The Arrival


Welcome to The Arrival!


On the last blog, I talked about our air flight experience.  In this blog, we are moving on to our arrival in Malaysia.

Now, here we are at Kuala Lumpur International Airport with no phone service or hotel shuttle.  I wasn’t worried as much because at least we had made it this far.  While I was casually taking my time, I found a booth where I had $1000 converted to RM, and I received 3700 RM!  Sounds pretty good, huh.


So far, in Asia, we didn’t have to worry about transportation.  Taxi and Uber drivers were lined up soliciting their services.  It reminded me of the red carpet where ropes were blocked off on two sides while the passenger walks down the ramp as drivers tried to get your business with handheld signs.  We ended up using a taxi service that charged 43 RM ($10.97).  Not too bad for a 45-minute ride in a taxi-van.


As usual, we had to hold on for dear life during the ride!  What I’ve learned so far with the Asian drivers is that they are not much on small talk or talk at all; show them where you want to go, and they go about their business.  In my case, I had the address written down just in case the person couldn't speak English.   I was so happy when we got to our destination until I walked inside of the hotel lobby.  What a dump!  I hoped the rooms were better than the lobby, but they weren't.  The name of the hotel is Citin Seacare Hotel Pudu Kuala Lumpur in Chinatown.  I booked this hotel based on the pics, but that was a mistake.  The images I saw online did not look anything like what I saw up close and personal.  The place was filthy.  The carpet was dirty, the ceiling had water damage and moldy.  The doors in the bathroom would not close.  It was so disgusting that as soon as I got in the room, I started looking for other places to stay.  It reminded me of a cheap motel.  Within thirty minutes I decided we needed to get something to eat.  We stepped out into the humidity and was shocked at what we saw.  It looked as if we stepped into a different world.  I don’t want to bash Malaysia, but the area we were in was too shocking to us.  Everything looked old (not in a right way) and dingy.

Before I continue, I need to provide some tips on searching for a place in Malaysia.  Make sure you search for an apartment with a western toilet, air conditioning (you would assume that this would be standard in a location where the average temperature is in the mid to upper 80's), and hot water for your shower.  You'll probably be safe if you go to a hotel opposed to apartments or homes.   Make sure to asks for pictures of the place before you commit.

Moving on.


We looked around to see if there were any hotels nearby and found one located less than a block away.  We went in and asked if they had any rooms we could see.  Pleased with what we saw, we rushed back to the other hotel and checked out.  I told the receptionist that the hotel wasn't what we expected and that I have asthma and wouldn't be able to breathe correctly with the filthy carpet and molded ceiling.  He was pissed but gave me a refund minus one night stay. I paid for a week.  We rushed back to the hotel to find one of the staff members rushing to help us with our luggage.  I'm sure we looked a spectacle rolling luggage down the street with coats.  Since we were desperate for rest, cold air, and food, stares were the last thing on our mind.  We were on a mission.  We were tired, hot, sweaty, and hungry.  After we cooled off and got settled in the room, we went back out to face the humidity looking for food.  We ended up eating at a KFC located between both hotels.  
The staff at the hotel, Comfort City Hotel Chinatown, were very attentive to our needs and provided us with everything we needed plus more such as a power plug adapter because the American electronics (cell phones, laptops, video game console) will not work in the Asian's outlet.  See below for example.  



The first image is the Malaysian outlet.  You have to click the button on the top left for the power to work.  The middle image is the power plug adapter you will need to plug in your American electronics.  The last image is a picture of the laptop plug.  This adapter works well for the electronics but not for the curling iron.  I don't know the price of this adapter as it was a 'gift' from the second hotel.

One of the staff members provided us with two power plug adapters.  They also went as far as bringing us extra bottles of water and more towels.  I heard/read somewhere that the water in Malaysia wasn’t safe for drinking.  I don’t have anything concrete regarding the tap water but played it safe by either purchasing bottled water or boiling and then refrigerate.   But, I’ll talk about this in this next blog.

As with the hotel in Shanghai, the card key was also used at this hotel also for electricity.  A big shout out to Comfort City Hotel Chinatown location No 1&3, Jalan Pudu Lama, 50200 Kuala Lumpur KL.  I would send a link to the hotel, but it’s new (2 weeks to be exact), based on an employee, and doesn’t have a website yet.  What I find interesting about the hotels in Asia is that the toilets do not have handles but a button at the top for flushing (see pic below).  Another surprise is that none of the hotels have face towels!! Yep, you read correctly.  No face towels.  I wonder how they wash their face or ears.  Oh, well, we used the end of one of the bath towels as a face towel.
   




