The route to Kl

This is my last trip to KL as a Fulbrighter and "single woman" in 2008. On Saturday I took a bus from Penang to KL. To go to KL I either take the Plusliner (27 ringitt or the Nice (62 ringitt) roughly less than US$9 or US$20. Either price is not bad for a 4.5 hour trip. The Plusliner doesn't have snacks (a simple sandwich) or drinks (water, coffee, and very sweet lemon tea), a movie (in English with Chinese subtitles) or a hostess. But for me and probably most people the extra ringgits are b/c of the schedule. The Nice leaves at the best times. The Plusliner takes nearly an hour longer - traffic and a 30 minute break. The hawkers surrounding the buses and dusty dark stalls have disappeared. The stops have fruit stalls, at least one eating area with the conventional nasi (rice) offerings (some have fast food outlets), and small kiosks selling snacks. I bought my favorite Indonesia/Malaysian snack. A crisp cracker with peanuts and an occasional anchovy. I can't remember the name. I highly recommend it and the anchovies seem more decrative than anything else.

This is my fourth stay at the Shah Village Hotel. The man I met with today said that he often stays here for sentimental reasons - he stayed here when his career was starting. i am not sure of the details, but the owner now in his 80's is a bit of a legend. Almost everyone seems to know where the hotel is. I am close to an LRT station so I can get to KL for less than 2 ringgit. When I interview NGOs in PJ (Petaling Jaya, where the hotel is) a taxi fare is rarely more than 5 ringgit. Overall convenient and cheap. The hotel food isn't bad - I am a big fan of the ikan assam (fish in a spicy stew) and there is an Indian food stall in one direction and the large mall in the other.