Arrived @ KL

After a 5-hour flight from Shanghai, we arrived at KL, Malaysia. The flight was provided by China Eastern. Flight was 80 percent full; we still could not understand the logic of seat assignment by Chinese staff; everyone was crowded toward the front of the plane and totally empty in the last 9 rows of seats (3 x 3 Airbus 320 configuration). Maybe the Chinese thinking is everyone wants to get off the plane fast! There is an element of truth there with the Chinese. One passenger was up opening the overhead bin 2 minutes we landed and still taxing off the runway. Incomprehensible to me still. "What were you thinking?"

As predicted our vegetarian meal composed of 5 lumps of steamed potatoes and 7 slices of squash and red peppers as the main entree. Small salad worthy for rabbit feeding and 6 small chunks of melon. Room service was expected upon arrival.

This flight was one of the most uncomfortable I had. Very tiny seat even though we had 3 seats for the two of us. I had to re-position my right arm - someone was sleeping. ;-) And the temperature was overly "hot", must be a climatization to the warm 27.6C (on the plus side). Good thing I wore my leather loafers! My feet expanded at least a full size along with my fingers. I had problem putting on my shoes. And rather than the usual long stride I employed when exiting the plane, I was demurred into limping, hopping, limping trying to catch up to my iron-wife. Normally, it was the total reverse. Somehow, the flight had caused major problem to my Arthritis. Hands, wrists, ankles, back and my chest. At the hotel in the shower, I believe I was staring at a size 11 super wide feet worthy of being flippers for snorkeling. And not just that, my ankles did swollen good.

The new KL International airport was an imitation of Singapore's Changi Airport. Big, Big, shopping galore... Walked far in order to get on a mono-rail to get to the immigration. It was huge and nice at the immigration hall though. Took me a total of 3 minutes to be processed. But next booth, there was a Chinese screaming in the cellphone, not sure what, a different dialect. The entire hall.... everyone was looking and all.... Seem he and his family had a Visa issue.

Taxi, as the airport is bloody 55KM away from downtown or so.... good thing for super nice highway and six tolls later, we were at the hotel an hour and a half after we landed, 12:45am. The taxi was a luxury taxi just before the departure exit. MYD190 (US$55) including tips got us door to door service. A Merz, E class. The guy was doing an average of 135KM/H. Not bad.

We are staying at the Mandarin Oriental next to the Petronas towers. Room rate was MYD 399 ++. We'll hear a lot of this "++"; that means "plus taxes".

USD1 = MYD3.45

The hotel is next to the KLCC park. KLCC is the KL City Centre park.