Kuala Lumpur - Moving soon.

[Silibilimili]

Is there anyone in KL that can help me with the following questions. I am moving there in November this year with DH, and 2 DCs. DD1 is 4 and DD2 is 1.

What are the better areas to live there?
What schools are good?
What is public transport like if we decide not to buy a car?
How do I get hold of a nanny or home help?
What should I pack from here? (We currently own our property in the UK. We plan to be in KL for between 3-5 years. We have an option to take our furniture but I would rather not if it means more hassle. Anyone with any experience?

I posted on MN before but I think I posted in the wrong section so did not get a response. Hoping someone can help me.

We are a proper Ikea family. All most of our furniture came from there. It has survived three international moves, but it may be time to replace it with new.
What's the weather like at the moment Mrs Antrobus?

Also, can you buy decent childrens shoes there or should I get my carcass down to Clarkes before we go?

I am in the UK at the moment Rips, so I don't know what the weather is doing though I would predict that it will be hot, humid, and possibly raining. It doesn't vary a great deal. Always hot, sometimes raining.

I am not sure about children's shoes, because my teenagers have huge feet! There is a Clark's in my local shopping centre in KL and another children's shoe shop that I cannot remember the name of, but it isn't a British one. Have just checked - it is Stride Rite, and is a US company.

Clarks and StrideRite both well stocked, but cost the same as in UK, so seem very expensive here. Lots of kids clothes shops, loads of baby stuff available - big Mothercare etc. You can get all foodstuffs, but bacon and decent break take a bit of looking for. I can't think of anything you can't get to be honest. Even Yorkshire tea. Even backwater supermarkets sell baked beans and ketchup, salad cream etc. Better for british expats than France. Cheddar available but quite expensive - we've been buying the australian equivalent, which is lovely and a bit cheaper. Milk is fine. Coffee can be harder to find decent stuff.

Weather now is as Marjorie said, but no rain for a few days. Muggy. I love it, others don't.

Smashing. Once I see what DDs school uniform is, I'll take her to get some decent shoes.
Presumably she can buy new wellingtons over there?

Wellingtons aren't terribly useful in KL really. Never seen anyone wear them. Umbrellas and flipflops pass for wet weather gear here. Macs and wellies would be just too hot.

Growing up in similar conditions I recall my parents use to get us wet weather shoes called 'jellies', basically plastic shoes for wet weather but not Welles as Wellies were too hot. In these conditions they help fungus to grow... Jellies were a bit like today's crocs.

What about raincoats? Without the warm
layer? Are those useful to have ?

My 'case' is moving along. They are finalising the Ts and cs for us as I type.

What is useful to keep/go purchase before coming over to kl?

at wellies!

Bring nice things that you love - pictures, doorstops etc. The rest is all replaceable. As for practical things, I'm really looking forward to the arrival of our breadmaker.

My iPhones spelling is awful!

What do women wear in offices? I don't want to look like a misfit in suits or skirts if everyone is wearing smart trousers and blouses. Hoping to go for a bit I retail therapy before the move in the end of summer sales. I have a breadmaker. Yeah!
Am also due new work clothes as have been in maternity and then post maternity clothes for a year and more!!

What type should I buy? I like dresses but are those suitable for kl?

I wear dresses mostly, but school not office. Aircon v cold often.

im glad your settled loopy, im back in blighty. but dh will be back there soon.

office types tended to wear pencil skirts and short sleved tops. or smart wide legged trousers with a nice top.

rip as for kids shoes i would get them hete there not very attractive over there.

adults have more choice but mostly in smaller sizes. i was gutted to be told in ine shop we dont sell your size here your feet are too big. ended up getting some from m & s in the end.

Thank you. I like pencil skirts and blouses. Great. Love smart trousers and tops too. Will stock up.
What about baby food? I suppose I am going to have to start proper cooking for baby than rely (occasionally) on Ella or cow and gate!
How fast do children settle?

Ella's kitchen readily available here, as well as some other brands of nice-looking organic stuff.

Our kids have been fine from the off.

Thanks loopy. I have also got and will get more of the shrugs/light sweaters for the air con. It was the same when I worked in Singapore! Boiling outside, freezing inside!

What happened MrsBucket? Last time we spoke you were condo-hunting in KL.

i was turned out there was a cocking up with visas for me and the children, meaning we could only be there for 90 days possibly without paperwork i wasn't sure i knew where it was in the uk.
that was the main issue but there was lots of other little things too such as ds only eating pizza and cereal for the whole time he was there.
looks like dh is going back for the contract leaving me here on my tod :(

we where one day from signing the lease lucky as if we did we would have to pay it everymonth for two years, and possibly not be there.

mrsbucket that sounds like a bum deal. I
Assume ur DH is a contractor and this was not an employee transfer? Asking as I was wondering at likelihood of this happening to me?

no i don't think it will be a problem for you. they needed my deedpoll name change certificate from when i was little and my marraige certificate. to prove that i was married to dh and i was who i said i was. both of which where in the uk, and the employer didn't say i needed this before i left.

as dh was directly employed his work visa would have been fine it was me that was the issue.

you would think as gamuda is a massive company they would have mentioned it

You could have had the deed poll certificate and the marriage certificate sent out to you though? And it surely wasn't a surprise to need to provide a marriage certificate in a Muslim country?

Sorry. That sounds a bit harsh. You were hard done by, MrsB, in that you hadn't had a chance to have a look-see visit prior to moving out. And the employer should have provided a lot of information to you and your DH before you left. Some companies run orientation courses so that the employees and spouses are prepared for their destination.

My advice is to take every single piece of personal paperwork you possess with you, and take it in hand luggage. For instance, we were surprised that we needed to provide the DCs' birth certificates again in Malaysia for the dependants passes even though we had submitted them online before we left the UK.

It does take a long time for the employment and dependants passes to be issued. It seems common for them to be processed after the people have arrived in the country.

Interesting factoid about the dependents passes. DH and DD have been able to supply information about their passports. Mine is lost in Admin land in the passport office so it looks as if I will be going seperately .
Cats are booked to leave us for good sometime next week another and I have told DD she wont' be getting another pet for as long as I have breath in my body.

Ger her a lizard, Rips. And are you sure your passport is held up somewhere and you didn't just ask them to delay it for a bit so you could travel out on your own?

Mrsbucket - that's really rough - how much longer is your DH over there for then?

he is in the uk at the moment trying to negotiate a better contract before he goes back. its looking like he will be there from the 22nd of august after malaysian new year. which means he can spend dd's first birthday with her.

he will be there for two years :(