Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur

---

Wednesday 3rd December - Friday 5th - Kuala Lumpur
Arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) mid afternoon after a good but exhausting overnight flight. We decided to take the cheapest route into the city by coach, which dropped us off in the vaguely familiar Chinatown, which we had stayed in on a previous visit. Immediately a friendly local helped us with directions to our hostel. Three young men who are bright, upbeat and helpful run the Matahari Lodge, which was to be our home for a few days. Our room is windowless and basic with shared facilities but nice and cool. There is a good socialising/kitchen area with complementary tea/coffee and breakfast toast. During our short stay in KL we made use of the fantastic efficient and cheap modern transport system (we worked out that a short trip on the London Underground cost 12 times as much).
I had a fish foot massage in Central Market. Your feet are dipped in a paddling pool full of small voracious fish who nibble/tickle. It was embarrassing because the fish seemed especially attracted to my feet to the detriment of the other foot danglers because presumably my feet were the stinkiest. Occasionally I raised my feet from the tank to give the others a chance. I was relieved when my ten minutes were up.
We got up early and joined to queue for the limited number of tickets issued each day for a trip up to the walkway linking the two Petronas towers. The complex has got to be one of the most beautiful skyscrapers in the world. Our trip to the walkway was delayed a few hours because the express lift had broken down.
We enjoyed eggy toast and honey in the Old Town Cafe in the central market very near to our hostel and at night ventured out into the tangled streets of Chinatown with their numerous food and drink establishments. Drinking is fairly expensive in Malaysia due to high taxes on alcohol. Street food is cheap. The weather was very hot and humid but most afternoons there was a torrential downpour, which temporarily flooded the streets and sent pedestrians scurrying for cover.

We were impressed by the courteously and helpfulness of the Malaysian people in KL.

---

Photos

Jen on Petronas Towers footbridge
The only photo that worked.

Purple Haze
This is how the camera produces most photos - frustrating