April 10, 2011
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Little India

We blew our budget yesterday on the city tour, purchases at Beryl’s chocolate factory (what was I thinking to take Colin there?!), and getting sucked into a touristy restaurant for dinner.  Today we attempted to re-coup and spent the day wandering around the city, especially Little India.  First stop, coffee (2.20 Ringgit; about 50 cents each), then a visit to the Masjid Jamek mosque.  We both made dashing figures in our robes:

After working up an appetite we had a late lunch at an Indian restaurant away from the main tourist areas.  Two massive plates of chicken and vegetable curries – this quantity of food might well see us through until tomorrow morning!

Back home to wait out the afternoon rain – it rains for an hour or two around 3-4pm each day, sometimes very heavily (view from our hotel room below).  Good chance to get into my book (Keith Richards’ biography).  I can’t quite believe yet that we have three or more months of travelling…that means time to chill out as well as time to look around – how lucky are we?

April 10, 2011
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Kuala Lumpur

Day 1 in KL: Settling into our hotel in Chinatown. We walk directly out of the front doors to bustling chaos – hawkers, street food, T-shirts, watches…every space dedicated to selling something. So many smells – sweet incense, acrid dried fish, and exhaust fumes all in the same breath – fantastic! Had dinner at a vegetarian stall – two full bellies for 13 ringgit (about $6.30 NZD).

Day 2 in KL: booked a tour of major city sights. First stop, the King’s Palace where Colin turned out to be the major attraction of the day. He could hardly walk 10 steps without someone asking if they could take his photo. We really have to figure out how to milk this one!

The Chinese Temple – at first this seemed a bit cheesy, but it grew on us.  These yellow lanterns helped.

We also went up KL tower, the fourth tallest building in the world. From this vantage point the smog looked pretty thick…

Last stop was the Petronas Towers – truly spectacular:

Still adjusting to the new timezone – heading to bed shortly zzz

April 8, 2011
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We’re here!

Finally, it begins!  Thanks to everyone who helped us during the final crazy weeks and days – Amy & Frejean, Alan, Tony, Stu & Stef, Arich, Ying-yue, Shauneen & Craig, Warren, Jo…probably several others that I’ve missed so I will update when Colin wakes up.