19 December 2005
Check out time
At about 11:30 I decide its time to check out and have the hotel look after my bags and keep myself entertained for at least 4 hours.
Theres no problem in looking after my bags and I soon get on the monorail to low yat plaza - i.t. plaza
The illegal software is piled up, and I am up for the challenge of photographing the illegality going on, so I disable flash, hold the camera in the palm of my hand and look for the brightest illegal software stores (bright cause im not using a flash so as not to attract attention)
I manage to photograph 2 of the stores.
The three ring binders full of software, 5 discs cost 10 ringgits.
Wall of illegal software - not one thing in these stores is original, and the top 3 floors of low yat are dedicated to these stores, theres at least 40 competing stores.
Still with lots of time to spare, and sore feet, I start just looking for places to sit down and observe, you would think malls would be a good bet to find seats, no, food courts are the only place with seating, and all food courts are overflowing.
I decide to check out a train station instead, dont worry, its full of carts selling illegal software and dvd's, adidas t-shirts, gucci bags and rorex's, but it does have seats and air conditioning to relax for a while.
Once the bloodflow resumes in my legs, I repeat this process with a different mall and a bus station, before too long 5 hours have elapsed and I feel I can start the journey to the airport.
The first part is, pick up my bags from the Shangri La Hotel, and catch a taxi to KL Sentral - the train station in the middle of Kuala Lumpur.
The taxi driver asks where I am from, I tell him, then he tells me how great it is that Australia is fighting the muslims on the beaches and that he wishes he could go there and help...ok
He then tells me when he was 9 he won the all Malaysian Geography contest, and tells me all about Australias Geography, including the highest mountain in each state, and their height in metres! hes a freak.
Next stage is unique to KL I think, I check in for my flight including my baggage, and receive my boarding pass, 100km from the airport, then board the special train which takes me direct to the airport - a great idea!
Arriving at the airport, I am greeted by a magical site.
BSOD!
Only 4 hours until my flight.....I alternate between sitting and walking.