Gardens Centre: February 2011

Friday, February 25, 2011

Things to do: Elephant Sanctuary Near Kuala Lumpur

If you love elephants or you are simply bored at home, then you must visit the Elephant orphanage and sanctuary in Kuala Gandah. Depending on traffic it is a minimum 1 hour 45 minute drive outside of Kuala Lumpur. If you don't have a car and satellite navigation/map then join any of the tours that go out there. We drove up with friends and it was an excellent day out involving elephant rides, elephant feeding and swimming with the elephants!! Very suitable for children as well.
Please note that there is a limit of 150 people per day who can ride the elephants. So get there early before the tickets run out. Tickets are obtained in exchange for a donation.
To drive from Kuala Lumpur follow this route:
Batu Caves
Gombak-Kuantan Highway
East Coast Express way
Genting
Lanchang-Lebuhraya Pantai Timur
Karak Highway/Karak Village
Bolok
Kuala Gandah

For more detailed information and how to get there check out:
Elephant Sanctuary
Trip Advisor Reviews
Tourism Malaysia.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Supermarkets and Malls in Kuala Lumpur

We are really spoilt for choice when it comes to supermarkets. The numerous shopping malls are also very impressive, full of variety and they are massive. I cannot tell you how many times I have been to the Curve or Mid Valley/Gardens and got lost or couldn't find a store I had visited before. They do need some getting used to and believe me, you will need a foot massage after a serious shopping trip!

Supermarkets are spread all over KL. Some are in malls, some in shopping centres and others on the corner of a plaza.

The website below lists the details of several supermarkets such as Tesco, Carrefour and Giant. It also provides a list of Malls such as Pavillion, Low Yat, Starhill, Lot 10 and Sungai Wang Plaza.

If you prefer markets you can also find a list of these at this same link:
http://www.701panduan.com/var/4/supermarkets.php

However, there are other supermarkets that I have come across:
Village Grocer (I really like the one at 1 Mont Kiara). Not sure how many outlets they have but I can recommend the one in Mont Kiara opposite Mont Kiara Plaza.

Cold Storage who have 12 or more outlets with an average opening time from 09.00 to 22.00. You can find them in Bangsar Shopping Centre, KLCC, Solaris and Midvalley. For more info and outlets have a look at their site: http://www.coldstorage.com/

Isetan who have 3 outlets, one of which is in KLCC. http://www.isetankl.com/

As I discover more supermarkets I shall add these to this site and also provide an excel spreadsheet with some of the prices for comparison.

I can also recommend the wet market at TTDI (Taman Tun Dr Ismail) which has a great selection of fresh seafood, fruits, vegetables and all sorts of noodles, tofu, sauces and things I wouldn't know how to cook or eat if it wasn't for my singaporean/english friend's explanations. TTDI, Jalan Wan Kadir Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 KL.

For a comprehensive list of shopping malls (including Ikea) with addresses attached have a look at:
http://www.expatliving-malaysia.com/expat/expat.php?num=22&page=22_2

Happy shopping!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Mothers with toddlers and expectant Mothers in Kuala Lumpur.

If you are an expectant mother living in KL and you need information or contact with other expectant mothers please check out both Ibu Family : www.ibufamily.org and www.babycentre.com.my.
Both offer information and support for mothers with young children, 1st time mums and pregnant women.

If you know of and can recommend any other support groups please share by emailing me at expatliving@hotmail.co.uk. or by leaving a comment on this site.

Many thanks!

Plant Nurseries and Garden Centres in Kuala Lumpur

I love plants and searched high and low for a large plant nursery in Kuala Lumpur. I am pleased to say that I found several on the Sungai Buloh road off the Highway to Shah Alam. There are a row of nurseries here selling plants, pots, garden tools etc The road is not far from the Subang airport and Tropicana Medical Centre. If you are looking for other nurseriesn and garden centres nearer your area please consult Stephanie of http://mygreenfinder.blogspot.com/.
Stephanie has tons and tons of information and is available via email for any questions you may have.

Have fun decorating your home with some fabulous foilage!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Driving School/ Lessons/ Licence and Defensive driving in KL.

3 months into my stay here in Malaysia, I have decided to take up driving lessons in KL. The driving school has been excellent so far and the 6 hour theory class was more enjoyable than I had expected. The instructor managed to keep us entertained with various true stories of funny driving incidents and near misses. His english was very clear and I was further amused by his enthusiasm especially when it came to teaching ladies how to change a flat tyre. Ladies beware: don't wear a mini skirt on the day or else you will not only amuse the lads but you will be topic fodder for the next lesson.

If you are looking for an english speaking instructor who provides practical driving lessons on defensive driving as well as lessons on the Malaysian Highway code then contact Metro Driving School (Sri Hartamas Branch). I am currently learning to drive and am using this particular branch as they speak very good english, are punctual and are all round very professional. They offer 2 different packages which both include pick up and drop off at your home. Contact Azman on 0192695542 or 0122682214 for more information.

For a very good explanation on defensive driving and tips on driving in Malaysia (as well as other countries) check out Keith Lane's website: http://www.keithlane.com/.

To convert your current driving licence to a Malaysian Licence you will need to do this in Putra Jaya, the administrative centre of Malaysia. (Please note the rules for doing this change from time to time.)
More details can be found at: Converting your Licence
or at: http://www.expatliving-malaysia.com/expat/expat.php?num=10