Lots to say today, but not many photos.
I flew from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (KL). It’s a short flight, less than an hour, but it took most of the day. In 2030 this will change when new high-speed rail service will whisk travelers between the two cities in 45 minutes. It’s a distance of just over two hundred miles. But for now, flying is the most efficient way to travel.
Here’s why my trip consumed so much time. First I needed to get to the airport. The staff at the hotel told me to plan for an hour—it took just over 25 minutes. It was a fast trip largely because the driver was exceptionally chatty. We talked politics (he likes Americans but loathes Trump), the changes in Singapore (all for the good), changes in the world order (a mixed bag).
After a speedy check-in, I quickly passed through immigration (but not security). I thought I’d be able to get food near the gate. That’s not possible—there is nothing near the gates. But that’s where you pass through security. And once passengers have gone through security they aren’t permitted to exit and re-enter.
The plane arrived in KL on time, at 2pm. I was hungry, but I had a car meeting me so there was no time to buy food. The ride to the hotel in center city took nearly 45 minutes. By then I was ravenous. There was a long line of people waiting to check in; it took almost a half an hour to reach the desk. By that point I would have eaten my elbow. By the way, I always carry protein bars “just in case.” But they were in my luggage and not accessible (big mistake on my part).
When I finally got to my room I wolfed down a protein bar. It was 3:30.
I thought about going for a walk, but it was raining. I gave up, deciding the remainder of the day would be time to lounge and do laundry. The room has Netflix. I ordered room service and plan to watch a movie. One other item of note—I wanted to eat something authentically local but everything even semi-Malaysian either had prawns (shrimp) or prawn sauce. I am WILDLY allergic to shellfish. So, I ate a veggie burger. It was okay but added to the sense this was just not my day.
If you travel as much as I do, you get accustomed to the knowledge that there will be days like this. Tomorrow will be better.
I’m using this as a chance to show some of the photos I took at the gardens in Singapore but didn’t post. Enjoy.