I’ll let you actually judge if India and Malaysia are, in fact, opposites. They certainly felt pretty different to me.
Fun fact: In Malaysia, if you are caught trafficking drugs, you will die. That’s right, folks. You will be put to death. In Malaysia, if you are caught trafficking drugs, YOU WILL DIE.
For the second port in a row, I did not wake up to watch us pulling into port. I blame it on Lily, Alden, and others for keeping me up late. I will wake up as we pull into Vietnam, mostly so I can shout “GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!” Anyway, actually getting into Malaysia took more time than the other countries because their customs and immigration procedures are run differently. Rather than their officials boarding the ship and inspecting us there, us passengers had to get off to get cleared. Nobody was allowed back on the ship until everyone was cleared. Sounds simple, right? I had a specific plan to meet up with Susie, Ryan, Natasa, and Ash in Tymitz Square after we all got cleared so we could set out on our adventure in Malaysia, which didn’t happen as quickly as it could’ve because it takes quite a while to clear over 800 people from a ship, especially when some of them like their sleep. After what seemed like far too long, we all finally met up. Lucky for us, there were Malaysian travel agents waiting nearby who helped us figure out our mode of transportation to KL. I’m kicking myself for using precious internet minutes the night before. We decided upon a bus at 12:30 from Penang. As the time drew close, we got a ride to the bus station, very briefly explored a nearby mall, and then grabbed our seats and set out on the 4 ½ hour ride south to the capital, Kuala Lumpur, fondly referred to as KL.
If you have ever taken a long distance bus in the United States, it was likely with Greyhound. You may or may not have not the fondest memories of the Hound, as I recall often feeling like I need to sleep with one eye open and my arm around my stuff in order to protect my possessions (and my life). Sure, I’ve had some positive memories, but the less-than-flattering stereotypes of Greyhound often come true on my ventures. Luckily, in Malaysia, it is very much the opposite. The bus we took was clean, comfortable, and carefully driven. You were even able to put your seat down far enough to sleep serenely. Greyhound, step up your game!
The ride was relatively uneventful. I mostly slept. What I saw of the scenery was ridiculously beautiful, though, featuring jutting mountains, green forests, and deep valleys. I wish it was less cloudy, but it’s rainy season in this part of the world, so the weather is damp and humid. We stopped at a gas station at one point and took advantage of Malaysian snacks. They had ice cream flavored soda that tasted like old cotton candy. County fair material? Almost. At the same time, however, we found a lot of American snacks like Kit Kat and Pringles. Also, there were things like hot dogs, so it certainly was reminiscent of a 7/11. If only they had the taquitos from the gas station I frequented this summer in the Springs. At the end of the day, it’s a gas station, which isn’t exactly the pinnacle of culture (sorry, gas station employees!), so I’m not really sure why I’m writing about it in such detail.
When we arrived at the station in KL, we weren’t exactly in the middle of the city. After figuring out the taxi station, the five of us split up into two cabs. My cab driver was very talkative, telling us all about the political and social climate of Malaysia and the rest of the region. Did you know Malaysia and Brunei are both oil producing countries and that Malayan oil is extremely expensive in Malaysia? In fact, it’s the most expensive country-produced oil in the world in terms of the cost of it in the country that produced it. In other words, Malaysian oil costs a lot in Malaysia. I’ll think about that next time I’m filling a tank at the gas station, which may not be for a long time from now. Now that I’ve committed it to writing, though, I will definitely remember. Global citizenship, here I come!
Also worth mentioning is that Kuala Lumpur is extremely developed. Malaysia’s economy is very well run; the country, along with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, is considered one of the four Tiger Cub Economies. These four countries follow the economic model of an export-driven, highly developed economy of the Four Asian Tigers of Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. There is also a large emphasis on education, manufacturing, and tourism, leading to this little pocket of the world feeling like a well-oiled machine of economic excellence. With that in mind, I encountered almost no poverty, crime, or dirt. Culture shock coming from India, much? The two countries could not have been more different, so it was interesting being thrown from one side of the spectrum to the exact other.
Our taxi driver dropped us off at our destination, the Ritz Carlton Residences. No need to read that again; my friends and I got to stay in a five star hotel during our three days in Malaysia. Thanks to the glories of Facebook continually shrinking the world, I reconnected with Chris, an old classmate of mine. Okay, not really, because he actually started attending my high school after I graduated, but we had many mutual friends, so we may as well have been classmates. Chris lives in KL, having relocated there about a year ago, and he offered to let us stay with him in his 34th story apartment with him and his family. This marks two countries in a row where I have been able to stay in hotels for free. And I got to go to Robben Island in Cape Town for free. My bank account is thanking me.
Chris was still at school when we arrived, so we met up with his mother, Sylvia, and relaxed and showered while waiting for him. Ali, his father, showed up, too, so he and Sylvia told us a bit about KL and what there was to see and do. When Chris arrived, we set out to grab a bite to eat. We went downstairs and toured around the pool, spa, and gym areas. As you might expect, it was pretty swanky. The Ritz Carlton knows how to go big. We then walked next door to a huge mall. Notice how this is my second mention of a mall in Malaysia and we are still on the first day. Malaysians love their malls. Shopping and dining are very high quality, perhaps leading to the high emphasis on tourism in the country. We found the food court and ordered different traditional foods. I enjoyed some noodles and chicken cooked in traditional Malaysian style (I think). When we were finished, we left our trash at the table for janitors to clean up. They have specific job positions for people to clean up food trash. I guess that allows for more employment and a bigger job sector. Seems sensible enough, but it felt rather odd having someone else clean up after me while in public.
