Kuala Lumpur 18th - 21st February

---

18^th February – two weeks since I left the UK.



The past 2 weeks have really flown, and what a great start to my adventure, now on to the next one! Arrived safely in KL, slept on both planes but still felt tired. Had to try and stay awake… lost 6 hours and am now 8 hours ahead of the UK so timing whatapps and skypes is going to be more of a headache. When I walked out of the airport – around 8am I had to take my jumper off as it was hot, the taxi driver was very helpful telling me places to go and even teaching me some Malay, numbers and phrases. The hotel is basic and above the 33 restaurant, am I am staying in the 33 star hotel. The room is a ‘Superior single’ and the size would only just fit a double bed in but there was a single bed and a bathroom section made out of the other half, dont get me wrong its good quality furnishings etc but the thing I didn’t notice initially was that it doesn’t have a window! That was weird, but there is free wifi and AC, which both have come in handy!



It is so hot! Even though the room isn’t great it was a struggle to leave to see the world of KL as I was so tired and it was so hot, it meant getting changed and everything! But I did it! and went for an early lunch in the Fahrenheit Mall, purposely went to a Malaysian stall and chose beef and rice.. which turned out to be rending which I have had before and loved, however it was cold and not as nice.



I was writing my diary in the park on a shady bench and I actually fell asleep! Only nodded off though! But enough to make me get up straight away and walk straight home, via a 7eleven to get water. Literally got straight into bed and slept straight away with the lights on and the aircon on loud! For 4 hours! Must’ve been tired, woke around 4.30pm and force myself to get up and look around a bit more and not just sit there, also I was hungry.. When I got outside I realised it was tipping it down! The joys of not having a window! But it was still warm so I headed out anyway. Some people were just walking normally in the rain, some were running and others were watching the rain from under a shelter. I stopped and watched it for a while too, it was strange to see such torrential rain without being freezing cold, and yet it wouldn’t have surprised me if it just stopped as if nothing had happened. When I carried on walking there were rivers on the paths and 4-5 feet wide lakes next to the paths, particularly in the crossing areas, I stood way back. The rain was warm against my skin, as it had gone straight through my top! I did feel cold however when I hit Mcdonalds with the aircon. I know I know, Mcdonalds is hardly cultural but there was something comforting about getting out of the rain to eat chicken nuggets.. funnily enough the rain had stopped completely when I came out!



Wednesday 19^th February

3pm



Holy hell. I slept for 14 hours, until 2pm! Must’ve needed, another joy of having a windowless room! Hopefully that has sorted my jetlag out, my body clock might be all off but I have had some sleep. Observation, lunch time (late lunch time, but I noticed it too yesterday) people tend to grab their purses and head en masse to the park with some snacks, similar to London, or maybe any big city with a nice park. I’ve decided I am going to sit outside as much as possible to try and get accustomed to the heat, even in the shade the humidity gets you. My weather app says its 35 degrees but feels like 42!!



Just the trees in the park look like I am in the centre of a jungle. Palm trees, walking palm trees – which I have seen before in the Amazon Jungle as well as other trees that have hundred, maybe thousands of vines coming from it. I read that they uprooted a number of mature trees and planted 1500 new ones too, as the park is man made. The bird sounds are exotic too, and no pigeons! I keep seeing other travellers too, shaggy hair, flip flops and back packs and more often than not, a camera, or at least people that look like they are on holiday.

Differences to Jordan; more westerners, more tourists, less people staring at me as I don’t stand out as much, so so much cheaper, not to mention the weather! Even the mcdonalds I had was 8 Ringit, roughly about £1.50!



Had a look around the Suria Mall, which is connected to the Petronas Towers. Bought my ticket to go up to the skybridge for 6.15pm tomorrow as the ones for today had sold out at 11am! Hopefully I’ll get the sunset on that time slot, also gives me a round about plan for tomorrow. Got some good shots of the towers too, I don’t think I am in any of them though. Sigh.



