venturing back to the airport, Taste of Asia provided us with our first meal on Malaysian soil. After two months of dal bhat, neither of us were quite ready to venture away from rice, but enjoyed the additions of egg, Thai curry sauce and differently spiced veg curries. Feeling well fed, we found the Skybus and settled in for our first bus ride. The contrast with even the best tourist bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu was stark; air conditioning made the journey incredibly comfortable, the roads were so smooth that Jenna was able to write her travel journal, leg room was abundant, and there was barely any horn blowing. Our first glimpses of Malaysia involved forests of Palm trees, traffic lights and queues of single file traffic, neither of which we'd seen for the previous 8 weeks. Arriving into KL Sentral, after a short exploratory detour in the wrong direction, we jumped on a train to Pasar Seni, the KML stop in the middle of Chinatown for just RM 1 each. The metro system in KL is superior to even the London Underground, with air conditioned trains and a great token system for those without travel cards, which is far more environmentally friendly and avoids piles of used paper travel cards being dropped on the floor. On arrival in Chinatown we set about finding accommodation. KL is not known for cheap accommodation, so after trying a couple of places we settled on a basic fan room with shared bathroom at Backpacker's Travellers Inn for RM 34. Needless to say there were no white sheets, although pleasingly, there was a hot shower facility. As we were settling in and checking email, we had a surprise call from the Rowland family, and a message to Skype as soon as we could. After a frustrating 10 minutes of failing to get a decent wi-fi connection on our iPad, we found a local Internet cafe, where we managed to speak to Dave's parents. From a clearly shaken household, we were given the heartbreaking news of the loss, at just five years old, of Millie, who had tragically met her end in an accident while chasing a deer. Thus followed a very subdued afternoon punctuated with lots of #jennatears, thoughts of everyone at home and memories of an energetic, loveable but very daft dog. We ventured through the markets, made our first visit to a food court, had a bit of downtime, and in the evening treated ourselves to some comfort food in the form of lemon chicken and veg fried rice at one of the food outlets in Chinatown. In the evening, the market stalls of Chinatown become even more of a hive of activity, with numerous men proffering pirated DVDs for rock bottom prices (soon dispatched with when you inform them you don't have a DVD player), women offering massages, and hundreds of stalls selling everything from 'Tiffany' jewellery to 'Billabong' boardies. We observed the comings and goings of tourists and locals from our vantage point to one side of the main walkway under strings of paper lanterns and when we'd had enough, purchased some fruit for breakfast (balking slightly at the price - RM 2 for a pear!) and went to bed at the point where Andy Murray was two sets down to Fernando Verdasco in his quarter final at Wimbledon. Thursday morning involved a late wake up, with neither of us yet clued into the Malaysian time zone, and relief that Murray had somehow managed to fight back from two sets down and was still on course for the final on Sunday. With both of us feeling slightly ill (withdrawal symptoms from a lack of dal bhat?) we decided not to venture too far from our hostel, so made our way to Central Market. Housing numerous craft stalls selling local handicrafts, the indoor market makes for quite a pleasant place to wander around and we recuperated in the air conditioned atmosphere. By early afternoon we were feeling well enough to visit Masjid Negara, Malaysia's National Mosque. Finding our way there across KL's main roads, we were struck by how quiet these were, particularly for a capital city. A relatively new building, Masjid Negara is a beautiful example of Malaysian architecture. The 18 points in the folded spine of the main roof symbolise the Five Pillars of Islam and the 13 states of Malaysia, with its surrounding minarets mimicking folded umbrellas. We had arrived a little too early for afternoon entry, so rested on the steps, with Dave feeling brave enough to feast on some Malaysian street food in the form of a pancake containing either chicken or fish (he couldn't establish which). At 3pm we were welcomed into the mosque in a way we didn't experience throughout the whole of India. As detailed in this blog, previous visits to Mosques have been challenging experiences. At the Taj, Dave wasn't allowed in with a pack of UNO cards which happened to be in his backpack; in Delhi we were hassled to pay money for a camera we promised to leave in our bag and for tatty bits of cloth to cover our already appropriately attired bodies; and we were often pressed to provide money to 'shoe minders' who had no idea whose shoes were whose. At no point in India were we made to feel welcome at mosques, rather, our presence was at best tolerated and in the worst instances, we were made to feel entirely unwelcome to the point where we left without entering. At Masjid Negara, however, we had an entirely pleasant experience, totally free of charge. In order