I had never contemplated visiting Kuala Lumpur. I’d go as far as saying it wasn’t even on my radar as a place I would like to visit. However, even as a last minute decision to go there, it turned out to be a happy accident.
Arriving in Kuala Lumpur around 2pm Malaysian time, we ended up waiting in a queue for another two hours at passport control. Limited staff, who didn’t seem in the least bit interested in their jobs and who didn’t care that some of us at been travelling for nearly 24 hours to get into their country. On exiting the airport our hotel transfer was late, but an incredibly jovial and flexible chap, I asked him if Malaysia had MacDonalds and if there was one enroute to our hotel. We were so hungry and being a Muslim country, I was hoping there would be a MacDonalds because that meant I would be able to eat a Big Mac. I was in luck and he stopped off at the drive through. Getting my Big Mac and Fries, I paid with my card as I had no local currency and I asked for sweet n sour sauce, which the guy at the window dutifully gave me and upon seeing one, I asked for a second and then I just tucked in. I didn’t realise I had to pay for the sauces and whilst I was eating the driver offered up payment. I apologised for not realising and told him that in the UK the sauces were complementary, but it was okay because we had bought him something to eat as well.
The Journey to the hotel took another hour. Apparently football is a big thing in Malaysia and as Asgar talked about teams and players, a mixture of boredom and exhaustion meant that I fell asleep.
We finally arrived at our hotel, The Traders at 5pm. We had just enough time to drop off our luggage, take a comfort break and pick up some mosquito hats before we went back down to the foyer to meet a private guide I had hired for the duration of our trip.
Reno Tan was his name. Short and burly with a very oriental appearance. I’m not sure what I expected, even if, indeed I had any expectation at all. I had been communicating with Reno by whatsapp before we left the UK. I explained to him that our time was massively limited in Kuala Lumpur and that if I relied on the regular tours and trips, it was probable that we wouldn’t get to see much in the 2 nights we had there. So, based on my requirements, he created an itinerary especially for us.
At 5pm we set out to a Firefly Park. Before we got there we stopped by a beautiful waterway and had a Chinese Meal. I hasten to add that I loath Chinese Food. Of course as that’s where he took us I didn’t really feel able to complain, so being as hungry as hell, I did my best to eat what I could, which was not very much. Asgar tried some crab, which I thought was quite adventurous for him, as he isn’t a seafood person and he didn’t enjoy it. So our meal was quick, but amusing, since Reno then finished it off for us.
We arrived at the Firefly park based in Kuala Selongor in darkness and put on mosquito net hats. I made sure both of us were covered head to toe. I was going to take no risks with Mosquito bites this early in our journey. Sometimes, I’m not sure if I fully think these things out. Everything seems like a good idea during research but when you get asked to put on life jackets, walk along a very precarious looking jetty and get told to climb into a long boat, then doesn’t look able to float, with a group of unruly Chinese people (children included) suddenly the idea of seeing Fireflies in their natural habitat loses its appeal.
Well we were there, I was in the life jacket and on the boat and there was no turning back. It set off and I couldn’t see a thing until my eyes adjusted to the faint light of the moon, and then the fireflies lit up like Christmas lights, twinkling in the trees, on both sides of the river bank. All we could see were the warm yellow colours that flashed on and off but looked pretty spectacular. I tried and failed to capture these tiny creatures on film, and frantically pointed my camera as close as I could get it, into the trees and though I can make them out when I replayed the video, the footage and photographs show nothing but darkness, so apologies but in order to illustrate them I’m using trusted photographs taken by others.
Now if you are wondering why I wanted to see Fireflies then all I can say is where else was I going to see them? Since travel is about experience and experiencing that which is out of the normal why not? I don’t deny my apprehension in the process of discovering these strange looking organic lights but interesting to me was Reno telling me that Malaysia and Australia were the only two places in the world where fireflies could be found and that the Australian Fireflys were bigger. But they aren’t flies, they are beetles. They are often referred to as glows worms or lightning bugs. I am one of those people who wants to know factual truth, I’m not interested in versions of the truth that big up a particular narrative, so before writing this blog, I made a point of reading a bit more and also because I wanted to understand how these insects managed to produce light, which Reno could not answer.
Fireflies are found in temperate tropical climates everywhere in the world and that includes the Americas. They need a particular habitat, that involves long grass, particular trees, all near water. Its the females that emit the light and they do it to attract the male of the species for obvious reasons. The process of light emission is called Bioluminescence and happens because the abdomen of the female has a breathing tube, that draws in oxygen. Inside the female abdomen is a particular enzyme that reacts with a particular protein in the presence of magnesium ions and a structure called ATP which if my chemistry memory is correct is Adenosinetriphospate and is the molecule of energy production. So, these particular chemicals in the presence of oxygen generates light.
