Alex Quinn's Japan Journal

12/27/2004, Malaysia trip day 1: Kuala Lumpur (capital city)

Overview of our trip

Here's a quick overview of everything we did in Malaysia.

• 12/27/2004 - Kuala Lumpur - Arrive, eat dirty noodles
• 12/28/2004 - Kuantan - Arrive, eat great seafood with Anwar
• 12/29/2004 - Kuantan - See moque, get tourist info
• 12/30/2004 - Kuantan - Tour of Panching Cave (Gua Charah), Sungai Pandan Waterfalls, Mansar (guide)
• 12/31/2004 - Teman Negara - Negotiating, Park Lodge, Aki (owner)
• 1/1/2005 - Teman Negara - Hiking in jungle with Appon
• 1/2/2005 - Melaka - Bus to Melaka, talk politics with owner of Shirah's Guest House
• 1/3/2005 - Melaka - Bicycle tour, shopping at Mahkota Parade, historic buildings
• 1/4/2005 - Melaka - Shopping, bus to Kuala Lumpur, shopping, departure

We caught a plane from Kansai Airport (in Osaka) at 11:30 AM and spent about 7 hours on the plane.  The cost was ¥75000 (≈$750) per person round trip.  On the plane, they warned us verbally and in writing that drug traffickers would receive a mandatory death sentence.  We were surprised that there was absolutely no customs procedure in Malaysia.  The customs booths were unmanned and there was simply a security guard waving everybody through at once.  I guess we could have smuggled two full suitcases of heroine as far as they were concerned.  I've seen this kind of strange law enforcement in more subtle ways in Japan.

After taking a train from the airport to central Kuala Lumpur, we took a walk around Chinatown.  Like Chinatowns everywhere in the world (or so I've heard), it was a dirty and noisy place.  Huge heaps of trash all over the sidewalk and it smelled like it too.  We went out looking for food.  Many places were closed.  We ended up at a rather dirty looking street noodle shop.  There were a bunch of plastic tables and chairs laid out with many people "dining".  A guy ran the food from a dingy kitchen half a block away.  Chopsticks were sitting in a big pan of stagnant water.  We were scared to death of getting sick from this place.  We badly wanted to order something without meat, but there was a language barrier, despite the fact that English is supposedly an official language in Malaysia.  We just asked for what the people next to us were eating.  Sadly, it had meat in it.  They didn't say what kind of meat.  They just said it had various kinds of meat such as chicken and pork.  We spent the entire meal chattering in Japanese about how sick we might get, how long we would stay sick, how soon we would feel the effects, how many times we might go to the bathroom that night, and so on.  Nevertheless, the noodles were pretty tasty.  It was our first meal in Malaysia.  Thankfully, all other meals we had were much better in all respects.

The hotel was quite comfortable.  Nice soft bed.  Quiet enough.  A radio with cheesy American music.  Room service for those who wanted it (not including us).  We were impressed, since it cost only 92 Ringit (≈¥2555, ≈$25.55).

Sorry, no pictures on this first, rather uneventful day.

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