Malaysia

In New Zealand there are no people on the streets after eight at night...and it is cold all the time. Oh- and very good butter.

It seemed an accurate summary, and came from a Bangladeshi man on the streets in Kuala Lumpa. But is wasn't particularly comforting information- as I return home, southward.

Kuala Lumpa has that temporary, about to be subsumed by the jungle, muggy atmosphere that comes with equatorial places. I am impressed by the portico lined and crumbling colonial streets. But less so by the blocks of brick and concrete soaring upward, disturbing the footpath and the sky.

The new KL skyline, most boldly represented by the Petronas towers has been described as "Jet lag architecture". It's certainly giddy, and a slightly confused mish-mash of time and place. Ancient Islamic motifs meet 1930's New York high rise meet Hong Kong space-saving.

The best thing is ice cold lemon and lime. And monumental rainforest lushness.