22 April 2006

Welcome to Kuala Lumpur. I am in the southeast of asia today. Guess what the
weathers been like??

Yes really really really hot.

You what the difference between here and Thailand is - AIR CON is
free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So you all cry what have you been doing for the past week.

Lets see........ eating, drinking, sweating, travelling and sweating,
managing 3 countries money, getting lost and taking photos...............
such tough adventures

So my dear friend tony departed (no hes not dead, he sends me a text every
bleedin day) not like his great i love em parents, (hi mum, hi dad - you
adopted son is good and well) on the saturday gone and this has been
mentioned already in the letters from the moon.
Sunday was too a strange day a ( I have just realised how long these things
are, fantastic, I should get a coffee this could take some time
hahahahahahahahahaha) lot of things could have happened but never, I slept
some and I met up with Jo and the guys (becky was doing a course in Massage
and Maltilda was doing a thai cookery class). I was supposed to meet this
thai girl (who I might go into later, but will leave that description to
your imagination!) at 3 for a trip around the market and for a bit of food,
but forgetting we on thai time it never happened, I waited 20 minutes in the
sun and nothing, so not really that upset I went and got all the songkran
and elephant trekking photos on to disc, walked to johns gallery spent a
fortune on my friends (dont worry big guy, I am back there in the week so
will pick you out something pretty) maybe and headed back to base.
Now unbeknown to me our french friend ze lovely carole has me awol all day
and matilda was still concerned when she returned from cookery school full
up and happy. So we had some drinks and then this smile appeared followed in
time by Carole who was smiling so so much it was possibly one of the most
happiest things ever seen. Carole the dirty stop out had been out all night
with a thai guy doing well lets say things that make you smile in the
morning (not unlike you Joe?, oh no remember!!). It was great.
The sunday night market was on so off we all went a little later to buy shit
and stuff and eat in the stalls which was good and the food hot and safe.
Sticky rice and Mango - is delightful. I just hope anyone joining me out
here from the uk likes thai food cooked on fires in front of you.
Rain - Rain is strange. In Thailand rain is signalled not by dinner ladies
shouting its spitting but by tanny announcements which when done sees
flurries of activity as the stalls pack up.
It rained the market cleared the people left. I went to watch the footy,
Liverpool vs Blackburn, bit of a snore event but good to watch with a few
chang.
Spent some time on the internet talking (hi stacey) and then back to Cherry
bar and for those who have been to the bar know why I was there. Still they
shut at 1am and we had a lock in till 4 when I was dragged out and back for
oh la la. However I learnt that if you ring the bell in a thai bar it means
drinks on you. I suggest ringing it when it has been shut and there are no
more than 8 peopl e in there.
Monday was my last but one day there and a sad day and a happy day in many
ways for me. The happy ones as it was another day in happy land and the sad
days was that the whole gang - Jim Becky, Joe were off to another hotel to
stay, Garrett, Ryan, Carole and Matilda (who is very sarcastic apparently)
were off to Laos. So a big hug to all now and a big hug to everyone when
they left although the brits were still in the city so not too sad. I had so
much fun with you all so thank you so much and stay safe and keep laughing,
I have done some crap poems so will send them on if i ever stop writing this
letter to you all, oh yes when you send me you email, christ the heats got
to me, you wait to you hear about singapore.
So anyway monday was final shopping, sleeping and photo day so I went to the
big WAT in the old city and lit some candles and laid some flowers in front
of a great big buddha and asked buddha for safe travels onward through the
year. The place was amazing with elephants carved out of stone in the
temples as well. I carried and walking all the way around the old city and
back to base. I then went after some gin and tonics to the night markets for
a bit, but could not be bothered to buy anything as it was all same same and
i did not have anywhere to store it.
I found the guys in  a sports bar watching yet more footy which suited me.
They hung around for a bit and left I watched Chelsea play and then said
goodbye to wan and then had an early night (midnight)
Breakfast with Joe before his trip to the dentist. Changmai has some of the
best medical facilities in asia and dentists are supposed to be great. So it
could pay to fly to thailand have 2 weeks in the sun and get your teeth
fixed as well. Sounds like a plan.
I left Nois house about 12 midday even though my train was not until 4 as I
had nothing else to do. I go to the grotty unwelcoming railway station that
is changmai and sat about. It was not hot luckily as I can cope with hot, it
was really dammed hot and I was not sweating I was pissing sweat.
Dad, got some photos of some trains and stuff your be so proud of me.
My carriage was bejou in a filthy 1 fan per 8 people kind of way, with a
stoned woman waiteress who delivered food.
My herion or knight in shining armour came in the way of a dutch girl called
and really have no idea how to spell it or say it but I left my email
address with her so maybe she will email and I can ask her, Henzekley or
something, still she was very nice, happy chatty and friendly and hot like
me so that was good. We were also joined by a New Zealand girl called
camille who had managed to be in Chang but miss then night bizarre, sunday
market most of songkran, china town, ladyboys and spicy,how could that be,
she had been there for 2 weeks!!!!! Still as I was on the top bunk, and she
wanted to sleep at 9pm good night jon boy etc
Mr Opie, if you ever wanted an excuse not travel by train I found it. I was
by th toilets, the end of the carriage and there was no bar on this train.
The fan did not reach me and the noise and boredom was very apparent. Thank
christ / buddha for IPOD
I slept for 4 hours of the 14 hour journey. Sweated 14 hours of the 14 hour
journey and never needed a wash so badly.
At 5.30am camille left us and got off at the airport station, I stayed with
my dutch friend and we got off at bangkok station (no photos too tired and
pissy to take any, maybe monday) and she led me to a bus stop caught the no
53 to the back packing place for 6 baht a ticket, we booked into a room for
500 baht and then the best thing that could have happened happened, no not
sex, a shower and change of clothes.
I even got to sleep while dutchy went to the pool and sun bathed.
Now 500 baht a night is a lot of money but cheap in bangkok. But 500 baht
for 5 hours for me was a lot but we split the costs so not too bad.
At midday i was in bangkok airport in the air con world of travel and had
the biggest sized everything burger king had to offer, i am off rice
currently........
I met a canandian girl in the q for singapore and so we went for a coffee
and I spent the majority of the afternoon chatting to her before boarding my
flight and going to Singapore.

