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TRIP REPORT: Exploring more of Kuala Lumpur in the Dry, Wet and Nighttime – Growing Old in Style

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Exploring more of Kuala Lumpur in the Dry, Wet and Nighttime
Growing Old with In Style

Growing old in Style - Singapore and Kuala Lumpar Header Image - Economy Class and Beyond

Time to do some on-foot exploring around Kuala Lumpur. Enjoy watching me getting soaked in the process… 

In this mammoth trip report (note, headings subject to change)

After returning from the Batu Caves, I was dropped off near Low Yat Plaza back in Central KL. I had left my camera charger at home… so this seemed like the perfect place to find one.

a building with a statue of a lion

If Sim Lim Plaza in Singapore is… showing signs of roughness at the edges (in the nicest possible way), then Low Yat is shiny, modern and filled with all the brands (and yes, different retailers selling the same thing).

a store with a few people

a group of people standing at a desk with laptops

a video game console on a display
Even in these RAM shortage times, I was tempted. I cannot lie. 

a group of people walking in a mall
Where I went to Whamhalla this year. Sigh. 

a sign on the wall
Gotta have a 2D model as a spokesperson

people standing in a store

I did the first important thing, though – and that was get off the ground floor (as those tend to be the higher prices). I found a couple of camera stores, and after some discussion and a little bit of haggling, I was around £11 lighter and with a charger I could charge the battery cells with.

a display case with action figures
Models and Mobile Suit Gundam

a group of action figures in a glass case

I like to look at the smaller no-name brands for interesting bits and bobs, so Low Yat was very fun to enjoy another tech place.

a laptops on a table in a store
Fruit machines

a white computer tower with a pink light inside

a computer tower with lights on top of it
All RGB, All the tims!

a display case of a toy
Go on card nuts. I dare you. 

With some water down me earlier, I still was a litle thirsty – so I stopped for a bit for a sit down and a lemon tea. I was high on the sugar on tht for some time.

a cup of iced tea with a straw

With that done, I was getting to a point where I needed to get a suitcase. I’ve travelled light so far, but now, I fancy the need to travel a little heavier. Thankfully, tourist districts are great, and there’s always someone who is trying the haggling game for a suitcase.

In the end, I found one near the corner of Bukit Bintang for around £14 (75RMB). For the equivalent of a box on wheels to get stuff home in… it was fine. I don’t need posh brands for a box on wheels to travel with.

Although I’d be testing the durability of that case much later on. Here’s a hint. It wasn’t great.

a group of people standing on a street corner

a city street with tall buildings

For some reason, the monorail had been suspended. Checking on the map, I saw I had a 1 kilometre and a bit walk back to the hotel. No big deal – follow the monorail and turn left. Easy as pie.

I started to walk back to the hotel, and the skies started to turn. And turn they did, as we had full thunder and lightning. Here are some of the YouTube shorts…

a bridge over a street with buildings in the background

a road with a bridge over it and cars on it

a train on a track in the rain
It might glide as softly as a cloud, but it’s going to get wet in this rain…

a red double decker bus on a rainy day
Unsurprisingly, everyone was inside the bus…

Did I have an umbrella? Of course not.

I found shelter and hoped it would blow over in a short period of time. It didn’t. Given I was around 600 metres from the hotel, the thought “How bad could it be walking back?”.

Let’s just say I managed to drench and soak a polo shirt and trousers in the space of 450 metres to the Family Mart near the hotel (where I picked up the umbrella of shame), as well as the 50 metres between the Family Mart and the Holiday Inn Express.

a hand holding a green object
Umbrella of shame: Acquired.

Suffice to say, I had a shower. As for the clothes. They took a long time to dry. And I mean… long.

Jalan Alor Food Street

For some fun eventing activity, I decided to head to the Jalan Alor Food Street. This isn’t far from the hotel, so it’s a manageable walk. It is somewhere where I suggest a crossbody bag is a damn good idea, though (as you need to keep your wits about you)

In multiple ways, depending on how you approach it. I walked with intent.

a group of people in a street

a crowd of people walking in a street
In and out of the malestrom. 

