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Published: March 24th 2011
Googlepants (adj) – a word used to describe the moment that the normally ever trusty search engine has let you down in some monumental way. For example “It said the train was meant to leave at 17:15 but it was just proper googlepants”
Waking up in Kuala Lumpur we had set our first task as getting to the Chinese embassy in order to apply for our Chinese visas. Having meticulously researched the exact location of the embassy we set out confident that we would find our way. Taking the LRT we went the necessary seven stops and then took the slightly scenic route (no we did not get lost) before finally admitting defeat and asking for directions. It was at this stage that we realised we had been googlepanted. Whilst Google had the address correct it unfortunately had no idea how the numbers on the street actually worked. Meaning not only had we been walking in the wrong direction, but had gone about 3 stops past where we needed in the first place.
When we eventually arrived at the embassy we completed the necessary form and then hit our second problem of the day. When entering Malaysia by train the immigration officers had not stamped our passports to say we had entered Malaysia only to say that we had left Singapore. We therefore needed to give the Chinese embassy our arrivals card, which again had not been collected by the immigration in Malaysia, to show that we had entered the country legally. Why the Chinese need to know how we entered Malaysia when I will be entering their country in 2 months time from Vietnam i do not know. What I do know is that the piece of paper they wanted was securely tucked away at the hostel. A slightly nervous return trip to the hostel later and we were back to successfully apply for a visa. Granted it should have taken about an hour from start to finish and it actually took about 5, but these things do seem to happen.
After the slight problems with the visa application we then headed into Kuala Lumpur city centre where we had a quick walk around the park outside the Petronas towers before heading back on the LRT and having a bit of a break in the hostel to avoid some of the ridiculous heat. Back in the hostel we raided the trade-in book section managing to nab not only a useful guide book for Kuala Lumpur, but also one for Cambodia and Vietnam as well.
In the evening we headed over to the nearby market place in order to have a quick look around and hopefully buy some food. After being offered the amazing opportunity to buy any number of pirate DVD's and a wide range of handbags, which apparently I just must have, we eventually found a fairly nice Chinese place to grab a bite to eat before heading back to the hostel.
The next day we got up and set about the first of the walking tours that was set out in the guide book we had acquired. It is important to note that, whilst the tours were in theory quite short, they were made much longer by the useless map and directions they gave. Clearly everyone should know that cross the roads by the underpass actually means cross the road (by an overpass) enter the train station, cross over the platforms, walk the length of platform 1, leave by the other exit then find the underpass and cross the road. Usefully the map made no mention of the train station at all.
However, this extra time spent around the city gave us time to have a good look around. After a hundred years of British rule, in 1957 Malaysia became independent of Britain. Seemingly, no doubt as a show of independence, the Malaysians promptly set about forgetting everything ever taught about how to make a pavement (which they are truly shocking at) and banned the knife from the dinner table (which is apparently superfluous if you have a spoon)!
We then enjoyed the benefits of staying in a hostel close to the centre as we could head back to it to avoid some of the heat, before heading back out in the evening to the Central Market, actually now a pseudo mall to grab some dinner and some tiger balm which, according to the packet, can seemingly cure just about every illness ever discovered and a few that haven't yet been found. That said the locals use it for nothing more major than mosquito bites!
The next day we did another of the walks, this time around the deer park. On the way we stopped off in the National Mosque and had a bit of a nose around before eventually making it to the park. To be honest it was a bit of a disappointment as the there weren't many deer and the main attraction, a deermouse, we had seen in a much better enclosures at Singapore zoo, It was also an iffy day to do a walk as it rained a fair bit, and Steph was having the worst day yet for her cold which meant she wasn't really in the mood for a walk. When we eventually made it back to the hostel, after a lovely meal at the cafe inside the bird aviary, Steph had a bit of rest before we headed down to the Reggae Bar where we had a quick bite to eat before turning in for an early night.
The next day we got up early in order to head over to the church we had found the day before, with the plan of then heading over to the Batu caves. I managed to get Steph to church early (I know sometimes I even surprise myself) only to find that the Church which promised an English service was actually about to do one in mandarin. A brief chat later and we discovered that there were three churches that were all part of the Methodist complex and that the English service was a short walk away. We arrived slightly after 9, and therefore only a little over an hour late for the service. We therefore decided to stay around for the start of the next service in order to make a complete service.
The service itself was very interesting and put Malaysia a bit more into context. Many of the guide books we had read, both Lonely Planet and others, had praised Malaysia for being multi cultural and tolerant, often citing the various different religions all practiced in close proximity to each other. It was therefore unexpected to hear the minister talking about how the government had banned the printing and import of bibles in the Malay language and would only let a new church be built, after years of problems with planning, on the condition that they were not used for religious worship. All of this from a country with a written constitution allowing freedom of worship.
Following the service we headed off to the Batu caves. We were slightly pleased with ourselves as we found a cheap train to the caves when all the guide books said you needed to take a taxi. However, after the monumental effort of dragging my slightly chunky form up the 272 steps I was greeted with the most underwhelming set of temples I have seen in my life. There were a few more temples nearby (at the bottom of the hill) which we also looked in when we were back down there. In all, the day was encapsulated when I walked into the nearby store to escape the heat and the air con started to drip on my head through the ceiling, a bit of a let down all round.
Not satisfied with the temples we had already seen Steph took us off on a tour of the temples near our flat looking for the temple of the goddess of mercy, with 1000 arms and eyes, which had baffled Steph when she read about it in the guide book and really wanted to see the statue. When we arrived at the temple the statue depicting the goddess had 22 arms and 2 eyes!
The next day we got up stupidly early in order to head over to Malacca. This was another place that Steph had read about and really wanted to visit. Fortunately it turned out a lot better then the temple - it was a really interesting place and I would definitely recommend that anyone near Kuala Lumpur checks it out. It is very easy to get to as there are plenty of buses and you actually get longer in the city if you arrange it by yourself and not through a tour group. A lot of the main sites are close together so it can largely be seen in one slightly hectic day.
When we were there we tried some of the local delicacy, Cendol. Should you ever have the the opportunity to do so ... don't. Your taste buds will thank you for saying no. That said it was a very interesting place. The museum is well worth a visit as it not only explains about the building but the ancient Malayan culture, and puts a lot of the other history we had learnt about the region into context.
In fact there were only two sightly annoying things about Malacca. Firstly the trishaw drivers who all feel the need to ask you if you want to have a ride, despite the fact they have watched you say no to the three people before them. Also, whilst Kuala Lumpur passed off a holey monstrosity as a pavement, it beat the narrow strip of road marked off by yellow paint that Malacca often passes as a pavement.
The next day was our final day in Kuala Lumpur. It started off well, we got or passports back and were given the full 90 days which covers the time we wanted in China, took a slight dip when we couldn't gt tickets to go up the Petroans towers, picked up a little bit when we managed to find some sauce to go with the pasta still in our bags from Australia and ended with a comfortable coach ride out to Penang where were would spend the next few days. All in all it was quite a relaxing day and very much appreciated following Malacca the day before.
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Kate
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Sorry to hear that Steph has a cold!-hope it is better now. Sounds as if you have had a mixed time in Kuala Lumpur! You will find travelling in England a doddle when you return!