Mick had a stamp collectors fair and stamp auction that he wanted to go to (!) so I went along too (!!), the fair was a 15 min walk, a few train stops away and another 20 min walk. He wanted to be there for 9.30 and the auction started at 10.00. For someone of 65 Mick certainly doesn’t believe in taking it easy!
We arrived at the stamp fair way ahead of time where Mick was greeted like a long lost friend, and a special welcome was made to him, ‘Mr Michael from England’. Over the years Mick has got to know a lot of people here and they him, it was one of these people that put him on to the stamp fair.
Admittedly all the people Mick knows here are to do with stamps and Post Offices or people that can get him stamps or direct him to a stamp fair or post office. Although that said I think he probably knows every Post Office in the country and over the years has probably visited them all. It was really nice to get more of an insight into his bi-annual holiday; one which he’s implied may become annual since he’s now 65.
The next challenge would be getting him to go somewhere else other than all the places he’s already been. I’m under strict instructions about stamps while I’m over in Borneo as he’s never been, so maybe once I report back, he might make it part of his itinerary for next year.
Following the stamp fair we headed to the local mall where on a Sunday they have a bit of a antique / collectors market in the basement, Mick has come here every Sunday since he’s been here and buys more stamps each time so needless to say he’s known here as well, there’s lots of stalls selling stamps but Mick goes to the same guy each time who’s in exactly the same place every week and every year apparently. It’s nice to see we’re all really just creatures of habit.
After a bite to eat and a wander round we headed back to the city centre where I intended to book a flight to Borneo for Tuesday as well as accommodation in Borneo as well as find a bed for another night in KL (another example of lack of planning). This to be honest is where the Emmaisms known from all my other trips begins. I don’t think that’s bad though, three days in the country before my lack of forward planning and lack of urgency kicks in for real!
So, this is how it was, I had no forward flight booked from KL to Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, which really is fine, I have six weeks so of course I don’t want to rush things and I had no real idea beforehand what there was to do in KL and the surrounding area so the plan was to get here and see how it all planned out. Where it all started to go a little be off key is that I couldn’t decide what to do when. I want to see everything but know that’s not possible, I also would like to come back to Peninsula Malaysia at some point but unlikely to go to Borneo again so choices to be made. In the end I decided to spend another day in KL leaving for Borneo on Tuesday.
I looked on-line for flights and found that Air Asia was doing relatively cheap flights but for some reason wouldn’t let me book on line, Malaysian Airways were offering slightly more expensive flights but apparently allowed me to book online. So I thought I’d call Air Asia and try and book over the phone, I finally called them at 8.30 pm on Sunday night while Mick and I were enjoying a beer together and they quoted me the price, plus luggage, plus handling, plus smile (I’m sure) etc which was still cheaper than the other carrier, now don’t ask me why but for some reason I decided not to make the booking there and then despite knowing that their offices shut in 30 mins and despite knowing that I wasn’t able to book online. Mmm the story continues tomorrow.
KL sights
Petronas Towers
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