Singapore (sorry the flight was a flight, sat by a door and slept, had to
pay for food and water so never had any) looks amazing at night when you
land.

Singapore is the largest container port in the world and has the busiest
shipping lanes in the world and I have been there, seen it and need to go
back. I will do the shopping aspect along with Kl.

Now singapore is expensive, as in very expensive so my friends visa and
american express got a bit of a running out. My room was 45 pounds a night
in a 3 star double with fridge of beer, tv and air con.
I stayed in the grand central hotel and very grand and central to nowhere it
was too except a big mall called the og. It had marks and spencers and all
the designer names you could list there. Oh and McD's which I had as it was
western, late and I was tired. I borught 2 cans tiger lager here in the 7 11
(about 2 pounds for 2) and so pringles which interestingly enough are
smaller in size than western ones, but you know the best thing you can get
in 7-11 in singapore, yes thats right you guessed vibrating condoms, condoms
you wear that also vibrate for enhanced pleasure, my only regret not getting
any!!!
So I had an early night to catch on sleep
The next day what ever that was, maybe thursday was the day to arrange train
tickets to KL (done) and sight see. I wanted to catch a bus and do the city
but kept missing them so I went on the MRT (the mass rail trasit or
underground) to the harbour. The MRT is so clean and new and good and cheap
and easy and the opposite of london which is not any of those things. For 2
dollar of which 1 dollar is a desposit you can go many places. It was great.
So then I went to the island of Sentosa brought a pass to do many a thing
you know visit butterfly farm, museum etc. I went up something called a
merilion and had a show about singapore got its name, yawn but the views
were ace. Then I went a show called pictures of Singapore which again was
yawn but cool as the heat was too much even for me now that I can stand it!!
The carlsberg sky tower, so lets all do the jokes, Carlsberg sky tower,
possibly the best tower in the world and if Carlsberg did sky towers etc.
Still the views over the harbour and the island and the sea lanes and the
city were outstanding and then things changed.
As I was next to carlsberg tower I decided to have one. Then some english
types arrived ( a family ) to be fair and I asked to sit with them cos I had
not seen any english for 24 hours and they said yes. Then we got chatting
they were from south london and on way home and 3 pints later I had a n
address of their friends in New Zealand to stay and had not brought a drink
bless them. They left and I met a guy called Will from cornwall so jon you
must know him or be related to him. We then sat in the afternoon rain
together (it always rains in singapore about 3pm daily this time of year)
and drank our way through 3 jugs carlsberg and 4 doubles of bourbon
upsetting some aussie girls on the way and making friends with the bar staff
and the icre seller aptly named by us as the ice cream girl!
About 8pm we headed toward the city, pissed and I got the MRT to somerset
rd, how homely and got to the hotel.
Then after some phone calls homeward (yes i was pissed) I phoned will and we
met by the mall. He had managed to a taxi driven by a woman, who he not only
had with him but banged already!!!
I never met the driver of the MRT!!
Karaoke Bar singapore -we cant go on together etc, hotel california, take it
easy, we sang for about 2 hours drinking jack and clearing the place. Then
we left, they left for the toilets! and went back to the hotel for sleep as
I had a long day the next day.
I have said little of singapore so here it is, best get the kettle on again
I have not got to Kuala Lumur yet
Singapor is lovely, expensive and lovely, very colonial, english named
streets, english speaking people, english shops, western ideals. You cant
jaywalk, spit, chewing gum is illegal, there are signs of people being
approached by armed men near secure places but the best thing was when we
arrived the captain of the plane said - welcome to singapore ladies and
gentlemen, may i remind you that drugs are not tolerated in singapore and
the consequences could result in your execution, have a nice stay. Ah bless
him!!
Singapore needs another visit, maybe 4 days max, it is definately worth it.


