Malaysia is interesting place
Trip Start
Nov 10, 2004
1
24
34
Trip End
Apr 29, 2005
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Malaysia is an interesting country and Kuala Lumpur a nice city. The only drawback is the temperature, 33-35 degrees centigrade and the humidity, with thunder and rains in most of the late afternoons I have been here. The year round will be roughly the same temperature. This is quite a difference compared to the "winter" in Dhaka.
I had to spend nearly two hours at the Bangladesh High Commission here to find out that they only could give single entry visa. So, I decided not to run the risk coming back to Bangladesh on my existing, but cancelled multi entry visa and get stuck at Zia international airport.
I really feel bad about having to end my sabbatical stay in Bangladesh like this, with unfinished plans and work
Kuala Lumpur: Independence Square
. But I feel victimized by the Bangladesh Government, which is chasing friends away, rather than welcoming them.The travel agent in Dhaka booked me in the five-star Hilton Petaling Jaya, out of town, instead of a three-star one down town. Petaling Jaya is the first satellite town from KL and the premier industrial centre. The room on the 20th floor is some 55 Euro, a treat after Dhaka.
The advantage is that the hotel is close to one of the six above the ground and mono rail systems in KL. I have used them frequently; they are cheap and clean and go often. I only found out that if you change to another line you have to buy another ticket first. If you like shopping, KL is your place, it is full of enormous shopping malls. A couple of hours in one of them, exploring a big bookshop and a coffee is enough for me.
City tour and historical Malacca
It is worth doing a half-day city tour (can be booked through the hotels. Specially the Independence Square (since 1957 only), the Chinese (Tao) Tean Hou temple and the Lake garden drive give a good impression of the widely-spread city
Kuala Lumpur: Chinese Temple
. We were only with three (funny enough another Dutch elderly couple) in a private car. The same happened with the one day tour to historical Malacca. Historical Malacca
The two-hour drive to Malacca is impressive. The toll highway is better maintained and than many in Europe. The quick views of the massive palm oil forests are spectacular. Palm oil trees look a bit like banana trees. The country side gives an impression of plenty of space. Malaysia with 26 million people is under populated, has reduced poverty to five percent of the population, and needs foreign workers (mainly Indonesians) to help do the work.
Malacca is where the Portuguese from 1511, the Dutch from 1641 and English from 1824 landed with their ships and built forts, churches and city halls (Stadthuys) as part of their colonial network. St Peter's church, The Dutch Square with the Dutch church and Stadthuys were the most interesting to me. The fort built by the Portuguese overseeing the Straits of Malacca was taken over by the Dutch and then destroyed by the English. Only a small part is now left of it. It is a monument, where there are quite a few Dutch grave stones standing up against the walls. Most of you are aware about my interest in the Dutch VOC in India, but to see what is left in Malacca was interesting.
Next: South Africa
After Malacca I all of a sudden had to reorganise my travel schedule from here
Kuala Lumpur: Hindu temple
. What to do? Tour around in the region here? Back to Amsterdam for a few weeks? Go to South Africa? When still in Delft our South African Junior Professional Officer Jabu Masondo had invited me to spend part of my sabbatical in South Africa, helping his NGO and our partner The Mvula Trust. Fortunately there is a travel agent just across the street from the Hilton. I did not feel the urge to tour around in the region. When I found out from the various options that there are direct flights from here to Johannesburg I decided to go for that option. There are daily flights through Singapore and on Wednesday there were still seats available for Sunday.
Originally I had to fly back to Dhaka on the 17th. On that day and in the morning of 18th I was still exchanging messages with NGO Forum, Jabu and the home front. After Jabu had e-mailed me that I am welcome in South Africa I booked a single ticket KL- Jo burg early afternoon. There was a message from the travel agency for me at the hotel when I returned after lunch with Jami (who is studying engineering at the Multi Media University here), a Bangladesh nephew from my long-time friend Najma Haque and after e-mailing and booking a hotel in Braamfontein in the Internet cafe nearby.
Kuala Lumpur: The Twin Towers
The message that spoiled my afternoon swim in the pool was: Singapore Airlines did not want to issue the ticket that I had already paid, because it was one way ticket. When I phoned the airline they said that there was no problem. The travel agent is dealing with a wholesale agent for Singapore Airlines, who does not want to run the risk that I would be send back from Johannesburg, as I don't have a return ticket, work - or resident permit. As it was already after 17:00 hours with Singapore Airlines closed I had no other option than to buy a return ticket, the return I can claim back later, the travel agent said. I picked up the ticket this Saturday morning.
Sunday evening 21:45 I'll first hop to Singapore to change for a 10:40 hour flight to Johannesburg, arriving there 06:40 Monday local time,with someone there to pick me up.
So I can relax now and I'll have the swim in the pool today.
Cheers,
Dick
