A wild wander to Malaysia

Friday
We had a little business to conduct in Shah Alam, and that needed sorting first and fast, so the Friday morning saw us there and back using more Grab cars. I dislike their app as it’s far harder to use than the Indonesian Go-jek, but it’s fine if you know the name of the place you want to go – Sad as it was, or I am, I didn’t most of the time to I had to use google maps to find the name then stick it into Grab’s app. Once I managed to work that out, the rides are cheap, all the cars I’ve been in so far have been clean and tidy, and the drivers did exactly what they were supposed to do.
The long jaunt on Thursday tired out this old, decrepit, but strangely handsome and sexy chap, so we skipped breakfast on Friday, opting for a lunch of Malaysian delights in a small restaurant (Malaysian food is very much delightful). I enjoyed a plate of noodles with chicken, sambal and a bunch of other stuff (delicious), the rest of my clan of monsters eating a variety of other local dishes – We all left that place happy, full, contented, and smiling. Price wasn’t bad either.

I would generally recommend booking hotels in Chinatown or Bukit Bintang without breakfast as street food is delicious, extremely cheap, and very much part of the tourist experience.
We didn't take a single meal in the hotel.

KL has changed a lot since my last visit, mostly there are far fewer jams and some taxi drivers volunteered to use the meter, something that pretty much never happened before.

My wife ordered me to the shops to pick up essential supplies such as chocolate, lemon drinks, some red tiger balm, and milk for my youngest, so I went directly to the shops, then returned to the hotel immediately, doing as I was told as every obedient husband should but, as I knew she was really tired so likely to nod off, I went for a walk around Chinatown first. That street in interesting in many ways but getting there involves refusing several prostitutes offered by taxi drivers and a couple of massage places that have sprung up since I last visited this muddy confluence.
Once you’re there be prepared for pushy salesmen shoving overpriced rubbish into your face and demanding you buy it as prices higher than most drug addicts that have just found a thousand quid under the sofa. If you actually want to buy something, divide the suggested price by at least 4 and you’re probably closer the real price. Once you have that worked out, go to a stall you have yet to visit with your desired payment in cash stuffed in your hand. If you have the price right or you’re a little high, one will break and swap your money for whatever he’s selling.
Chinatown is a lot more like Indiatown now as most of the Chinese traders have been replaced by even more pushy Indian traders that simply won't let go if you show interest in something. It's best to wander around and simply ignore the hawkers, pretending not  to realise they're talking to you.
The street is worth a visit as part of a KL adventure, but souvenir shopping is far better done in the malls where you'll get far better prices and a lot less hassle.

Kuala Lumpur is a new city by world standards, and not a place where floods were unknown but, whilst that underwater history is pretty much a thing of the past, the metropolis still knows rain, and lots of it. The upshot for me at the time of writing sitting here with my beautiful Samsung Tab S5e when we should be taking a shirt walk to a little Indian street restaurant we fancy trying. The thought of unleven bread with a curry sauce, and perhaps a little chicken if we really fancy pushing the boat out, is a very pleasing one, but something that has to wait until this thunderstorm abates. The good news is I haven’t heard a bang for a while but that could be explained by the hotel rooms being separated by quite good walls, or maybe the neighbours are just quiet.
The rain stopped, we toddled off out, tried the restaurant, vomited ..... no – the roti chanai was delicious so we ordered the same again, demolishing a double portion each. A wander around the Chinatown market didn’t yeild  much of interest but, once I’d kicked the clan back to the hotel, I took a wander around on my own. That handy little stroll worked out handy as I found what looks like a nice Indian place and the souvenirs my daughter was nagging for. I returned to the hotel, washed my smelly feet, washed the other smelly bits that modesty and decency forbid me mentioning, then back to penning utter rubbish on my Samsung.

