Blogs from Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia, Asia - page 3

As we were extremely lacking in good quality sleep on the train given that the lights had been on all night and the train had stopped to pick up passengers several times, we checked into PODS Backpackers Hostel near KL Central Train Station and went back to sleep. The Hostel itself was a fairly novel concept where you all sleep in “pods” - raised floors with mattresses and the walls didn't quite meet the ceilings enabling the Hostel to use one AC per floor and giving the whole place quite a hippy vibe. The free breakfast of peanut butter or honey on toast did help make up for some random early morning clattering. We then had breakfast at our trusted café of Old Town White Coffee where I finally had Ipoh Kueh Teow – the famous ... read more

This morning we went to breakfast with the owners of the BnB we're staying at since our stay includes breakfast. They took us to a Chinese wet market along with another traveler who is staying at another one of their properties. We all shared a few dishes that are standards for breakfast, and it was so good! Really a place where locals go. Both Michael and Christina were so passionate about KL, food (my kinda people!) and just an interest in their guests and where they're from. There are so many beautiful buildings here! You have elaborate mosques, temples, old colonial buildings and structures. After breakfast we went back to the room to catch up on picture offloading from the camera, sorting our laundry to get it washed then headed out to Chinatown. In KL central, ... read more

After cruising the South China Sea for a day and enjoying the on board activities and culinary pleasures, we arrive at Singapore, an island nation emerging from the British Empire as a former member of the Malaysian federation. It has become an economic powerhouse while still maintaining an English interest in civility, law abiding citizens and cleanliness. In the morning, after arrival, I venture out to ride the overhead cable car to visit a variety of sights, including Singapore’s Universal Studios theme park. Not needing to see a step child of Orlando’s original, I enjoy alternative sightseeing until our afternoon excursion bus tour of Singapore’s iconic sights. Stopping at Thian Hock Keng Temple for photos we continue on to Clarke Quay for a riverboat ride in the middle of the city. Our guide points out the ... read more

We woke up bright and early, and caught the 8am coach to Kuala Lumpur. We had large, comfortable seats, and I slept for most of the journey, thus missing out on the scenery. We arrived in KL around midday, and walked to Reggae Mansion hostel. It's definitely one of the best hostels I've stayed in to date, with large capsule-style beds. We rested for a while, before heading out for Nandos and to do some shopping. When we got back, we chilled again, and had a thoroughly good laugh while Sophie cut John's hair. In the evening, after Tony and John demolished a bottle of brandy and best part of a bottle of vodka, we walked to Reggae Club. I say 'walked', but Tony and John play-fought most of the way, greeting and high-fiving strangers in ... read more

It had been 6 weeks since Sam surprised me with the prospect of coming out to Kuala Lumpur for a few days and with the thought also of staying in a lovely hotel and the arrival of packages from home, we all had our own reasons for being massively excited about his coming visit. Our plane from Siem Reap touched down at Kuala Lumpur airport in the late morning of Sunday February 10th and I'm afraid to say that we didn't set off the proceedings particularly well. Maybe our excitement had clouded us with stupidity or perhaps the one hour time difference had set our minds to malfunction but we arrived with not even a remote inkling of where we were going or which currency we would use to get there. I have blamed it once ... read more