On To Malaysia

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DEPARTURE FROM COOLONGATTA AIRPORT - Went through the usual security screening and then was pulled aside by two officials. They gave me a pat down search and told me that I was being subjected to a random check. Nice to know airport security care so much. Must look shifty or something as this is the second time this has happened to me in Australia. Looked as if the plane was only two-thirds full with ten minutes before take off. Then a bunch of Malaysian passengers showed up and occupied every spare seat. Talk about leaving it late! To think I got there more than two hours before. The captain introduced himself saying Hello ladies and gentlemen boys and girls. I felt like I was in the audience of a 50’s kid’s show. The eight and a half hour flight was pretty uneventful. The young Malaysian guy next me wasn’t in the mood to chat. The cabin crew served me my Malaysian meal about an hour into the flight. i.e. 10:00ish. Think they could have waited for lunch time. This was my first meal in a day and a bit as I’d lost my appetite. It was quite tasty as it turned out. I like Malaysian food.

We landed at around 15:30 local time. I was glad to get off the plane as they had the air con on max for the whole flight. Funny how people from hot countries over compensate with air conditioning. As I walked down the stairs onto the tarmac I instantly began to thaw out. Ah the warm embrace of Sth East Asia once more. Ten minutes later I presented my passport to the friendly immigration officer. (take note you surly Sri Lankan passport officials) The Imm officer did a perfunctory check, stamped my passport and I was off. The most hassle free immigration encounter I’ve ever had. Now for luggage carousel hell. I wait and I wait and I wait and no sign of my bags making their big entrance. After fifteen minutes of this I start to get worried. Then some uniformed guy asks if I’m from Australia. He directs me to a pile of luggage at the other end of the room. And my bag is there, much to my relief.

I grabbed some local currency and then purchased a bus ticket to the centre of KL. There were a number of women touting for business from behind a desk, screeching like banshees over the top of one another. It was almost as bad as Chinese opera. I chose a bus company because they assured me they stopped just near where I was staying. The bus took almost an hour to reach central KL. I get off the bus and discover that I am several Ks from the hostel that I’m staying at. I asked a number of people for directions and in the main they were very helpful. I find travelling makes you break out of your comfort zone and approach total strangers for help.

It was a hard slog walking along the road in the hot, humid weather with a heavy back pack. I contemplated hailing a taxi but took my mini trek as a challenge that I would over come. Twenty-five minutes later I arrived at the street where the hostel is located. On the way I passed by an English couple who were also lost. I found the side entrance to the hostel and then thought I was locked out. Terrific!! Being in a glass half full mood I thumped the door. Then I realised the security intercom and was let into the building. It’s always a relief to find the place you’re staying especially after getting inaccurate information from a shuttle bus company.

My hotel room was tiny, little more than a converted office with modular paneling. The floor was painted dark green which splendidly offsetted against the canary yellow door. No interior design decorating awards pending here. At least the air con worked. Just a place to sleep which is all I really wanted anyway. The owner and his wife were both very helpful and nice. Upstairs there’s the breakfast TV room which is a good place to hang out. There’s also a small balcony area outside. I consumed three cans of Cambodian Anchor beer purchased at the local Seven Eleven. Put my head down on the pillow and was out like a light. Had my first decent night’s sleep in three days. Felt 100% better the next day. Breakfast upstairs was particularly unremarkable; toast and jam plus powdered coffee and milk. What was memorable was that there was no knives to be seen. Forks and spoons filled drawers but no knives. It was a challenge trying to spread blackberry jam over toast using a spoon.

I asked for the location of a decent second hand book store. Was directed to a big shopping mall seven rail stops down the tracks. Saw some interesting architecture along the way. The Malaysians have a distinctive style some of which was quite striking. The mall itself was a bit of fizzer re travel guides. I bought a novel instead. A lady who was also looking for a travel guide told me of a good place to buy clothes. I headed out to Mid Valley and discovered the Merga Mall. Tons of clothes stores including CosCo, the place recommended to me. It was a great place to shop although I didn’t find a cheap pair of jeans. Shorts and boxer shorts were a bargain. Mind you it took ages to get into the changing rooms. Shoppers here seemed to disappear into those cubicles for what seems forever. The cashier’s queue was a mile long so I moved to another department and paid in a fraction of the time. Why didn’t other shoppers do the same? Do the locals here like queuing or something? I also found a huge supermarket on the lower ground level and a good value money exchanger. Productive journey all round. As I was buying a ticket in Sentral station someone bumped into me from the side. It was a blind man carrying a stick who seemed to bump into everybody in his range.