The next day we went down for free breakfast, but it was only for two people. I had to pay 20 ringgits (RM, MYR) each for two of us.  That is equivalent to $10.33.  Apparently, we were in a room that sleeps four in two regular size beds, which I think is their version of twin beds.  It was tight, but we made it for six nights.  We were grateful that the room was clean and affordable at 99 RM ($25.56) per night.  That's a reasonable price for a decent hotel room. Can’t get a hotel in America that cheap.

Let’s talk about the weather.  The humidity is so stifling that my clothes were sticking to my body.  That's saying a lot seeing that I’m a Texan where the temp can skyrocket to the low one hundred.  Texas is hot, but nothing compared to Malaysia’s 88 degrees.  It was sweltering!  Here I was dripping sweat like a faucet, but the weather didn’t seem to have any effect on the locals.  I noticed that when I went out into the humidity, my left knee would swell instantly causing me to limp.  I usually walk it off.  When I go back into the cold air, the swelling will go down.  Interesting, huh?


After breakfast, we decided to do some exploring, despite the humidity.  The staff employee recommended a nearby mall.  She called for an Uber, and we were off to Berjaya Times Square (swollen feet and all)! 

When the driver pulled in front of the main entrance of the mall, I was pleasantly surprised.  It’s as if we were being dropped off in front of a hotel.  Pretty good first impression.  There were also taxis lined up everywhere. Stepping into the mall was as surprising because I’m accustomed to American malls.  For instance, you usually find food in the food court but in Malaysia food is everywhere.  They also have an information desk on the first floor.

We walked around the first couple of floors until we ran into this shoe store named Tomorrow Shoe Time.  This place was aesthetically pleasing for a shoe store.  The theme wasn’t just about shoes.  In the end, I purchased each girl a pair of custom shoes worth approximately 437 RM or $112.  I know I shouldn’t be splurging on sneakers, but my kids deserved it especially when they were experiencing swollen feet.

We explored more until we realized that we couldn’t put off going to the restroom much longer.  What a scary thought with all the stories we’ve read about Malaysian’s bathrooms and toilet etiquette.  I’m going to go off script for a minute.  When we arrived in Kuala Lumpur International Airport the day before, my daughter had to use the restroom while we waited for our luggage from the baggage carousel.  She walked into the bathroom and walked out because the first thing she saw was a squat toilet.  I would go into more details about the squat toilet, but it’s too disgusting, but you can click on the link above.  You can also read more about Malaysian’s toilet habits by clicking HERE.  Back to what I was saying…my daughter walked out of the restroom.  There was an accessible restroom nearby with a western toilet, so we all used that one instead. 

Back to the script.  The restroom at the mall wasn't as inadequate as I imagined.  There was an attendant present to clean up if needed.  I went into one of the stalls and noticed it didn't have any toilet paper.  I stepped back out and grabbed some from a dispenser near the entrance.  I wasn't sure if it was drying hands or wiping.  At any rate, I grabbed a handful before returning to the stall.

Berjaya Times Square isn't just another mall.  It is a 48-story twin tower hotel, condominium, indoor amusement park and shopping complex with 1000 retail shops, 65 food outlets, and 1200 luxury service suites.  It also sports a grand musical staircase.   When you step on a piano-key, you make music.  The three-story theme park is Malaysia's largest indoor theme park.  We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves until it was time to leave.


Around 5:30 p.m. we were ready to head back to the hotel.  I pulled out my phone to call the hotel, and nothing happened.   Let me back up a little.  Remember when we switched hotels and then the girls and I went down to KFC for dinner…well, there was a stand where this man was selling sim cards.  I purchased one for 10 RM ($2.50).  I didn’t buy minutes because I assumed that the sim card came with minutes.  The next morning, I received a text from the mobile company (Digi) stating that I can get sixty minutes free with I clicked on a link. 

Based on that, I assumed I had sixty-minutes and could use a couple of minutes to call the hotel, but that wasn’t the case.  I walked over to the information counter hoping they could assist me, but they said that their phones could not make calls outside.  Yeah, right, I thought.  After about fifteen minutes we went to the front entrance where all the taxis were located and asked how much they would charge to take me back to the hotel.  Their prices ranged from 20 to 33 RM or $5 to $8.51.  I thought that was outrageous!  Especially considering I only paid 5 RM or $1.29 to get to the mall.  Even though we were stranded, I wasn’t about to let them take advantage of me just because I am a tourist and don't speak their language.  We went back inside of the mall to get out of the heat and humidity.   I pulled out my phone to see if by some miracle the phone would work and thank God, it did! I contacted the hotel to arrange for an Uber to pick us up. 

