Kuala Lumpur quick VISA stop
Kuala Lumpur here I was …. 😊 at the airport ready to get to the sky train and hit the hostel, but before the communication needs to be addressed so new data SIM for tourist purchased from the local provider for ridiculous money and activated on spot at the sale kiosk so I could be connected uaaaa :-D Sky train is nice modern new train like TGV or Bullet train and it has no stops except the Airport terminals and then the main strain station KL Sentral where is another stop to get a monorail sausage or caterpillar depending how is your imagination to the hostel. Ticket sale is automated and the person in kiosk simply only changing the notes to coins and point you in directions of automated selling machine to get a ticket but it is so ejit proof that even I could easily buy ticket 😊 The monorail is starting at KL Sentral what is first stop and then just continue through the city, hoovering above the roads and pedestrians on concrete pillars like some artificial vein of living organism, bringing the nutrients to the central control, in this case, people to the offices, shops etc. Easy signage in English so got off at the Medan Tuanku station and pushed my button i.e token “it looks like blue button” to the automated gate and walked down the steps towards the hostel, what is behind the Sheraton Hotel. Took on right turn having the Sheraton on my left and nice local restaurants on my right where nice mixture of locals and foreigners were having lunch. Next left under the promenade and The Reeds hostel is right front of me. Finally as I was sweaty and a bit tired but since it is afternoon I have nothing else on my to do list so just get checked in, shower and then some food. Got a lovely lower bunk bed in six bed dorm and have to say that after the K-House hostel in Japan this gets second place in my review list of hostels. Lovely big single bed with curtain and nice lime green colored headboard what is also shelving unit and behind the drop down opening doors is mirror, light and storage space. All clean and the secure lockers in the middle of the room at wall facing the beds. Showers and toilets are shared with another male dorm next door so the door is locked when no one is in and open when someone from the room is in having a moment of hygiene or checking the “emails” on the throne. The only one downfall is that Air Con is ON and it feels like I would imagine is feeling in the industrial meat freezer. Well I’m in and out in jiffy and go get some food and walk a bit around as tomorrow is the Embassy day to apply for my Thai visa so easy day or afternoon I would say. Walked a bit around, get into local shopping mall as honestly it looks like there is nothing else just banks, shopping malls and food in whole Kuala Lumpur at least on the first sight. Since I’m going to Embassy I decided to get a new shirt and since there was UNIQLO shop I got one nice dark blue one with dandelions flower in fall print all over in nice shade of light grey. Happy with purchase and kind of slowly getting on the Irish time I start received and send few messages on what’s up and therefore it was time to sit down somewhere. Around the corner from the Hostel I found the local pub with GUINNESS holy cow :-O but since I just left Ireland I went for some local brew and had few while talking to few friends on the what’s up and watching sunset coming down on the Petronas Towers in front of me. Well few pints later I was in state of tired bliss so it is time to get into bed as I have appointment in the morning at Embassy. Came to room, took shower and lay down on bed to relax a bit with Morgan in my lap. I mean Morgan Freeman in document “The Story of God” what I watched one episode of it, before my eyes visual system shut down and pulled curtains over my cameras…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Morning is here and I’m up as the alarm went off and what the heck…. Air Con is on full blast and my freshly shaved head is covered in icicles. Holy shit must be the guy from next bed who came later in and turned the A/C on lower possible settings as he was trying to make ice cream or what the heck. Well people making process finished and result was so so but I’m gorgeous anyway so who cares, new shirt on and go to the train. Nice trip to the Embassy by train and then walking through the local streets and across the bridge over the river or surge canal and on the other side nice walk away made from the plastic bottle caps set into concrete forming nice pattern for few ,meters. Well recycled plastic cups I have to say, however the patch was short ending in the nice green field where the path was made by people walking across from the bottle caps path to road in kind of nice diplomatic district as only embassies are around as I walk down the road with one school on the right for girls and one on the left for boys. Got down to the main road and found the Thai Embassy about forty five minutes before my appointment time so I returned back to lovely café I saw in the office block and got nice cup of proper espresso and banana bread as breakfast, checked email, filled all the documents and then slowly start walking towards Embassy. Arrived there, checked in by the security personnel with iPad in the hand by surname and call number and then I saw the sign on the wall that I need the checklist as well as the form DOH ! I did not read the bottom small print on the checklist that I need it for application process so dashing to near MAZDA dealership to ask for print, where manager told me that across the road is the DHL office what is doing such thing. So dash on the overpass and into DHL office, printed the checklist and dash back to Embassy. All ready and I’m in the line when my name pop out on the screen and I came to window where lady checks all my documents and say all o.k please 165 ringgits DOH again as I have not took enough from the ATM so another dash to 7 eleven to take cash, where ATM was actually filled with fresh notes and the security guard with shotgun in hand stood like in some B-class American movies, chewing toothpick and looked so bored that you think he would just shot someone from pure boredom. Anyhow notes loaded so I can take some out and then dash again to Embassy to pay, after I try to explain security guard that I already was in and that no I don’t have appointment as