Since I’ve arrived in Kuala Lumpur I’ve ‘slept’ at the airport, checked into a guesthouse that has strange staff, big fish in tanks and a pet monkey, and met a fellow backpacker (canadian female, Julie), who I agreed to share a room (double bed) with, within 5 minutes of meeting her (to save costs), and later find out she lived around the corner from me in Freo for a while and worked at Mojos. Within half an hour (around 9.30am at this stage), we were on our way to visit Batu Cave, and had brunch consisting of roti with curry, at a place where they gave free head massages with hair oil they were trying to sell. At around 5pm it absolutely poured down for about an hour.
But first lets go back a few days to Lombok/Bali…
I left Lombok (Senggigi) via Perama tour boat to Bali on 8 September. Pleasant (and expensive) trip which included breakfast and lunch. Arriving in Bali (Padang Bai) I was so caught up in the book I was reading that I didn’t realise all the other tourists had got onto a dingy and were on their way to shore! When the crew discovered me they thought it was hilarious, joking that I wanted to go back to Lombok! Luckily the boat didn’t have to make a special trip for me, the luggage still had to get to shore too. Ha.
Arriving in Kuta in the afternoon, I got a bit worried when two places said they were full, but a third had a nice clean room for me, including breakfast, for 70000, which is the cheapest I’ve paid so far. Didn’t enjoy Kuta, but made use of free wifi at a cafe to do some work, and also ate a dutch kroket for the first time in years, and had black rice pudding (dessert, with coconut milk and banana) for the first time ever.
The next day my aim was to get to Ulu Watu, which has a nice temple and beach, but my aim was to do it by public transport (which is nearly inexistent and is unreliable, as there’s no timetable and no official stops, and you have to bargain a price and they usually charge tourists way more than locals) so I knew it would be difficult.
It took me two hours to find a bemo going in the right direction. Lonely Planet did not tell me the right place, people sent me in wrong directions, and when I did find one in the right colour, it was going in another direction. Very frustrating.
I got to Jimbaran, but from there it seemed I had to take a taxi, and I wasn’t sure if I’d find a taxi back, and it being so late I decided to just look around Jimbaran.
It was a nice spot, known for it’s seafood. Unfortunately you order whole fish when you want a meal, and me being alone that was going to be too much and too expensive. Again, frustrating. All in all I was having a very emotional day, feeling very alone. But ya get that, up and down. This was the worst day I’ve had though.
Waiting for a bemo to go back there was only an empty one who would charge me more because he had no other passengers. So I decided to wait for more passengers. My patience was rewarded (after at least half an hour), as another bemo came past that already had a passenger, so I paid the same price as the trip in the morning.
That night I ate at a little warung for locals near my guesthouse, and ate foo yong hai, omelet with vegetables and sweet and sour sauce. I couldn’t find it in Lombok, so was very happy to have it here (I know it from getting take out chinese/indonesian in Holland).
On 10 September I had another massage (legs still hurt..!), and spent a few hours working on enjoyperth, before grabbing another omelet at the night market, and making my way to the airport. I flew to Malaysia, getting there at about midnight.
Kuala Lumpur
Spent until 7am at the airport, obviously not sleeping much. Damn chairs with armrests, grrr! :D
At 7 I grabbed a skybus to the central station in the city, then a train to Chinatown. Walked to the nearest guesthouse in the lonely planet and checked in, despite the strange unfriendly staff, big fish in tanks and a pet monkey, as it was so humid outside and I was so tired!
As I walked through the door I met a fellow backpacker (canadian female, Julie), who I agreed to share a room (double bed) with, within 5 minutes (to save costs), and later find out she lived around the corner from me in Freo for a while and worked at Mojos. Within half an hour (around 9.30am at this stage), we were on our way to visit Batu Caves, and had brunch consisting of roti with curry dips, at a place where they gave free head massages with hair oil they were trying to sell.
Batu Caves were spectacular and had nice Hindu temple stuff, but also sad that there were tourist shops and lots of lighting, inside the cave!
Had a nap in the afternoon, and after an early chinese dinner while avoiding the pouring rain from around 4.30 to 5.30, headed to the Petronas Towers by train with Julie. Walked part of the way back and saw a mosque and Merdeka Square and part of the colonial area.
Such a variety of people here: malaysia islamic, chinese and indian, all dressed differently. And because of that, all different food, so yummy! My favourite is the bakery which is way too close to the guesthouse. It has things like egg tarts, coconut tarts… And so very cheap when you walk into non touristy restaurants.
This morning we had breakfast at and indian place. Paid 2 Ringgit for my Roti with Milo and some curry to dip it in…! (that’s around 80cents as far as I’m aware).
This morning Julie left to fly to Borneo, and I wandered around the Lake Gardens all morning.
Later I’m planning to check out the night market in Little India.
Tomorrow I head to Taman Negara, the jungle!
Hoi simone , hier je moeder,
Mooi verhaal en fotoos,leuk dat je de canadese vrouw had ontmoet, grappig dat jullie in een bed sliepen ,is dat niet gek
Nou veel plezier en het ga je goed ,take care veel liefs van Papa en Mama
Op dat moment hadden we de hele dag al samen rondgelopen, en konden goed met elkaar opschieten. En het bed was groot genoeg, hoefde elkaar niet aan te raken, haha.
:)