Settling in to KL

We arrived in KL slightly bleary off the night train. We had a real adventure with our five top bunks through the jungle but I don’t think anyone actually slept all that well. A quick stop in KL Sentral station for breakfast and then on to find our hotel. Two interlinking rooms this time, very lovely and very friendly staff.

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We couldn’t check in until 2pm so we went to look at the shopping centre opposite. Turns out it has a theme park on the top levels including a full size roller coaster. Only Phil was tall enough and brave enough to go on the big one, but we still enjoyed the smaller rides and we had the place pretty much to ourselves for a good deal of the afternoon. For tea we hit the hawker stalls and had fabulous beef ball noodles! A broth with beef balls in and a separate bowl of noodles with soy sauce mince on top. Delicious and very filling.

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For thursday we had taken the plunge and booked a tour to the Malaysian elephant sanctuary. It was highly recommended by both locals and travellers but we were very disappointed. Bathing the elephants was cancelled due to high water levels, feeding them was much as you can do at Colchester zoo, and the “ride” was only a 20m circle. Not at all what we had hoped for, and very expensive for what it was. We visited deerland on the way and the kids held an albino python.

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Today we have redressed the balance a bit by playing in a free playground all day. The kids had been in their pants in the water play / paddling pool as we didn’t know they would need costumes. The water provided some much needed cooling from the blistering heat. I’m trying not to moan as i know those at home are still hoping for some summer weather but, my goodness, it has been hot on this trip!

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This evening there has been a thunderstorm so we have been out for dinner at the indian just a few doors from our hotel. As we walked there i thought maybe one korma, one biriyani and one hot one for Phil should do. Once we got there we realised that making plans like that is hopeless! It turnedout to be a canteen type effect with no words of english spoken so we pointed at some random things and hoped they wouldn’t be to spicy for the children. The staff couldn’t have ben more welcoming. It turned out just fine with delicious food and enough that the children could manage, just far too much. Child size portions seem so far to have eluded us completely. Normally we order three adult meals and share but today everyone wanted a chance to choose from the counter so we ended up with five adult meals. No chance of starvation tonight…..