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Hey hey hey!

Tuesday 17 August - Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur
I woke up when the bus was coming into Kuala Lumpur (dreaming of Dunkin Donuts, had some at the service station and realised I've never had them before, they're pretty good!); the only reason I knew we were in Kuala Lumpur though was because the signs directing us there had stopped. It didn't really feel like a big city. My first impression was that it was very big and open and green. My first sight of the Petronas Towers was cool, although they only looked like one tower. As they are identical in structure they look like one building from some angles, the second hides completely behind the first. The rest of the city didn't look too high rise, but I guess that when you have something as big as Petronas, everything else is dwarfed. We were dropped off at the temporary bus station, miles out of the city, as they were doing up the main bus station. As soon as we got off the bus we were hassled by taxi drivers and in the end as it was raining we got in one. The driver was really nice; I don't think we paid over the odds for it. He did have a bit of a problem finding our hostel though, bless him. The hostel was really nice, good job Maff and Em (it was the Explorer's Guesthouse). We had a triple room with no windows but it didn't feel too bad not having windows. It was nice and clean and the shared bathroom was designer like. We went out to have a look around and after getting something to eat at Reggae Bar started with the Central Market which was really nice. There were lots of nice little stalls and Batik (a Malaysian style of fabric, Em knows all about it) shops. I got a massage, which was REALLY good, I think Chinese style is my favourite at present (it was like going to the chiropractor, being all stretched out) and then we headed to Chinatown which was very crowded and hectic, it had a nice vibe but as I was really deaf I didn't like it too much, stayed close to Maff and Em. We put in some internet time, with the crazy game players and then had some dinner there which was good and cheap. We headed back to get changed then met Jay Jay and Logan (who we'd met in Halong Bay) and Gemma and Dave (my heroes from Taman Negara) in Reggae Bar for a drink. That was nice. When Gemma and Dave headed off to bed Jay Jay and Logan took us to the Sky Bar at Traders Hotel which was AMAZING! The bar itself is very high up and smart, with a swimming pool. And it has awesome views of the Petronas Towers lit up (they put the lights out at midnight). It was a bit expensive for a cocktail (a Strawberry Mojito) but it was worth it. The roof wasn't closed in properly so there was a nice spray of rain. The sides also weren't closed in properly which surprised me as nothing to stop someone jumping. We got a taxi back at about 12.30 and collapsed tired into bed.

Wednesday 18 August - Kuala Lumpur
We woke up at 9am, without windows it's a bit confusing. Jay Jay picked us up (cool driving around KL in a locals car) and took us for breakfast at an Indian. The whole concept of Indian for breakfast was random to us but it was really REALLY nice. We thoroughly enjoyed it. I wouldn't want to do it every day though. Jay Jay dropped us off in Little India before going to work, where Em was looking for fabric (she got some really nice stuff). We then put ourselves in a taxi to the Old Railway station (past the famous cricket pitch, although it doesn't look big enough to be a cricket pitch, where the Malaysian declaration of independence was made) to buy some tickets for the 'Nice' (because the buses are very nice) bus to Singapore. We then headed to the KL Tower (the big communications tower) and went up there for some amazing views of the city. The Petronas Towers are stunning. My memory card went on the blink there and deleted all the photos I'd taken so far in KL which was disappointed, I was especially upset about losing the Sky Bar ones but Maff and Em had some so all not lost! They give you headphones as part of your ticket price there that talks you around each of the windows, was quite impressed with that. We then walked over to the Petronas Towers which get more impressive everytime you look at them. We had some cool pictures (I know you didn't want to pose for them Maff and Em, but they are cool!) in front of them. They are identical and so bright and shiny. We went into the KLCC Shopping Centre, which is under and beneath the Petronas Towers. I think it's the best shopping centre I have ever been in! It's clean and smart and very cool (the air conditioning was amazing and a relief after the heat of outside) and there are so so many shops. You have everything from Gucci, Chanel and Prada to Ripcurl, Marks & Spencer and TOPSHOP! Yes, I said TOPSHOP! It's more expensive than at home though. And there is a Zara, which made me think of Louli :) We went for some dinner in the food court, I'm a little bit ashamed to admit that I had McDonalds and then I went to the doctors about my ear. The Twin Towers Medical Centre is very impressive. It's smart and organised and the people are lovely. I saw a Malaysian lady doctor who'd been educated in London, she was very good. I didn't have an ear infection and she wanted to refer me to an ear specialist to find out why I was deaf but when I explained we were leaving in a couple of days she agreed I'd have to go in Singapore if it wasn't better or go when back home. I also had a strange rash at the top of my leg, she gave me some cream for that for free, it was like when I had Nettle Rash. I met back up with Maff and Em who'd been looking round some scientific interaction thingy, we found a pharmacy and stocked up on supplies and found some face masks without whitening stuff in them then headed back to the hostel. It took AGES in a taxi though; the traffic was horrendous. As it's Ramadam everyone was rushing to get home so they could eat as soon as they were allowed to. The taxi driver dropped us off at the Central Market where I did a quick run round to recreate the photos I'd lost, then we had a bit of a sort out. We met back up in the evening with Gemma and Dave, and Jay Jay and Logan. It was only meant to be a quick drink before we headed out for some dinner but we ended up having too many drinks there (it was Ladies Night so us girls had cheap drinks), got a little tipsy so ate there and then danced (or wiggled as Jay Jay puts it) the night away. I was up first, soon followed by a nice crazy Welsh girl who really knew how to party (you can always rely on the Welsh) and then the whole place was packed full of people dancing. Gemma and Dave didn't stay too late as they had to get up early for a flight to Bali. I was sad to say bye to them; they're really lovely and I got on well with both of them, especially Gemma, I'll miss them guys. It was a brilliant night (Reggae Bar is a backpackers bar but a lot of locals go there, so there was a good mixed crowd) and I think we got home at about 3am!

