Sunday, May 08, 2005
wasting away again in margaritaville
Out of necessity (elections, football) we decided to spend 4 days in a city that seemed to only have 2 days worth of attractions. Nevermind - we thought - we can just do 2 things a day, we can sleep in, we can play backgammon... we can walk really, really slowly (it is bloody hot afterall).
Our first day in KL we decided to visit the colonial part of town (20 min), the tallest flagpole in the world (2 min), the national monument (4 min). There was also a Bird Sanctuary (off limits as Pete is scared of flying creatures) and a Butterfly Sanctuary (apparently too expensive - but I think it might have had something to do with flying creatures). So after 26 minutes - even with really slow walking and the occasional sit down - we were kinda running out of things to do. Cue, Pete Wylie, the ideas man, "let's go swimming". Perfect. So off we trundle to the local outdoor public pool.
Things were looking up, the pool was 100m from our hotel in Chinatown, it cost about 50p to get in, and was olympic sized! However, we didn't reckon on their ridiculous rule stating that swimming trunks (as opposed to speedos) were not allowed - a rule that was probably designed to keep the Aussie surfing riff raff out. Pete was not allowed in, and you can imagine not happy.
In the resulting fracas he tried to argue that his shorts WEREN'T trunks to 3 different (uncaring staff). Finally we claimed our entry money back and got ready to storm off... but then... we have nothing to do, we NEED to go swimming, but I hate those people, but I don't want to rent shorts, but, but, but I'm bored, maybe we could just sit here for an hour? 25 minutes of soul searching later and I was back buying our second set of tickets and renting some speedos for Pete (he was too embarrassed to do either after the scene he made).
Our next day, thankfully, we were kept occupied by the election coverage until early afternoon. Leaving only time to visit the KL Tower - Malaysia's answer to the CN Tower (but not quite so tall I was happy to read). It was only out of sheer desperation that we listened to all 12 stations on the audio guide (Pete doesn't do AGs). And still it only took 30 minutes.
By 4 o'clock we were back at the pool and I was renting speedos for the second day running.
Saturday, finally. In the morning we decided to visit a sight that, rather inauspiciously, neither of us had actually noticed the first few times we read the guide book. This time it was OUT OF TOWN, requiring a bus journey to and from... Perfect - commuting doubles the time! It was actually quite nice to just make our way over to the bus stop, pay the driver and go on our way. Reminded us of London.
Our destination, the Batu Caves, KL's biggest Hindu religious site, were (I hate to say it, but I am sure you are not surprised) less than thrilling. But at least there were 272 steps up to the cave entrance, adding at least 13 minutes to the visit time. There was also a nice man with a huge snake who we stared at for 11 minutes before climbing down. 41 minutes later waiting at the bus stop, Pete sagely said 'I don't want to see another Hindu temple for at least 4 years'. I second that.
In the afternoon we thought about swimming, but then the airconditioning gave me a cold and we had the perfect excuse to take the afternoon off from keeping ourselves busy.
Miraculously I was better in time to go to the football that evening (and drink 2 jugs of beer - how did that happen?).
Our first day in KL we decided to visit the colonial part of town (20 min), the tallest flagpole in the world (2 min), the national monument (4 min). There was also a Bird Sanctuary (off limits as Pete is scared of flying creatures) and a Butterfly Sanctuary (apparently too expensive - but I think it might have had something to do with flying creatures). So after 26 minutes - even with really slow walking and the occasional sit down - we were kinda running out of things to do. Cue, Pete Wylie, the ideas man, "let's go swimming". Perfect. So off we trundle to the local outdoor public pool.
Things were looking up, the pool was 100m from our hotel in Chinatown, it cost about 50p to get in, and was olympic sized! However, we didn't reckon on their ridiculous rule stating that swimming trunks (as opposed to speedos) were not allowed - a rule that was probably designed to keep the Aussie surfing riff raff out. Pete was not allowed in, and you can imagine not happy.
In the resulting fracas he tried to argue that his shorts WEREN'T trunks to 3 different (uncaring staff). Finally we claimed our entry money back and got ready to storm off... but then... we have nothing to do, we NEED to go swimming, but I hate those people, but I don't want to rent shorts, but, but, but I'm bored, maybe we could just sit here for an hour? 25 minutes of soul searching later and I was back buying our second set of tickets and renting some speedos for Pete (he was too embarrassed to do either after the scene he made).
Our next day, thankfully, we were kept occupied by the election coverage until early afternoon. Leaving only time to visit the KL Tower - Malaysia's answer to the CN Tower (but not quite so tall I was happy to read). It was only out of sheer desperation that we listened to all 12 stations on the audio guide (Pete doesn't do AGs). And still it only took 30 minutes.
By 4 o'clock we were back at the pool and I was renting speedos for the second day running.
Saturday, finally. In the morning we decided to visit a sight that, rather inauspiciously, neither of us had actually noticed the first few times we read the guide book. This time it was OUT OF TOWN, requiring a bus journey to and from... Perfect - commuting doubles the time! It was actually quite nice to just make our way over to the bus stop, pay the driver and go on our way. Reminded us of London.
Our destination, the Batu Caves, KL's biggest Hindu religious site, were (I hate to say it, but I am sure you are not surprised) less than thrilling. But at least there were 272 steps up to the cave entrance, adding at least 13 minutes to the visit time. There was also a nice man with a huge snake who we stared at for 11 minutes before climbing down. 41 minutes later waiting at the bus stop, Pete sagely said 'I don't want to see another Hindu temple for at least 4 years'. I second that.
In the afternoon we thought about swimming, but then the airconditioning gave me a cold and we had the perfect excuse to take the afternoon off from keeping ourselves busy.
Miraculously I was better in time to go to the football that evening (and drink 2 jugs of beer - how did that happen?).
// posted by courtney and pete @ 23:26 
Comments:
<< Home
Ms Love
I'm not convinced that Pete hasn't bribed you into writing this, in some vain attempt to hide the fact that he's spend hte last 4 days (excluding a couple of hours for the footie) sat in your hotel room with his red and white scarf cheering Fat Tony through the doors of number 10.
In fact the only way to prove the doubters wrong has to be to post photos of Pete in his hired speedos.
TBFKAK
I'm not convinced that Pete hasn't bribed you into writing this, in some vain attempt to hide the fact that he's spend hte last 4 days (excluding a couple of hours for the footie) sat in your hotel room with his red and white scarf cheering Fat Tony through the doors of number 10.
In fact the only way to prove the doubters wrong has to be to post photos of Pete in his hired speedos.
TBFKAK
# posted by 
: 12:48 pm
: 12:48 pm
Sounds like even Thunder Bay, Canada,is starting to look good!
(That's quite a stretch!)
Mom B.
(That's quite a stretch!)
Mom B.
# posted by : 2:53 pm
: 2:53 pm
I have always had trouble with the concept of renting bowling shoes, a rented Speedo just boggles the mind!!!!
See ya in "The Bay"!! (please, no Speedo)
Love,
The Aunt
See ya in "The Bay"!! (please, no Speedo)
Love,
The Aunt
# posted by : 8:21 pm
: 8:21 pm
Hired Speedos - I was trying not to go there!!!
It did take him 25 mins to think about it - it would have taken me 25 years!
Mum
It did take him 25 mins to think about it - it would have taken me 25 years!
Mum
# posted by : 8:35 am
: 8:35 am
Thanks Janet, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who was finding that to be a bit odd!!
Post a Comment
# posted by : 12:28 pm
: 12:28 pm << Home