I’m only going to pay the money, after few seconds where the Thai – English no communication was exchanged I showed him wallet with cash and he let me through. Straight in to the window pay the fees and out in jiffy, after she said come tomorrow afternoon and not long after email and text came with time confirmation for my appointment. Since I have time I went to see the PETRONAS Towers as one do that when in Kuala Lumpur and took the tour to the sky bridge, then up to the tower and as I was walking at the sky bridge I remember the scene from James Bond with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones who were hanging from the bridge on some wires. Took some photos and then joined herd back to the lift and up top view floor. Took photos of the guy in second tower who was operating service lift and stood there in his yellow hard hat as it that would help him in case of fall…. Well the view was nice and the facts of the building interesting. Then got down and walked to park what is behind the towers and it is nice place for shade in such hot city with artificial lake. Some more walking towards the TV tower and then communication museum what was more convenience than real history interest as I was sweating like I was under the fire hose and the museum has Air Con…😊 Walked around the town, get nice refreshing fresh coconut water without sugar and ice as they always put sugar into every cup and ice too so you need to ask specially for without both them. Walked further through Chinatown in direction of Butterfly Park what is in the biggest park in the middle of the city, where is also the house / museum of first president what was nice stop on the top of the hill. Then walked down pass the replica of timber, steel house what was designed to help housing crisis by president as his initiative. There was also herb garden and at the bottom nice lake with path around it and as I followed path I came across the canopy mimicking the forest canopy but made from plastic and steel and opposite was nice bamboo kind of house or play house where people can sit down and enjoy the view. On the meadow beside the bamboo house was quite big group of ladies exercise to the music and under direction of fitness instructor who kept them in pace. Walked until nearly sunset or until my feet nearly fall off and then took the shortcut under the highway to the town and voila I was in the KL Sentral …. 😊 Went to Air Asia see if I can change the return ticket as I realized that week in KL is too much but no luck as I would need to pay way more that ticket was worth. Now time for food and as everywhere in Asia the Food Court was near so topped up my food card and this time went for nice Korean soup. Tank filled up, energy levels regained as if Mario gets his health bonus I went to the monocaterpillar and to my hostel. Not much socializing now as I was really tires after walking all day , so I went straight into bed “after shower of course” not so piggy. Since I had Passport pick up appointment in afternoon I woke up without alarm in midday, went to the street food for Nasi Lemak and roti what was tasty and super cheap with the local band playing live music front of this restaurant where locals eat and I was only white foreigner. I guess that since this eatery was front of the University of Kuala Lumpur the bad was probably students to make some money. Food check, now the train to the Embassy and now I get off one more stop later as I realized that it is closer and walked again on the fabulous colorful footpath of bottle caps. Got to Embassy on time and went in, my name pop out on the screen a minute later , got to the window where the guy tried gave me some passport of someone else, even when the photo is clearly visible on the application form attached to passport and it is not me 😊 uh ohh bit of awkward smile and then I got my passport and god bye. So efficient and easy process. Woo hoo 90 days visa as I wrote down on the application. Since it was already early afternoon I decided to not walk like yesterday but just a bit walk towards my hostel and then went to try find a laundromat. Two stops of the monosausage and I was on the street full of laundromats, even if the receptionist in the hostel was saying that there are non-available near and that I need to get into some mega shopping mall. Well I found this lovely laundromat with change automat, got a fifty ringgits worth of change and loaded the washing machine and went to get pizza and water in near pizza take away “ I know in Malaysia and eating pizza” but after a while you can only eat so much rice and rice noodles. Got back to the laundromat and meditate by watching the washing machine drum spinning, what a TV 😊 After a while some young boy came to do wash and somehow struggled with change so I gave him missing ten ringgits and he loaded his washing machine as I loaded dryer. All done and in the bag now to the pressing service as the new shirt deserve press including the fact that none of the clothes were bone dry so the pressing will dry them out fully. Handed over the clothes and walked around the blocks for half an hour as that was time I was told it will take to get it all done. Picked freshly pressed clothes, what is a nice feeling I have to say. Either I some freak who likes the freshly washed and pressed clothes or after few months of travelling and wearing the crumpled clothes, washed in sink is nice to have properly washed clothes, which might feel like restoring a normality in nomad life at least for one day. On the way back to the hostel walking the streets of KL and saw a German family with two kids trolling between Mom and Dad who had third one strapped to his chest and tried calm down his missis who clearly had enough of heat and walking. Get back to hostel, took laptop and sat down at this lovely corner café, where I got a green tea and cake and type some more of the lines before the rain came and had to hide inside restaurant as the rain here is heavy downpour but luckily it last only few minutes, just enough time for me to finish my dinner and phone call. Then moved out again and as I was finishing my four hours of typing somehow I by mistake deleted all ..! Well I will not type it again that is for sure, feck that. Get back to hostel and went to bed as I was pissed off and want to get some sleep so I can go tomorrow to Batu Caves.
