Batu Caves - a cheap and cheerful half day excursion by train

Forget the coach tours, take the air-conditioned commuter train (Line 1) for about $US 2 return from KL Central. You buy train tickets (tokens) at a ticket window, not ticket machines.
The station is at the entrance to Batu Caves. Admission to Main Cathedral Cave and main temple (the one with 272 steps) is free. This is about 5-10 minutes walk from the station.
Wear long pants/sarong so you don't have to rent a sarong. Allow 1-2 hours at the caves. Trains leave hourly from Batu Caves Station. Feed monkeys at your peril. The main temple is a 10 minute walk from the station.

The nearly painted steps

If you have the time, there are other caves and temples near the station.

Kuala Lumpur Sightseeing using Rapid KL trains and Monorail

Old KL Station

Driverless train

Great views from the front if you are an underground train fan

Plant yourself at the front carriage for some spectacular photos of KL. Rapid KL trains are driverless, so you can position yourself facing up the track.
Depart from KL Central on Line 5 (toward Gombak).
For another route, try the KL Monorail (Line 8). Fares are cheap, trains are clean and frequent.

Haw Par Villa (Tiger Balm Gardens) Free Stuff to Do in Singapore No 2

The 8.5 hectare park contains hundreds of giant statues and dioramas depicting Chinese mythology, legends, folklore and morality tales. The Ten Courts of Hell section is jaw-droppingly gory. Built in 1937, the vivid displays are meticulously maintained.
A unique historic theme park.
Free Admission
Haw Par Villa MRT is next door.

Singapore Botanic Gardens (Go here before Gardens by the Bay) Free stuff in Singapore No 1.

No wonder this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While Gardens by the Bay is flashy, the Botanic Gardens (established in 1859) are more impressive. Allow at least 4 hours. Even if you are not into horticulture; the landscaping, sculptures, animal encounters (swans, monitor lizards, tortoises and otters) and the fact that it is free; makes this place a must for visitors to Singapore. Return at night for a totally new perspective (the only section not flood-lit is the rainforest trail).
Opening Hours 5 a.m. to midnight.
The National Orchid Garden has a $5 admission.
Closest MRT is Botanic Gardens (right next to Bukit Timah Gate).

Maps are available at all gates.

Swan Lake, look out for otters

Otter taking a short cut

Otter No 2

Walk of the Giants

Ginger Garden

Rain Forest boardwalk

1.5 metre monitor lizard in Symphony Lake

Kepppel Discovery Wetlands

Malaysia's Pulau Melaka - Ghost Town or White Elephant?

This is Riviera Hotel/Suites at the entrance to Pulau Melaka (Malacca Island). Row after row of empty shops and restaurants,  unleased or unopened. We were the only tourists in the area. The place resembles a ghost town.
In the streets around this man-made island it's the same story. The only activity seems to be the 'floating mosque'  (A little over 1 km from the island's bridge) and the construction on the second reclaimed land/island. A promised Ferris wheel was never built. A wildlife-encounter park looks abandoned. Security guards seem to be the only viable enterprise.

Tiring of Scandi noir? Try some Gallic noir...

French television is full of juicy crime thrillers. Many have surfaced on streaming services like Netflix in the last couple of years.
The French seem to enjoy serial killer-related dramas served with a large serve of revenge. Currently on Netflix you have :"Le Chalet" (murder most foul in a scenic village in the French alps), "La Foret"/"The Forest" (disappearing teenagers in the Ardennes forest), "La Mante" (a female Hannibal Lecter helping the police catch her a copycat killer), "The Frozen Dead"/"Glace" (murky deeds set around a psychiatric facility perched high in the Pyrenees).

Thankfully, these limited mini-series contain only 6 episodes, rather than some inflated English language productions that are dragged out to 10 - 13 instalments.

"The Chalet" Netflix's hidden gem

What a relief to watch a 6 part miniseries (each episode is around 50 minutes) where all is resolved so there's no chance of a second season. This French murder mystery is wildly improbable but after the first half hour you are hooked. The glorious scenery around Chamonix in the French alps contrasts with the dastardly doings of the villagers.
The chilling nursery rhyme and the model village (with rivers of blood in later credits) telegraphs to the viewer that things are going to get nasty. Alternating between two timelines (the summers of 1997 and 2017), we see what has happened to the villagers and their children. No spoilers here. Just enjoy the ride.

James Bond films ranked from worst to best

This is a purely personal response to The Guardian's Bond films ranking by Peter Bradshaw (August 24, 2018).


26. "Octopussy" (1983) Worst title song of the franchise.

25. "Quantum of Solace" (2008) Who can remember the plot?

24. "Casino Royale" (1966) Burt Bacharach score and Woody Allen are the only saving graces.

23. "Die Another Day" (2002) Really... an invisible car??

22. "For Your Eyes Only (1981) There's a good bit with Maggie Thatcher.

21. "A View To A Kill" (1985) Walken is a wet Bond villain. Duran Duran score helps.

20. "The World Is Not Enough (1999) Forgettable movie, great Garbage score.

19. "The Living Daylights" (1987) Dalton tries hard, excellent supporting cast (Jeroen Krabbe, Joe Don Baker, John Rhys-Davies, Art Malik.

18. "Licence to Kill" (1989) Killer Gladys Knight title song, even though it is not by John Barry.

17.  "Moonraker" (1979) Blame "Star Wars" mania.

16. "Goldeneye" (1995) Great tank chase around St Petersburg.

15. "Thunderball" (1965) - great first 10 minutes, the underwater scenes are interminable.

14. "Casino Royale" (2006) Classy but morose.

13.  "The Man With The Golden Gun" (1974) Silly fun in Thailand. Sheriff Pepper returns. Casting Hammer's Dracula as Scaramanga was inspired.

12. "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) The Union Jack parachute ranks as one of the great pre-title sequences.

11.  "Never Say Never Again" (1983) Endless fun. Connery has a ball sending up his Bond character. Improves on "Thunderball".

10. "Tomorrow Never Dies"(1997) Nifty idea to have a Murdochian villain.

9.  "Spectre" (2015) Beautifully filmed.

8.  "Live And Let Die" (1973) Producers jump on the Blaxpoilation bandwagon. Moore's best Bond.

7.  "Skyfall" (2012) Just for the return of the original DB5.

6.  "From Russia With Love" (1963) Most faithful adaptation, released only 5 years after novel.

5.  "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969) Lazenby impresses, Great Swiss location work, getting ex-Avengers Diana Rigg also helps.

4.  "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971) Naff but wildly enjoyable. Charles Gray is the best Blofeld.

3.  "Dr No" (1962) Holds up extremely well. Joseph Wiseman's villain evokes Fu Manchu. First time we see Ken Adam's amazing sets. Looks great on such a small budget.

2. "You Only Live Twice" (1967) Best score, Kobe docks scene is sublime, Ken Adam's volcano set is a stunner.

1.  "Goldfinger" (1964) Ticks all the boxes - Score, Sets, Villain, Locales, Gadgets, Bond girl (Honor Blackman - another former TV's "The Avengers" actress). Improves on the plot of the novel by planning to nuke Fort Knox so the gold can't be removed for decades.