Kuala Lumpur
Trip Start
Apr 20, 2003
1
2
24
Trip End
Jun 10, 2003
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Friday, April 25, 2003
Up very early (for me) to catch the train to the airport. It seems school kids here go to school at 6.30am.... arrived at KL and it is all over the shop.
KL is completely unstructured, and has a very confusing train system. The Hotel Swiss Garden had no booking for me (doh!) so they had to check up what had gone wrong with the internet service I used - so they put me in to a room on the Swiss Priveledge Executive Level.... swanky, me and my backpack and all the suits.
Went out to the Batu Caves, where a million Hindus gather in Jan/Feb each year to watch other Hindus in trances walk to the temples and caves with various chunky bits of metal pierced through their skin. A bit different now, as due to SARS, no one is around. It was just me, the statues, and various pooping pigeons in one of the Caves, which was rather spooky, and smelly.
There are Monkeys everywhere at the steps up to the caves, and they come within a metre or so hoping for peanuts. One monkey got more than she was hoping for when a male monkey (well I hope it was male) 'jumped' on her about a metre from me when I was about to take a picture. All class. Monkey bonking on film.
Then a few minutes later a monkey pissed on a poor ladies head. I was going to suggest that its lucky, so just like salt throw some pee over your left shoulder, but she didn't look impressed.
And I must look famous - people were wanting to have their photo taken with me... hmmmm.
The street I'm staying in is traffic clogged, with 2 bus terminals and mass pollution - and its actually a good traffic day because its a public holiday. Here's to you Prophet Mohammed, hope you had a good one...
I walked round Chinatown after dinner. Spotted my favourite celebrity
establishment name. "Kenny Rogers Roasters". They appear to do Chicken. Why pick Kenny? He's only famous for 'The Gambler' and one half of 'Islands In The Stream'. Why not some other poorly known celebrity. What about "Sheena Easton Eatery" or something like that....
SARS update - Everyone arriving from Singers had their temperature checked. I'm down to 35.5 degrees - is that normal?!?!?
SWISS PRIVELEDGES, RONALDO!, and HEY GEORGE DUBYA BUSH, I FOUND EM!
The hotel staff suggested I try the Executive Dining Room for Breakfast, as it appears there is actually no one staying on the Executive level, except for me. So it was just me, the full buffet, and some extraordinarily bad elevator musak for Breakfast. The Hotel confirmed that all is well with the booking, restoring my faith with the internet.
I went out to a Bird Park in KL which was actually quite cool. Hooray for the Hornbill I say. Split a cab back with a couple from Canberra back to the city. Walked back via "Gucci Corner" (actually called Bintang St, but it had all the big names in it). I got lost in a shopping mall - seriously could find my way out for 20 minutes, as there were no exit signs.
I went to Merdaka Square pre-dinner - a bit ho hum but took some photos of the various ceremonial buildings around the Square. While walking along I saw this person on a bench wearing make up, long hair, and with a mirror and shaver in his/her hands, getting rid of the hair on his/her chinny chin chin. The person saw me, hid the razor and said "hellll-oh!". Whoops - I just got propositioned by a Trannie.
Dinner was at a Muslim Restaurant - it was in the Lonely Planet so I thought I'd gave it a whirl. I asked for Roti, vegies and Beef Rendang. They bought out the Roti - 2 bits of white toast with Jam on the side... so we got our wires crossed I think.
As I'm walking round afterwards these young street vendors were pointing and yelling at me - then one says "Ronaldo! Ronaldo! Gol Gol Gol Gol Goooooool!". Obviously I now look like a Brazilian soccer star. One nil to me.
And I found a shop run called "Hussein and Sons". Must tell George Bush I found em......
