28.10.11 - KL Hop-On, Hop-Off

I had bought tickets for KL Hop on Hop off at RM10 per adult from ebay. The normal fee is RM19. There were no charges for the boys as they were still small.

On 28 Oct, 2011, we brought the boys to the train station to experience a train ride and planned to get off at KL Sentral where we could hop onto the bus. We arrived at the Komuter train station at 9.05 am and as we were buying the tickets, a train to our destination passed by. We missed it! Another train was supposed to arrive at 9.15 am. However, we waited and waited but the train didn’t arrive. Several times, the digital sign board stated that a train was supposed to arrive in a few minutes, but no train arrived. It only arrived at 9.45 am. By then S was already getting impatient and started complaining. (This is why I preferred to get to my destination via driving instead of taking the train, as the train is often late and not on schedule.)

Komuter train arriving

We got off at KL Sentral. We weren't sure where the KL Hop-On Hop-Off bus stop was. We wrongly walked down the steps to where people were boarding the bus to LCCT. Then, we took the escalator up again. I called the KL Hop-On Hop-Off office to find out where the bus stop was. We waited another 30 minutes. S was very restless. It was dusty and many vehicles were waiting or illegally parked at the roadside near the bus stop. My nose was itching as I was allergic to dust. Standing at the bus stop, in an area which was jammed pack with cars, and breathing in polluted air, I pondered about the sensibility of my decision to bring them on the city tour.

Finally the bus arrived and we hopped in. 

The double decker bus was clean and displayed some brochures for tourists

Earphones were given to the passengers on this bus to listen to the recording, in various languages, describing the places we passed.

We passed the Sultan Abdul Samad Building

The bus finally arrived and the bus conductor went around collecting the fees for the ticket. We got off at Dataran Merdeka and made our way to the Perpustakaan Kanak-Kanak nearby. We had attempted to go to this library a day earlier, but there wasn’t any parking space at the library. Since the bus also stopped here, I thought why not pay this place a visit? At least I could decide whether to join this library or not.

At Dataran Merdeka - It was smaller than I thought it was.

Perpustakaan Kanak-Kanak - Notice the cars double parking?

There wasn’t anyone in the library and the librarian told me that I wasn’t allowed to bring in my backpack. asked me to put my backpack outside their entrance. There wasn't a locker or shelf to put the bag, so I put it on the floor outside.

The librarian told me that their policy was 3 books every 2 weeks and membership was for ages 4 and above. She agreed that there was limited parking space. 

The floor of the library looked attractive with foam alphabet mats and S took off a letter and tried to mix and match the colour. He immediately received a “No, boy, no - Don’t play with that” from the librarian. "This place certainly isn't child friendly," I thought, unlike Perbadanan Perpustakaan Awam Selangor, which allowed children more freedom. We quickly exited the library. It only looks nice externally, but very stifling internally and with limited parking places. 

The books weren’t too bad, but the lack of parking places was the deciding factor for us NOT to join the library. Parking is available at the Dataran Merdeka car park at RM5 per entry, and certainly not worth to come in every 2 weeks, I thought. How are people going to be encouraged to visit the library? Was this the reason we didn’t see any other people there utilising its service?

There was a Festival Buku Kanak-Kanak at the Perpustakaan Kuala Lumpur (next building), but S was feeling tired under the hot sun and didn't want to visit the booths there.  

We quickly went off and as we were walking back to the bus stop, the next KL Hop-On Hop-Off bus came. We ran as quickly as we could and fortunately, it waited for us and we managed to catch that bus. (If we missed that, we would have to catch the next bus, the next half hour.) Hmmm, although the external of the bus stated “Discover KL in your own language”, this bus did not have the individual language devices at each seat. It only had external speakers and was only conducted in English. 

We decided to sit in the bus for the rest of the journey. The journey through the Golden Triangle area was slow as the roads were congested with vehicles.

Petronas Twin Towers

KL Tower

The bus stopped at the KL Handicraft centre for 10 minutes and another 10 minutes at the Istana Negara. I got reaquainted with the rest of Kuala Lumpur, to parts that I seldom go or have not gone before. All in all, the whole city tour took 2 hours 45 minutes. 

For more info, check out their website here: http://www.myhoponhopoff.com/