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Published: March 1st 2009
Happy Birthday Marika
Cheers. This was actually taken on your birthday and we had a drink in honour.We are in KL as a sort of interregnum between Vietnam and India. There were a few objectives to be achieved with a visit here. First, we need to try to pick up an Iranian visa. We were also keen to have a few days to sit down without moving too much so that we can get our breath a little. Most importantly, we had to be here to meet up with our first lot of fellow travellers.
Travelling is normally a satisfying and exciting activity but, we all know that there is the other side of the equation. In a book we have been reading ('Shantaram' by G D Roberts) a character asserts that suffering is exactly like happiness, but backwards. So, as it is great to see spectacular scenery, view wonderful buildings, experience difference cultures, meet new people and eat different foods, there is also the occasional experience that is neither exciting nor fun. We could go further and assert that, without these negative there could be no positive but that might be getting too philosophical. Let's just have a bit of a look at what they are first.
One of the up-sides of travel for us
From the Window
If you lean out of the window of the Citrus Hotel you get a view of the Petronas Towers is the opportunity to share the experience with friends and we have now met up with friends who will be our fellow travellers for the next four months. We originally cooked up the idea for this part of the trip - basically going overland from Darwin to London, except for those places where people are shooting at each other or where we have imposed a ban - some years ago at a New Years Eve session on the front verandah of our house in Eva Valley in the NT. The first plan was to drive vehicles the whole way. That was later amended to a decision to take land transport wherever possible. Dates changed during the long planning phase and we refined the list of countries to visit but basically, the planned trip is now underway. Two of us did get started more or less on schedule and the other 2 are a little late but we are now officially under way. So it is with great pleasure that we report that Trish and Tony now make up the other half of the travelling team.
We have travelled together before with China, Russia, Kazakstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgytsan, Canada and Alaska
Washing
This photo may not survive the editor already covered. (Yes, I know that Alaska is not actually a country but the fact is that the country that it is actually part of was the subject of a ban at the time, so Alaska was given special dispensation.) Trish and Tony haven't as much time as we have decided to take but we will hopefully visit India, Iran, Turkey and as much of Eastern Europe that we can fit in before they need to move on to grandfathering and work duties.
But back to the 'other side' for a moment and, just in case you think this travelling thing is all beer and skittles, we will run through some of the elements that allow us to fully appreciate the good bits.
There is nothing unusual in me being crook in the guts - so to speak. I have a notoriously weak stomach. I have demonstrated the capacity to test the potability and purity of water in many countries and parts of countries. Food can also be tested to establish whether there is even the slightest hint of a bug that might cause gastro or travellers diarrohea - under any of its names - in any other
Duta Vista
Looks OK in the photos and wasn't too bad. Just a bit far out of the way. human. Since hitting the road I have been able to maintain my record of achievement in this regard. Most occurrences have been of short duration only but the last was more significant. Drugs were required and the recommendations of the good Travel Doctor were followed in detail. The full course of anti biotics, and then some, were applied and, eventually, they worked.
Being required to remain within striking distance of the throne is a bit of a nuisance but it did give us a chance to get some bulk laundry done. When we were ready to go for a decent walk it was with nice clean clothes. Confidently stepping out along the street, a moment's inattention and down into a drain. A drain about a metre deep. A drain that was full to the brim with muck. One nice clean pair of trousers need another clean. The hole in the other knee is not that noticeable.
Luckily - from one perspective - while one of us did the gastro thing, the other had a back issue. A much more serious problem with the potential to make travelling very difficult. It made the carriage of heavy weights on the
Jalan Petaling
With an additional photographer there may now be more of this type of thing back problematic. So we both just laid about and took it easy for a while. It has been good to do this even if the reason for doing so was not so much fun.
And what about washing? Weight is an issue. We are very keen to keep the weight of our packs down under 15 kg thus allowing us to fly on the budget airlines without penalty - and the backs survive a little longer. That means not too much in the way of spare clothing. We are also travelling to cold and hot places, so we need to cover that. The result is that we have to wash clothes - every night! Is this enjoyable? Not a bit of it. Air conditioning takes on a new value. Yes it keeps us cool at night but it is also magic for drying clothes in the tropics. Got just a tad chilly in HaNoi where the humidity was high but the termperature was relatively low. Without a/c it would take a couple of days to dry anything. We could, and have occasionally, use laundry services but, when you are on the move pretty regularly, that can be hard to
Pondering
Wonder what those fluffy white things are. Seen them before somewhere. organise and you need more clothes.
An easier issue to deal with is coffee. We are not big coffee drinkers, keeping our consumption under that level that causes the shakes when your stop for a while, but, over the years, we have become used to good coffee. Vietnamese coffee is often served in little tin things that allow some water to drip through the grounds into a cup. There may be some Carnation milk involved and there is likely to be sugar about as well. There is not a lot of coffee involved. I am not complaining mind you. But it doesn't really hit the mark for that morning kick along.
Malaysia doesn't do much better with coffee. Sweet, weak and not that much of it in a serve. So far, we have not resorted to a Maccas, although their coffee may also be less than good. Today, however, in the midst of a visit to the Petronas Towers that turned into a shopping trip in the 6 floors of shops, we visited a shop called the Juice Lab that had San Francisco Coffee. The sensation of a hot, strong capuccino rolling into the mouth and down the
Air conditioning
is more and more important these days. throat was a major pleasure. It probably wasn't actually any better than many other capuccinos I have had at other times but, after a long lay off - suffering you might say - it was an experience that we will try to repeat at times.