We got back to Kuala Lumpur at around 10pm, did a quick tour of the architecture whilst it was lit up at night and enroute to the hotel we stopped at the River of life. This was the conjunction of two rivers into one, upon which the origins of Kuala Lumpur was founded. Kuala Lumpur being the capital of Malaysia. The government had turned the spot into a bit of a tourist attraction, with cafes and bars. A beautiful Mosque sat in the central Island where the two rivers met and it was a pleasant enough spot, lit up and sprayed over with a mist, presumably to hide the fact that the river itself was very polluted and filled with plastic bottles and other manner of food waste. I was quite glad we hadn’t come to see it during daylight. Anyway, we went back to our hotel and up to our room and after almost a day of non stop travelling we slept like babies
On the 12th February, we were up at 7.30am, showered, dressed and leisurely breakfast we made our way downstairs for 9am. The sightseeing began in earnest. The twin towers or the Petronas towers of Kuala Lumpur were actually visible from behind our hotel. Reno once again gave us a bit of information about the building, saying they were built as offices for the Petronas family and were used as offices. I recall thinking that in todays day and age how many offices did a company actually need, even if they were involved in oil production. Reno told us that each of the two towers were built by two separate construction companies, one of which Korean and the other Japanese. Reflecting the majority Muslim population aspects of Muslim architecture was reflected in the build to meet stringent build regulations for tall buildings. The main architect was Argentinian and both the towers base has a resemblance to the Qutub Minar which is in Delhi, India. A bridge was build that links the two towers. Reno sadly neglected to inform us that it was possible to go up the towers, that it had an aquarium and was also an actual hotel in parts as well as being offices. Any way the towers for a while were the tallest in the world. The height has now been surpassed by other structures globally but it remains the tallest building in Malaysia.
From the towers we visited two types of manufacturing industry. One was a cocoa and chocolate manufacturing plant and the second was a place where artists hand painted silks. I bought my mother in law a silk scarf from there.
From there we went to a place known as the Batu Caves, an extremely colourful monument and shrine, built to worship the God Vishnu. Both myself and Asgar climbed to the top and into the caves. Personally, I thought it was a bit sad, it was filthy and yet there were people who to all intense and purpose were stood at every available point collecting money, presumably for the upkeep of the place as well as doing the good works the shrine was intended for. Visually it was pretty spectacular but as I say, I have visited many shrines in my time, but this and the surrounding area was disgusting in that the gutters were polluted, there was rubbish everywhere and to see people walking up towards the cave of the shrine in bare feet was shocking. In the 34 degree heat people were fainting left, right and centre and yet the staircase was crowded and in parts dangerous, due to the heavy rains that had fallen earlier. I would say you have to see this, but be prepared. Incidently, no way, was I taking my shoes off. If it had been compulsory I wouldn’t have climbed the steps up to the cave. As a type 2 Diabetic bare feet anywhere is taboo, but here it just wouldn’t have happened. The highlight of this place for me was the gigantic gold statue and the colourful temple at the bottom of the coloured steps.
Short break for lunch, that once again involved noodles and fried rice, and then we went onto a pewter factory, known as Royal Selangor. As pewter is one of the things Asgar sells by way of personalised gifts in our family business he found the mechanics and manufacturing processing quite interesting. The strange thing for us both however, was the sheer cost of the items being sold. It was pretty expensive, even though without a doubt the craftsmanship was second to none, being in the business of selling Pewter if Asgar even considered creating a new supply chain from here, it really wasn’t viable.
Our final port of call in Kuala Lumpur was known as KL Central Market. It was no different to any other indoor market and as we weren’t planning to buy anything, we had a quick wander and headed back to the Traders. I went to the Gym and then a little later we visited the pool area from where we were able to get some awesome views of the Petronas Towers. By this time the night had set in and the towers were lit up, as was much of the surrounding area. We sat for a while taking in the views, then headed for the restaurant and had something to eat. Another early night and another early start. So Reno picked us up at 8am and there was only one stop, which was Negara Zoo. I was eager to see the Giant Pandas. I might never get another chance. But as a bonus I wasn’t expecting a White Tiger. As it was we were able to a lot of wild life and on our way out we were even offered a rather unique thing to buy.
So that was it, we went back to the hotel, in time to bring down our luggage and await our hotel transfer to the airport. Determined to take some positivity away from this trip, well I had seen and experienced two very unique things, which it was very possible I might never see again in my life time. Fireflies and the Giant Pandas. The bonus of the White Tiger and the caves at Batu, made Kuala Lumpur a fairly memorable place. Doing what we did, in the time we did it, with a guide, driver was the only way. However, just because he speaks English sufficiently well for us to understand doesn’t mean he knows everything. I think wherever we go, to be truly in the know, using our own questioning and research is essential. I haven’t laid it out here but having seen the places and the things, just reading into subjects a bit more, enhances the experience a little more and from this the opinions we form, the things we learn is so much more expansive in terms of our mental processes.
So we said goodbye to Kuala Lumpur, sadly there was a great deal more, which we just didn’t have time for but thank you for joining me on what we did see and hopefully join us on our next destination to Singapore.