Today we said goodbye to Capri at Frasers after a fantastic 6 night stay and moved across the city for our final 3 days at the Majestic Hotel, a colonial masterpiece where we plan to explore the botanical gardens, Central Market and Chinatown.

Our arrival at our new ‘home’ was a great surprise as it’s such a stunning place.

The hotel is infamous in the city dating back to the 1930’s and has all the hallmarks of the old colonial past.

Our room is the best we’ve stayed at since we left the Uk, so we plan to make the most of our stay.

After relaxing by the pool at lunch, Michelle decided to stay at the hotel, as she’s been suffering with cold symptoms (not uncommon we’re told due to shift from heat to air conditioning and back again through the day). Andy went out to explore the Central Market which houses arts and crafts, along with local street food stalls.

Next to the Central Market is the bustling Chinese streets and an area to pick up bargains, although most of the stuff on sale are designer fake goods – bags, scarves, watches, trainers you name it, they copy it and sell it – just don’t expect a receipt or a guarantee!

After a hour of walking around Chinatown, the heat and the bustle starts to tire you out, so Andy headed back on foot and took some photos of the local train station opposite and the ever changing skyline with colonial turrets and mosques sitting alongside the increasing number of skyscrapers.

Back in the hotel, we had a wander around the various themed bars and smoking rooms. There is even an Orchid room, which is awash with the various coloured plant. The look is incredible and like being in a tropical garden.

Having not eaten since breakfast, we decided late afternoon to head out for a bite to eat and were recommended a Malaysian restaurant called Bijan. It proved to be a real find and being a Saturday was busy and vibrant. We went ‘tapas’ sharing a veg starter which was a lite potato fritter in garlic and butter with a tomato dip. For mains, a chicken and tomato coconut dish, which had an Indian curry feel to it and was well received by the both of us.

After dinner we went to explore the other street market areas we’d heard about, the main one being Petaling Street and the night markets in the Golden Triangle. Both were so very busy and awash with locals and tourists alike. It’s culinary chaos, with people trying to tempt you to stop and try what’s on offer. As we’d already eaten, we held our nerve apart from a stop at a gelato stall for some refreshing sorbets. Really helped to cool us down.

We eventually found our way to Bukit Bintang and with the Eid celebrations now behind us, the normal crowds were back along with a few unusual faces….

At 9.30pm, it’s busier now than at midday, people live different hours, starting early and finishing late, which has to be down to the oppressive heat at midday.

When we got back to the hotel, we were planning a relaxing end to the evening and some reading, however we were hit by one of our first trip mistakes.

We received an email from our travel agent who we had omitted to notify that we’d taken an earlier flight out of Bali a week ago, thereby avoiding overrunning our 30 day visa, and as a result didn’t take our planned later flight on the 13th April.

Sadly the result being the airline cancelling our ‘connecting’ flights to Borneo and back in a few days time. Thankfully after a call to the airline and an admission of guilt and a ‘fine’ of £140 we have managed to get the flights re-instated.

Definitely a lesson to us both to check the paperwork and not go rogue without letting the airline know.

Thankfully we are back on track re travel plans, however Michelle has picked up a bug and has been in bed trying to shake the cold. We need her back to full strength on Tuesday when we head to Borneo and our 10 day tour of the rainforest.