Day 165 - I feel like Kevin McCallister, just in Home Alone: Lost in Asia

I have no idea why I took this photo.

Day 165 - 05th December

So I worked through the night. By the time I finished it was 5:30am. That's how nuts I am about writing. It's not the first time and it won't be the last. And I loved every second of it.

The great news is I finished the sitcom. Yep, it's finally completed to a full draft stage. It will take tweaks and minor changes but the groundwork and most of the material is there. This is the one. I know I say it but this one just has me laughing out loud (not in a big headed way either). I think the balanced of characters, their backgrounds, the settings and scenarios, and the jokes are perfect. I'm proud of this!

By 8am, I was showered up and moving off for breakfast. If I didn't, I'd be sitting in my room all day editing and that's not good. I had three missions for the day - find a post office, find a new iPod cable to replace my lost one and book a bus ticket at Berjaya Times Square.

I found an apple retailer in the shopping district but the grumpy sales assistant told me 'not open until 10! Go!' Feeling slightly victimised and pretty shattered, I went next door to Starbucks for an Americano to wake me up. Whilst waiting for 10am, I finished The Women in Black. Definitely read it, it was awesome and had me right there on them marshes. Crazy ghost bitch!

When the retailer opened, I went to the partner store across the street. Screw the rude assistant but they didn't have a replacement cable because Apple want you to buy a brand new iPod to get it. Sod that!

I went to the shopping complex which was just five floors full of IT gadgets, parts, cabling and other hardware. I managed to get a replacement for 20 ringgit. Happy days. One down, two to go.

I moved to the next shopping centre but the Post Office was deserted. They weren't opening.

That bidet is like the fountains at the Belagio in Vegas!

Now for the disgusting part. This blog documents the good and the bad. When using the toilet, I turned to find no toilet roll. No problem. Use the bidet and then pull up, grab tissue paper, back in, pull down, dab, sorted! I'm trying not to be so graphic. In short, the bidet was broken so it sprayed like a sprinkler, there was no tissue in the dispensers. There was only one cubicle! With water all over the floor, my shorts and my boxer shorts drenched, I had only one alternative and no wipe was not an option. I had to do it the Indian way! I hang my head in shame before you and please be assured I washed my hand fifteen times to be sure it was sanitised.

Merry Christmas!

Moving swiftly on, I went to Berjaya Times Square Shopping Mall or fifteen stories of pure hell! The fifth floor has a theme park inside it which is pretty cool but I wasn't paying the admission for one ride on a roller coaster. 

Too much for me.

A roller coaster in a shopping mall. That's kind of cool.

I found the bus company and booked my bus whilst confusing the poor assistant with my mumbling English. Sorry! But that was two down, one to go.

Seriously walking around this district I felt like I was lost in a big city, trying to find my way out so kind of like Home Alone. And as it's Christmas I can accept that comparison.

What I thought was probably the easiest to accomplish became a nightmare. I walked for kilometres with my phone's smart nav either to find the post office had closed down or had never existed in the first place. The local, although trying to be helpful, were directing me back to the mall where it wasa deserted post office.

A cracking hot dog.

In the end, I abandon the mission and went for lunch (bolognese hot dog - I've got to stop eating crap) and went back to Starbucks to continue my editing of my sitcom. I'm hooked now, it's too late.

I Skyped in with the folks and received all the latest gossip from the home front - my niece's christening is proceeding to plan, my brother's wife is struggling with two slipped discs and my sister has a new haircut. Quite a variety I'll admit.

After a little more work and four grande, black coffees inside me, I headed to Jalan Alor for dinner. I had a spicy dish then I'd intended and it had me coughing profusely in front of the locals. What a plonker!

Day 164 - Sky Tower, dinner on the town and an all nighter (writing, calm down!)

Shit!

Day 164 - 04th

So another late wake up after another late Skype session was throwing my body out something chronic. Nevertheless, it was great to catch up and I was going to get through it easily. Just an early night was required, that was all...

I continued work on my sitcom. I'm getting closer to the end now and then I'll have six good episodes to edit and sent to the BBC. But I have until April so I have plenty of time to mound it into something that I think has a lot of potential. Even my tutor on my open university course told me it had real potential.

Anyhow, I was writing that watching Malcolm in the Middle on Netflix. Do you remember that show? It turns out it more hilarious than I remember, mainly down to Hal the dad, brilliantly played by Bryan Cranston. If you get a chance, watch it. It helps you relive your teens (if you were born circa 1988).

I'm also reading The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. It's very atmospheric but has me gripped. I can't really what happens in the film so it's idea for reading the book.

As the sun started to go around 6:45, I rushed into the shower, readied my self and set off for the Kuala Kumpur Tower. Being scared of heights already wasn't helped by a dodgy looking lift appearing, the doors jamming half way between opening and the walls peeling. It look like something out of The Tower of Terror. 

The main viewing point in Kuala Lumpur - The Petronas Towers

Love the sky in this.

Why am I thinking E.T.?

As we ascending up the 400 odd metres, I started to feel queasy and when we reached the open observatory deck, my legs went to jelly. I was on my own for the first time on a huge structure like this. I had to pull myself together or risk ruining the experience, I slid along the wall like I was in stealth mode. I've been on taller structures but I've always been with someone. It's sounds a bit melodramatic but I honestly thought I was stuck to that wall for a while. Once I found my legs, I took in the views and relaxed a bit more.

Not bad!

This was awesome. That marshmallow on top was great.

