What a Day !

It was time for a scheduled medical check-up again at Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC) - now known as Sime Darby Medical Centre (SDMC) on Friday morning. Flew in the day before.

As usual, my uncle sent us to the airport. The plane departed half an hour late but by the time the plane landed, we were only 20 minutes behind schedule. Took the 2.00pm ERL train to KL Sentral and arrived there 28 minutes later. I had an appointment with a customer service officer at Menara Citibank and it is more convenient to go there directly from KL Sentral. So i decided to go to Menara Citibank from there while mom will take a cab to the hotel herself. Dad will meet her up there as he already checked-in early in the morning.

There is a subway located just below Menara Citbank/Nikko Hotel named Ampang Park station. This station is served by Kelana Jaya Line (then known as Putra Line). Ampang Park Station is just four stations away from KL Sentral. So i should be able to get there in less than 20 minutes.

I was already inside the KL Sentral LRT station by 2.40pm. There are very little signages which is no surprise really as it is the same as in all other LRT stations. Announcements were made through the public address system over and over again but it was useless as nobody can hear it. Something was wrong with the speakers i suppose.

So, i've been waiting there for almost 10 minutes but there was no sign of a train at all. Finally, i saw a brand new train made by Bombardier with four carriages coming but it didn't stop. Shoot ! A few minutes later, another train came but this one didn't stop either. F**k ! Soon afterwards there was another train coming and thank God this one actually stopped. It was an old train with only two carriages and everyone basically just pushing each other into the train despite that there was no more room inside. Finally some people gave up as the doors close and we were on our way to the next station (Pasar Seni).

Just as i thought everything is fine now, i will soon be proved very wrong. When we reached Masjid Jamek interchange (above the subway is Wisma Lee Rubber, OCBC HQ, HSBC HQ and CIMB old HQ). There were the LRT staff shouting everywhere. The station was full of people and i simply couldn't hear them. This train stopped there much longer than usual. I was getting very frustrated. If my memory serves me correctly, the train stopped there for approximately 5 minutes. I was relieved as soon as the door closes.

Much to my horror, the train was heading back to KL Sentral. Oh my e**ing God ! Most of the people inside the train were shocked as well and we just looked at each other cluelessly. Almost everyone got off at Pasar Seni. There were cops everywhere in this station. It was in total chaos. Apparently Rapid KL screwed up the whole train schedules for the day. All the trains were running an hour late and some won't be taking any passengers at all.

We were told to wait for another train to come on the very same platform. Many were curious as why the trains could possibly move in both directions at the same time on the same track. Some even said : "bahaya, nanti langgar". Touch wood !

Another train arrived at the same platform a few minutes later but this one too, was heading to KL Sentral. Shoot ! Rapid KL really messed up the whole thing today.

Finally, a train heading to the station i was at before arrived. We were all told to get off at Masjid Jamek interchange if we do not want to come back here (Pasar Seni). I then waited for another 20 minutes at Masjid Jamek before i got into another train heading to KLCC and Ampang Park.

It was almost 4pm when i got off the train at Ampang Park station. I can't describe how happy i was when i saw Menara Citibank. Never have i thought that i'll be so happy just to see the Citibank HQ that has been standing there for the last 10 years. It took me 1 hour 20 minutes just to go to Citibank from KL Sentral. Should have taken a cab instead. Damn it !

Finished doing my thing at Citibank about 20 minutes later. It was time to meet up with my folks at the hotel. Have had enough of not-so-Rapid KL today. Decided i am better off just taking a cab to the hotel.

Juin Yi called me around 4.45pm. Going to have dinner with him at Pavillion Shopping Mall later that day.

Both of us got there around 5.45pm. Bought my Japanese Puddings at Lavender Bakery and then went straight for dinner at TGI Fridays on the 6th floor.

That was my first time there. I've heard many praises about the food served. So my expectation was quite high. Juin Yi ordered the 2 course meal while i ordered Jack Daniel's Chicken and Shrimp.

Well, i felt that the foods here are overpriced and seriously overrated. Juin Yi's Southwest Adobo Chicken had the green herb sauce on top and it's so gross. The drinks were very good though. The dinner for the night cost us a whopping RM106.40.

We left the diner around 7.00pm and went to Times Bookstore just located next door for some free readings. After that we went to Parkson gent's section. We were going to grab a drink at Starbucks later on but Juin Yi suddenly said he wanted to go to Jusco Wangsa Maju. I come to KL once a month since year 1999 but i've never been to Wangsa Maju. So i thought yeah, why not. I am always in for something new.

Parking at Pavillion is expensive. Apparently we've been there for 2 hours 12 minutes and Juin Yi will had to pay RM7. Well, this is the Golden Triangle. It is not really surprising. As a matter of fact, it is considered cheap if you compare it to other places such as Petaling Street. A private parking lot in Petaling Street just behind the shop lots at the main street will cost you RM4 an hour ! No joke ! My dad park his car there all the time we go to Petaling Street.

It was my first time to ride on Juin Yi's car in KL and i can tell you that he drives like a KL native. He really has mastered the KL's style of driving well. LOL ! It's not dangerous though.

As soon as we arrived at Jusco Wangsa Maju, we went to a watch shop to get Juin Yi's watch a battery changed. Then we roamed around Jusco gent's section. Didn't buy anything though. Had a drink at Starbucks on Ground Floor before we call it a night.

On the way back to my hotel, i was shown to the apartment he lives in. He lives a totally different life there. Such a hectic life yet so meaningful. You get to be more independent too along the process which is great !

So, that's about it. It was good catching up with an old friend in a different part of the globe as well as to learn more about his new life in a new city. Something i look forward to doing again in the future.