Can I... Can I update using my phone? Let me give this a try.
I remembered to preload my map before leaving the free wifi at the airport! Well done, Me!!!
This is an airport in case you have never seen one. I don't have a clever picture of me going ape-shit in my scarf 'cause the flight attendant still can't believe I don't want coffee. Lady, I WANT those hours I could be sleeping waaaay more than you cuppa instant whatever.
Customs and immigration were delightfully quick. Taxi drivers were in the airport but not aggressive. I got a bus ticket for 11rm which got me about ten minutes away walking to my hotel. Yeah, I got a hotel again. With a private bathroom everything. I am spoiled. Furthermore, when I got to my hotel I got early check in I was able to put my bags in the hotel room at 8 o'clock. A few minutes after that I somehow accidentally booked a private tour with a guy. For 80 RM, about US$22, I had a driver take me out to Batu caves, which I cared about, drive me to some photo-oppy spots like the new palace and Independence Square, which I didn't care about yet enjoyed, and then he did that really annoying thing that drivers or tour bus tours tend to do where they take you to a stupid factory that sells carpets or bags or pearls even when you tell them you're not in the market to buy anything. I had hoped that when I said it's either I go shopping or a book another tour you later this week (lies, lies...), he might be a little more… A little less inclined to take me to the stupid chocolate factory. At least I got to skip the leather factory. He did take me to a batik (oh, God. That word again) shop. It's weird because you always have to wear a sticker when into the store. I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure is how they give kickbacks to the drivers. It's like limo drivers and strip clubs in Vegas. Just like people on the plane who run the system by buying the coffee, if you guys keep buying overpriced scarves at scarf factories, we all going to keep being taken there. please stop.
I could do a whole post on the Batu Caves, but I took most of my photos with my, gasp, camera and don't have access to them since I am sans laptop.
Instead of taking me back to the hotel, I asked to be dropped off at the Birdpark. Now, I have been to the Birdpark in Indonesia. It was pretty amazing. And I kind of figured once you've seen one Birdpark you've probably seen them all... Maybe different degrees of dirty and sad birds. KL Bird Park was fantastic!!! First of all, the janitorial staff was huge and hard-working. While I was there, I saw the sidewalks being power washed all throughout the park. Tables, benches, railings, and trashcans where constantly being cleaned. Most of the birds had decent sized habitats or were allowed to fly almost freely. I think it is 32 acres? Lovely. The bird show had the birds doing tricks they weren't super abusive. It was surprisingly pleasant and ate three hours of my day including "lunch" at the Hornbill Cafe in park. Pros: there really are hornbills and they really come up close to you without taking you food. Also, it was pretty damned clean. You are probably picturing bird poop everywhere. That's just not the case. The cons are even though I told them I had a seafood allergy my squid was substituted for fish. And when I said I could not eat the fish, they took it to the back and just picked the fish off. Oh well. I think a lot of people don't understand the difference between an allergy and a dislike. I ate the part of the rice that did not touch the fish and had a lychee tea. Good enough.
After finishing at the bird park, I walked around the area for a while. There's a hibiscus park and a separate orchid park. It was around this time when I start to really appreciate how awesome KL is. I know it's lame, but I really enjoy how many people here speak English. People who say they don't care if their house country speaks English or not are either A) bilingual or multilingual B) lying or C) probably annoy in the shit out of locals by being that ugly tourist who assumes everyone understands your colloquialisms if you just speak louder or keep repeating yourself. It's a pretty clean city, so far (yeah, yeah. I've seen some scary slums and it has nothing on Japan), and people haven't made me uber uncomfortable yet. Always a plus! The city has a good mix of architecture styles which is one of the reasons why I think I could never live in Seoul (sorry to always be bullying Seoul). In some ways, it reminds me of Istanbul with its mix of cultures mostly Asian and Middle Eastern, but with hibiscus flowers and coconut palm trees. It's comfortable and even though I am that level of tired where everything feels slightly far away, off-center, and has a delay in the audio, I enjoyed my first day here. Hell. I wouldn't mind living here for a year, I think. Cheap airfare, a monorail, expanding subway, and trains? With plumeria? Huh. We will see. If tonight's dinner doesn't give me a parasite or food poisoning, this could be an option for next year.
And it might...
In the meantime, give me any suggestions you have for KL. I have five more days here and then it's off to Australia.
Humid..... It's ten am!!!
Love it!!!
Hell yeah!!!!
Three words perfectly arranged...
It's hot.
What's the theme of this one going to be? I've been in Kuala Lumpur for just over twelve hours now. I don't really intend to do any writing about Japan. That was just a trip for me, a chance to beat my oars against the current and relive the past, but not very interesting for anyone. It was good to see my old friends and coworkers. But. Nothing to share. And I'm a little worried that might have been my last trip to Japan, but again. That's not today's post.
We drink, eat, sing, and drink. In that order. And drink.
Dear LORD typing on an iPhone is aggravating.