Woke up really early the next morning but felt okay in spite of this. Was awake before the obligatory Muslim prayer through an over zealous PA system. Followed a little later by what sounded like church bells. Malaysians apparently don’t sleep in around these parts. Was told by a fellow guest who lives in Coburg and follows my football team, the Tigers that the internet was finally up and working. Didn’t work for me though until I figured out how to activate the wireless network function on my PC. Big relief as I had some major changes in itinerary to work out. A friend, who I was supposed to stay with in Canterbury didn’t realize how much it cost to book on a long weekend. Now I’m scrubbing my trip to Dover and heading to Plymouth instead. Could be an interesting journey. Shows how important it is to have net contact.

Didn’t do much walking that day as my feet were blistered and my upper thighs chafed from previous treks around the city. Tried to find a highly recommended Malaysian restaurant next to Nandos which in turn is next to McDonalds. Found McDonalds but couldn’t for the life of me find this place. Malaysian directions leave a bit to be desired. Was approached by a woman who started idly chatting with me as I confirmed that I was lost. Warning bells went off instantly. Why is this woman chatting to me for the sake of it? What’s her angle I thought. There must be some ulterior motive but no. After five minutes of chit chat she said her goodbyes and headed off to do whatever she had to do. Looks like Malaysia is different, in a good way.

Ate at an Indian joint around the corner from hostel. Chose beef curry from the bay Marie. Given a generous base of rice by the waiter but I dished out my own curry. (was this what I was supposed to do? Who knows?) When I bit into the beef I discovered that it was cold. Not cold to the palate though, it was very spicy. The ice coffee I ordered went down well although it took awhile to cool. Seems as if they poured hot coffee into the glass so it was warm for some time. Food tasted okay and was very cheap like most things over there.

I walked to the nearby bus station and asked for ticket counter 85 as instructed by the guy at my hostel. I was told just to go straight down into the bus terminal below and pay there. A group of us sat on benches waiting for the vehicle to arrive. A woman with a walkie talkie beckoned us to walk into the street. Why are we doing this, I thought? Wouldn’t the purpose build bus terminal fulfill that need? Apparently not. KL is a funny airport, both large and quiet. I had to catch a shuttle train to reach international terminals. The other weird thing is that the departure terminal doesn’t have a toilet. Wouldn’t be allowed in Oz.

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Photos

Serai Inn
Upstairs common area at hostel I stayed at

Serai Inn
Balcony area

Comments

[TC]

Ah, Malaysia!
There's nothing random about these checks! THey look for terrorists plain and simple. And you, my friend, obviously fit the bill! You have that world-weary look that the quintessential terrorist presents. THat's no ordinary backpack you have on. No sir! Thar's bombs there, for sure! (So they think) Yes, you're right! I've also noticed this especially in Hong Kong. Well, when you're travelling constantly the glass is almost always empty, so feel grateful that on this occasion yours was half full. Ah-ha! Now the fun starts! Obviously, Australian customs had tipped them off to your arrival. So they hid all the knives and box-cutters. Makes sense? Well by now, even the shoppers had been tipped off! THis is the ONE THING I can't stand about travelling in Asia. Call me racist, but I like a nice lie down and a cup of tea. Later in your trip this will cease to be a problem once you lose the baby fat. She had been assigned to extract information about your plans obviously. Now, always remember Martin Edgar's Golden Travel Rule No. #1 - Always Use Any Available Toilet. This I cannot stress too highly. Follow this rule and all else will fall into place. TC

[Nat]

wow
such a great couple of blogs i have read so far - no knives? thats amazing, i can see that on the airplane, but....!