I went to a book store and looked for a guide book to tell me where to eat. There is a place called Lot 10 Hutong near my hotel so decided to have a look for that. When I got back to my neck of the woods – nearly everywhere is walking distance away- I looked for the Lot 10 Shopping hall and the Hutong place is in the basement. after walking for a while I found a Monorail station and the map told me I was walking in the complete wrong way. So I rectified it and consulted my map, then discovered that I have been walking past the Lot 10 Mall every day! I cannot describe to you how close I was to the place! Quite funny in an annoying sort of way, however it had started raining again, not as bad but still, lost in the rain is not good! When I found it, it was like an authentic Chinese/Malaysian food court, unlike the ones I had visited in the Malls so far, it was darker and dingier and also it was set in a fashion where it is easy to get lost. I was looking for the Hutong stall/outlet but soon discovered that that was the name for whole place. I decided on beef mince and noodles and beef balls. Oh holy hell it was great! Oh and some Chinese tea.





Not sure if the above picture will show.. anyway it is of the Lot 10 Hutong



Thursday 20^th February



Wow Thursday already.. it has been 4 days since I spoke to someone properly, and I think this no window thing is getting to me. I am above a restaurant and next to a club so the noise/smell may be bad, so maybe it’s a good thing. Oh well I’m not gonna let it get me down. I purposely booked my next hostel with a common room and it may be close to a pub that might be showing the six nations rugby, which is on here at midnight.. if it even shows it.



Found the Menara Tower/KL Tower tallest tower in KL, maybe Malaysia, I should know this. I actually found it trying to find my hostel for tomorrow, needless to say I got lost, not used to this! In fact I didn’t get lost I just didn’t end up where I wanted to be, also there were road works and I now try to avoid these as much possible after being stuck for 2 hours in Dubai, probably developed a fear of walking in them. But I found the Menara, it was a beast of a hill to get there, in fact it wasn’t that bad, but in this heat it is. The base of it is a park, well more like a jungle and they have made the base of the building into a tourist bit, shops, restaurants ticket booth to go up the top. Had a wander over a rope and wooden bridge and found a shady spot next to an AC type machine. Sat there for hours, only moved to take someones pictures and get a snack and a drink.



Paid to go up the Menara Tower and got some pictures, it was a bit over cast, but clearing slightly. The contrast meant that it was a bit dark to have my picture taken, I will upload them anyway. However half of the observation deck was closed due to maintenance, but you can still see the Petronas Towers from here I took a gentle walk back past my hotel and did my usual walk to the towers for my 6:15pm slot. I was rather early, and hungry so I decided to kill some time in a restaurant overlooking the fountains in the park. I had read about this one too, called Chinoz in the park, it was way more expensive than I had been paying but still so cheap compared to the UK so I thought sod it I will have exactly what I want rather than scrimping on a ringit here and there, Meatballs with long wide pasta and veg and a mint tea please! Oh yeah. So glad I did. Was still early for the slot, but you have to be 10 minutes early so I headed there anyway. As I was walking there my knee started twinging. Then I had to limp to a seat when I got there, it was fine after that, but I must be careful. The annoying thing was it wasn’t the knee that has played me up since the Gringo killer on the Inca Trail.



My ticket time was called and I got a green visitor badge. All the people with green got in a lift to floor 43, where the sky bridge is and then we had to listen out for our colour to be called. It was good. However It would have been better if the top of the sky bridge was glass, I think there was another floor on there but we were not allowed up there. So we were called and I felt a bit disappointed as we were only there 15 minutes and the sunset wasn’t even close, and was still over cast. We got into the lift and started going up, thankfully I wasn’t the only one with a confused look on their face. Went up to level 83 then go in another lift to 86! Feeling much better. Especially as the sun was trying to break through the clouds! Stayed in the same corner, much like when I was up the Burj Khalifa, and took some great shots. Stood there and kept looking around for green tags and when I saw one I stood there longer. Eventually it went quiet, I turned round and noticed that there was barely anybody there anymore and the remaining people were heading to the lift, as did I, but soon noticed that everyone had black tags on. But I truly didn’t hear the green call, oh well there was no big fuss around it.



