It's all said and done. South East Asia is now in the past, and Australia is the current and the future. However, there's still a few stories to be told about my last days in Asia, and here's the recount of how it went.
First off...Kuala Lumpur. A city of cities...not quite sure where to classify this baby...so lets just start from my last time here.
*Doc Brown steps out of the shadows...he motions for you to come forward...as you draw closer you see the Delorean. Doc tells you to jump in, then leans over and says..."when this baby hits 88 mph you're going to see some serious s**t"...then with lights flashing and buttons beeping you shoot off with a flash in the night*
There's my attempt to bring you back to the past...anyway, back to my first arrival in Kuala Lumpur.
The rain just started coming down, I was tired, dirty, unshaven, lost and now...wet...great. Eventually, after asking 5 different locals for directions, getting more lost, making my way back I finally decide to just trust my gut. Turns out...my gut was pretty smart...I found the places I was looking for. So after arriving at 5:30am I found a place I could rest my weary fluffy head at 8:20am.
After a few hours of snoozing, it was time to walk the city...oh let me just find a pay phone...turns out I look for a couple hours, find hundreds of pay phones, buuuut none work...hmmm...nice system KL.
So I decide, it would be best to just go out and explore the city. I find a bunch of great shops, a chocalatery, tons of skyscrapers, huge shopping malls and the Patronus Towers(don't know why, but they alwayse remind me of Harry Potter)
As the hungry monster starts to settle in, I make my way to little India, where I find this great little restaurant run by this little old man. Great food, good price...I'm fucking set. A crazy upside down type of city, with a flair for the theatrics and great food. That was my first experience with KL.
Now...THE RETURN(sounds like some low budget horror flick)
A little more familiar, I end up meeting these two Canadians on the trip from the airport...STORY TIMES SUPREME ensue.
With these newbie KLer's and myself knowing a little about the city, we end up doing a full night of exploration. Seeing more of the skyscrapers, malls, towers and finding some more great restaurants and drinking holes.
After exploring a little more of KL my opinion kind of remained the same. A bustling China Town, a spicy little India, numerous grand looking skyscrapers, deluxe malls and a vast change from one block to the next. You can go from rich, business types, to the poorest of the poor in under five minutes.
Now...it's time to leave.
Again bus is the comfiest and most affordable way to travel in Malaysia...that is...when it works...let me explain my little...BUS OF DOOM.
First, trying to buy the ticket.(It reminds me of those old Disney movies where Goofy ended up making a complete fool of himself while the voice over guy explained things that seemed oh so easy)
Tons of people selling tickets everywhere, but trying to pick and chose your ticket price is a little more difficult. Everyone saw me come up, and immediately, the prices started skyroacketing...well...I'm not having any of that. After bargening...heckling and laughing...I finally find a little stand that sells me an affordable ticket. Righto...got some time to kill before I take off, perfect.
I think its a good idea, that since I've already got my "GOLDEN" ticket...I should spend the rest of my money on food...because...well...I don't need anymore of this Malaysian paper. Hmmm...will this come back to haunt me? I just don't know(Foreshadow anyone?)
I arrive back at the counter plenty of time before my bus leaves. They look at my ticket, scratch out the platform number and put a new one. Ya that's reeeeeeeeeal comforting. They point me in the direction of the new platform and say You go there.
So I head down to the carbon monoxide sweaty pit of death and begin to wait...and wait...and guess what?...you guessed it...wait some more. Until eventually it's well past the two o'clock departure time.
I ask around...but no one knows where the bus is...so I head back up to the booth...where a little discussion ensues...they offer me my money back...I reply I need to get to Singapore...they take me back down to the pit and tell me to wait a little longer. Ya...thanks...way to instill a little confidence.
I suck in a little more of that tasty carbon monoxide...with sweat pouring down my back and a scraggly old man puffing smoke in my face...this was pretty much the most comfortable I've ever been. Until finally...YESSSS...BUS TO SINGAPORE.
I make sure it's actually heading to Singapore...board that bus , flop into the big seat and we take off...only to go around the block...and come back. Um...excuse me...weren't we leaving? Great...I'm all ready to go...but now we have to make sure all the seats are full.
Departure time 3:45pm...hmmm an hour 45 later...not bad.
After a long journey I arrive at the Malaysian border...walk in, get my passport stamped and walk out...only to find...the bus no where to be found. Luckily there's numerous other passengers waiting as well...so then I don't feel so bad. Still I'm hoping the bus driver just didn't decide to take our money and run. But lucky for us...he didn't...he just got lost...hey buddy...aren't you a BUS DRIVER...ya thanks...didn't notice that you needed to know where you're going.
