Malaysia - first glimpses.

Malaysia is very near to Singapore.As we were to travel to Singapore,we were advised by friends to visit Malaysia which is next door.We went through a travel company.This was done to prevent stress arising from booking flight,hotel,etc. But during the trip,we realised, that conducted tours, are more stressful as we want our money's worth.To get that feeling ,we sacrifice our sleep,our digestion ,- to name only a few.

At the Mumbai airport,we were greeted by the travel company representative,who handed us our free gifts namely a trolley bag & two back packs filled with snacks & tea bags.He also handed over our passports,visas & air tickets.The flight was scheduled to leave just before midnight.We cleared immigration,security check & boarded the aircraft.It was full.We also met the other  family of three who were part of our travel company group.We tried to sleep but just as we were dosing off,we were roused awake to taste the dinner.Since we did not want to disappoint the crew,we made an attempt to eat what passed off as dinner.The dinner was absolutely worthless compared to precious sleep from which we were awakened.We tried again to sleep but very soon,it was time to alight.

As we alighted,we were surprised by the magnificience of the Kaula Lampur airport.It was bright & clean.There are numerous escalators & even horizontal moving tracks. There was a small metro train to take us to the other end of the airport from where we could step into the city.We made use of the toilets & the toilets were squeaky clean.The was always an attendent or two at the toilets to keep an eye on the tidiness.

We were met by the tour guide at the airport entrance .All six of us were bundled into a luxury coach & left for Kaula Lampur which is away from the international airport.En route,we stopped at Putrajaya for a sumptous breakfast of upma,idlis,dosa,sambhar,chutney,bhajiyas ,etal.We resumed our journey & reached Hotel Grand Season at around 11am.The checkout time being 3pm,there were no rooms available.We were curtly informed that for an additional fee of fifty ringtts (Malayisian currency) ,we could avail of  a room immediately.The other option was to wait in the lobby till 3pm.We paid & were led into our rooms.We freshened up & came down for lunch.We had lunch at an Indian restaurant - dal tadka,rice,tandoori rotis,aloo gobhi,papad ,achar.This menu was to be repeated ad nauseum throughout the trip with little or no changes.We left to vist the aqiuarium as my friend had advised us to visit it.We were awestruck by the aquarium interiors where fishes are on display in numerous ponds.Also,one can travel on a horizontal moving track which slowly moves & takes one around the place.Above the moving track & besides the track, is a glass enclosure, wherein, the numerous fishes,tortoises,sea horses,are swimming.We also witnessed the feeding of fish by two crew members .

There was cleanliness all around & the staff was courteous.Frankly,the tidiness at all places in Kaula Lampur stares at us,Indians, as we seem to believe, that litter is a natural phenomena which increases as days go by.The Malays are very courteous to all.They speak softly, unlike us, who are very loud & rude.The Malays  look like cousins of Chinese people with small eyes .They  are of small to medium build.Many Malays being  Muslims , the ladies wear head scarfs.But they seem to be  liberal, as  no woman could be seen practising purdah.The Malay ladies of other sects are very modern & stylish.Their clothes & accessories namely bags & footwear are very westernised.

We returned to the hotel & made tea with the tea bags provided in the room.There is an electric kettle in which water is boiled & then we added sugar,& the creamer & dipped the tea bags till we got the tea color we desired.This is a common feature at all hotels in Malaysia & also Singapore - an electric kettle with tea bags & coffee bags are provided in the hotel room to help ourselves.We switched on the idiot box & took turns to check our mailboxes on the net.Now,it was time for dinner.We were met in the lobby by our travel company 's Indian representative,Sachin who took us to another Indian restaurant.After dinner,we took some snaps with the Petronas towers in the background as the restaurant was nearby.The Petronas towers are  made  entirely of steel & can be clicked at varying angles in many shades & hues.We were told that unless one lies down on the road ,it is impossible to click the top of the Petronas towers but we managed to get some good shots.

We returned to hotel & slept as next day,we were to leave for Genting highlands,a popular hill station near Kaula Lampur.