Category: Travel experiences

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Trip Review – Fireflies Park, Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

Following on from my city break in Kuala Lumpur, I took to the road to explore some more of the highlights of the Malayan Peninsula, beginning with the coastal town of Kuala Selangor.

My trip began with a roughly one-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur, pausing briefly at a service station to watch marauding monkeys raiding the litter bins.

Kuala Selangor is renowned for its Fireflies Park, which is accessible by boat along the Selangor River.

I booked a three-hour cruise, beginning at the Sky Mirror Jetty and Boat Café.

The cruise headed out along the Selangor River, passing stilted houses and continuing into the mangrove forest, where dozens of native eagles feed.

After sunset, it was time for the highlight of the cruise, the famous Fireflies Park.

As the boat meanders along the Selangor River, the fireflies appear as thousands of tiny pinpricks of light coruscating in the darkness.

The insects need no coaxing to approach the boat and even land on the patrons.

Sadly, I wasn’t able to capture any publishable images of this enchanting spectacle, but it is a truly unforgettable experience and well worth making the trip.

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Destination Review – One Day in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

After spending Christmas in Cairo, my next destination en-route to Australia was Malaysia’s vibrant capital, Kuala Lumpur.

The first place I visited was the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, a huge open aviary, where birds fly freely in an environment close to their natural habitat.

A natural segue from the Bird Park is the KLCC Eco Park, a rainforest preserve with a canopy walk, as well as the Menara Tower, offering panoramic views of the city.

The perfect way to round off a day is a visit to KLCC Park, which as the name suggests is located in the heart of the city centre. The park offers a view of the iconic Petronas Towers, as well as a nightly light show.

Naturally, this lively metropolis offers much more than can be experienced in one day, so I have chosen a small selection of the many attractions to cover in this review.

My next destination reviews will cover Kuala Selangor and the spectacular Cameron Highlands.

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Hotel Review – Holiday Inn Express, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Malaysia

After an evening arrival in Kuala Lumpur, I picked up my rental car and headed for the Holiday Inn Express in the centre of the city for a four-night stay.

This would allow me to spend New Year’s Eve in Kuala Lumpur, which I will address in a separate review.

The late night drive from the airport was very easy and I was quickly settled in my room.

My room was small, but functionally furnished with a double bed, mini-fridge, safe, tea and coffee making facilities, shower room and international and USB power sockets.

The room rate included a buffet breakfast, which greatly surpassed the range and quality found at Holiday Inn Express properties in Europe and North America.

The selection offered westernised options, including scrambled eggs and chicken sausages, as well as oriental fare, such as spiced noodles.

The hotel also offered a cafeteria style restaurant, serving the customary staples for lunch and dinner.

The only complaint I had about this particular property was that no provision is made for smokers, and for this reason I would not choose to return. However I realise that this is simply a personal preference, which will not be an issue for the majority of readers.

If you are looking for a well located and utilitarian hotel at a reasonable and affordable rate, this is a solid option.

 

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Flight Review – Royal Jordanian Business Class, Amman – Bangkok

After a short stroll around Amman and a few hours of rest, I was ready for my overnight flight to Bangkok.

The experience began with a relaxing visit to Royal Jordanian’s Crown Lounge in Amman.

The lounge is in a pleasant setting on a mezzanine level, overlooking the terminal.

This is quite an expansive lounge and offers a variety of food options, including a pizzeria, bakery and ice-cream station.

The lounge also has shower suites at a cost of $20 (£16). As I had come straight from my hotel, I opted not to avail myself of this and headed instead to the serviced bar.

After a couple of hours relaxing in the lounge, it was time to board the Boeing 787-8 for the 1:40am departure to Bangkok, a flight time of a little over eight hours.

The business class seating on the Royal Jordanian Dreamliner offers a flat-bed option and is arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration. As always with such a configuration, my preference was for the centre pair of seats, which offer direct aisle access to both passengers.

The footwells for these pairs of seats are at least separated and not angled towards each other, which was an improvement on my earlier Eurowings flight.

The seat adjacent to me was occupied for this flight. However, I was unconcerned by this, as there was sufficient space between the seats and adequate private screening when in flat-bed mode.

As it was now around 2:30am, local time, a light meal of hot and cold appetisers and dessert was offered, comprising both western and oriental options.

I chose the western menu of mozzarella salad, risotto and lotus mousse, all of which were fresh and tasty.

A variety of drinks are also offered.

The menu does not proactively offer alcohol, but beer and wine are available on request. Due to the late hour and relatively short flight time, I chose not to imbibe, preferring to maximise my sleep time.

After around four hours of reasonably comfortable sleep, I awoke around an hour and a half out of Bangkok.

Again, there were western and oriental options for the breakfast service.

I chose the western menu with a Spanish omelette, chicken sausage, mushrooms and tomatoes, served with a croissant and fresh fruit.

In conclusion, Royal Jordanian’s Crown Class, whilst not a top-tier business class product, provided a perfectly satisfactory experience for a relatively short overnight flight.