We went outdoors to wait for the Uber.  We didn’t know exactly who was going to pick us up or what vehicle they would be driving.  After about five minutes this taxi pulled up, and I asked if he was from the hotel.  He didn’t speak much English.  I told him that we were waiting for an Uber. He said he would take us to the hotel for the same price.  Well, I wasn’t going to turn him down.  We were ready to eat the food that we had purchased.  When we arrived in the area of the hotel, my kids spotted the hotel and pointed it out to the driver.  Apparently, he didn’t know where he was going.  The driver aggressively (it’s the only way to drive) forced the taxi into the right lane and made an illegal U-turn.  When he pulled in front of the hotel, it was in the middle of the street in front of the hotel; I passed him 5 ringgits ($1.29).  He shook his head and said that it was 10 ringgits ($2.58).  I repeated the conversation he had previously about the rate. He said that taxis cost more.  We went back and forth until he gave up mainly since cars were blocking him from the front and back.  I gave him the 5 ringgits and got out of dodge.  I wasn’t going to pay any more than what we had agreed on.  If that meant jumping out of the taxi, so be it.  It’s a good thing it didn’t come down to that.

The third day in Malaysia didn’t go so well for my eldest who developed a sore throat.  My youngest daughter and I walked to a convenience store to get some medication as well as some food and water.  Purchasing medication is also different.  Instead of walking into a store and browsing medication, in Malaysia all drugs are behind the counter.  The employee will take medicine off the shelf and then ring it up.  The medication must be paid for right then.  You just can’t throw it in your basket and continue shopping.

We spent a total of six nights at the hotel.  I wasn’t sure how long we would be staying there, so I paid two days at a time while I continued searching an apartment online.  That proved to be difficult due to the slow internet connection and not having access to my checking account due to fraudulent activity on January 1st.  Stuck in a new country without access to my money but fortunately, I had a mom.  I was able to transfer money from my account to hers because we shared the same bank and I listed as a depositor.   On our last night at the hotel, I was finally able to book a place. 

After six nights, its time to talk about money.  At the Kuala Lumpur International Airport I had $1000 converted to 3700 RM.  Within those six days, I had managed to spend 2900 RM or $748.  Including six nights at the hotel ($150 or 600 RM), one night at the first hotel ($10 or 40 RM), breakfast for 2 ($40 or 160 RM), fast food because there wasn’t a microwave in the room ($123 or 480 RM).  As well as, Uber ($10 or 50 RM), laundry ($10 or 38 RM), three pairs of sneakers ($120 or 480 RM), medication, and food/water from convenient store ($100 or 387 RM).  These estimates do not include miscellaneous items such as the sim card.   It's amazing how quickly I went through those ringgits. 

Although prices are lower in Malaysia compared to America, it's just shocking how quickly you can burn through Malaysian currency.  I asked myself if it's cheaper living in Malaysia.  Ultimately, I had to agree that it was.  For instance, as I mentioned before, you can get a furnished 2/3 bedroom apartment with 1.5 to 2 bathrooms for $350-500 per month including utilities. In America, I paid $930 for a three bedroom, 2.5 bathroom apartment, excluding utilities and furniture which put me way over $1300 per month.   Also, a 1.5-liter bottle of water can costs between .21 to .53 cents each.  If memory serves me correctly, I've never seen water priced that low in America.  A modest hotel in Texas will run $65 per night. (if you're lucky).  If you multiply that by six nights, the total is approximately $390 excluding taxes.  The taxi or Uber fare would cost three times as much.  Buffet breakfast for two will cost between $16 -$25) depending on restaurant and location. I only paid $10 for 2.  Even though the sticker price of items in RM is shocking, the real cost (the amount in USD) comes out on top.  I always take out my currency converter to verify a price.  I want to make sure that the price is comparable or cheaper than what I would pay in America.  For instance, Scott Extra 2-Ply 20 rolls cost 14.99 RM ($3.87), but at Walmart, a 12 mega roll of Scott Extra costs $11.50 or 44.56 RM.  That's a significant difference.

That is our experience for the first six days in Malaysia.  Please stay tuned for “The Empire.”  Just when I thought things were looking up.

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