Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Our journey started Saturday (Dec. 11) at 5pm when the van we rented picked us up at the motor home in Clermont and took us to the Orlando airport and ended Monday (Dec. 13th) afternoon when Heather and Samantha picked us up at the airport in KL! As Mom would say, we looked and felt like we “had been dragged through a knothole!” The flight from Orlando to Amsterdam wasn’t that bad – we took off at 8pm so sleeping on the 8 hour flight was natural – I rested more than Roger. He couldn’t get comfortable with no leg room. We arrived in Amsterdam about 12 noon. We had reserved a room at the Mercure Hotel, within the airport, so we napped and took showers before eating dinner and boarding our 8:40pm flight to KL. Although we were not totally refreshed we felt much better. The 12 hour flight to KL was the worst part of the journey – the seats were more comfortable and we had individual DVD players with movies, TV shows and music but it was hot in the cabin (you know if I say it was hot it was really uncomfortable!) and a very long time to sit. We got up and walked around as much as possible and did leg exercises in our seats! The food was mediocre at best but we didn’t expect much.
All of our luggage and boxes, including the doll house, arrived with us so we breathed a sigh of relief! We took 2 large black garbage bags with us to wrap the dollhouse box when we cleared customs so the girls wouldn’t see it! Heather & Samantha rode the train to the airport and then we took a van taxi to their house – their car is too small for 4 people plus all our luggage. It was wonderful to see them all! Emily is even calling me “Tima” now.
Their town house is in a gated community with many other “ex-pat” families and much bigger than we anticipated. It is narrow but has 3 floors – we have the guest suite on the top.  The girls are not allowed up here without permission! Not our rule but Mom & Dad’s! Good memory training because if you get downstairs and forget something you have to trek back up 3 flights of stairs! I have adjusted to the time change better than Roger – he was awake at 3am today! Hard not to nap and then begin a vicious circle.
Emily’s school is out for “holiday” and Samantha’s last day is Friday. We have been with Heather to take/pick her up (not a quick process – you have to park and walk her in and go in to get her each time – no fast drop offs!)  and I was the “mystery” reader on Wednesday. Thursday was her Christmas party and of course Friday is her birthday party at school. I went to ballet lessons Wednesday and Roger did gymnastics on Thursday. The population is Malay,Chinese and Indian but we have met people from all over the world in a few short days!
Renu, the maid, has us spoiled all ready. She emptied our dirty clothes basket, washed and ironed our clothes and put everything away! It is customary to remove your shoes in the house – there is a shoe closet by the front door, Emily says “shoes, off” to remind you – and Renu mops the floors every day. I hate to go barefoot so I’m considered rude!
Heather, Roger & I went to Batu Caves on Wednesday morning. “VJ,” a taxi driver who does private tours etc, drove us and explained their significance. They are high, deep caves in the limestone hills on the outskirts of KL that house Hindu temples. There is an art gallery of religious scenes and a huge statue of the elephant headed deity named “Ganesh.” We walked up all 275 steps to see the inside of the cave/temple. Seemed to have more souvenir shops than religious significance! Even had a man with 2 huge snakes you could wrap around yourself and have your picture taken! There is a Hindu temple at the base of the statue but you have to take your shoes off to enter and trust me you would not want to walk around barefoot! There were several monkeys on the steps looking for food and one swooped down, grabbed a yellow bag from a lady and ran away with it! He sat on top of one of the columns and sorted through the bag – throwing away everything he couldn’t eat! He found a coconut, threw it on the ground to break it open and then ran down and got it! Heather & I stayed far away from them!
We are having so much fun with the girls. Emily talks so much you can actually have a conversation with her! They have an elf named “Sonny” that moves from one room to another each night before Christmas – watching and reporting to Santa. They get up each morning and run around looking for him. You can not touch him or he will loose his magic. Samantha saw Emily playing with him and got hysterical thinking that Santa would not come. Heather had to write Santa a letter and explain that Emily did not understand the rules. Actually, Samantha just wanted to make sure Santa knew it was Emily and not her that touched him! He was in the bathroom on the towel bar this morning and Emily told Roger “Sonny swinging, bathroom, funny!”
We walked to the grocery store the other day – have been to the bank for ringgits, the local currency, – and went to the “wet market” this morning for fruit, vegetables and shrimp. It is fun to see all the different food items. Even saw black chicken!
We also went to “The Bread Shop” one morning for coffee and pastries and then on to a special shop that sells Chinese furniture, jewelry and home decor. The guy that owns it is from Glasgow, Scotland and has lived here for about 15 years. He has a large home in a very nice subdivision and it houses his shop and living quarters. No zoning in KL! He primarily caters to ex-pats. He told Roger the area that Heather & Kyle live in – Mont Kiara – was jungle 10 years ago. Now it is as urban as downtown Houston! We are not used to the servitude – it was raining when we left and the sales girl gave us all an umbrella and then came out in the rain to retrieve them after we got in the car! They don’t do that at Wal-Mart!
The last picture is a video of Emily giggling at the card Samantha recorded for Mom for Christmas - double click to hear it - she is adorable!