Monday 29th August:
Four movies and a thirteen hour flight later we arrive in Kuala Lumpur. We in this sense is more than just the llama and I. There’s a thirds member and I suppose now is as good a time as any to introduce my travel companion- Conor. Conor was also part of the Chicago adventure and also recently graduated from the same college as I did. Unfortunately he’s not a fan of photographs so you’ll just have to keep a close eye out for him- he’ll be the one resembling a leprechaun!
Anyhow KL airport is quite a distance outside the city. Although taxi is available, the most realistic option for many travellers is the train or bus. 35 RM ($12) will see you grab a 30 minute train while 10 RM ($4) sees you travel like a couple of Irishmen and a llama on a bus.
Given the hectic week gone before we’ve decided to treat ourselves to a hotel for the first few nights; it shortly transpires to be well needed. No sooner have we checked in at 11am than we’re waking up from a deep slumber at 06:30 pm wondering where in the blazes we are! Clarity restored it’s off to eat. Now if you enjoy your food and new experiences, Malaysia is definitely for you. From spending just a few hours here it is clear that food is the unofficial official national pastime. With so many places to choose from it almost becomes difficult to imagine anybody dines in their own home.
For us it’s a trek to the buzzing dining area near Chinatown. Seated on the street with other local and not so local diners we are quickly approached by not one but five servers and a plethora of menus. Over-awed by all the attention we panic and end up ordering from three different restaurants- one each for food and another for a couple of beers. Spot the Irish Paddys!
Satisfied with our meal and heart healthy from the amount of garlic it contained, we amble around a colourful downtown before heading for our hotel beds to try and regulate our body clocks. Thinking we were smart we’ve picked up something for a nightcap on our outbound flight. While intended intended to save on the relatively high cost of alcohol (a beer ranges from 10 to 30 RM), it’s also hoped to combat the body clock issue.
Tuesday 30th August:
Turns out this city is nocturnal and our “sleeping pills” are ineffective. It’s the holiday of Hari Raya Puasa (end of Ramadan) and this year it coincides with Merdeka (Independence day) on August 31st. In celebration every pyromaniac in the city is out setting off fireworks. Fair enough letting them off at night time buyt you have to wonder what’s going on when they are still being set off at 06:00 am!
In any case we sit in our beds like children, waiting for it to get bright so we can go out an play. Eventually we make for the Petronas Towers on foot. With the benefit of hindsight we perhaps would have taken a few different turns and not end up marooned by a river and a highway. Oh well! Dismayed as we were by our navigational shortcomings, it only got worse when we discovered the Towers were closed until September 6th.
Down but not out we resolved not to let it ruin our day albeit that there isn’t a huge amount to do in KL at 8:00am. A more significant agreement was made this morning too- to grow beards for the duration of the trip. If we’re honest the main rationale for this is probably laziness but I think the llama will appreciate it, you’ll just have to deal with us getting hairier as the adventure unfolds.
Wandering by foot we were taken aback by the sheer amount of men ( or “Brendans” as we called them) standing around the place. I’m not talking about a few scattered here and there, more throngs of them congrgated for a chat making streets and roads almost impassable. It’s a bit different to how we spend public holidays in Ireland, the only way you’d have crowds on a street like that is if there were scores of people trying to get to the pub!
To our delight we came upon two temples. The first was the Taoist temple of Cheng Hoon
Teng, the oldest of its kind in Malaysia. The second was the Sri Mahamariamman Temple,
the oldest Hindu temple in KL. Having embraced all that was on offer by both it was back
to the hotel for sleep after the previous nights non-event.
Wednesday 31st August:
Awoken by sharp pains of hunger it’s off on the train to find a remedy. Must say
the train system in KL is superb and by far the best way to get around the city in my
mind. For the petty sum of 1.20 RM ($0.40) we can quickly make it from our base in Chow
Kit to the bustling Bukit Bitang or Chinatown. Once fed we suss out the bargains in
Petaling Street. This place is just plain crazy! Jam packed with all sorts of traders
selling anything from fruit to rucksacks, it’s a street that doesn’t sleep.
Although often difficult to navigate through the crowds it’s a must for any
traveller.
For the laugh I decide to engage in KL’s second favourite pastime- haggling! One
look at any of the signs on taxis in KL (prohibiting haggling) tells you that not too
many prices in the city remain as they appear on first glance. In the market for some
new sunglasses I go for a dodgy pair of “Ray-bans”. The vendor, realising
I’m unimpressed with his “very good price” of 60 RM ($20) is soon
offering me the “very special price” of 12 RM ($4)……..deal!
Unfortunately he’d nothing for a llama so we’ll have to share!
Leaving Petaling brings us back amongst the masses of “Brendans” enjoying a good old chat on their day off. If yesterday brought us the mystery of their seemingly futile congregation, today brings us the miracle of the magic hand. I’ve lived in a few of different countries at this stage and on my travels the pedestrian code has always been the same- green man means walk, red man means don’t. Not in KL though; so long as you have a group of at least four people and stick your paw out in front on oncoming traffic (be it car, truck or bus), you have a divine right to cross regardless of what the traffic lights may indicate! While it did speed up out trek around the city, it’s one of the things I’ll be leaving behind me in KL.
