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Published: September 29th 2013
Petronas Tower
Photo by : RodgerComing from the fancy Changi Airport I was a bit taken aback by the receiving KLIA, my mind was arguing whether we arrived at an Airport or to a warehouse?! One thing I was very happy about though, was that everything will be a lot cheaper.
From the start, the trip was an alternated experience of the good and the bad .
Inside the train on our way to the Genting Highlands, my friend and I started getting those stares. With the majority of Muslims wrapped from head to toe and the Hindus in their traditional clothing, I guess our choice of garments was enough to make us noticeable from the crowd.
I was seated near the door noticing an (Indian-looking) man standing near the door entrance. He was (unsuccessfully) trying to make a conversation with the other passengers seated in front of him. The train stops and more commuters came in, a woman wearing her shiny black
Churidar sat right next to me. As soon as the woman took her seat, the man who had been standing by the door approached the girl, smacked her face with his hand bag, and threw words at her
that I didn’t understand one bit.
The girl gasped, her eyes wide.
My mouth fell open, and for what felt like the longest moment I wasn’t able say a word.
I could clearly see the shock written all over her face. I was wanting to ask if she was okay
of course she wasn’t but I just sat there frozen in confusion thinking “what the hell just happened?!”.
The girl was close to tears and was clearly shaken, the bad-tempered guy snarled some more.
She got up without saying a word and walked to the other side of the coach.
I looked around hoping for someone to intervene but everybody looked just as puzzled as I was, nobody said a word to neither the man nor the girl.
It felt so frustrating not knowing why / how to get involved,
I was overly confused and upset, I wanted to cry myself.
Prior to the incident nothing looked wrong from our view, but we may have missed one little detail...who knows.
One thing for sure I wanted to punch the guy.
Not a great start for our first day, it left me feeling
pretty upset.
We were already starving when we arrived at the skyway station in Genting. We hurriedly took our late lunch from the only hawker shop in sight, quickly picked ready-made food, got a seat, and started eating hastily. A middle age man opposite our table watched in amusement – who then took out his pocket camera, snapped a photo, chuckled, and gave me thumbs up. I gave back a smile. He may have been amused by (a.) our plate filled with rice to the brim (c.) spoon on my left hand chopstick on my right, feeding myself as quickly as I can left and right (d.) we looked totally starving (e.) we ordered the same food he ordered and though “that’s cool”. Whatever he was pleased about I was just happy to finally see a smiling face around.
The Resorts World Genting itself was like a maze, the maps and signs weren’t particularly helpful. There weren’t concierges around, it took us a quarter an hour to find the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum which thankfully was something enjoyable.
Later that night we did the compulsory photo op in front of the nicely lit Petronas Towers
and strolled through the fancy KLCC park before heading to the Pavilion Mall to meet the
The Travel Camel himself! The one thing I was looking forward to on this trip.
By the Starbucks cafe stood Shane Dallas, I definitely couldn’t miss him from the crowd. I’ve been reading his travels in the past 4 years! We exchanged greetings, gave each other a hug (as requested by Tita
liliram) and shared stories as we walk towards Jalan Alor for our hawker style dinner.
Monoblock tables and chairs line up by the side of the road in front of the hawker stalls and restaurants. We had okra, water spinach, baked dory, coconut juice, rice, and Shane’s tales of adventures to share. From years of just reading his stories, to finally hearing stories from the man himself. It was really nice to finally meet Shane. By now he would have been on his great Central Asia adventure (which I am jealous about) and maintaining his own
website.
A good way to end the day that started badly.
I love their food, I love how they cook their okra and water spinach. I will miss it.
The brief trip around
Masjid Putra
Photo by : Rodger Putrajaya the next day was quite fun. A sunny day driving around the planned city which looked like a ghost town on a weekend, save for the buses full of Chinese Tourists. We were toured by a well-informed taxi driver a.k.a. our tour guide. The city was constructed to serve as the federal administrative centre of the country as Kuala Lumpur started to get too crowded.
I quite enjoyed the train ride going to and from Putrajaya and to the Batu Caves; though the popular Hindu Shrine was a different story. It has always looked interesting in pictures, but arriving there we were greeted with the smell of urine, bat dung, and what not. The smell was bad. There were lots of cute baby monkeys and mean looking alpha males trying to grab water bottles and food from visitors.
The last day, getting onto the airport bus and getting snarled at just because we checked if the barker already gave back my change. Getting stared at after bumping onto a lady at the airport, and still getting just a stare after I said my apologies, and still getting the stare after I tried to gesture my apology. I
Putrajaya
Photo by : Rodger walked away. Nobody helps with the luggage, nobody assists the elders, soiled toilets.
Less people smiling.
Slow service in fast-food chains.
Stinky spots.
Stares.
Seeing a girl getting smacked by a random guy.
The feeling that I needed to watch my back.
...or perhaps I simply wasn’t in my best travelling self.
For the first time since I started travelling five years ago, I just wanted to go home.
I know, any place has its good and bad side...and I can’t wait to give KL another try.
But man, I loved the okra.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Meeting the all mighty Travel Camel
We are so jealous. We really want to meet Shane and hear his stories. You are fortunate to have crossed paths. Sorry you didn't fall in love with KL. Next time you go let us know and we will recommend a couple of places. Also you should check in with Ali since he lived there for 4 years. As you said you may not have been your best traveling self. Happy travels will come your way soon enough we are certain.