Kuala Lumpur. I did a speck of research before coming out here this time. Usually I take care of the hotel--or at least the first and last night--and I take care of the airfare, but everything else is usually left up to chance when I arrive. I have a list of some things that might be good. There is a famous (?) firefly park is like to check out as well as Chinatown and the New Town area. I am based over in Little India, near the giant botanical area. Flying out of Haneda at 11:45 wasn't as bad as it could have been. I had an aisle seat and a Fun To Travel With Scarf (cough), so I spent most of the seven hour flight lightly dosing and cursing the business model that had the flight attendants turning the lights on and pushing for-purchase snacks and drinks far too frequently. Air Asia, there is a lot I don't hate about you, but 03:45 on the red eye is not the time to ANNOUNCE that duty-free items are for sale as you cart them up and down the bloody aisle. And, if I wanted a five-dollar coffee, couldn't I just push the call button? Do you need to rouse everyone? And, a big fuck you to all the people who take the opportunity to buy snacks at this time. You're making the system work. You're ruining it for everyone! Damn you.
Kuala Lumpur. I did a speck of research before coming out here this time. Usually I take care of the hotel--or at least the first and last night--and I take care of the airfare, but everything else is usually left up to chance when I arrive. I have a list of some things that might be good. There is a famous (?) firefly park is like to check out as well as Chinatown and the New Town area. I am based over in Little India, near the giant botanical area. Flying out of Haneda at 11:45 wasn't as bad as it could have been. I had an aisle seat and a Fun To Travel With Scarf (cough), so I spent most of the seven hour flight lightly dosing and cursing the business model that had the flight attendants turning the lights on and pushing for-purchase snacks and drinks far too frequently. Air Asia, there is a lot I don't hate about you, but 03:45 on the red eye is not the time to ANNOUNCE that duty-free items are for sale as you cart them up and down the bloody aisle. And, if I wanted a five-dollar coffee, couldn't I just push the call button? Do you need to rouse everyone? And, a big fuck you to all the people who take the opportunity to buy snacks at this time. You're making the system work. You're ruining it for everyone! Damn you.
Customs and immigration were delightfully quick. Taxi drivers were in the airport but not aggressive. I got a bus ticket for 11rm which got me about ten minutes away walking to my hotel. Yeah, I got a hotel again. With a private bathroom everything. I am spoiled. Furthermore, when I got to my hotel I got early check in I was able to put my bags in the hotel room at 8 o'clock. A few minutes after that I somehow accidentally booked a private tour with a guy. For 80 RM, about US$22, I had a driver take me out to Batu caves, which I cared about, drive me to some photo-oppy spots like the new palace and Independence Square, which I didn't care about yet enjoyed, and then he did that really annoying thing that drivers or tour bus tours tend to do where they take you to a stupid factory that sells carpets or bags or pearls even when you tell them you're not in the market to buy anything. I had hoped that when I said it's either I go shopping or a book another tour you later this week (lies, lies...), he might be a little more… A little less inclined to take me to the stupid chocolate factory. At least I got to skip the leather factory. He did take me to a batik (oh, God. That word again) shop. It's weird because you always have to wear a sticker when into the store. I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure is how they give kickbacks to the drivers. It's like limo drivers and strip clubs in Vegas. Just like people on the plane who run the system by buying the coffee, if you guys keep buying overpriced scarves at scarf factories, we all going to keep being taken there. please stop.
Instead of taking me back to the hotel, I asked to be dropped off at the Birdpark. Now, I have been to the Birdpark in Indonesia. It was pretty amazing. And I kind of figured once you've seen one Birdpark you've probably seen them all... Maybe different degrees of dirty and sad birds. KL Bird Park was fantastic!!! First of all, the janitorial staff was huge and hard-working. While I was there, I saw the sidewalks being power washed all throughout the park. Tables, benches, railings, and trashcans where constantly being cleaned. Most of the birds had decent sized habitats or were allowed to fly almost freely. I think it is 32 acres? Lovely. The bird show had the birds doing tricks they weren't super abusive. It was surprisingly pleasant and ate three hours of my day including "lunch" at the Hornbill Cafe in park. Pros: there really are hornbills and they really come up close to you without taking you food. Also, it was pretty damned clean. You are probably picturing bird poop everywhere. That's just not the case. The cons are even though I told them I had a seafood allergy my squid was substituted for fish. And when I said I could not eat the fish, they took it to the back and just picked the fish off. Oh well. I think a lot of people don't understand the difference between an allergy and a dislike. I ate the part of the rice that did not touch the fish and had a lychee tea. Good enough.
Lunch of champions... Er. Future cat ladies?
After finishing at the bird park, I walked around the area for a while. There's a hibiscus park and a separate orchid park. It was around this time when I start to really appreciate how awesome KL is. I know it's lame, but I really enjoy how many people here speak English. People who say they don't care if their house country speaks English or not are either A) bilingual or multilingual B) lying or C) probably annoy in the shit out of locals by being that ugly tourist who assumes everyone understands your colloquialisms if you just speak louder or keep repeating yourself. It's a pretty clean city, so far (yeah, yeah. I've seen some scary slums and it has nothing on Japan), and people haven't made me uber uncomfortable yet. Always a plus! The city has a good mix of architecture styles which is one of the reasons why I think I could never live in Seoul (sorry to always be bullying Seoul). In some ways, it reminds me of Istanbul with its mix of cultures mostly Asian and Middle Eastern, but with hibiscus flowers and coconut palm trees. It's comfortable and even though I am that level of tired where everything feels slightly far away, off-center, and has a delay in the audio, I enjoyed my first day here. Hell. I wouldn't mind living here for a year, I think. Cheap airfare, a monorail, expanding subway, and trains? With plumeria? Huh. We will see. If tonight's dinner doesn't give me a parasite or food poisoning, this could be an option for next year.
In the meantime, give me any suggestions you have for KL. I have five more days here and then it's off to Australia.
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