Jalan Alor Foodstreet is a bustling place – and somewhere where cash is king, with both restaurants and street food options depending on your mood.

I was mainly browsing, as at that point, all the Cash Machines I found so far were all EuroNet machines – and I refuse to use them point-blank out of principle. I’d rather find a proper bank ATM which won’t play the ripoff game.

a group of people standing in a market a food stand with many food items on it
Skewers

people walking in a market
Cocnus 

people at a fruit stand
people standing in front of a food stand
Juice it up

a group of people standing in front of a food stand
Chicken

a group of people standing in a food market
Dumplings

a crowd of people in a street with a banner
Welcome and a warning. 

a woman standing in front of a food stand a group of people sitting at tables outside a restaurant  a group of people eating at a restaurant a food stand with a sign and a person holding a bag of ice cream 
Instagram worth deserts .

a man standing in front of a food stand
Steam in the evening

a man standing next to a food stand
Lots of reparing stores

a food stand with a large meat on it
Shove it on a spit and let it cook

a group of people sitting at tables outside a restaurant
Night time dining

a table with many items on it
Get your tourist tat! 

It’s a long street too, so there are lots of options depending on your needs and diet.

But as I said – bring cash, and your best haggling game.

Chinatown

Another night, I ended up in Chinatown. I had left it a little late – such is life, so a lot of the stores were finishing up for the evening.

a group of people walking in a street

a group of luggage in a store

a room with many luggage bags
Baggage for those who need to lift stuff out of Malaysia 

a street with people and signs

This market hasn’t changed a lot, with the “genuine reproductions” out in force for those who love a genuine reproduction item.

a man sitting on a bench in a store
a table with a red cover and a red table with a red cover
Nope. I’ve never seen that shade of blue on a box before. Why do you ask? 

a group of men in a market
After getting soaked ealier, I won’t lie – I got 3 pairs. 

a woman standing behind a cart with a variety of items

a store with many shoes on shelves

a group of suitcases on a sidewalk
Prices are always suggestions in markets

a street with bags and luggage

a group of luggage on the ground

a stack of stuffed animals

a large metal pot with a large barrel with food in it
Roasting nuts 

For me, I was in the mood for tourist tat. Allow me to explain.

Over the trips to Singapore and Malaysia, I’ve given up bringing sweet treats backand forth – as heat is a factor. So rather than that, I tend to buy a metric buttload of keyrings from the tat vendors.

a display of objects in a store

And yes, in some cases, that works out cheaper than sweets and chocolates, especially as I have a couple of sites to visit and look after

Yes, it’s class A tat (and quite frankly, everyone needs a little class A tat in their lives) and yes, its prbaobly made in China. But people like them. So if there aren’t 60 to 100 keyrings in my luggage, I’ve done something wrong, normally, especially when you can get them for a low amount of Malay Ringgit or Singapore dollars.

people at a market
Dining 

a group of people outside a store
The third convience store chain. 

a street with cars and people in the city
Busy Streets 

a group of people walking on a street with colorful buildings a group of people walking down a narrow alley with colorful buildings

And empty ones too 

a street with people sitting at tables outside of a restaurant

 

a street with lights and trees

a person walking down a narrow street with lights from the ceiling

a mural on a wall

Whilst I considered the restaurants in here, I ended up picking some street food snacks to nibble on. I’m more than happy to go this level when travelling (and also the Family Mart next door to the hotel does Cult Chicken… and I needed to be inducted into the cult).

a piece of fried chicken on a white paper

I was more than happy to look and explore, rather than dine. Least of all, my stomach was fine this trip – and I wasn’t going to risk anything too odd.

That ends up in one place – and trust me on this, flying with food poisoning is not a fun experience.

That’s just some of the advantages I had. I did have more… but those belong to me. Least of all, this is a family blog.

Almost.

Next:

Back to Kuala Lumpur International Airport – this time Terminal 1. And maybe a lounge too.

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