We are coming to the end of our time in Malaysia. Our plane for India heads out on 4 March and, so far, we have not received the magic number from the Iranian Department of Foreign Affairs. This number is required so that one can apply for a visa. We applied for the number over 6 weeks ago and there was a glitch along the way but we had hoped that it would turn up while we were here in KL. We have given it as long as we are able and it now looks like we will have to try to get the number sent to New Delhi and try again there. It will be disappointing if we can't get into Iran at this stage of the trip but, if we fail, we will try again and swing back later on after we have been to a couple of other places. If all
Minarets in the Morning
Actually it is a railway station apparently designed by and Englishman. else fails we will try to get there our way to Africa in November. By that time T&T will have moved on either back to work or to grandfathering duties and that will be unfortunate for them. We will keep trying though.
As I said above, we had all been in Malaysia before. For two of us, our most lengthy stay was in 1996 and prior to the time when KL hosted the Commonwealth Games. Things have changed in the last 12 years. Obviously, KLIA is in place now but there is the addition of a network of excellent expressways linking KLIA with the city and allowing traffic to move around the region. Many, many of the motorbikes have gone. There are still a few around of course but there are a lot more cars on the road. The rules of the road are followed a lot more religiously than used to be the case. Red lights tend to stop traffic, although the occasional bike will sneak through at any time. The traffic moves more quickly and pedestrians don't normally just walk out into the traffic with a reasonable level of trust that drivers will try to avoid them.
From a Window
down the street Cars and buses rule.
Footpaths in the city area are often wider, a lot of them have been re-paved so that they don't have major dips and holes in them and you can now step on the grates above the drains with relative confidence, although for me that it is a step too far. Too many times in the past have I gone into the slops. The Bazar in Little India now has a lid as does Jalan Petaling in Chinatown. All very flash. Not quite so much touting of tourists although the 'teksis' still get into it as do the sellers in Jalan Petaling. I was still offered a 'genuine, original' Roleks outside the Petronas Towers where the up market shops seem to congregate.
Things are still reasonably cheap but not dirt cheap. The prices for a pair of glasses - spectacles that is - were about one third that of the same in Australia, taxis are cheap as is public transport. I will say that on a rainy afternoon at peak hour taxi prices move rapidly skywards but it would be a strange place if they did not. Food, in the sorts of places that we
Old and New
If you look hard you will see the monorail over the older type houses. tend to frequent, is cheap. We tend not to eat in the places that advertise Western food and go more for the local tucker. Accommodation is reasonable and we have paid about the same in ringgit as we would expect to pay for a similar standard in Australian dollars. The ringgit is about 2.3 to the A$ at the moment.
We have stayed in three different hotels while we have been in KL. The D'Oriental has probably been the best value for money. It is smack in the middle of Jalan Petaling which is in Chinatown and hosts the most popular touristy night market in KL. Free wifi, double room, own bathroom, a/c and a TV with breakfast included - and a pretty good breakfast - and we are paying 100 ringgit for the double per night.
The Citrus was a very nice, more up-market hotel where we stayed a few nights. It had a nice pool and a gym that we used on occasion, the room was delightful and comfortable, full cable, free wifi and an excellent breakfast. It was a little far from the action for us though. The restaurants around the vicinity were pretty limited
Intersection
near the bus station and China town and it was a bit of a walk to other areas.
We also spent a few nights in the Duta Vista Executive Apartments. Looked great on paper and on the net. In the flesh it was a getting a little tired and needed a makeover. Big rooms and an apartment that would make a good sized house but, unfortunately, it was in a part of town that had been made relatively inaccessible by the construction of freeways. Great for a family and even better if you had a car. Not so good if you want to walk or if you want to eat out a bit. Looks like it is close to town but there is no way that it is possible to negotiate the freeways to get there.
Beer is an issue. Indeed any alcohol at all seems to be an issue. The cheapest canned beer in a supermarket so far has been 8 ringgit per can. My guess is that there has been a coming together of the religious, the public health and, probably, the taxation people to tax the stuff out of the reach of the ordinary bloke. Pity that. Luckily, T&T came burdened with
bottles of good wine - lovely caring people that they are - so we have been able to maintain some standards while assisting in the reduction of the load for the Tiger flights to come.
We are all refreshed now and ready as we ever will be to head for India. The trip looks like being pretty much full on with an itinerary that will keep us moving through places every couple of days. We have been assisted immeasurably by friends who have provided excellent advice on how to travel, where to travel and what to watch for. They have also assisted greatly with the making of arrangements to the extent of calling on their families to put themselves out to look after us at various stages. India, we believe, will be a highlight of this trip. If not, it wont be for the lack of work on the part of our Indian friends.
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Janet
non-member comment
A couple of tips for India
Hi, when we were in India we used the water purifying tablets and never had a problem with any water just filled up from any water tap, put the tablet in and not a problem. We stuck to vegetable dishes mainly and fruit. Neither of us had any gastric problems. Good luck enjoy, it is a great place. See you in Africa!