I arrived at KL international at around 9pm local time last night, after two 7 hour flights from Heathrow, via Oman. I watched Inception (again), a great film with Wayne Bridges in it called Wild Heart, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (again) and the first episode and a half of Homeland series 1. I didn’t bother to learn how to say “hello” in Malaysian (nor if Malaysian is even a language) but have promised myself that I will try harder on that front moving forward.

From KL International I found the bus terminal (with help from some friendly locals, who luckily understood “hello” in English) and bought a ticket for KL Sentral Station. By this point, the track suit bottoms that had kept me so warm on the plane were pretty damp. The Vans and socks came off in exchange of a pair of flip flops and the track suit bottoms were rolled up, as though that was how they were supposed to be worn. Not sure I got away with it.

The 60 minute bus journey from KL International to KL Sentral Station (yes, KL International is about as far for KL as “London Luton” is from London) was ropey, yet spectacular and was soundtracked by Tame Impala. We travelled at mere inches from other vehicles at incredible speeds. The excitement had started.

As you approach KL you start to see the odd glowing high rise, until within a while you are surrounded by them, and tropical looking trees and foliage. The city looks beautiful at night.

From KL Sentral, my new Swiss friend (from Lausanne) and I took the KL Rapid Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 stop north to Pasar Seni for the fee of RM1 (about 22p) where we said goodbye.

Dodging buses and taxis, I walked the wrong way (i.e. not via “tourist hot spot” Sri Maha Mariamman Temple) to Raizzy’s Guesthouse, where I am paying about £4.50 per night for a bed in an 8 person mixed dorm. There’s free water, tea, wifi and bean bags (although the latter two must be left here when I leave.

I was greeted in my dorm by an American PHd student, two Germans, a girl from Vancouver and a very drunk 28 year old from Malta, who offered me a plastic cup of an unknown spirit and coke, which I was glad to accept. After the standard enquiries (Where are from? How long are you here for? Where are you going?) they went out for the evening and I took a shower (to dry off).

It’s now 6am. I’ve had 3 hours sleep. There’s lots of drunk snoring going on and I’m waiting for what might be an acceptable time to get up an start exploring to try and battle this jet lag.

The adventure has begun!

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