Thursday 19th August - Kuala Lumpur
We slept in late again; blame the dark room. We got up and moved into a dorm as the triple was booked out. There was still no windows! How do they expect people to sort themselves out quietly in the dark? We headed back to the KLCC to take Maff to the doctors as he really wasn't feeling right. He saw the same doctor as me who thought it was stomach acid. Jay Jay came to meet us for lunch (he'd got the day off to take us around) which was a bit of a nightmare as none of us could find anything in the food court we fancied. Then Jay Jay took us out of the city to the Batu Caves, which house a Hindu Temple. They golden statues are very impressive, so so big! You could climb up inside but there were a lot of steps which Maff wasn't up to; I wanted to have a go then realised how hot it was and remembered how much I really don't like going up hill. There were monkeys on the steps, mingling with the tourists. We then headed back to another shopping centre which was also very nice and filled with a mix of designer and high street stuff. We had some ice cream there, can't remember the make, but it was good. Jay Jay took us back to our hostel for a rest, then he and Logan picked us up at 9pm for some dinner. We went to a Chinese street restaurant just off Changkat Bukit Bintang which we would never have dreamed of going to on our own for fear of getting food poisioning but it was amazing food. Em and I had roasted pork which was so so nice. They did Marmite Ribs there; I'd have liked to try them but couldn't have eaten the meat off the ribs. Maff battled through bless him. We had a walk about Bukit Bintang which was heaving then went for a drive round. I needed to replace my pictures of the Petronas Towers at night so Jay Jay took us to some good vantage points to take photos. We went back early, as Maff was struggling. I really felt for him, he's not usually poorly, and he did look poorly. We said a sad bye to Jay Jay and Logan. We'd had so much fun with them and they had been brilliant and looking after us and showing us around, and in Jay Jay's case driving us around! Thank you Jay Jay and Logan :) I didn't sleep to well as I'd lost our bus ticket.

Friday 20th August - Kuala Lumpur to Singapore
We were up early to get ready for the bus to Singapore! We got a taxi to the bus place where I had to speak very nicely to the people about our lost ticket. They agreed that as long as nobody sat in our seats (luckily I could remember the seat numbers) we could get on. That bus company is pretty cool; the waiting area was so smart (although Em and I did see what we thought was a rat dash across waiting room floor as we were waiting outside to get on the bus). We were allowed on the bus, nobody was sat in our seats. I wouldn't have been happy if they were as it'd have meant they'd stolen the tickets (which I still don't know where they'd got to, as I still haven't come across them). The bus was amzing, so spacious and with a personal TV screen (altough the film choices were a bit ropey). We also got fed! Muffins and the like. We had a nice chilled time. I was approaching the end of the Time Traveller's Wife so was a bit teary! It's a brilliant book, very well written, I had seen the film so I knew the ending but it was still a great read. Thank you Sarah Davis :) I had a bit of a sleep and woke up as we were approaching Malaysian immigration. We had to get off the bus, get our stamps and then back on the bus. Then we crossed the causeway into Singapore.

Next up: Singapore....!

Lots of love Xx

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