Kuala Lumpa (KL)

Thought I would share a bit of what I learnt about KL during my stay from some of the locals.  KL is a relatively new city only being established in 1850, because of the presence of tin mines, and only saw its size and population grow due to the demands of tin and rubber during world war 2, causing massive growth.

New or old, it is a chaotic city, stepping off the mono rail onto the main street, loud blaring of horns, scooters cutting through any gap in the traffic including using the pavement as an extra lane, the morning call to prayer coming from the giant mosques just outside the station.  Every time you cross the road it felt like a leap of faith that you would come out unscathed! (by the end of my trip I had discovered the best way to cross was just to step out and the scooters would drive around you :-/  ) I found my hostel the Reggae mansion, (very cool hostel clean tidy, good WIFI and a great Rooftop bar) checked in and headed straight out to explore, my first destination was the KL tower.

Officially smaller then the Petronas towers, due to it sitting on top of a big hill it is in fact higher up so I had been told the views where much more spectacular, and they where pretty spectacular!  Interesting fact when they built the tower they where so worried about damaging a 100 year old jelutong tree that they moved the tower during construction at a cost of 430000 Ringgit (86000 pounds).

I spent the evening on the roof top bar, where I met two other solo travelers, a travel agent from the UK and a furniture designer from the US.  He designs high end furniture, a desk of which sells for $50k!!! He was in KL to meet a factory owner about making some lower priced mass produced items.  Anyway had a good night a few beer towers, and feeling much the worse the next morning we had all agreed to go to the Batu caves together.  However my two solo travelers had both been told that the toilet facilities at Batu where not very good (we are in SE Asia!) so they didn't want to go as they both had dickie bellies... strange or they just didnt like me very much :-/  Batu caves where situated at the top of 276 steps, quite a climb!  The location and the statues where impressive however I do find it strange that these religious sites are strewn with all types of rubbish, would have thought they would want them kept clear...

These little guys where, amazing to watch just keep hold of your belongings.  I didn't see any moments of mischief, however I did hear a story of a women having her camera stolen by them.  They crawled down as she had her back to them, grabbed out of her bag the camera.  Ran to the top of a tree, shook it, tried to pull it apart, eat it eventually getting board and letting it drop to the ground :-/ 

I felt it was time to move on.  So I booked my train ticket to Penang...