Thursday 1st September:
Being the opportunists we are, we’re up and at it early in the hunt for a tailor to get some cheap suits and shirts tailored. Our spirits are somewhat dampened quite quickly when we learn that most tailors are still closed due to Merdeka. We do however come across some and do some pricing. Eventually we settle for a very reputable gent who will fit us and organise postage to Ireland-sweet! 700 RM gets me four top class shirts and a good starting relationship with a Malaysian tailor……I can feel my social stock rising already!Again he doesn’t do anything for llamas so there’ll have to be more sharing.
Homeless for the night we get a double room for 80 RM. Depending on your fondness for comfort and security 20 RM would get you a bed for a night; an absolute steal! Settled in it’s off to bed early for what’s in store tomorrow….Taman Negara, the worlds oldest tropical rainforest!
Friday 2nd September:
Off to the jungle it’s time for the llama to spread it’s wings equivalent. Although expecting a five hour bus ride to our connection, having evil caneveil himself at the wheel gets us there in three. Admittedly while his driving wasn’t conducive to anyone on board catching some sleep, it was a good adrenaline rush to start the day. Suffering from slight motion sickness we catch a three hour boat trip to our base which leaves with sufficiently numb backsides by the time we arrive at Kuala Tahan, a little paradise. Fully equipped with floating restaurants, hostels and small shops, the locals have really maximised on the area’s potential.
After some long overdue hammock time it’s out for a night jungle trek. Now if you’re going to go on one of these you’ll need to bring a torch….of course the two Paddy’s forgot all about this and were the only ones in the group without one. Fear not though, the combined efforts of the Netherlands in front and Spain behind, saw us through. Major injury averted it can be said that fubling around in the dark looking at all kinds of bugs, scorpios, deer and wild boar is a great way to spend an evening!
Saturday 3rd September
This morning it’s up and at it again early for breakfast and our main day of activities. A slow start of stale toast and overly tangy jam is compensated for by the appearance of some breakfast noodles- cue the Irish lads to fill their stomachs. A 5 minute car trip brings us to the rivers edge where we catch a boat to our first activity; canopy walking.
To ease any confusion this basically involves trekking across a number of rope bridges whilst suspended up to 50 metres above the jungle floor. Interestingly the jungle natives enlisted the help of some native American tribes in constructing the bridges which still stand there today. All in all a fear of heights will not be the best thing to bring with you as there are quite a few wobbles along the way.
Back on solid ground it’s time to take a hike through the jungle to one of its best vantage points Bukit Terisek. While the hike itself is fine (about 40 mins or so), the humidity makes it less bearable. Covered in sweat we make it to the top and can take a well deserved break.
Down from the mountain there’s time for a chat with a very interesting Scotsman over lunch before heading home for some much needed shower and hammock time. While the mornings exertions may have make us sweat, the evenings turn out to be very wet! Packed into a small boat we shoot some rapids (getting thoroughly drowned in the process) before mooring at the beach of an indigenous tribe. Here we meet the chief and his people who provide us with an insight to their lives.
Being some of the few people permitted to live in Taman Negara, they still retain many if not all of their tribes’ skills and customs. To prove the point we are shown how to make fire (very quickly I might add!) using only materials found in the jungle. On top of this the chief teaches us how the hunt and even lets me have a go! Their chief weapon is comparable to the straws we’ve all used in restaurants as children to shot paper out of at others…..well only theirs are made of wood and bamboo and shoot razor sharp needles which are laced with poison!
Following a further look around their tribal grounds it’s back to base to refuel and settle in with the bugs for the night.
Sunday 4th September
To our grave disappointment there are no breakfast noodles today and we have to survive on stale toast and jam. Not to mind however, it’s back to KL after our little retreat in the jungle. Like the outward trip evil canevil is as eager as ever at the wheel which maes for a speedy yet sleepless journey back to the city. Fed and showered we hit the streets in search of a good Irish bar….not for what you may think however. The All-Ireland Hurling Final between Tippearary and Kilkenny is on at 22:30 (15:30 Irish time) and it’s our task to find somewhere showing it. Having wandered around a bit we come upon some Irishmen (recognisable by being follically challenged and having rosy sunburnt heads!) who tell us the spot. Delighted we settle in and have a few light refreshments over a good game of hurling. Kilkenny go on to win, we’re adequately refreshed- everybody’s happy!
Monday 5th September
Today marks the end of the Malaysian adventure. We pack up the bags and re-board the airport bus. Checked-in, the search for a drinks machine to spend our last few ringitts nearly makes us miss our flight. Disaster averted and normal heart rate restored we just make the flight- lights out…..next stop Auckland, New Zealand.