It was certainly superb value for money at £508 ($648) for a three-sector journey from Cairo to Kuala Lumpur.

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Destination Review – One day in Amman, Jordan

In between my Royal Jordanian flight from Cairo and my connection to Bangkok, I had an enforced layover of 17 hours in Amman.

Since this was a largely daytime layover, I decided to head into the city and take some time to get a taste of the local sights.

In view of the length of the layover, I chose to book a cheap hotel room for the day, if only to have somewhere to shower and rest for a while, as well as having access to power for charging purposes.

I chose the centrally located Hotel Pasha, at a cost of around $34 (£26). The hotel also arranged a private airport transfer for $21 (£16) each way.

The hotel was quite basic, but it was clean, secure and had everything I needed for a one-day layover.

After depositing my hand luggage in the room and taking a quick shower to refresh myself from my early start in Cairo, I was ready to begin exploring the city.

I began at the Nymphaeum, the ruins of a Roman fountain, a short distance from the hotel.

Moving on, I strolled around the city markets, located in the heart of the city and selling everything from spices to textiles.

A short distance from the markets, I stopped at a local bakery for a light lunch, trying some the delicious savoury flatbread.

I rounded this off with some of the local ice cream, which was definitely welcome after a couple of hours of walking.

Next was the Sha’aban area, with the colourfully decorated Rainbow Street.

I finished my short tour with a visit to the Roman Theatre, across the road from my hotel.

Feeling the effects of my early start in Cairo, I then retired to my hotel for a few hours of sleep, before my overnight flight connection.

In total, I spent around four hours meandering around the streets of Amman.

Obviously this is not nearly enough even to scratch the surface of what Jordan has to offer. However it proved to be a pleasant transition from the chaos of Egypt to the serenity of Malaysia, my next destination of the season.

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Flight Review – Royal Jordanian Business Class, Cairo – Amman

After my Nile cruise and Pyramids tour, my Egyptian adventures had come to an end, and it was time to continue eastward for the next phase of my winter wanderings.

For the princely sum of £508 ($648), I had secured a one-way ticket in Royal Jordanian’s Crown Class from Cairo, via Amman, to Bangkok, connecting with Malaysia Airlines to Kuala Lumpur.

This review will focus on the regional sector from Cairo to Amman.

Having originally booked a semi-civilised 09:05 departure, I was hit the dreaded schedule change and ended up with a decidedly less palatable 06:25 flight.

This eventually worked in my favour, as my dephased body clock had me retiring at 7pm the previous evening, and the extended layover allowed me the chance to take a short tour in Amman.

The check-in process at Cairo Airport was somewhat chaotic, with scanners and baggage x-rays at the terminal entrance. Having paid the ubiquitously required baksheesh to the dubious characters manning these checkpoints, I made my way airside, to the generic VIP lounge.

The lounge itself was relatively well equipped, with ample seating, a breakfast buffet and a selection of beverages.

Once at the gate, the boarding process was much smoother and more efficient, and I was soon settled into the business class cabin for the 90-minute flight to Amman.

In sharp contrast to flights of this length in Europe, Royal Jordanian offers spacious recliners, in a 2-2 configuration on its A320neo aircraft. These seats feature an extended pitch, with ample legroom for a short flight. The window seat next to me remained unoccupied for this lightly loaded sector.

Once airborne, an Arabic breakfast was served, with a selection of breads, cheeses and jams, fruit juice and coffee.

By the time I had finished my third breakfast of the day, the descent into Amman had begun.

The infernal obstacle course that is Cairo Airport aside, this was a pleasant and relaxing flight once on board, and certainly a far superior experience to intra-European business class products.

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Destination Review – One Day in Cairo – Pyramids of Giza

On Christmas Eve 2023, I found myself with a spare day in Cairo before continuing my Winter travels to Malaysia.

I decided to take a half-day tour to see the most iconic landmark of Egypt, the world famous Pyramids of Giza.

I was picked up shortly after midday at the Intercontinental Citystars Hotel, in a relatively modern and comfortable minibus, for the one hour drive to the pyramids.

The tour began at the Great Pyramid, dating from roughly 2,600 BCE.

The tour included an entrance ticket to the Great Pyramid. However, I declined this, having been warned of the long queues to enter and the crowded and cramped conditions inside.

Instead, I took a short stroll around the base of the pyramid, to view some of the smaller tombs, as well as the holding area for the camel rides.

After the visit to the Great Pyramid, my tour group was driven roughly ten minutes to the panoramic viewing area, offering a sweeping view of the ancient structures, juxtaposed against the distant metropolis.

Here, there was the option of taking a camel ride.

As this was Christmas Eve, there was even a camel decked out in festive garments.

Whilst there was not such an obvious animal welfare issue as I observed in Edfu, I couldn’t be sure of the situation and preferred instead to spend my time admiring the vista.

The tour concluded with a visit to the legendary Great Sphinx, the oldest known monument in Egypt, dating from the 26th Century BCE.

The tour was around six hours long, including transport from and to my hotel near the Citystars Mall, at a price of $138 (£109). With only one free day, I considered this to be good value in view of the comprehensive nature of the tour.

