Jan 28 - Immigration into Malaysia is simple for US citizens, you get 90 days upon entry. I had been asked at the ticketing counter in Male if I had an onward ticket from Malaysia, and I just said I would be leaving overland thus didn’t have one. For some nationalities this might be an issue but for US citizens I doubt it ever matters.
Walking out of customs into the terminal, we are immediately hit with the glittering, flashing marketing phantasmagoria that is urban east Asia. We parade by dewy-eyed pandas, pink neon lights, and photos of plates upon plates of nasigoreng and fish balls. Everything presses in and overstimulates the brain within seconds. We escape down the escalator ramp to the departure hall, where I buy a taxi coupon for 84 ringgit and we pile in for the hour-long drive north to central Kuala Lumpur (to be referred to as KL from now on). US $1 = 4.08 ringgit (MYR). Still can’t find a place to change rufiyaah, it is definitely not a popular currency outside of the Maldives.
Our apartment is in a huge mall complex with two towers. We are on the 39th floor of the eastern tower. The host meets us at the street entrance, as we need a room key to open the door into the lobby. The room is spacious and decent enough for three nights.
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A lot of fireworks going on, there are still some days of celebration left in the Chinese New Year. It is already 21:00 but are hungry, so go to ground level and search the mall complex for food. There is a food court in the basement. Normally, ‘mall food court’ summons up thoughts of a meager selection of pizza, burgers, and other bland fare. But this is Southeast Asia, so instead it is an explosion of spicy soups, noodles with mushrooms, chicken on skewers with peanut sauce, whole fish, and an endless array of other delights.
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