in pulau langkawi

We’re spending the next six nights on Pulau Langkawi, the largest island in Langkawi, Malaysia.

KUL -> LGK

The taxi ride back to KLIA-LCCT was even more full on than going in. The cab’s fan belt was broken so the air con didn’t work. So imagine a seventies/eighties Datsun style cab driving 120+ km ph down a highway with no air con, all four windows down and no seat belts. Unreal! We even had to stop for fuel because the cab didn’t have enough to make it all the way. But we got there alive and well, and the cabbie was still smiling.

We booked Air Asia flights to Langkawi from KLIA LCCT. The flights were really cheap (MYR170 or about $55 return), which included Xpress boarding which allows you get a good seat as there is no seat allocation. We got front row which was good but then again the flight was only one hour.The plane was an almost new Airbus A300 which was immaculate.

A nice easy flight and easy cab ride to our accommodation meant we were eating at sunset on the beach.

Beach Garden Resort

We’re staying at a place called the Beach Garden Resort on Pantai Cenang (beach). It’s not flash, but it is clean, comfortable and affordable. It’s right on the beach which is amazing.

Today it’s about 30°c but the water is nice, and we also have air-con in our room. We get a big breakfast every day and our room is serviced which is good.

Food

We’re starting to look for good Malaysian food to eat because we’ve mostly seen western food restaurant (restoran!) here so far. We’ve got a reccommendation to try tonight. Yum.

our first night in kl

We spent our first night in KL last night and it’s been heaps of fun so far.

OOL-KUL

We flew out of Coolangatta on the Gold Coast early Saturday morning, the quick turn north providing spectacular takeoff views of the entire Gold Coast coastline.

I have to admit that we weren’t expecting much from Air Asia X considering our flights were less than $350 return, but we were actually very impressed. The Airbus A330 was configured 2,4,2 so we got two seats to ourselves next to the window in the second row from the front (the front row, with more leg room, costs more).

We were suprised to note upon takeoff that the four middle seats next to us (front row, heaps of leg room) were empty so after takeoff I made myself comfortable on them. This meant Kitty had two seats to herself and I had four, and all of mine had no seats in front of them so I really could stretch out. Because of this, the eight and a half hour flight was a breeze, best long haul flight ever!

I slept for nearly two hours, watched a couple of movies on the personal video device we hired (MYR35, or about $11 for the entire flight) including Horton Hears A Who which was really good! The food wasn’t bad too, and it was cheap as it was in Malaysian Ringit.

KLIA-LCC to KLCC

We landed at KL International Airport Low Cost Carrier Terminal which is 20km further from the standard KLIA. We caught a cab for the 70km journey into the KL city centre (KLCC). It was hilarious to be in the back of a late seventies/early eighties four cylinder Datsun like cab driving down the tollway doing 130 kmph when the speed limit sign says 90 kmph. Plus I don’t think the cabbie indicated once, and I couldn’t count the number of times he drove across two lanes.

Traders Hotel KLCC

The hotel we booked is amazing, definitely the best I have ever stayed in. We got upgraded to a suite, which means it has separate living areas and a massive, massive bathroom stacked with a huge amount of products. First time I have seen a bidet too. We look out onto a massive park with a swimming lagoon and straight at the Petronas Towers.

The view at night was amazing. Lots of people told us to go to the SkyBar in Traders because of the view, but from our room it was just as good.

Fish Spa at Pavillion

We went for a walk to the Pavillion shopping centre which is very new and modern, but quite sterile. The food court on level one was amazing because they have just about every type of cuisine to choose from. I didn’t come to Malaysia not to eat Malaysian so I order chicken satay sticks with fried rice which were very yummy. After we ate we went to the fifth floor to the Kenko fish spa.

Basically they have large tanks of Turkish fish that you dip your legs into and they nibble off your dead skin. We didn’t know there were two different tanks, small fish and big huge fish, so we accidentally started on huge fish. It’s a very strange sensation, not entirely pleasant, but unique. All the promotional material showed a few fish nibbling, but in reality there wasn’t much surface area without a fish.

After a few minutes of discomfort you almost forget that they are there, unless you are Kitty and insanely ticklish to last more than a minute. I spent about 30 minutes having my legs nibbled and I can honestly say they feel smoother and cleaner. Weird.

Malaysian Curry for Breakfast

The hotel offers breakfast as part of the room rate. Just like the room is the best room ever, I think that the breakfast was probably best ever. They offered so much variety it was astounding. I tried lots of different things (pastries, omlettes, fruit juice) but my favourite was Malaysian curry with chicken and potatoe. I don’t think I have eaten curry for breakfast before, but it was definitely a really good thing.

Langkawi here we come

We fly to Langkawi this afternoon which means another potential dodgy cab ride to the KLIA-LCC again. Woohoo.

to do: in bangkok

We leave tomorrow morning for KL. Even though BKK isn’t for another week I thought I would share some initial ideas on our BKK to do list.