Headed back to the hotel past the fountains and through the park with my music on feeling pretty happy. Got back and wifi’d for a bit and showered, thought about packing but could not be arsed, leaving for the Hostel tomorrow, wahoo human interaction!



Friday 21^st February



Got up and packed once the music was on it gave me motivation. I have come to the conclusion I have got too much stuff, need to get rid, might give dad some to take home.. but I can’t think of anything I don’t need.. we’ll see. Got checked out and my deposit back then got a taxi to my next spot – note, don’t flag a taxi from the road, go to stand or book one – luckily my hotel was near a major shopping mall, so there was a stand just outside. Got here just about 12 midday and check in was 3pm. So just hung out in the common room updating this blog. Managed to check in early, well 2.30pmand got chatting to the only person in my 6 bed mixed dorm, a guy from Czech Republic, he has been travelling for 3 months, 2 in the Philippines, started talking about couch surfing and something where you work for a family in exchange for accommodation and food. Opened my eyes to a few things, also told me about a time he didn’t like the island he was on so went to leave but it took him 4 days as the boats kept getting cancelled etc. worried me a bit, talked about how it should be easy, or at least you expect it to be. I expressed I was feeling kinda niave about it all. Good to speak to someone though. Also refreshing hearing people in the common room saying ‘where are you from?’ and ‘how long you been travelling?’ . you have to take your shoes off too, this is new, again niave, this may be hostel thing, but this Is only the 3^rd one I have stayed in.



I went out for a walk to Chinatown, down Jalan Petaling the main market stall street, I think my earlier conversation had taken its toll as I felt rather vulnerable, particularly when the first person says ‘you, in the black top’ I carried on walking head held high past them all, including when a man tried to stop me and asked for money. Dived into a 7eleven – they appear to be my haven lately – and bought snacks. I continued to walk, including down the cross section of Jalal Petaling. On the other end of it I saw a KFC, then a Nandos (!!!) then a Mcdonalds. Amazing how these things made me feel so much better, like sinking into a soft pillow. I wanted a Nandos to ease my Culture shock – if that’s what I was having – but it was only 3.30pm. walked past it and continued to what looked like a monorail station, I was wrong it was a multi storey car park. Went in one way and immediately going out another, showing I didn’t know where I was, feeling vulnerable again, I headed straight back to the hostel and sat in the common room and messaged people whilst watching The Simpsons Movie, until I was back to normal. (well – normal?!)



I have such wonderful friends – just saying.





I studied some maps and got myself up for going back out to see how far the river is, as there are a couple of places I want to go just on the other side of it, and planned to have a Nandos on the way back. Within 5 minutes I had found the river, if you can call it that, possibly dirtier than the Thames, and I got wolf whistled, but because I was feeling better and I had found the place I wanted to it didn’t effect me. Wahoo. Cut across a carpark towards Nandos and found the Central Market. Retail therapy without people hassling me to buy. Feeling much better! Bought a few bits, including a fan, another bracelet, a ring to wear on my wedding finger and some postcards – when I get to sending them I don’t know. Had a Nandos on the way back. BOOM. And I am back!! So now just spent the rest of the evening writing this bloody blog! Ha ha only kidding, I am enjoying it, recommend it for any traveller, for their own memories if nothing else.

---

Comments

[mije]

You can't say boom.
Love you mate. Great blog. Stay positive!!

[Laura Isherwood]

wonderful
Hi our Jess e wop xx I think it's safe to say you have had a touch of homesickness xx but don't fear my lovely your doing brilliantly it's only to be expected as everyone at home is nearly as awesome as you! We are so proud of you xx enjoy hun and stay safe your doing a cracking job xx