Kuala Lumpur, A City After the Storm

Back streets in Bukit BintangThe humidity after the storm was overwhelming; I soon came to learn that Kuala Lumpur is always a city after the storm.

The taxi from the airport took an age, the traffic jam and the torrential rain reduced everything to a crawl; All you could see out of the windows was an en endless smudge of headlights and break-lights into the distance.

Not an auspicious start to a trip but I needed up loving Kuala Lumpur.

I had chosen accommodation pretty much at random in Bukit Bintang and for a first visit the location was a good choice. yes it is very touristy but that usually makes things easy to begin with.

The size of Kuala Lumpur surprised me, it feels quite small and walkable, even if the infrastructure is car centric; I saw the odd cycle lane but cannot recall ever seeing a cyclist.

The city has everything I like when it comes to street photography. I have come to realise that I much prefer the nights and what I love is lurid mixed lighting. This is much more common in developing countries where LEDs etc, are unheard of. So the mix of incandescent, halogen, florescent, etc, etc and lots of humidity and street life is a recipe for success in my books. 

The mix of different cultures and a friendly atmosphere are also major benefits. I was a little thrown with how friendly everyone was.

I think I could spend more time in K.L. It feels like it’s the future, all rough around the edges, chaotic, but full of opportunities. 

A lot cheaper than Hong Kong as well, so you could spend more time there looking for clients… all very tempting, I am feeling restless and feel sure that somewhere in Asia could be the next place I might want to call home.

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