Woke up a bit later than I thought but still went for Batu Caves but as I was arrived to train station I realized that the train just left and next one is in more than one hour later and since it will be noon by then I decided not to get there as the heat will be unbearable and rather went back to café and typed a bit more until dinner, then type some more and then went to bed. What a uneventful day but so nice to be able to do that. Do nothing as no time schedule, no need to be anywhere, no need to listen to anyone, only what I want or feel like. Ahhhh what a bliss.
Because of early night I was up at seven and on the way to early train now, all went well and I was at Batu Caves before tourist madness start and also before the sun will beam down to make concrete jungle one huge oven. Saw those huge statues of goddesses and colored stairs leading up to the caves itself. Lots of monkeys all around posing for photos as tourists trying take some on the square and near the temple. Stairs itself are long and tall but even I’m not so fit as I used to be “jeysus I need start exercise” I was able to get to the top without much troubles or catching breath as surprisingly younger guys had to do. Lots of monkeys on the railings and steps try to “borrow” something from the tourists and I was one of them unscrew cap from plastic bottle of some energy drink. Well at the top is this huge cave where temples are built and Hindu gods and goddesses have their statues all over, plus some roosters making noise what in the cave is multiplied big time. Lots of colors what I like as well lots of space in the cave itself. As I was approaching the steps to descend, busloads of tourists start ascending and I was so grateful that I came early. Got down, with some stops watching young moneys played chase game on steep slopes and branches around us. There was a stream going down next to steps and it looks like some monkeys are going for swim but on last minute they jumped over on some lamp posts, railing or branch instead of leaping to the water. Got to the station and realized that I have some half an hour to next train I went to another cave, this time paid entrance and this one was a bit cheesy to my liking, lots and lots of statues painted and positioned around the cave like some garden gnomes. Well came, saw and gone to the train. Overall it was nice to see the main cave and the view from the top was nice too but defo only in the morning or maybe in sunset… hmm now when I’m thinking over it I should be there at sunset…. Well hey some other time when I need visa run again maybe 😊 Got back, repack the backpack prepare for tomorrow trip back to Thailand. Kuala Lumpur for me 3 days max but if I knew some local who would show me the hidden spots it could be nicer for longer stay, maybe. Anyhow thank you and good bye Kuala Lumpur.
Morning is here and with it, it is time to leave the nice “The Reeds Hostel” and head to the airport. Monosausage dropped me to KL Sentral and since it was time for breakfast I got nice boiled eggs and toast and head to the Airport Train. As I arrived to airport I have phone call with Jirka from Calgary what was nice refreshing as we have not spoken together for long and I always liked our conversations. This time even more as he is scuba dive positive too, so we had a good talk about diving and about everything else as you do with good friends. Time to get to check-in and Jirka to work. Airport is nice and security / check-in is fast so I was on the gate in no time, but still had time to get a beef wrap and let Frankie from back pack so he took over laptop and typed some bullshit article but hey, it is freedom of speech so I let him be. Boarded the Air Asia flight to Hua Hin and now I defo saying good bye Kuala Lumpur.