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Trip Review – VIP Train, Aswan – Luxor, Egypt

After leaving my Nile cruise on Day 4, I needed to arrange transport back to Luxor for my three-night hotel break.

Having been quoted $140 (£111) for a private taxi, I chose to try the three-hour VIP train service.

I booked my ticket at Aswan station the previous day, which was a relatively painless experience, taking around 20 minutes.

I paid the $25 (£20) fare with US Dollar cash and was issued a handwritten paper ticket, with a reserved seat in the first class carriage.

The following day, I arrived at the station around an hour in advance of the 3:15pm departure and spent several minutes hunting away importunate baggage handlers, whilst making my way to the platform.

I boarded the train around a half hour later, only to find someone already occupying my reserved seat. I attempted to enlist the assistance of the train manager, but the only English word he seemed to know was ‘tips’. Incidentally, ‘baksheesh’ is also one of the only Middle Eastern words that I know, this being a recurring theme in this part of the world.

Figuring that what is good for the goose is good for the gander, I took a seat on the opposite side of the train.

The seat I ended up occupying was in fact a superior seat, as the train is configured in 1-2 seating, with the single seats on the side with the direct river views.

The train takes a routing along the eastern bank of the Nile, meaning that the best views are from the left side of the train on northbound journeys, or the right side on southbound journeys.

The train was equipped with a lavatory, which seemed to double as an unofficial smoking room.

I availed myself of this a couple of times, although I was rather glad I didn’t have to use it for its intended purpose.

My train departed Aswan promptly at 3:15pm and arrived in Luxor around ten minutes late at 6:40pm.

In addition to the four VIP trains, there are around fifteen departures per day between these two stations, using Russian and Spanish built express trains.

Overall, this was a pleasant journey, passing the Nile Valley scenery, and an interesting and relatively comfortable way to travel between Aswan and Luxor.

 

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Hotel Review – Citymax Hotel, Aswan, Egypt

Having decided to leave my Nile cruise on Day 4, I checked into the Citymax Hotel in Aswan for one night, before returning to Luxor by train.

The hotel is conveniently located on the Kornish Al Nile, which is the main riverside promenade. I chose the hotel principally for its proximity to the main railway station, around a five-minute walk away.

I booked a junior suite, mainly because it offered a balcony and was the only smoking room available. The suite was clean, sufficiently spacious for one person and comfortably furnished.

The attached balcony was sheltered, private and offered a rather engaging view of the Nile.

The hotel has a rooftop pool, which I didn’t try in the cooler winter temperatures.

The property also offers a very basic restaurant with takeaway style food, which was at least served hot. For the convenience of not having to venture back out and run the gauntlet of the persistent and ubiquitous street vendors, I was content with it.

At $141 or £112, this room was expensive by local standards. For one night, however, I considered it well worth the outlay for the convenience, comfort and ease of access.

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Tour Review – Nile Cruise, MS Zaina, Luxor to Aswan, Egypt. Day 3.

Following a more successful second day on the cruise tour, I awoke in the next destination of the tour, Edfu.

The first of day’s activities was a visit to the world famous Temple of Horus, completed in 57BCE.

The transfer to the temple was scheduled to be by carriage, drawn by horses and donkeys. However, I refused to participate in this on ethical grounds, due to the obvious maltreatment of the animals. Much to the chagrin of my tour guide, I opted instead to take a taxi to the temple.

Having rejoined the rest of my tour group, I spent around an hour viewing the impressive temple, dating from the Ptolemaic Kingdom.

After around an hour at the temple, I returned to the ship, again by taxi, for breakfast and the first full day of cruising towards Aswan.

I spent most of the day on the rooftop deck of the ship, as we passed the riverside villages and desert scenery.

Before the ship’s arrival in Aswan, there was a short stop for a sunset visit to the majestic Kom Ombo Temple, also dating from the Ptolemaic Dynasty.

Apart from the experience with the abused animals, this had been a relaxing and enjoyable day. However, it emerged over another mediocre dinner that things were about to take a turn for the worse, as the schedule for the remaining three days was announced.

It emerged that there would be no further cruising for the next 48 hours, and that the ship would again be moored in port.

It also emerged that Day 5 would involve a 4am pick up, for an eight-hour round trip to Abu Simbel in the same rickety and overloaded minibuses which had taken me to the hot air balloon site on Day 2.

It was at this point that I made the decision to leave the cruise in Aswan the following morning. My tour agency, Get Your Guide, agreed to a 50% refund for the unused nights. I considered this a reasonable resolution.

Having seen most of what I wanted to see in Egypt, I decided to return to Luxor by train for a three-day break at the Pyramisa Hotel.

In conclusion, the cruise tour included some excellent highlights. The hot air balloon flight on Day 2 was spectacular, and the cruising on Day 3 was pleasant.

Overall, I am glad that I had this experience. However, in my opinion, there were simply too many annoyances to justify recommending a cruise tour of this length.

If you really want to take a Nile cruise, my advice is to look for a one- or two-night cruise, operating one way between Aswan and Luxor.

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