ROOTY HILL DANCERS: Kuala Lumpur 1

At last we have access to an internet café in Malaysia and can place our first post. Firstly, our flight to Kuala Lumpur was without ado and after the eight hour flight we arrived in nighttime KL rather tired. We arranged an eight-seater taxi to the Royal Bintang Hotel with no room to spare after loading our bags. This had cost us a whole $8 Aust each for the 70klm journey. Not without thinking otherwise the transportation system in Malaysia is so……cheap.

The next day was shopping for the ladies – no rest for Tom and Neil who had to endure the three hours at Sam Lee’s shoe store in the suburb of Cheras. I heard that 16 shoes are being made across five women. We had booked a taxi to take us to Cheras and hence the driver waited patiently and took advantage of having a siesta when all had their feet measured and squared away. After Sam Lee the driver took us to the Mid-Valley Mega Mall; believe this or not MORE shoes were purchased! We had amongst us another Imelda Marcos – max points go to Myrtle who now has to carry these shoes back to Oz! After the Mega Mall more shopping was had near our hotel where electronic equipment was explored and pirate DVDs were seen. It was another late night and most was exhausted. Tomorrow was going to be another day without shopping – we hoped. Before we returned to the hotel Kendo fish spa was tried by everybody. One had to dip our tootsies into a fish pond and Kendo fish would nibble and digest the dead skin – sounds disgusting – not really. It was an adventure except for one person who screamed and fought her way from the tank. However Heather was there to the rescue who physically forced her feet back into the tank. More loud screams were heard. Without mentioning any names we hope that Vernon’s house has solid and thick walls in Sydney after hearing the larynx at full flight!!!!!

Monday 7^th came quickly with a ride to the top of the high Menara Tower in KL. We are very proud of Heather who was brave enough to reach the top. Heather does suffer from heights. Nevertheless the view from the top is magnificent. After the tower experience we walked to Chinatown, a famous tourist site in KL and guess what – more shopping. This time Tom and Neil found a drinking hole and devoured some Anchor local beer while waiting for the ladies with their booty. It was here that KL experienced a severe tropical thunderstorm and the street quickly was consumed by floodwaters.

We travelled back to our hotel and after visiting a men’s tailor shop for Neil and Heather we had makan (dinner) at a hawker store and guess who turned up to visit us? Tenny and Jenny from the Rooty Hill dance. They had travelled to their KL home that particular morning and made arrangements for a late dinner with us – thus this made another late night.

Tuesday morning was a tour of the Royal Palace, National Monument, Medeka Square and past the famous Petronis Towers. We returned to our hotel to check-out at noon and travelled to Subang Airport for our Firefly flight to Penang. All was on time and after landing on Penang we collected our ten-seater Toyota van. Neil drove the “bus” through thick and thin of Penang’s heavy traffic and reached our Copthorne Hotel at 6pm. Shirley Ong (Neil and Anne’s friend) meet us at the hotel and arranged dinner nearby. The dinner was a Chinese cuisine and discussions were had arranging the next days’ venture in purchasing dress materials and having local tailors making clothes for the ladies. And that is where this narrative ends. It is now Wednesday with the day taken by visiting material shops in Georgetown and hence having Penang’s tailors boosting their workload for the next week or so. Now what about Neil and Tom you may think? They took a trishaw ride along Penang Road and watched the lady folk complete their primary mission in having dresses made.