I stayed in Kuala Lumpur (“KL”) for about 2 weeks at the Crowne Plaza. The hotel is really nice, what you expect of a Crowne Plaza. It was located a couple of blocks from the Petronas Twin Towers. The towers are 88 floors above ground (sky bridge on floors 41 and 42; observation deck on 86). I was hoping to go up to the observation deck, but I was still dealing with my vertigo issues and thought it was best not to chance it. There’s a really nice mall and small park next to the towers, with stores like H&M across the street.
The Crowne Plaza had an executive lounge. I met a group of travelers who met each other during their visit to KL. The lounge is a good place to meet other travelers during the happy hour (free drinks and food).
I also stayed at the InterContinental Hotel for a couple of days when I came back from Penang. I returned to KL because of the airport. This hotel also had an executive lounge. One day, as I was looking for a table to sit, I saw this lady that looked familiar. I said this to her, and she blurts out… I knew that was you! She said she heard my voice when I was talking with the attendant and said to her husband, I know her. They were one of the couples I had met at the Crowne Plaza a month earlier. We chatted and caught up on things. It was nice to see them again, they were good people.
One of the first things on my agenda was to get a comprehensive health screening. This is one of the reasons several people travel to KL. I had heard so much about it so I schedule an appointment in advance. My screening included an eye exam, hearing test, ultrasound of the abdomen, chest x-ray, and blood work. I thought I had included a mammogram, but I didn’t and didn’t want to schedule another appointment. I’ll do it in Thailand or wait until I get home.
Anyway, after all the tests are run, you’re given a time to come back that day to meet with the doctor and discuss your results. Everything checked out okay, except for those few things I already knew were impacted by my travel (i.e., weight gain, elevated cholesterol levels). I was also told that I didn’t have any hepatitis B vaccine in my system. That’s when I remember I was supposed to get 3 shots and I’ve only gotten 1 so far. I was able to get the Hepatitis A & B shot, and will get the third in June. (Hep A & B were recommended for traveling to the Asian countries.) I was given paper copies of the results and also received a digital copy to share with my doctor at home. The cost of all of this without insurance was $245. I remember, in the States, paying $300 just to be seen in the ER and that was with insurance. Even though I have a global medical insurance plan, I preferred to pay out of pocket and submit a claim for a refund. If you travel outside of the U.S., be sure to get medical insurance to cover you outside of the U.S. You never know when you might need to go to the hospital.
The doctor also referred me to an ENT specialist for the vertigo. I was seen the next day and prescribed medication to help with the dizziness.
I did the normal touristy things in KL, like ride the hop on/off bus and visit a few temples in the area. The city reminded me of cities in the States.
