Ollaan vietetty nyt kaksi paivaa Kuala Lumpurissa, enka tieda mista kertoisin ensin. Oltiin lauantai-iltana, yhdeksalta Malesian aikaa perilla Kuala Lumpurissa, loistokkaan ykkosluokan bussimatkan jalkeen. Rajanylitys Singaporesta Malesiaan oli jannittava kokemus, kun se oli minulle ensimmainen laatuaan. Vihdoin sain passiinikin leimoja! Rajanylityksen jalkeen maisema oli yhta viidakkoa, bambua toisen peraan, jokunen paikallinen skootterin selassa siella taalla. Tuijotin lumoutuneena ulos ikkunasta ensimmaiset puoli tuntia, mutta kun maisema ei sen suuremmin miksikaan siita muuttunut, kaannyin bussin leffatarjonnan puoleen. Bussi jatti meidat aivan kuuluisien Petronasin tornien juureen, josta etsittiin taksi hostellille. Taalla tinkiminen on olennaisin juttu kaikessa kaupankaynnissa, turisteille tarjotaan aika tahtitieteellisia lukuja kaiken suhteen - oli kyse sitten taksimatkasta (vain harva taksi kayttaa mittaria, hinta tulee neuvotella etukateen), ruoasta tai vaatteista katumarkkinoilla.
Asutaan aivan Chinatownin kupeessa ja lahella Kuala Lumpurin Central Marketia, molemmat kaupungin katukaupan keskuksia. Sijainti on tuonut monia sellaisia kokemuksia, joita ei keskustan hotellikortteleista loydy: on kulkukoiria- ja kissoja, rottia ja torakoita, ja kala-jalkaterapiaa. Linnut on aanekkaita ja joka puolella, samoin Chinatownin myyntimiehet. Kun sunnuntai vietettiin ostosten parissa, Chinatownissa ja ostosparatiisi Bukit Bintangissa, tanaan paatettiin palata luontoon. Hypattiin paikallisjunaan ja matkustettiin naurettavan halvalla aivan linjan paahan, Batu Caves -nimiseen nahtavyyteen. Luolien suulla seisoo valtava kullattu hindujumala, ja sisalla luolassa on useampiakin pyhattoja. Kavuttiin sata askelmaa ylos tippukiviluolaan, paikoittain pysahtyen ihmettelemaan royhkeita varastelevia apinoita. Takaisin alas paastyamme syotiin evaita ja yritettiin juoda vetta minka kerettiin, paiva oli kiitettavan lammin, +34 astetta ja aurinkoa. Junassa matkalla takaisin paatettiin testata jalkojamme viela vahan ja jaatiin pois Kuala Lumpurin keskuspuiston kohdalla. Puistossa oli sen luonnollisen vehreyden lisaksi kasapain apinoita, lintupuisto, perhospuisto ja peurapuisto. Paatettiin kuitenkin kavella ympari puistoa aivan vapaasti, ja nahtiin kylla silti lintuja, apinoita, varaani ja perhosia.
Eilen varattiin lennot unelmien saarelleni, Tiomanille. Aamulla C varasi meille majoituksen rantachaletista. Tasan viikon paasta valkoiset rannat, kirkkaat vedet ja viidakkovaellukset on vihdoin totta! Pitaa tosin muistaa, etta totta ovat myos joka sortin hyttyset, muurahaiset ja muut trooppisten saarten asukkaat. Tassa koetellaan sietokykya ihan tosissaan, mutta uskon kokemuksen kuitenkin jaavan mieleen enemmankin elamyksena, kuin tuskaisena otokoiden pakenemisena. Tiomanilla vietetyn vajaan viikon jalkeen lennetaan suoraan Singaporeen, josta matka jatkuu Uuteen-Seelantiin.