My train to Kuala Lumpur (KL from now, it helps you, it helps me) was good.
First class infact. First class seats with reclining turning seats, great
view, quiet and air con. Free drink on way as well once you get passed
immigration, which involve getting off the train, getting told off for
having long hair compared to my photo on my passport and then waiting and
getting back on the train. The train journey was long, I have seen so many
trees now its boring, they should chop them down and replace them with
cattle its far more exciting when looking out of a window.
Anyway sat with aussie family and we talked and laughed most of the way. I
have rice and egg sandwiches and lunched with a malaysian guy who hated bush
and blair and knew about premiership footy and more importantly tottenham
than many people i know back home, oh and me.
About 1pm we had announcement that the train ahead had derailed and so we
were to continue the journey for some of the way on a bus. So from the
controlled orderly train to the masss scrabble for the bus then a 1 hour
trip through malaysia to get another train which had been sent from kl to
get us.
We get on the train (the bus journey was a journey on a bus) and then after
20 mins, we are told that the loco had broken down and from time to time we
would be told when we would leave once they had another engine to take us.
Free food and drink was not avaialble so that was good, noodles tuna
sandwich and cola.
About an hour later we left the station being an 2 hours late. We arrived in
KL at 5.30.
Tired and hungry and without a room for the night I ordered a taxi and asked
the driver to take me to the Grand Central hotel KL which he did.
Now the exchange rate here is the opp scale of Singapore and better than
thai. 100 pounds gets you 664 ringets.
My hotel for the night (3 star, air con, tv, beer fridge, double bed, phone)
was 90 ringets or about 1.50. wow cheap cheap
Get your head around that.
I could have stayted in the Shangri la for 30 quid and had a maid all night
if I desired, but for 90 ring who cares
Food cheap, jewellry cheap, my camera I spent 200 quid on in thailand was
about 90 quid, Paul that stuff you got in chang is half the price here.
Forget singapore for shopping KL is the place its so cheap. Cheap cheap. Oh
I have not brought anything as no storage.

I am getting bored now with
email.....................................................................
are you?

Anyway no beer in Pizza hut, seen no bars, they dont drink here if they do i
have not found it.

I went for a walk around the city in the dark on my own and got lost and
ended up maybe where I should not have been, saw the locals night market
where I was the only white face there, mind still am today really and it was
ok.
Got back to hotel at 10pm, really need a gin and Tonic, I will have one
before i leave this place.

Saturday morning, up bright and early, get to the petronas towers the
highest building in the world so I get up them as they only have 800 tickets
a day. At 8.30 all gone. FUCK IT. not angry or disappointed or anything,
what the fuck is all that about. So do the next best thing the single tower,
slightly lower than CN in toronto but still cheered me up, great views and
no worries.

And this is where my adventures really end for the week I feel. KL could be
a great place. My train for Butterworth and then onto Bangkok leaves soon. I
need a g&t and a large starbucks i think.
4 weeks in and its been an amazing place and still having so much fun.

I would like to welcome all my travelling friends who have hopped on the
travel letters from the moon list - Joe, Jim, Matilda, Kev, Marta. Hi to all
the late comers, Mark Carter, My cuz Lyn, Stacey, emma and Brina.

I have a mystery guest for the next part of the adventure with me so it all
changes again.

So enjoy yourselves and play nicely. I go now (where you go,) and I will
catch up real soon promise.

Living the dream...............................

Hugs, smiles and kisses