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Hotel view
OK I think they are absolutly stunning got in the Hotel pulled the curtains and there they were This trip started well, Ellie and I were meeting up in Schipol with her coming in from home in the UK and myself travelling direct from work in Africa via Paris and London Heathrow. then on to KL through Schipol. First off AF didn’t get my bag from Paris to London and being AF couldn’t get it until the next day, this was early in the mourning with dozens of flights available to get the bag to Schipol before I departed for KL 13 hours later but for AF no chance.
Next off Ellie coming out of Heathrow in the afternoon had a delayed flight due to the BA flight from Beijing crashing. She actually arrived at the other end of Schipol before I took off to KL no chance of making it.
KLM were complete arses and wouldn’t get her a place to stay or even help, ticket to cheap they bleet. Next time it’s one of the Gulf carrier’s cheaper and generally better treatment in the event of a delay. Even Air Asia has put me in a Hotel during a delay! On a 15 quid ticket!
All plans to fly directly from KL on to
Bird park KL
Well what to say birds and----------- Medan 4 hours later on Air Asia abandoned at this point, just had to bin the 2 cheap tickets brought well in advance, no wife no bloody luggage. (And unlikely to be able to buy fat guy clothes in Medan).
Got myself a place in KL city and took the expensive metro train. Hotel pretty good I had hopes of AF picking up the tab (Ha).
Out to eat doing the tourist stuff went down Peatling Street and had some Chinese but poor quality and expensive reflecting that everyone goes there. Good atmosphere and fun though. Decided to bed, got a Taxi then realised the driver was lost and bullshitting we had agreed a price as I couldn’t be bothered to fight it out. Eventually second wind arrived, stopped the taxi and disappeared into the night.
Ended up in an Irish bar, why do they need their own boozers, predictably it had loads of Irish guys in it. If I remember correctly Irish guys tend to be excellent characters to go on the piss with, a good time had by all got back to the Hotel about 0400 hrs after not being served at the Beach club /
KL bird park again
And more birds-------------- because of closing time. Beach Bar heaving with imported bar girls, decided to call it a night got a taxi to the Hotel it was 150 yds (bugger) just round the corner good night bad hangover.
Bed about 0430 Ellie turns up at the hotel after picking up my E mail telling her where, about 0700 hrs having arrived on an early flight. Not very impressed with me after not seeing each other for a month I am pissed. Why didn’t you come to the Airport she says, are you nuts I say its bloody miles away. OK she didn’t think I would just hope I might. Just for good measure KLM lost her bag as well great start.
Still no bags so had a typical city break instead of trucking off up the jungle in Sumatra this would have to wait. My art of good planning, have a plan and have no problems about abandoning it and doing something else. The city break was great just did all the tourist stuff Bird Park etc. KL is a nice manageable city for a short break and great food.
Eventually our bags which, unlike us had managed to
and again
and more------------ meet up at Schipol arrived at the hotel on the same transport nothing missing. Booked the next morning Expensive Air Asia to Medan. At last we are on the move proper.
Great to be back in Indonesia even one of there typical polluted overcrowded cities It would be nice to come over all apocalypse now and say I love the smell of exhaust fumes in the morning but hell I don’t.
As usual we have OK Hotels in cities we booked the Emerald Garden cheaper with a voucher through a travel agents than at the desk as we were there in the mourning 1 night was OK. As usual the Hotel only had 100% smoking rooms, food reasonable enough and we changed cash down the road big difference in the rates on offer and all open to bargaining.
Phoned the Jungle Inn Bahrum (tel +6281370730151) and booked the big room having seen pictures of it on the web.
For 400,000rp he sent down a car to pick us up in the mourning we don’t do long rough bus trips either. The price is the going rate. Obviously the car came with a Guide and driver so we
and again--
and more these guys were in a John Waters Movie once.--------- were pretty well grabbed straight from Medan. Having said that if you are already with a Guide then no one else hassles you when you get there, we had spoken to the guide Iwan in the car and is attitude to the Jungle and wildlife was absolutely spot on, no problems there.
The road gets progressively worse more bumpy and pitted as you get nearer to Bukit Lawang the storey is that millions of dollars were sent from Jakarta for the road a few years ago it all just disappeared a typical Indonesian tale of woe unfortunately. Some git has a nice car and an even nicer house now.
The locals are pretty unhappy about this.
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