Travels: Kuala Lumpur

My last stop of this trip, and really, I'm so 'over' sightseeing that I didn't do anything with a cost to it aside from seeking out a few highly recommended meals. 

To me KL is all about shopping (and eating), and since I don't like shopping it's never had a lot of appeal. But I took a look at the shops and markets anyway. 

I had already googled whether the shopping was better in Bangkok or KL and discovered that Bangkok is cheaper but KL better for brand names: both real and knock-offs. 

I've never understood people's want for branded stuff. I'm talking about all those top high-end fashion brands. 

To me it sends a message of stupidity and vanity to be buying either the fake or the real goods. I'd never want people to think I was crazy or vain enough to spend lots-of-money on an item marked Gucci, Louis Vuitton, or any other top name. Nor would I want them to think I was simply vain enough to spend less money on a knock off that wasn't what it says it is. 

I did manage to find (and buy) a Malaysian made and designed bag that wasn't pretending to be anything that it wasn't. 

Other than that I also bought some tea, as I know I'll enjoy its benefits. 

No more solo travelling?

I had such a good time travelling overland from Bangkok (Thailand) to Penang (Malaysia) that early this afternoon I started thinking that maybe I should keep on travelling and forget any thoughts of going home. And then I had this afternoons bus journey from Penang to Kuala Lumpur.

I left Bangkok on Monday afternoon. The train was late departing but I didn't much mind, I had the pleasant company of British father and son (adult) who were rather enthusiastic about trains. They were going elsewhere and left after 5 hours, and then the beds were set up for sleeping. 

The train compartment, 2nd class air conditioned, was really very nice: clean, well serviced, and not crowded. The beds were very good. 

In the middle of the night more people boarded, and in the morning I was making friends with more travellers. On leaving the train we had gathered a group of 7 people and we all headed off for money exchange, food and accommodation. 

The group spilt, but we were still 4 for accommodation and dinner. I was enjoying all this company. 

I decided that before leaving Penang I needed to see some of the island and its famous beaches. So in the morning my new Korean-American friend and I headed off by public bus (#101) to sightsee, and we walked a jetty and visited the national park too. Then we had a wonderful lunch before I said goodbye to catch a bus, alone, to Kuala Lumpur. 

And then I had the bus journey. On the bus journey a 28 year old muslim Punjabi-Singaporean was seated next to me. And, aside from the little while that he slept, he spent the rest of the 6 hour journey hitting on me. It was most annoying. He agreed with almost everything about me (annoying!) he liked my eyes, thinks I'm pretty, likes my age (about 10 years his senior), likes my opinions, my tastes ... It was really very tiresome. He wanted to take me out in KL, but I refused. 

To all those people who have questioned why I'm bothered when I travel alone and I get hit on, this is exactly the reason: 6 hours, with no means of escape. Exactly. I need a travel companion.  

Photo: Georgetown, Penang.

Bangkok: love it!

Bangkok might be the centre of the backpacking universe. And as I'm heading towards home, with a head full of ideas on what to do next, it's a great place to spend a few days. I've even decided to stay in the centre of the backpacker world: Kao San Road. 

It's great. I love South East Asia. I trust Asians. I feel comfortable again. (Since my robbery in Spain I haven't been feeling too trusting). Of course, I wouldn't go hiking alone in Asia, although I think I'd probably be okay if I did so. 

I've been doing all the things a tourist in Bangkok should: getting clothes tailor made, Thai massages, canal trips (public transport and the cheapie organised by the Bangkok tourist office), being taken for a ride by tuk tuk driver (okay, the price was too good to be true and I ended up being taken to more shopping sites than tourist sites). 

And now I'm leaving Bangkok: by train to Malaysia. From there I'm flying home. 

A love story, or not

I've just spent a week in Goa. I had a wonderful time in the capital Paniji (Panjim), and on Agonda Beach.

At Agonda beach I saw many young Indian men with foreign women; both young and older. I even had a Kashmiri 9 years my junior insisting I should drink chai and take long walks on the beach with him. It reminded me of the history of an old friend. I'll tell you this story. Names are changed.

Jill was in her early 30's and travelling around the world when she went to Goa. There she met a fit young man from Nepal who was residing in Goa. They started a relationship (or holiday fling). When she left she vowed to return. She was in love.

When she told me about it I was skeptical about his intentions, although I hadn't met him. She said he could get a visa to the UK without her assistance and so she thought his intentions were fine.

She returned to Goa. They decided they would be together, in her home, in the UK. But, it turned out that getting him a visa wasn't easy. They had to get married, show lots of proof of the relationship, and wait considerable time for the application to be approved. Jill was happy to do this, she was in love.

After 2 years he was entitled to citizenship (or was it residency?, but it was enough), and he recieved this. Almost immediately after this he told Jill that he didn't want to live in the UK anymore, that he wasn't happy. She reluctantly signed the paperwork for the divorce, as they agreed that it would be even more difficult for her to live in Nepal. He returned to Nepal.

Then, a few months latter he returned to the same suburb of London to live with his new Nepalese bride.

The End.

Sad huh? Of course many will say better to have loved and lost but it keeps me being extra skeptical.

Sorry Mr Kashmiri, not a chance with me.