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We've spent only two days in Malaysia, but already done so much that it's hard to decide where to begin. We arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday night, around 9PM, after our luxurious 1st Class bus trip. The border control when crossing from Singapore to Malaysia was all new and exciting for me, due to the free mobility in the EU. I finally got some stamps for my passport too! The first sights of Malaysia were endless palm tree plantations that went on and on, until I decided to stop looking for more and concentrated on the entertainment selection in the bus. The bus stopped right next to the famous Petronas twin towers, and since we got the view here we didn't need to return here anymore. We took a taxi (after a search for one that agrees to use meter) to our hostel in Chinatown area - and happened to pick the one offered by a gentleman who used to work on a ship and had visited Finland.
Living right behind the corner of Chinatown has brought me new experiences, such that I could never have in Finland. There's cats, rats and cockroaches on the streets, more people than anyone needs and the traffic is bizarre. We spent Sunday shopping, first in the famous shopping area of Bukit Bintang and then in Chinatown, where we really learned to negotiate for the price. Since Sunday was filled with shopping, we dedicated Monday for something else. We hopped on a commuter train that took us to Batu Caves, a Hindu shrine and a famous attraction quite near to KL. To reach the caves one must climb up the approximately 100 steep steps, and avoid the greedy stealing monkeys. In front of the cave stands a massive golden statue of a Hindy god. The day was warm enough, about 34 degrees Celsius. When riding the train back to KL we decided to test our legs some more and hopped off nearby the Central Park of Kuala Lumpur. The Bird park was already closing when we reached it, but we decided to walk around the rest of the big, beautiful park anyway. And even without going to a special park, we saw plenty of birds, a monitor lizard, deer, bugs and beautiful flowers.
Yesterday we booked our flights to the island of my dreams, Tioman. In exactly one week white sandy beaches, jungle trekking, birds, ocean, snorkling and all the colourful sealife becomes reality. Although I need to remember that also the moskitos and several creepy crawlies of the jungle are very much real - that's gonna be interesting. Nevertheless I believe the experience will be unforgettable, in a good way, nevermind the bugs. After a week in Tioman we fly back to Singapore, and from there to New Zealand.
- - -
We've spent only two days in Malaysia, but already done so much that it's hard to decide where to begin. We arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday night, around 9PM, after our luxurious 1st Class bus trip. The border control when crossing from Singapore to Malaysia was all new and exciting for me, due to the free mobility in the EU. I finally got some stamps for my passport too! The first sights of Malaysia were endless palm tree plantations that went on and on, until I decided to stop looking for more and concentrated on the entertainment selection in the bus. The bus stopped right next to the famous Petronas twin towers, and since we got the view here we didn't need to return here anymore. We took a taxi (after a search for one that agrees to use meter) to our hostel in Chinatown area - and happened to pick the one offered by a gentleman who used to work on a ship and had visited Finland.
Living right behind the corner of Chinatown has brought me new experiences, such that I could never have in Finland. There's cats, rats and cockroaches on the streets, more people than anyone needs and the traffic is bizarre. We spent Sunday shopping, first in the famous shopping area of Bukit Bintang and then in Chinatown, where we really learned to negotiate for the price. Since Sunday was filled with shopping, we dedicated Monday for something else. We hopped on a commuter train that took us to Batu Caves, a Hindu shrine and a famous attraction quite near to KL. To reach the caves one must climb up the approximately 100 steep steps, and avoid the greedy stealing monkeys. In front of the cave stands a massive golden statue of a Hindy god. The day was warm enough, about 34 degrees Celsius. When riding the train back to KL we decided to test our legs some more and hopped off nearby the Central Park of Kuala Lumpur. The Bird park was already closing when we reached it, but we decided to walk around the rest of the big, beautiful park anyway. And even without going to a special park, we saw plenty of birds, a monitor lizard, deer, bugs and beautiful flowers.
Yesterday we booked our flights to the island of my dreams, Tioman. In exactly one week white sandy beaches, jungle trekking, birds, ocean, snorkling and all the colourful sealife becomes reality. Although I need to remember that also the moskitos and several creepy crawlies of the jungle are very much real - that's gonna be interesting. Nevertheless I believe the experience will be unforgettable, in a good way, nevermind the bugs. After a week in Tioman we fly back to Singapore, and from there to New Zealand.
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