Saturday
Saturday started late because my lazy daughter wouldn’t get her backside our of bed (nothing new there), but started exceptionally well with Roti chanai from an excellent restaurant directly opposite the Ancasa hotel just outside Chinatown. The hotel is pleasant and comfortable, but the restaurant we were viewing our hotel from is devoid of air conditioning and has metal tables, but the food is as lovely as it was 14 years ago when my younger than now handsome features first graced its doors. I fully recall I had dark hair at that time but marriage soon turned that into a shiny grey. The pleasure of eating such lovely food (It met my rose bespectacled memory perfectly) might just help recolour my crowning glory, that or it’s back to a bottle and the risk my wife will absentmindedly pick red again.
Whilst I might be Indonesian, I have very British manners so, when I first partook of Indian food in Malaysia back on 2005, I made a point to learn how to say “Thank you” in Tamil (The most common Indian language in Malaysia), that always going down well, usually adding a smile to an otherwise work weary face.
Next stop was the massive fishy experience at KLCC, an expensive but interesting place the kids loved, especially the underwater tunnel.
Then to a Seven-Eleven for a slurpy, then back to the hotel for a rest. I tried to book a Grab but it seemed to be having trouble finding a driver, then came up with a bunch of ads. Saw a taxi and by the time we’d got in and I’d got rid of all the Grab ads and links, the thing told me a driver had arrived to pick us up. The Grab app is poor at best, tries to offer suggestions so you end up losing the place you’re trying to get to, and keeps coming up with pointless links you have to get rid of. The daft links were what led to the driver losing the job he’d turned up for, and us ending up in a less than great taxi.
Dropped the nagger and kid off then took the older of the two monsters off souvineer hunting ... and a McD heart attack thing.
A wander out to a really nice little restaurant, a place named “Southern spice”  (131-133, Jalan Tun H S Lee) was a very nice close to the family evening but I took a last wander alone, finally meeting an old mate I’ve been looking for since we arrived here. Man, for ‘tis his nickname, was a witness at our wedding. We’ll invite him for breakfast either today or tomorrow.

Sunday started with more delicious roti Chanai, then moved on to a shopping trip for a new pair of glasses
I wanted a new pair as mine are getting a little old so, while we were in a position to get them at a crazy cheap price, I went for it
After a very nice coffee and donuts for lunch, I picked up the glasses then it was back to the hotel for a rest before we go out again. We tried 2 taxi drivers, the first wanting a stupid price, the second put the meter on as I informed him of our destination and used the direct route rather than the tourist version. Honest taxi drivers are a bit rare so far so I gave him a generous tip.
A rest later saw us out and about again, this time to a couple of local markets where we found a bunch interesting stuff to look at, drink, and eat. A lovely little kebab shop next to Pasar Seni produced a very nice tea.
Pasar Seni is a must for the tourist map, but don't forget the stalls outside where a wide variety of delicious food and drinks are available. I enjoyed a banana lassi to die for -quite wonderful.

The glasses were so ridiculously cheap compared to the same in indonesia we returned and bought a spare pair for my wife who liked them more than the first ones we bought so they're her main pair now.
The kids saw Spiderman was on at the cinema so off we went - The cinema in Times square (That's the mall with a rollercoaster and a load of other big rides) is pretty good.
Tickets are cheap and you use machines so no need to queue up. The tickets come with food offer vouchers - You don't have to take them but the kids love popcorn even more than I do so we went for it.
Charlie, my youngest, did a whole box to himself (Well, maybe I helped a little).
The cinema is very clean and tidy, the seats are a good size, and comfortable - Recommended.

As part of my search for the old mate I strolled into the Reggae bar on  Jalan Tun H S Lee just outside Chinatown. I no longer drink so I didn't hang around but it was pretty much as I remembered the place from my many previous visits. It's a good hangout place for tourists and worth adding to any traveller's tourist map.

There's a steamboat outside Nandos in Chinatown that's also exactly as I remembered - Very nice.

