2017 Trip

Kuala Lumpar

Kuala Lumpar was a disaster in some respects because the focus of my trip was the Petronas Galleri - but unfortunately both days I was there it was closed - something to do with the end of Ramadan.  

I did, however, score 12 packets of henna in the early morning market conducted in the alley way to the right where locals will put a bit of plastic down on the ground and sell anything from toothpaste to second hand oddments. This starts at first light for no longer than 2 hours. Cost less than $3 total.

Inside a small fraction of KLCC

Looking out my bedroom window in Chinatown after the first night in a windowless room. I would be very interested in looking inside some of these places that look non too inviting from the outside.

Next lot are taken from the LTR - train- station (Pasar Seni) down the road from the Petaling St Market for tourists in Chinatown. An islamic influence in some of the buildings. I fortunately didn't get woken up from those loud speakers at the top of the tower at some early hour this time as on other side of the building. In fact only heard it once one evening.

The train systems are great in KL - you can even go to Sentral station and do your checkin for your flight and offload your luggage before catching the train to the airport - no queueing! Trains are generally only 5 minutes apart and airport one 15 minutes.

There are also miles of elevated walkways to and from stations so you don't get tangled up in traffic at street level. Trains are usually pretty crowded and you rarely get a seat.

Great that they have esculators everywhere for people like me who will walk their suitcase and use train systems instead of taxis!

Chinatown quick cheap eating - chose an indoor one this sitting instead of the usual outdoor street stall. It is 4 times as big as it looks and has options around the walls from individual businesses.

BANGKOK

Landfall Bangkok - the coastline coming into Bangkok is mostly made up of shrimp farms. We flew right over the main international airport before landing some time later. Yes it is time to plant main rice crop.

Below is night and day view from my 16th floor room (main drag Ratchadamri Rd) directly below this side of the Indra Regent in the district of Ratchaprasong. This is where we stayed 15 years ago on our first trip to Thailand with Ivor and Rosey. Our more frequent accommodation (with much more exciting breakfast) is the line of lights heading from the centre to the right. Orangy red roof in daylight photo.

When travelling by canal boat/buses/ it pays to keep your mouth shut so you don't get splashed up water anywhere near it - quite smelly too.

Coming from a different generation one finds it difficult to understand how blind beggars can afford to run mobile phones.

Below is new elevated walkway down Ratchapradam Rd.

Rosey it was somewhere in one of these buildings along from Cenral World that the iceskating rink was in. I think they are all connected indoors anyway. Certainly wasn't ground floor. Next buildings Isetan and Lotus. You get off skytrain at Chit Lom and walk along walkway above street level and below the train.

Now, I don't usually go into these buildings where everything in the shops is horrendously expensive, but they had an escalator that went up two levels to a walkway that went onto the skytrain walkway so I could get my heavy suitcase to the train without having to lug it up any stairs. Free entertainment of the classy sort in the foyer. Below left is the elevated walkway down the middle of the road with skytrain above.

All building photos taken from above mentioned walkway.  If you are up to a good stretch of the legs you can walk right down to MBK for insane crowdwd shopping on numerous levels - half a whole floor with stalls selling mobile phones and associated covers etc. You do have to go down to street level at one point to get past a train station. Art Gallery across road from MBK but not good child entertainment! You have been there Rosey.