Arrivals

October 1-2 Kuala Lumpur – Kuching

Arrival in Kuala Lumpur was a non-event. We cleared immigration quickly, retrieved our luggage (two small suitcases each less than 30 lb) but money was another issue. The Credit Union struck yet again. Our cards were not authorized. Luckily we had an alternate source of funds….a local account from Liz’s days on her Fulbright. The only problem was finding an ATM that worked. First we found one that would issue foreign currency (Thai Baht, Indonesian Rupiah, Singapore Dollar’s, etc.), but that was no help. Finally a local ATM that accepted Liz’s card and we withdrew funds.

Next housekeeping item was obtaining Kuala Lumpur (KL) telephone numbers. DIGI has a sales counter just outside of customs, where we obtained our SIM cards (prepaid). After charging Liz’s phone the local tech guys went to work. Five minutes later we were the proud owners of Malaysian KL phone numbers.

Now down to Level 1 Gate 3 where we waited for our shuttle to the Concorde Inn hotel. While waiting a young police officer chatted us up. We had a pleasant conversation before the bus arrived. Once we got to the hotel, routine stuff and then a proper bed. It really didn’t matter that the A/C dripped water on the rug. We slept well until the wakeup call. Breakfast was a standard Malaysian Hotel buffet, and we learned to eat chicken sausage yet again.

Another shuttle bus to the LCCT (low cost carrier terminal- AirAsia), a quick check in, bags consigned to the airline and a quick cup of coffee (Starbucks). We cleared security (no removal of shoes or belts) and waited in a terminal with a sound system that would rival Grand Central Station in New York.

We had booked our seat reservations as an extra option (AirAsia has open seating) and settled in for a smooth flight to Kuching (only 1.5 hours). Through immigration again (Sawarak has additional immigration within Malaysia), picked up our luggage and met Clarence, Mooi Lain, Amanda, and Aaron. For those who have not followed us in the past, Mooi Lain was a graduate student in Raleigh 10 years ago. We knew her, her in-laws, and children at that time as a “host” family.

Let the food frenzy begin.