Kuala Lumpur - how to make a grand entrance.

Season's greetings and Happy New Year!

I know I'm a little late on both, but still...

Anyway, about Malaysia. As you might expect, traveling to exotic and foreign locations can be an adventure in and of itself. This time around, we hopped aboard Air Asia, a solid airline with a relatively low cost.

There's not much to note about the flight, really. It's less than 2 hours from here to there, and the planes are much like your standard US carriers with perhaps slightly less legroom. Of note, there's no complimentary anything served aboard one of these hopper flights. Don't get me wrong, there's snacks - it will just cost you. Also, don't stick your knee out into the aisle. Not a good way to start a trip (no, I didn't do that. Stop snickering!).

Everyone is always looking for one of these. Well, here ya go!

KLIA - Kuala Lumpur International Airport is fairly easy to navigate. You take a right at the stamp-your-passports, another right past the chocolate-loaded duty free store (expensive - don't bother), and look for a giant honking WAY OUT sign. - no yellow brick road or clicking your heels together this time around!

Twin towers way in the back. This is the view from the hotel lounge!

Worth noting is the massive differences you run into upon entering the country and on leaving the Airport. In a nutshell:

-Cash is everyone's friend. In Malaysia, they have a strong culture and a decent-looking economy. In other words, unlike Cambodia, they won't take those Washingtons and Franklins of yours. You'll need to hit the money changer on the way out. The Airport prices were a good bit different than the hotel/mall's, so change what you need and do the rest later.

-Transportation is great! ...but why is everyone on the wrong side of the road? Malaysia was colonized by the Brits. That means a strong core of people speaking English, funny spellings, and driving on the left. Being in Cambodia, my first impression was more like "Why is everyone only driving on one side?'

-Fare is fare. In Cambodia, haggle your ride ahead of time. It's all good. In Malaysia, skip it and go for a Metered cab. The Airport in particular will let you pay for the ride ahead of time. Just remember not to mix and match. It's illegal to haggle with metered drivers.

Look! Coins!

Currency in Malay (Malaysia in Khmai - easy isn't it?) is called the Ringitt. Yes, like ringing a bell Ringitt. It's about a 3-1 ratio (3 ringitt to a dollar) and they have coins (called Sen). Spending time in Cambodia, I had forgotten how cumbersome having a pocket full of metal could be. Still, it makes for great Aidan-treasure.

Why so much talk about money? Well, for starters, our hotel was in a mall. Specifically, Megacity Mall, which is connected to Gardens Mall, which may also be connected to other malls and possibly Oz.

...aaaand he heads right for the weapons.

So, needless to say, I spent Christmas living inside one of the world's largest shopping mall conglomerates. Yes, it was a blast, and no, I didn't get you anything. :)

There's a lot to say about this trip... sights we saw, people we met, the amount of Starbucks that was consumed, but it will wait till the next post. For now, these tips should help you along should you decide to follow in our footsteps and journey to Malay for a vacay or holiday.

Just remember to bring your good shoes. You'll do a whole lot of walking here.

The decorations were spectacular.