Come away with me on a bus...

When Iris first dropped the idea of a backpack tour to Kuala Lumpur I
didn't think twice and signed in at once. Not long Dan, Iris, Jeff,
Fred and I booked bus seats for a weekend trip to KL. Fred, however, had to beg off
at the last minute because Bangalore, it seemed, was more attractive to
him, don't ask me why. The almost 5-hour bus ride from Singapore to KL was surprisingly enjoyable, for the seats that resembled massage chairs were roomy enough for a comfortable sleep. On the way, we cruised through bumpless roads that bared miles and miles of wonderful palm trees plantation. The soothing sights outside and the faint swaying in the bus helped put me into a relaxing slumber for hours. So pleasing and energizing was the bus ride that when we reached KL I was already looking forward to the trip back home.

After we checked in at the hotel, which was more like a boarding house, we forayed aimlessly into the town. First stop was the Times Square, a huge high-end shopping mall, to exchange some dollars for ringgit. We immediately discovered how some taxis work - no meter, just name your price. Not bothered by the pricey taxi fares, we took taxis most of the time to get around the city. Once, we took the bus to Batu Caves where some Hindu temples and artworks could be found. From the outside, we were already marvelling at the giant statue of the Hindu lord Murugan. Then up we climbed 272 steps to see the limestone caves. The place was also known for numerous monkeys that litter around, but unfortunately we found no monkeys anywhere, not even one.


Back to the city, we squeezed our way through Petaling Street which was a very crowded street known for bargains (read: cheap imitations of famous western brands). For me it was a total waste of time to venture into such crazy place, which I suspect was prone to pickpockets and cheats. Luckily, we managed to get out of the place whole and unscathed.

Hungry stomachs led us to a dinner at SS2 Hawkers which was already a good distance outside KL. We sampled Bah Kuh Teh, Popiah, and Steamed Chicken Rice. I was a bit disappointed because all such food were common in Singapore, though I had been warned not to expect much because food in KL were no different in Singapore. Back again in the city, we almost missed to see the Petronas Towers glow in the dark night sky, for it was barely midnight, and when midnight strikes, we learned, the Petronas shuts its bright lights out.



On the way back to the hotel, we chanced upon an upbeat street with rows of clubs and restaurants teeming with perky young people, local and foreign. The Malate scene instantly came into mind. So they know how to P-A-R-T-Y. But we're not in the party mood, and besides we all looked haggard and tired already from all the walking so we decided to skip the fun and just head back to the hotel to rest.

In the morning we went to the Central Market, our last stop, to buy some souvenirs. It was an old building with an open plaza outside. If not for its historical significance, the Central Market wasn't much of an attraction imho. In fact, the whole KL downtown, it seemed to me, looked like a larger Cubao or Quiapo but with more greeneries and shopping centers. Perhaps the real beauty and uniqueness of KL lie in its ambition to become a great city, which was evident from its excellent infrastructure and some grandiose skyscrapers.

With not much time left, we scooted off to the bus station. The much-awaited ride back home finally commenced as I sit tightly on my seat with nothing but dreamy thoughts in my mind.