Sitting at a “Cafe Ritazza” in Kuala Lumpur, waiting for a coffee and snack and thinking about our “long way home” so far. From hostels to resorts, chicken-filled buses to cold-war Russian-built trains that felt like we were aboard Mir, it’s been an adventure — but nothing, perhaps, to the next adventure of finding a home and starting a family.
Yesterday was a great day spent at the Berjaya Times Square building, a massive shopping centre complete with indoor amusement park. We arrived early (well, early for us) and spent a little time looking through shops and market stalls before heading to the cinema to watch “Inception”. Twisting and well-cast, it was just a little slow at points (but we saw the action-packed “Salt” the day before, so possibly that set expectations) — but we still came out feeling a little disconnected from reality (was it all a dream?).
Lunch and rollercoasters next, although we maybe should’ve reversed the order of those two. While mostly just for kids, there was nevertheless a whole, mostly-empty floor of rides for “adults and teens”. No queueing! Our wrist-band passes gave us access to all the rides, but we concentrated on one: the indoor rollercoaster, track twisting and turning up walls and past windows, stretching through and around the three floors of amusements. It was the best ride, with a slow upside-down roll followed by two full loops once you get up to speed; on the contrary, another ride called the “DNA Mixer” should be outlawed. A bit like the “Wave” at Dreamworld, the DNA mixer spins you forwards and backwards at off-centre speed until you pass out; we wondered why nobody else was riding it. At the very least, this ride should actually give you mutant powers, since there’s no other reason to put yourself through such sinus-bursting, head-pounding torture.
Needing a little break after that, we headed to the bowling alley next door. Turns out we’ve found a game we’re both equally crap at, brilliant! Although the employees were bored and unhelpful, once we found our lane we were away. A couple of games there (and it’s more physical than I expected — nothing like Wii bowling at all!) and it was time for one last ride on the rollercoaster, then dinner at an Irish pub around the corner.
We taxied back to our “hotel” (and I use the term lightly) and collapsed into bed, to dream a dream within a dream within a taco. Next stop…