to preserve the sanctity of their place of worship, robes and hajibs are provided for women, and assistance is provided with a smile to ensure these are worn appropriately. Camera photography is allowed, and leaflets are provided outside the main prayer hall to inform visitors about the mosque and the religion of Islam. We were left free to wander and proceeded to marvel at the beauty of the prayer room which can hold up to 15 000 worshippers. Leaving the mosque, we then ventured to Merdeka Square, where a chance glimpse of a 'free admission' sign lead us to the KL Gallery. Providing a detailed history of the surrounding area, as well as a an excellent local photography exhibition, a large to-scale model of KL by both day and night, and an 'I heart KL' sculpture, it was certainly worth a visit. Exiting the gallery we viewed the flagpole where the Malaysian flag was first flown in 1957 to mark the gaining of independence, and made our way across the cricket square, marvelling again at the beautiful architecture of the surrounding buildings. After a brief visit to St Mary's church, which houses an organ built by Henry Willis, who also built the one in the Royal Albert Hall, we walked towards KL's Little India. This area of KL was perhaps everything we expected it to be. The scent of Indian spices filled the air, roads were congested with traffic emitting horrendous exhaust fumes and motorbikes were rampant. We liked it. Slightly hungry, we found seats in a local cafe and enjoyed a small snack of puri and idlis before browsing the shops in search of flip flops. After being quoted RM 35 for some fake Havianas in Chinatown, we were in the market for slightly less prestigious fakes. We found them in the form of 'Roxy' and 'Duffy' flip flops for RM 7.90 each. #budgettravellers. With Little India thoroughly explored, our next stop was KL's CBD and the famous Petronas Towers, the tallest building in the world from 1997 until 2004 when the title was taken by Taipei 101. The whole CBD area is illustrative of the forward thinking nature of the Malay, and the pride they take in the presentation of the capital city. Not unlike Canary Wharf, the area surrounding the towers is a place where business people can come to relax next to water features in landscaped gardens, and shop, with the Surya shopping mall housing both designer boutiques and supermarkets. After less than 48 hours in the city, KL had ignited a craving for some Western culture. The base of the towers is home to KL's philharmonic orchestra, but since tickets for Saturday evening's performance were £30 (and the concert would have clashed with the Lions game), that was out. The next best thing was a visit to the cinema for a viewing of the 'Monsters Inc.' sequel, 'Monsters University.' With the next screening at 9pm, we had an hour or so to while away, so ventured outside. Here by pure luck, we were treated to a fountain and light display and a performance by a superb troupe of Indonesian drummers. At 9pm we purchased a popcorn and drink package, settled in to comfy cinema seats under an arctic blast and enjoyed an excellent 'U' classified film. Tickets plus popcorn and drinks for both of us came to a grand total of £7.80, so although it stretched our budget slightly, our evening still cost us significantly less than a single cinema ticket in Wandsworth. As we made our way back to the hostel on the LRT, we reflected on how different it feels to be in a city with a late-night culture. Nepal seems to run on an early rise, early bed time schedule which makes sense when you consider the unreliability of the electricity supply. Although at first, we were startled when we arrived back from the children's home to find the front gate locked and everyone in bed before 9pm, we quickly became used to the hours kept by our host family in Pokhara. To be in a city where public transport and food stalls run until the early hours of the morning felt like a very novel experience, so we made the most of it, and purchased some late night snacks from the kebab 'choose your stick' stand and watched while it was barbecued in front of us. On Friday, following our late night, we had a lazy morning and headed to Central Market for brunch at the food court, with Dave trying a chicken and noodle soup and Jenna opting for a prawn fried rice topped with egg. After a drinks round of lemon tea and Asai Boi for Dave (a syrupy drink he probably won't purchase again) we set off to explore a different part of the city, the landscaped gardens. As we walked, it started to rain, but we plundered on, and found our way to the National Monument, which commemorates those who lost their lives in the World Wars and the War of Independence. Set against the city skyline, the statue is surrounded by a water feature, all of which made a very pleasant place to sit, despite the light rain, which was barely noticeable in the heat. After an hour or so we made our way back to the hostel, Dave had a nap nap and then we went to explore more of Chinatown by night. Dave wanted to buy some boardies, so we made our way through the stalls until he eventually found some he liked for a quoted price of RM 35. We began an exchange which we're beginning to get the hang of: D: 'What do you think?' J: ' Well that's far too much for one pair, I'm sure you can get them cheaper