Kuala Lumpur

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Leaving Cameron Highlands were warned that there was a very old bus for 22 ringotts ($6.50) and a super vip for 35 ($10.30) .. we debated and finally decided to splurge only to discover it was sold out. When we got to the station we asked to use the luggage compartment. The driver agreed and we watched as he struggled with the compartment for a couple minutes. With a loud bang the door opened and promptly came unhinged. He shook his head and waved for us to put our luggage on the bus. We shrugged and loaded up. Hmm fortuitous start? We flew through the hills at frightening speeds. I refused to look out the sides both for fear of car sickness and to avoid seeing just how close we were to the clifts. The last 45 minutes the AC stopped working an dwe roasted. Our new friend Eugene talked most of the way. He was a charming Czech man who was at 37 completely obsessed with travel.

We arrived at Kuala Lumpur hot and ready to be out of the suffocating humid heat. We walked and found China Town and a recommended hostel called the Birds nest. The hostel was quaint though very warm. We met some fellow travelers for drinks at a local bar/hostel and hit the town. Ok so our partying was pretty minimal. Drinking in Malaysia isn’t the cheapest activity as the vast majority of the country practices Islam.

Still we needed dinner and it had started raining, actually pouring. The water came down in sheets providing a temporary relief from the heat and soaking our clothing thoroughly. We dove into a Chinese restaurant to get out of the rain where we got over charged and didn’t particularly care. We went to see the patronas towers and saw the lights reflect off the great buildings with a stunning modern grace.

Day two Eva and I wandered the city and went to a mosque where Muslim attire was required. We dressed in the provided robes and head scarfs and took pictures. Finally we went back for an early rest since our flight to Hanoi, Vietnam was at 6am. Yuck! Where the best laid plans go array…. After a couple of drinks and some prodding by some hostel boys, we were convinced sleeping was a bad idea. Eva made me angry for the first time. I found out our friend Sarah would be in Honoi the day after we arrived. I excitedly told her I’d see her there. Then Eva informed me that it wasn’t part of the schedule. I started to wonder if I could handle being on a tour that was perfectly planned by someone else with only the illusion of flexibility.

She finally admitted that she had scheduled one TO two days and we could probably fit it in and we went back to conviviality.

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