Bala had arranged a late check out so we rested until 6pm when we headed to the Mainstreet bistro for some light refreshments and then it weas time to go. Just as we boarded the taxi we were fortunate enough to meet the CEO of the Residency Towers Hotel, a Mr Rupe Chadda, to whom I had written regarding Bala and his excellent service. He was most charming and he thanked us for staying and wished us well. It's nice to meet the people at the top and personally praise the work of their staff. And really, everyone at Residency Towers was wonderful and made our stay memorable.
But it was time to venture out into the Indian traffic for the trip to the airport, some one hour away. Even at 7pm on a Monday night the roads are gridlocked with honking horns, buses, bke, trucks and of course the ever present buffalo carts... all trying to get who knows where. And the streets still full of people and the little shops and carts doing brisk business feeding some of the one billion hungry Indians.
Ian and I experienced Indian airports on our last trip and we'd had enough of the over eager security and officials. Yesterday was no different and it was 3 or 4 security checks and Liz got a pat-down in the ladies section. This is one part of India I wont miss.
Our 10pm flight was on time but no opportunity to get comfortable in some empty seats down the back ... the flight was full and added to the cramped seats, two or three young kids started performing just before take-off. I thought Charlie was gonna make them play outside but we managed to get through the 4 hour flight, with a missed apoproach into KLIA due to thunderstorms and then a short wait for our VIP train to the city.
The KLIA Express train takes 28 minutes and is a marvel of comfort and efficiency... definitely the way to get from th airport to central KL. Our limo was waiting and whicked us through a waking KL to our favourite hotel, Traders where we were greeted and shown to our Executive Park View room with a magnificent view of KLCC Park and the Petronus Towers. Even though he was tired, I think Charlie was impressed.
As KL awoke to a new day, we settled down for some much needed sleep and we awoke at 12:30pm to a hot and sunny KL day with the city lookig magnificent. Clean and sparkling and very much different to India. Still, as Liz and I say, "It's all an adventure."
After a delicious lunch in the Gobo restaurant where we see some of the staff who were here when Liz and I stayed here May last year, we're now in the KLCC Centre oppsite the hotel ... and it makes Westfield Parramatta look like the Parklea Markets on a bad day!
So here are the promised photos of our wonderful day with Bala and his family at their village Brammadesam in Tamil Nadu South India.
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