somewhere else.' D: 'Humm yes maybe we'll go somewhere else.' J: 'Do you like them?' D: 'Well yes but they're too expensive.' (To shopkeeper) 'Will you give me them for RM 20?' Shopkeeper: (looks horrified) 'No, no, RM 30 best price.' D: 'You won't do them for 20?' S: 'No no, 30 best price.' J: 'I think we should go somewhere else then, thank you, maybe we'll come back' (goes to leave shop) S: 'Ah ok, you like these (points to Dave and blue shorts) and she like these (points to Jenna and green shorts) I give you both for 55.' D: 'No that's too expensive' J: (to shopkeeper) 'No he doesn't want two' J: (to Dave loud enough for shopkeeper to hear) 'I think we should try somewhere else' S: 'Ok, ok I give you one pair for 25.' J: 'Which ones are you going to get? D: 'I don't know which ones do you think? Do you still think that's too expensive?' S: 'She happy you take green ones, you like blue ones I give you two for 50.' D: 'No that's too much.' D: (to Jenna for shopkeeper to hear) 'That's too much for two I think that other guy does them cheaper.' S: 'Ok, ok you give me best price.' D: '30 for two.' S: (seemingly balking at Dave's audacity) '40.' D and J: 'No we don't want two for 40, let's see what else we can get'. S: 'Ok best price two for 35, you happy, she happy.' So Dave left the shop with two pairs of boardies for the same initial price as one. A bit like a BOGOF offer with a bit more work involved. We celebrated with a couple of Chinese dumplings and a plate of veg fried rice on another people-watching table, and then headed back to our room to follow Murray's semi final against Jerzy Janowicz, retiring to bed after the first set. 7 hours time difference between here and the UK is just a little bit too much for evening games. Saturday morning we intended to make an early start to visit the Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Azuz Shah Mosque in Shah Alam. Otherwise (for obvious reasons) known as the Blue Mosque, this is the largest mosque in Malaysia and the second largest in South East Asia with room for 24,000 worshippers. However, despite our intentions, our iPad failed to make a noise at 8am, and we woke at 9.45am to find it proudly displaying a silent alarm call and informing us that we were late. Nevertheless, we got ready and walked to the local bus station in order to make the 20km or so journey. After experiencing local bus journeys in both Nepal and Sri Lanka, we weren't really sure what to expect in Malaysia but found ourselves seated on an immaculate, air conditioned bus with enough room for Dave to stand up without being required to hold his head at an angle. As we approached the mosque we had a great view of its dome, the largest in the world, measuring 51.2m wide and 106.7m high, made of aluminium and blue enamel coated steel panels. Yet again, we were greeted by mosque representatives who went out of their way to make us feel welcome, as much if not more so than at Masjid Negara. Jenna was again kitted out in a robe and head scarf, and we were escorted up the main steps to a prayer room where an English speaking guide proceeded to inform us about the mosque. Signs everywhere denoted that photography was not allowed, but in total contrast to India our guide informed us that when with him we had something akin to 'diplomatic immunity' and were very welcome to take photos of the beautiful prayer room. We spent a while admiring the elaborate Islamic calligraphy and Quranic verses, and felt entirely unhurried even though it was approaching afternoon prayers. At the end of our tour, we were offered the opportunity to take leaflets, and at no point were we asked for a donation, or asked if we'd like to purchase a stone carving, as was the case in Fatehpur Sikri. Leaving the interior of the mosque, we then explored the surrounding walkways in search of a good photo, enjoying a good view of the mosque from across the lake as call to prayer reverberated around the grounds. We left Shah Alam feeling throughly refreshed and incredibly positive about the not only tolerant but incredibly welcoming Malay Muslim community. As we boarded the bus, we also felt very positive about our driver's command of the English langauge. Our request for two tickets to 'Tesco Extra' which we'd spotted on our bus journey was met with a nod and the administration of two tickets (and a slight beration for not purchasing them from the ticket counter). We arrived at Tesco and made our way quickly to the cheese counter, eager to see what a Western supermarket would have on offer. Although there was a distinct absence of Pié d'Angloys, familiar brands of Camembert, Brie and even Boursin adorned the shelves. Without the facility of a fridge or an oven however (for baking Camembert obviously), and our stay in Penang only a few days away, we resisted the temptation to buy any cheese at all, and settled on a hot chicken, salad, mayo, baguette and crips combo which we ate on a patch of grass at the side of the road. After an easy bus journey back to Pasar Seni and a brief consultation of the iPad and map back at the hostel, we again headed out in search of a venue in which to watch the final Lions game. With two tests already complete, and the whole series resting on the final game, Dave had put in a serious amount of time to ensure he found a suitable venue. We therefore