Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; May 2017

After spending one day in Malacca I had a couple of days in KL. At first I wasn’t too impressed with the city – I was enjoying being in the country. However, I warmed to it in the end, but really near the end – as I was walking in the evening to get the airport train. It has a charm, you can get good food, people are relaxed (for the most part) and it’s a manageable size for a capital. Sure, it’s a bit shabby in some places, but that’s more interesting than some bland screen glass cities.

The first day I went to Batu Caves for a wander which is full of temples and deities. Unfortunately there are a lot of monkeys which are fed which is good for absolutely no-one and, if it isn’t already, should be discouraged in guide books. Just below the main entrance to the temple caves is a preserved cave, Dark Cave, which was similar to some of the caves in Mulu and more enjoyable for me. So if you are missing that guano smell then head on over!

After getting back to the centre of the city I then found a place to get my hair cut. That should be simple and in a smaller place probably is, but it took my a long time to find a place to get it cut for less than several nights accommodation.

I then found a few spots on the map to walk to including a Hindu temple which was vibrant and felt somewhat incongruous as just another place on the street.

After that, and this was planned in advance, I found a craft beer place named Taps Beer Bar. It had a really good selection of largely British craft beers. I sat for quite a few hours reading a book (which I’d had to purchase having finished my previous book I’d been given) and trying a fair, but not silly, selection.

The next day I went up KL tower in the morning and then spent the rest of the day getting  a few bits of pieces I needed interpolated with large reading breaks. Then the usual traipse the airport for the journey home. Always such a strange feeling watching movies on the flight home seemingly having just been watching them on the way over.