Today it was time to move on from Singapore. We had an afternoon coach booked to Kuala Lumpur, where we will be staying with Doug and Wilma, friends of Matt's family. Catherine is friends with Wilma, and Matt is friends with her son Mark, from when they all lived in Aberdeen. Mark is currently living in Budapest, and Doug and Wilma were brought to Kuala Lumpur with Doug's work.
So before I move on, what did I think of Singapore? My final opinion is that it is almost exactly like London, if London was slicker and actually, well, worked. It is not the police state that its reputation will have you believe, but at the same time it is obsessively clean and very ordered. Only when I stepped into Chinatown or Little India did I feel that I was actually in Asia.
However, it was a very good place for as to start. Daniel and Jenny, the hostel's owners, were friendly and helpful, and they kept the hostel in an immaculate condition. The wide use of English made it easy to get used to quickly, and the air conditioning meant that we have adapted well to the climate. I am however looking forward to moving on to Kuala Lumpur, although we will hardly be living the traveller life in Doug and Wilma's penthouse apartment!
We made our way to the bus station, and were pleasantly surprised by the bus. It was air conditioned, has wide seats and lots of leg room, so it definitely wins against the plane!
We were on the coach for 30 minutes when we reached the border. Our coach driver smashed through the barrier, earning us an hour wait in 'no man's land' whilst he was interviewed by Singapore customs, however we were soon at the Malaysia check point.
The drive to Kuala Lumpur through Southern Malaysia was amazing. It all looked completely different to Singapore – so disorganised, so individual, so what I was expecting. We drove past trucks with ten men in the back, there are vast patches of forest everywhere, and every building is different.
The bus driver's driving was... different. Almost literally pushing motorbikes off the road, driving faster than any of the cars and getting so close to the car in front that if they braked, he had to swerve to avoid hitting them.
We did manage to arrive in Kuala Lumpur in one piece, and Wilma was waiting as the bus pulled up. She drove us back to the penthouse, and to stay we were impressed would be an understatement - this place is pure luxury. Not sure even the best hotels in the city would be this good!
Wilma cooked us a lovely meal, and we spent the evening chatting. Wilma showed us the complex's pool, and we have soon decided this is where we will be found tomorrow. We had better enjoy the luxury whilst it lasts, as peace and quiet is certainly not what we will find in Bangkok...
No comments:
Post a Comment