headed to Fin****ns Green Man pub, in a district of KL which appeared to be frequented by ex-pats rather than travellers. With prices equivalent to nearly £7 per pint (once a dubious service charge and government tax had been added) it was easy to see why, but we were welcomed and provided with stools at the bar with a great view of the telly, so settled in for the afternoon. Jenna managed to get over her dislike of Strongbow enough to sip a pint, and Dave tried a pint of Kilkenny, the closest thing to ale he's seen in almost 5 months. After an excellent start, by just after half time, the Lions had only a three point lead over the hosts. Nursing a pint between us for the second half (budget travellers) we celebrated with the rest of the Brits as the Lions pulled off a huge win with tries from Jamie Roberts, George North and Jonny Sexton and a final score line of 41-16. We wandered back to Chinatown and took advantage of cheap Internet to Skype both the Meadens and the Rowlands, while catching up on other admin we hadn't been able to do with the less-than-speedy wi-fi in the hostel. While Skyping the Meadens we were given live updates on the Wimbledon women's final, which was won by Marion Bartoli in straight sets. After a good couple of hours we made our way to our favourite food-on-a-stick stall and selected some meat to be barbecued, as well as some veg to boil, again appreciating the late night culture of the city. Sunday began with a breakfast on the roof, with Dave enjoying his first English breakfast equivalent in a long time (with strips of beef replacing the bacon, obviously). After another visit to the Internet computer room (not really a cafe, no drinks served there) we visited Chinatown to grab a small rice meal served in foil and bargain hard for a new ipad cover. After a whole year of daily use, our beautiful, authentic Apple, lime-green coloured cover has finally given up the ghost, despite the fact it cost US$50. We managed to find a baby blue slightly less authentic cover in Chinatown for RM 30. If it lasts us a third of the time we'll have done well. With the Wimbledon final not due to start until 9pm local time, we then made our way to the KL tower to take in a view of the city by night. After a swift visit to the bus station to purchase our tickets for the following day (which saw us flatly refuse to go with the touts and purchase two tickets from a helpful lady), we wandered up the winding hill to the tower. Although it was too expensive for our budget to go up to the viewing platform, we did manage a reasonable view of the cityscape from the performance auditorium. After perusing some of the other attractions including pony rides (not really sure where they go!) and an animal menagerie with some beautiful parrots, we walked back to Bukit Bintang in search of a slightly cheaper bar than Finnegans in which to watch the men's final between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. Happening upon an almost-backpacker bar which served pints of Tiger for less than a lemonade and was showing not only the Wimbledon final but also the end of the German Grand Prix (much to Dave's delight), we settled in. Purchasing a RM 11 Tiger for Dave, and an almost-as-expensive lemon iced tea for Jenna, we made ourselves comfortable for what we thought would be a long 5 set match between the world's number one and two. After the first set lasted for nearly an hour, we began to wonder whether the bar would stay open until the end of the match. We didn't need to worry, our server said, it closed at 3am. With Murray one set up but Djokovic 4-1 up in the second set, we anticipated a new problem; drinks prices shot up after 11pm. But Murray fought back. After he clinched the second set, we dared not hope we'd only need one more happy-hour priced drink to see us through. Could Murray win Wimbledon in straight sets against the World Number One? As Djokovic broke Murray and was up 4 games to 2, we purchased our last drinks at 10.55pm, resolving to sip them very, very slowly to make them last until at least the end of the fourth set. Slowly but surely, however, Murray began to come to our aid. The bar got louder with shouts of 'come on Andy' and 'go on Muzza,' with everyone on the edge of their seats. Suddenly we were into championship point territory, and then deuce, followed by two more championship points and more deuce. It was agonising to watch ("Imagine playing it", Murray said to Sue Barker straight afterwards). On the fourth championship point, however, Djokovic made an unforced error characteristic of his play throughout the match, and Britain had their first male Wimbledon champion since 1936. The bar erupted and Jenna cried. Our bank balance was healthier than we'd anticipated it being. We wandered home in the early hours of the morning and celebrated with a McFlurry for Jenna and meat-on-a-stick for Dave. Winners all round. The following morning required an early start in order for us to catch our 10.15am bus to Penang. After another visit to the rooftop for a cheap breakfast to set us up for the day, we made our way to the bus station and boarded a luxurious bus bound for Penang. With air conditioning, foot rests, reclining seats which didn't squash the person behind and sporadic wifi, we were impressed and optimistic about what lay ahead in Penang.