Afterwards, I gorged myself to a chicken and Swiss cheese sandwich followed by a pecan brownie and ice cream at Outback Steakhouse. All the weight I shed in Cambodia has suddenly come back ten fold now I'm not exercising. Need to get my gut back to swimming or some other form of exercise, and soon!

By the time I got back it was 11pm and all I could think of was finishing that sitcom. So I sat down and wrote, and wrote and wrote. I didn't realise it was the earlier hours until I zoned back into reality and checked the computer desktop.

But it didn't stop me!!!

Day 163 - Excursion off the map and Emmy Skype Star!

I love this beautiful city.

Day 163 - 03rd December

I woke up well into the afternoon, a punishment for staying up late and Skyping my brother I suppose.

The afternoon was a write off in one respect. I wasn't moving from my bed. In another respect, I wrote so I was pretty happy with myself.

I did managed to raise myself for an hour stint around 4pm to go and have a mutton madras with a garlic naan. That eased some of my tiredness.

By the time night fell, I decided I had to get my ass out of bed and go for a little walk around, just to get some more fresh air. My excursions took me somewhere I'd never been before and I ended up wandering for an hour or so in some shifty looking nieghbourhoods. I suppose that's part of travelling, providing you don't get killed. And I obviously didn't because I'm here writing this!

I waited up until 3:30am just to get a little Skype time with my brother... Ah, screw that. I wanted to see my little Emmy. God is she growing up fast and is now clapping on request which is funny to see. Funnier still she tried the grab the screen to get to me when I was calling her name and blowing raspberries. I always said I'd never do that to kids when I got older but it's impossible to resist unless you have a heart of stone.

By 4am, Emmy was due her bed time so we called it a day there.

I tried to call my parents quickly but was as dramatically challenging as John McClane in Die Hard trying to radio for help. Seriously, it was like trying to talk to my Nanna without her hearing aids, bless her.

Day 162 - Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Merdeka Square, Batu Caves and Jalan Alor

Batu Caves was very impressive.

Day 162 - 02nd December

One thing I am missing at the moment is the advent calendar. It brings a rare treat to my day in the month of December and if I don't have that then what do I have? Oh, travelling, yes of course!

So I woke up, showered and readied and headed out to find some places to visit. I took the subway and forgot which line to take but it worked out. Something in the tiny recesses of the old noggin' must have kicked in.

Stunning building.

Merdeka Square in somewhere beneath! If it's not scaffolding, it's events!

I stopped first at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building to admire it. It was pretty spectacular to be honest, build in brick it was a fantastic overlook for Merdeka Square. The square was covered in marquees and fake flooring ready for an event in the next few days I assume so I didn't get to sit and just admire the surrounding city. It was probably a good thing, the heat was rising.

Not a bad balti for £2.20.

I made my way to Kuala Lumpur Sentral station and waited to board the Monorail train to Batu Caves at 2:45pm. Whilst I had forty minutes to kill I indulged in a chicken balti which was pretty tasty and before I knew it, I was reading The Woman in Black on the monorail, heading towards Batu Caves.

Seriously, huge statue.

The golden statute that towered over everything else at the site was something that left me in awe - kind of like the reclining Buddha did in Bangkok. Sometime you just have to stand back and metaphorically applaud the sheer will power of faith and religion. It was a remarkable tribute for Hindus and Buddhist. 

Crazy monkey! Not cute.

As I scaled the steps up to the temple in the cave, and the monkeys descended on me like flies around shite, I just took in my surroundings, grateful I was there.

This place is just more and more beautiful as you go on.

Shortly after, I took an educational tour of The Dark Cave to visit bats, snakes, locusts, millipedes and worms. Our guide was fantastic and she really knew her stuff, she had a great touch of comedy about her too and at only 23 years old, she could've been mistaken for someone twice her age with the amount of confidence she gave off.

By 5pm, I was back on the monorail, reading The Woman in Black again. It's not a scary book but I can see how it grips people and puts them on edge. Susan Hill is a terrific writer.

The chicken and rice.

And the BBQ squid - delicious!

When I arrived back in Kuala Lumpur, I went to Jalan Alor, the hub of street food. It was already bustling by seven pm but I found a nice place where I had chicken and rice and BBQ squid, both were delicious.

Jalan Alor.

On my way back, I met a Portuguese man who was lost so I walked him down  edge of Chinatown and bid him farewell and a safe onward journey. #gooddeedoftheday.

I had a Skype session with my brother at midnight which was great, despite us only getting fifteen minutes of talk time before intervals of broken Wi-Fi connection. Even prisoners get to talk to their loved ones for longer periods!

Day 161 - Burnout but a walkabout did me good

The Sky Tower is pretty special.

Day 161 - 01st December

Happy Holiday y'all. But anyone who says that travelling is one long holiday is moronic. It is incredible don't get me wrong but when you're moving every few days with broken sleeping patterns, you get burned out. That was me.

I sat and wrote for most of the day, trying to save the pennies, but I did go out for a series of walks. The first time I came back with a postcard, a magnet, two apples, peanuts, dried peas and a packet of black pop socks! 

For lunch I had fried rice with two sausage skewers made at a local place in Chinatown. It was a wise choice and came in at less than a £1 with a drink!

I went back to work for a few hours before heading out again. I saw the Sky Tower all lit up. Again I need to go up that before I leave which raises my apprehension levels. The second time out for the day saw me come back with a Nandos for dinner - a terrible mistake, the pitta was abysmal as was the rice. I'll stick to the local stuff in future.

I retired to bed earlier, feeling pretty tired and ready to tackle Kuala Lumpur properly in the morning.