After our meal, Chris showed us around a few different parts of the city. For having only lived there for a year, he made a damn good tour guide. He had the swagger and panache of a well-seasoned local, something that often takes more than just a year to acquire. We were taken to both the KL Tower and the Petronas Towers, the buildings that are immediately noticed when looking at the KL skyline. The Petronas Towers are the tallest twin towers in the world at 1,483 feet and 4,252,000 square feet of floor area. A giant bridge connects the two towers between the 41st and 42nd floors. Unfortunately, the towers are undergoing repairs, so we couldn’t go inside, but we still took awesome exterior shots. Afterwards, the six of us went out on the town. Our first destination was Reggae Bar, an awesome local and backpackers bar with great music, drinks, and hookah. They also let patrons sign the walls, so we all signed our initials and such, as well as drew the SAS logo. If future voyagers go there, they will see us! Chris then left us as we explored the main strip of Chongka (spelling?). Similar to Long Street in Cape Town, there were many bars and clubs. We drank some more and enjoyed delicious street food for less than $1 and made it back to the Ritz sometime very late in the night.
The next day, Sylvia walked us around the Golden Triangle, the main financial and commercial district of KL. Some of us commented on how similar to Times Square in NYC and Piccadilly Circus in London it was. Gotta love that westernization. We bought a few trinkets and souvenirs before heading back to the Ritz to hop in our private car. Getting driven around in a Mercedes really made us feel far away from India. Our first stop was the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL), where Chris goes to school. The campus was absolutely gorgeous, full of gardens, ponds, and lots of open space. We walked around the grounds, touring the sporting grounds, cafeteria, theatre, and offices. We spoke with some of the heads of the school about our adventure with Semester at Sea and they sounded totally amazed by the concept. Their school mission also includes “global citizenship,” so it’s no surprise to me that they were interested in speaking with us. For a private school, it has a shockingly low tuition, and over 60 countries are represented. Though not representative of the education most Malays are receiving, it was a wonderful tour.
After we left ISKL, we went on to visit the Batu Caves just outside the city. Malaysia is a Muslim country, but there is a heavy Hindu influence. As such, there are many temples devoted to gods like Vishnu, Shiva, and others. The Batu Caves is one of those temples, except, like the name implies, it is inside a cave. Outside the cave is a giant gold statue of Murugan that reaches as high as the cave itself. To actually enter the cave, you must climb 272 steep steps. CC fans, it’s the much shorter version of the Manitou Incline, because even though it only takes a few minutes to climb, it’s tiring. It doesn’t help that there are ridiculously cute monkeys running around all over the place distracting you. Once inside the cave, we explored the different shrines and statues. It was terribly humid and the ceiling was dripping, so we couldn’t stick around for too long.
Our final stop on our impromptu tour of KL was to the Central Market. Although it wasn’t as outdoors as some of the other markets I have been to this year, it featured many fascinating shops with Indian, Chinese, and Malay influences. I bought a handful of things, including some holiday gifts, and I had the tastiest milkshake ever. Also, much to my dismay, there was no bargaining; everything was a set price. BORING! In the end, though, it was a unique shopping experience which all of us enjoyed. I would like to go back to shop at a more authentic market, though. Chinatown is supposedly pretty great in KL.
Our final night was basically a repeat of the night before except we had a more formal sit down meal at a Turkish restaurant named Bosphorous. Andy, Chris’s older brother, and his friend joined us as well. We also drove to Putrajaya, the federal administrative center of Malaysia, which is somehow different than capital. Though it was late at night, the lights from the bridge we were standing on were beautiful. When we got back to KL, we played some games and tried to watch a movie, but most of us passed out. For me, the night didn’t really end. It evaporated into the next day. Chris and I stayed up all night watching the sunrise from his 34th story apartment. It reminded me of staying up all night in London, except I got a much better view. I discussed with Chris how much this voyage has meant to me and how it continues to surprise me and shock me. I also thanked him for his hospitality, especially considering we were never that close of friends and were nothing more than simple acquaintances. We recalled with fond nostalgia the people we both used to go to school with and discussed how our lives have shifted since moving away from Virginia. It felt like I had stepped into a weird Twilight Zone where I was reexamining a life I feel even more removed from right now than the one in Colorado. Maybe I’m living three lives simultaneously right now with only one in clear focus. In any event, I was glad I had the chance to chat with Chris, a non-SAS friend, to get some outside perspective on what’s happening to me right now. Plus, the sunrise was one to remember.
Malaysia was a beautiful country, but I can’t help but think I got a very small slice of it. Not many Malays live in the Ritz Carlton and have a private driver. Despite the extravagance of my time, I had a spectacular three days of city life. Though I spent my time in urban areas, the country is extremely peaceful. Malays, Chinese, Indians, and other ethnic groups live together in perfect harmony. It is an excellent example of a 21st century globalized nation that has maintained some elements of tradition. I hope to return to see the more rugged and rural side of it. Next summer: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Laos!
Vietnam tomorrow! And by Vietnam, I actually mean Cambodia since I’m spending the first three days there. Southeast Asia, I have arrived!
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