We all hop on, and no more then five minutes down the road...Singapore customs...time to get out and get another stamp. This time I make sure I know where to meet the bus. Go in...forget about filling out the entrance card, return to the back of the line, and finally make it out of there...only to find...no bus. Hmmmm...is this Deja Vu? I don't think its a big deal...until I finally realize...there's no one else here.
All were from singapore...sooo you do the math...THE DRIVER LEFT ME...ya guess he didn't like my previous driver joke. Now, I just need another ride to Singapore, lets ask around...someone will give me a lift in.
Nope...no one will dig into their hearts and give a poor stranded Canadian a ride into Singapore...unless...I pay...two dollars...or...five Rupiah(Malaysian currency)...Oh good I have that...right? Hahaha...oh ya...I thought I didn't need that...uh...do you take cookies?
With no ATM around, and no cash in my wallet I'm screwed...no one will take someone without money.(also they don't believe I have no money) I negotiate...I talk...I...beg...still nothing. Then I remember about the few Canadian coins I have lying arond...maybe they'll take that
Lucky for me...they do. Phew...thought I might have to hitch hike my way in.
At the train station I catch my second lucky break...the last train of the day. Who would have thought that leaving KL at 2pm I would be catching the last train of the day in Singapore.
Finally, I arrive at the hostel steps...look down at my watch. 12:27am...hmmmm...leaves at 2pm arrives at 12:30...niiiiice 10 and a half hours ain't bad.
Oh...should I point out...the length of a regular trip from KL to Singapore...5 hours.
Actual lenght of trip...10:30 hours
Getting left at Singapore customs...catching the last train of the day and hoping to find a place to stay at 12:30am...Priceless
There's somethings that you just can't control...for everything else there's laughter.
Now...one thing I'm hoping for...is a little more luck. I couldn't book the hostel online, so I'm standing out front and what do I read...no rooms available after 11pm without email confirmation.
Fingers crossed...well.......here goes nothing...as I reach forward and ring the bell. London bridge is falling down rings over the speaker................................silence...........................still silence..........finally....the door slowly creaks open...a old lady emerges from the darkness...she immediately asks if I have a booking...I reply no, but catch her with my explanation right before she closes the door.
I eventually convince her to give me a room and what a relief. Yes she may have overcharged me, but hey...I was glad I had a room.
Next couple of days were spent killing time and trying not to kill the checkbook. I went on a few excursions, but nothing that thrilling. I was starting to just think of Singapore as...well...nothing...it was just "another city". That is...until I met Johnny. A crazy, 10 year traveling, rambling, intense story teller guy.
This older Danish guy came a waltzing into the hostel one day with a story about everything, that I thought he was crazy. But, boy, did he ever open my eyes to soooooo much more of Singapore.
As I mentioned previously, I thought the guy was crazy. He just came into the room and immediately began into this little rant. I was just looking at him, nodding my head hoping he'd go away...that is...until he mentioned a cheap place for food and drinks.....Then, my ears perked up. Oh what the heck...he's harmless enough.
That night, we explored mostly little India. Found numerous small places to eat, chat with locals and share some stories. He also took me to an authentic Curry grinding place. Boy the smells in that place were intoxicating. Fresh curry just staring me in the face.
More exploration and even more unique little shops, big malls and small local cafe's. Johnny, was also a great mentor in helping me out with travel tips, planning excursions, the works.
Finishing off the night was something I never thought I'd do. Drinking a beer, sitting on the corner of a street, chatting with friendly locals and looking across at a Singapore Cafe. Wow, something else.
Because I had such a unique experience with Johnny, I decided to tag along the next day as we went on a 12km walk around an isolated rain forest. But get this...it's in the heart of Singapore.
You could just lose all sense of where you were, walking in this enormous protected rain forest with tree's spreading out as far as the eye could see. I would have never thought we were in the heart of Singapore, even though, you could walk up a hill and see the skyscrapers.
I saw monkeys, lizards, birds and very few human beings. Again, good ol Johnny boy pulled out all the stops. Not only was it a perfect day, it was an exhilarating walk aswell.
I was really debating weather or not to go on the walk, but I'm glad I did...sure beats watching movies all day.
Finally...it was time to say goodbye to South East Asia. Four months already gone...geez it's gone so quick.
Next stop on the adventure list....Darwin, Australia.
The heat, the outback, the many adventures left to enjoy.
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