See In Bangkok

• Chinatown Markets
• Jim Thompson House (link)
• Royal Palace: Emerald Buddha

Eat In Bangkok

• Seafood Market & Restaurant - My parents went here last year and said it was amazing. You can choose your (live) seafood and then have your chef cook it for you. (link)
• Tom Yum Kung (9 Trokmayom Jakapong Road, on the western end of Khao San. (link)

Stay In Bangkok

• New Siam Guest House II: Banglamphu (link)

Shop In Bangkok

• Propaganda - Siam Discovery Centre & Emporium: Unique Thai designer homewares (link)
• Siam Centre & Siam Discover Centre: Connected to each other
• Mah Boon Krong: Bangkok’s busiest mall
• Siam Paragon: Bangkok’s largest mall
• Central World Plaza (formerly World Trade Centre)
• Thonglor: a long street where Thailand’s in-crowd hang, and home to various funky homeswares and design stores in sleek little malls like J-Avenue and Playground.
• H1: Sukhumvit (link)
• Comfort Zone: Music Store in Siam Discovery Center
• Shades of Retro: purveyor of 1970s collectibles
• Bangkok’s New Hip Haunt: Ekkamai: Sukhumvit Soi 63

Relax in Bangkok

• DVN Spa & Wellbeing Centre (link)
• Shewa Spa: KSR (link)

Travel In Bangkok

• Taxi to newish airport: Meter + 65B surcharge (About 300 Baht Total to KSR)

to do: in kl & langkawi

It’s only a week until we leave for our mini Asian vacation. I’ve started a list of things to see/do. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any more suggestions.

Kuala Lumpur (KL)

Shop in KL

• Peter Hoe Evolution: (pictured above) modern interior design and homewares: 2 Jalan Hang Lekir, Kuala Lumpur (link)

Relax in KL

• Kenko Fish Spa: a heap of fish nibble on your dead skin: Pavilion Shopping Centre: 5th Floor (link)

Fun in KL

• Cosmo’s World Theme Park: indoor theme park: Berjaya Times Square (link)

Eat in KL

• Seri Melayu Lunch Buffet: 1 Jalan Conlay: apparently amazing and worth the trip alone. (link)

Travel in KL

• From KL LCC Airport to Hotel: Buy voucher in arrivals hall: MYR56.60 (link)

Stay in KL

• Traders Hotel: KL City Centre (next to KL Convention Centre) (link)

Langkawi

Relax in Langkawi

• Pantai Cenang Beach

See in Langkawi

• Cable Car to the summit of Gunung Mat Cincang at 700m for a spectacular view of the islands including neighbouring Thailand.

Stay in Langkawi

• Beach Garden Resort: Pantai Cenang (link)

Travel in Langkawi

• Taxi from Airport: to Pantai Cenang is 18km and MYR15.

australian interest rates and rent increases

I was having a discussion with a colleague today about how the big banks are continuing to raise their interest rates regardless of what the RBA does, including ANZ who raised theirs today to 9.62 % p.a.

He was of the opinion that the interest rate rises are small in comparison to how much rents are increasing. I told him it wasn’t so but he just thought that I was trying to bend statistics to suit myself.

So I thought I would follow up here on a post from this blog from November 2007 where I showed the current ANZ interest rate and how much it would have cost to borrow money for our apartment compared to renting it. Back then, with interest rates at 8.32 % p.a. the weekly repayment would have been $956.06. Now, at 9.62 % p.a. it’s $1074.19 per week. That’s an increase of $118.13 per week.

Now look at our rent situation. Last October we signed a 12 month fixed term lease at $420 per week. So last November we were paying $420 per week, and right now we are paying $420 per week. That’s an increase of $0.00 per week.

To be fair, we were clever to lock in the rent we did when we did. But even if the landlord raises the rent $50 per week come November 2008, he will still be at least $70 per week worse off compared to a year ago, not even considering that Brisbane City Council inner city rates rose by up to 20 % recently.

And if anyone still thinks that rent money is dead money they should know that total repayments for our apartment at current interest rates total $1,675,736 (yes, that’s $1.675 million!) and interest alone is $1,125,736. Now that’s dead money!

I can’t see how it’s not clear.

fascade by christopher langton in burnett lane, brisbane

I still can’t get over how cool this is. If you’re in Brisbane check it out. I recommend dusk and start walking down Burnett Lane from the Albert street. Unreal.

inhabit brisbane: street art goodness

I was walking down Burnett Lane in Brisbane city this afternoon when I saw a massive head floating in the sky. I stopped to read the nearby sign and find out it’s an art installation by Christopher Langton for the Inhabit Program which is part of the Brisbane Festival.

I quickly googled the Inhabit program when I got home and realised that there is heaps of stuff going on in Brisbane city over the next three weeks, disappointingly a lot of it is on when I’m overseas.

Here’s a summary:

Art

• Christopher Langton: Facade 2008: Burnett Lane (George Street end): 11 July - 22 August
• Nicole Voevodin-Cash: Escapespace 2008: Eagle lane (junction with Queen Street): 11 July - 22 August
• Alexander Lotersztain: Twig street furniture system 2007: Market Street (Charlotte Street end): From 16 Jul
• Inkahoots: Admissions 2008: General Post Office walkway (access off Elizabeth Street): 11 July - 22 July
• Rodney Glick: Compostism 2008: 11am - 5pm Wednesdays and Fridays: 11 July - 22 August

Events

• Turbot Street Party: Turbot Street Underpass (between George and Roma Streets):
  5pm Saturday 19 July
• Farm to Fridge: Market Street (Charlotte Street end): 11am - 2pm Wednesday 16, 23, 30 July & 6 August
• Compostism Demonstrations: Rodney Glick: Post Office Square: 12.30pm Thursday 31 July & Friday 1 August

Click to see larger map.

to do: sleep in a pipe

If you’re anything like me, sleeping in a pipe is probably one of those things on your pre dirt nap to-do list. Well good news then: the Park Hotel in Austria allows you to do just this. Designed by Andreas Strauss, you can pre-book one of three pipes which means you can then simply rock up with your pin code to sleep in your pipe. You leave the amount you think your stay was worth in the pipe when you check-out. And if you want any reassurance, check out the recommendation on their website:

“It is wonderful …”
Ein Besucher, A visitor!