I wandered into the local KFC with my daughter as she was nagging me for whatever, but walked out sharpish because the smell was disgusting. I have no idea if the other branches are the same, or even if that place is always that way, but it put me off in epic way fashion.

I stayed, as I mentioned, at the Ancasa hotel, a clean and comfortable place that really handy for all the local stuff tourists are likely to want to visit. The staff were exceptionally helpful in many ways, including volunteering to print out our boarding passes and booking an airport taxi for us (A very nice one). We paid slightly over the odds (not much) for the taxi so the driver got a nice bonus from the trip, but it was worth it as we got to the airport without any hassle, and in comfort. I don;t think the hotel made on the trip but the bellboy who sorted it out very probably got a cut (No worries - he worked for it so I have no problem with that)

There are wide selection of other places to stay ranging from at least one capsule hotel near the Reggae, 35 Ringgit hotels, through RM 75 stuff, to the really nice and very expensive places with all the bells and whistles. I recommend taking a place with Air conditioning if you want to sleep well but skip breakfast as there's so much delicious street food and a load of great restaurants.

Money changers' rates vary wildly, and rates are negotiable.
XE.com (A very handy site) gives mean rates so try to get as close as you can. The changers have to make a buck so you always get a little less than shown on the site, but shopping around and haggling will get you better rates than just accepting whatever you're told.

Massage places are plentiful, all offering massages, many offering a lot more. As AIDS and other STDs are notable problems, I strongly recommend you don't partake of paid pleasures. A lot of taxi drivers will also offer you the same dubious services, polite refusal being the best idea.

Malaysia is full of delightful ladies with morals ranging from 'no hope before marriage' to 'a drink or few gets you a pleasurable night'. That's up to the individual gentleman's conscience (and personality) but is unlikely to get you into trouble. However, I would be very careful with my wallet when in a hotel room with a stranger. I always pushed mine under the mattress where I was sleeping if the lady stayed overnight, but it's better to kick them out before sleeping if possible. Of course, I'm married now so that wasn't on my list this time, but I was guilty of some naughtiness before I met my wife.
For lady visitors to Malaysia, it's very easy for you to find a gentleman companion if you feel lonely.
I have little idea of any possible gay scene in KL but I understand such relationships are illegal so care is required if looking for a partner.

A smartphone, even a simple one, is an extremely useful item to own.

I picked up a Umobile sim at the airport, and it was good enough for the job.

Tourists and expats alike will probably find the following apps handy:

Whatsapp - A very handy communications tool

Line - Younger people tend to use this.

Google translate - Essential until you have a grasp of the language.

A browser (I like Google chrome) - An encyclopedia in your pocket with information about everything you might want to know

Google maps - This app will find you everything and get you there. It also links to things like hotels, booking apps, and gives information such as telephone numbers and opening times.
Using this app in a taxi means the driver can't take you the tourist route. Doesn't matter with Grab as it's in their interest to complete the trip as quickly as possible.

Waze - A navigation app. Some prefer it to Google maps

Grab -  A taxi app that's common in Malaysia. I find it hard work to use and the pop ups are a rare old pain, but it get you there.

Some apps have been accused of data mining so I would be careful if you have sensitive information on your phone. I use a second, cheap, phone for the above.

I shot a little video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44Az5N-6rMM

Hi Fred,

Ok, interesting time you had. I may have some comments but do have a huge question. Did you become an Indonesian citizen? Why did you want to and how was it even legally possible?

I was honoured with citizenship some while ago after a long and complex process. It's not easy but can be done.

Why.

Not a lot in England to miss except the delicious Indian food.
Only 2 family members there.
The UK has massive social issues I dislike, most drug related and the UK government pussy foots around with the greatest threat to UK society since Hitler, maybe including him.

My family is here, including 2 kids
Sambal
The cops shoot drug dealers
I love Indonesia way more than Malaysia, and I really like Malaysia.

The primary reason was family (Indonesia is a good place to bring up kids), but the sambal is a massive bonus.