Our first overseas trip - Random Ramblings

Yes, this mother has been dying to go on a trip and has been lamenting how she has not travelled since she was pregnant and is "Singapore"-bounded for close to 2 years... :p There were lots of discussions about where to go - would it be Taiwan (a country mummy wans to go so badly), Hong Kong, someplace in Malaysia or Bangkok?

TADAR! One week before the trip, it was decided - KUALA LUMPUR! We decided to skip Genting since it would be too cold and I did not want to risk the little one catching a cold while up there. Before I continue, let me say 3 things I cannot stand during the trip:

1. KL TAXIS DO NOT RUN ON METERS!
We booked The Federal which was located at Bukit Bintang (the shopping strech of KL - and seriously, taxi drivers there chopped us like carrots because they would say "Sir/Mam, there jam lar... I need to do detour..." And yes, I am disgusted because they will charge us 2 to 3 times more (imagine the trip there is 7 dollars and they charge us $25 just to get back to hotel!

2. THINGS CAN GET REALLY SLOW!
And having stayed in a fast paced country, it is a torture to stand in line and watch the service staff give you quality service... Haiz, the bane of staying in a country where efficiency is equivalent to the snap of your fingers...

3. THE FEDERAL IS LESS THAN THE 4 STARS IT CLAIMS!
a) The shower sucks - Yes, I had a terrible time trying to wash little girl after she poos (if she so happen to be in the hotel). The water that comes out from the shower is miserable. It's like a "trickle"... Maybe it's a tatic to save water?
b) The sound proofing is horrid - I could hear the traffic going on the road. I could hear kids 2 rooms down screaming at the top of the voices. I could hear people talk as they walk down the corridor. AND YES! I could hear my neighbouring room occupants draining water after taking a soak in the bath tub and then taking a shower (I could hear the water hitting the bath tub!).
c) The mini bar was pathetic (was there even one in the first place?) - There were only 2 packs of Lipton tea in the bar... No coffee and anything else. Not even soft drinks or others in the fridge! *GOSH!*
d) Complimentary bottled water was only given during the last night - It seemed to me like an afterthought. "I better give them complimentary water so that they will write good comments about us."

With the above, I swear I will be more careful in future about the hotel I book. Hubby felt it was not worth the price to stay in such a hotel. I could only agree that the only saving grace that it was along Bukit Bintang (situated extremely near Sungei Wang - the shopping centre which has Giant supermarket and Jalan Alor - where you can get cheap and great assortment of non-halal stir fry food).

Okay enough of the ramblings... check out Part 2 - the trip itself...