KL TIMES I

I feel like a country cousin. In the two years since I was last in Kuala Lumpur (KL for short) things have changed a great deal. There is money about and this is a very internet connected and digital society.

As you enter the airport terminal after disembarking there are free internet stations. I sent a short email from there, but 06h30 is not my best time, especially having had very little sleep in the last two days.

The plane wasn't full. There were two empty seats next to me, but in sardine class that does'nt give you much room to stretch. The food was quite nice, much better than British Airways.

I travelled into KL by train - aircon and tv.; but the KLIA Ekspres didn't express for some technical reason. Everything is very green. Lots of palm trees. As the train got nearer the city there were the massive high rise flats. With or without embellishments, depending on your income. I think they are rather ugly, generally speaking. The trip took 28 minutes, much less time a taxi, and much cheaper. The new airport is an hour's drive from the city, that's not allowing for heavy traffic.


My homestay is a backpacker's establishment. The outside is weather stained, but it is clean, central and cheap. I have a bare private room with aircon. No window. I share a shower (a cold one) and loo. (There is also a shower in the loo, which I find odd and inconvenient.) One leaves one's shoes at the front door. There are commonal slip slops outside the loo and the shower.

I tried to get my cell phone unlocked and buy "pay as you go" access. I think the young salesman was offended by the antiquity of my phone. To get the thing working is not worth the cost.

The mall I am in is digital heaven, if that is your idea of heaven, - cell phones with video, digital cameras, laptops; the works. I noticed a hair dresser was offering "a digital perm". That has set me wondering.

I went into one of The Ladies in the Mall and was pleasantly surprised. (I won't tell any horror stories from my previous trip - like shoe prints on the toilet seat.) It was clean and did not stink of pee, nor was the floor awash. (Loos in Malaysia have a hose which serves the same function as a bidet.) There was one small problem, they were all squat loos. The lady who took my money (yes, you have to pay 20 sen and provide your own loo paper) very kindly unlocked the toilet for the disabled so I was able to be seated in the manner I am accustomed. Two pot plants in the hand basin inside the loo cubicle prevented me from using it.)