Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
and Chennai (India) 2024-2025

Day 1: Arrival in Kuala Lumpur

 

MALAYSIA
11 December Kuala Lumpur
The flight lasted a bit over two hours and entered Malaysia near Kota Bharu in the northwest corner of the country, where I had cycled earlier this year. Nearing the Andaman Sea, lights of the vast sprawl of the Kuala Lumpur area came into view and I saw green lights of squid boats off the coast. At the vast Terminal 2—dedicated to Air Asia and other low-cost carriers—I went through an unstaffed immigration gate which scanned my passport and made a facial-recognition scan before letting me through; earlier I had filled out the required online Digital Arrival Card. Customs required x-raying of bags, then I was free to go. My Thailand AIS phone service has an inexpensive roaming package for Malaysia, very convenient because it saved me from having to buy another SIM card. Next I took out 1,000 Malaysian ringgits from an ATM. Usually I hop on the fast train or a slower bus from airport to the city center, but all had ceased for the night. I had read that Grab taxis are a good choice, and I easily got one with the app for the long drive in light traffic to my Airbnb at Dua Sentral by Five Senses, a condominium tower that I had stayed in a couple times previously with different hosts. After ascending to my spacious apartment on the 13th floor and having a snack, then a cold shower, I crashed.

On to Day 2: Ilham Gallery & Kuala Lumpur City Centre

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