By this stage it was 9pm. The bus was leaving KL at 10.30 and I still wanted to check availability, check my budget and check what transport I'd need. So much to do, but we were both so excited. We got on the net, and I managed to find out that the accommodation won't take online bookings and that I can only ring on the day of arrival to see if there's room.. I also found out that it's not at all expensive.. Me and Andy couldn't quite believe how our meeting had turned into something that could be so meaningful. It was amazing.. We said our goodbyes and hope to see each other again soon. But I still didn't have any certainty. I was leaving KL without a proper destination or plan in mind. This was totally new to me!! But I did decide at this point, that I would ring the hostels on Langkawi in the morning, once the bus arrived at the pier just to make sure that there's no vacancies. But at this point, the thoughts of Langkawi felt so wrong, when Kho Phangnang felt so right..
I sat on the bus, after traipsing through the city, and all I could do was dream about being there.. I was so far ahead of myself, it was unreal. The journey to the pier was 7 hours, I didn't get much sleep, and all I did was "daydream" about me being Leonarde diCaprio, starring in the beach.. He was in seach of something different from the normal backpacker scene, he was venturing out into the unknown, he was going to extremes as he was trying to find what it was he was searching for and didn't have a clue if what he was going to find, was what he expected. How amazing.. No wonder i didn't sleep much..haha. When I did wake up from the little sleep I got, last night all felt like a dream. But it wasn't!! It was all happening..as long as I was brave enough to take a chance and see if my meeting Andy was all part of the "master plan"... how cool!
We got to the peer at 06.30am. What was I going to do? Follow what felt right..which was go to check if the sanctuary is all it's cracked up to be, and take a leap of faith..or Follow my initial plan and risk having to pay 100euros for one night on Langkawi.. Twice i stood in line and twice I left the line. I didn't care at the stage that I had no clue of how to get to Kho Phangnang exactly, all I knew was that I had to go somewhere and I wasn't going to pay so much money on being in a place I didn't want to be.. So I hopped into a cab, got the trainstation in a town called Arau where I met the most nicest people and chatted for ages. I was still on such a high from the night before. I got the train to Hat Yai, which is the first town over the Thai boarder. It's also where I"m sitting right now, 5 hours later. I still can't quite believe how I landed myself here.
It's feels so great being back in Thailand again, surrounded by such beautiful people. I"m loving every minute of it! The people are so warm and the spirit in the air is totally different to that of Malaysia. It's so beautiful. The amount of smiles I"ve gotten already, is amazing.. Not like in KL, where you're afraid to smile for fear of what that person might think. No here in Thailand, you give a smile and one is returned!!
So now, my bus is due to leave at 05.00pm and i then have an overnight boat to Kho Phangnang. I get there at 06.00am tomorrow morning. I'll be a zombie and stinking.. but I don't care. I'll have taken a risk, and hopefully I have got to where i want to be. But the funny thing is that when I get there, I still won't know if the Sanctuary has a bed for my wee head.. And even funnier is that I'm not worried or stressed about it all. If it's meant to be, it will be. If not, at least I'll have tried and I'll have met some amazing people along the way and have had some great adventures too..
I'm in the land of smiles now.. so that's all I can do!!!
Showing posts with label Kuala Lumpur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kuala Lumpur. Show all posts
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Cuation..it's a bit of confusion-1
It's Saturday the 05th. I've just about lost track of the days and of the time.. The last time I seen a bed was Thursday night and the next time I'll be seeing one is Sunday, if all goes according to "plan".
Thursday night it all started happening, without me being aware of it: I met this dude from Germany in the hostel. We got chatting about this and that, watched a movie and by 12 it was time for bed.. I was delighted. It had been a hectic day, Aine (the Irish girl who I had gotten to know pretty well) had suddenly decided to move on that same morning and I had spent the day exploring some more of the city. I had been rained on, I had been out for dinner by me tod (which is such a buzz by the way!) and I was just generally wrecked. I had said to myself on Thursday that Friday would be the day for moving on, so that's what I did. Friday morning, I hung out in the hostel till 12noon, packed my bags and with no where to go, I left the hostel, said goodbye to the German dude, called Andy, we exchanged email addresses and I didn't expect to see him again.
I walked with my 22 kilo's of luggage to the busstation, decided to book a bus to Langkawi, which is an island off the northwest coast of Malaysia. It's a 7 hour journey and the bus was due to leave at 11pm. This was great, cause I'd have saved a night in the hostel by sleeping on the coach and any other bits of the city I hadn't yet seen, I'd now get a chance to.. Well that was the plan anyhow. But that soon changed when I just wasn't arsed anymore. I had been walking again, only for an hour, and I was done with it. I started to feel lonely and was tired of always knowing that there was someone looking at my every step. Because that's what it's like in that city. I was tired of it. So I hopped on the Internet, both to escape from the world and to book a hostel for Saturday night on Langkawi. But shock, shock, horror, horror, every hostel and hotel on the island was fully booked! There was nowhere for me to sleep!! O no.. I panicked, and that made me feel even more down and alone and drained. I didn't know what to do. I tried to get a refund on my bus ticket or even postpone it to a few nights later, but they weren't all too helpful (wouldn't be the first time). The thoughts of staying in Kuala Lumpur another few days didn't feel too good either, I actually dreaded the thoughts of it. So, to cheer myself up, I dropped German Andy an email, seeing if he wanted to meet up for some dinner, just for some company and some advice on what I should do, with this problem of finding accommodation.
So we met up and chatted lots, had yummy dinner and an overdose of green tea... How nice!! And he started telling me about where he stayed in Thailand. It was on the island of Kho Phangnang, on the eastcoast, and it's called the "Sanctuary". Well, the things he told me about it, were amazing. We both seem to be on the same wavelength when it comes to the books we read and the things we want to do along our "journeys". So this place he stayed at, was exactly what I was looking for, when I had planned on coming to Malaysia. It's, apparently, isolated from the road, by the beach and only accessible by long tail boat. It has yoga, meditation, massage, workshops and courses on offer nearly every day.. There's so much of what I love, in such a tranquil little haven. And it was much cheaper than the normal hostels in Malaysia too. He loved it there that much, that he said he was probably going to go back. But all I could see, as we were talking, were visions of me being there and doing all the things I want to do; yoga, meditation, massage, writing, reading..all surrounded by people with the same mindset..tucked away in a little piece of paradise. I couldn't believe it! This is where I wanted to go! This would solve my accommodation problem!
The excitement of it all!!!There's so much more to come..
Thursday night it all started happening, without me being aware of it: I met this dude from Germany in the hostel. We got chatting about this and that, watched a movie and by 12 it was time for bed.. I was delighted. It had been a hectic day, Aine (the Irish girl who I had gotten to know pretty well) had suddenly decided to move on that same morning and I had spent the day exploring some more of the city. I had been rained on, I had been out for dinner by me tod (which is such a buzz by the way!) and I was just generally wrecked. I had said to myself on Thursday that Friday would be the day for moving on, so that's what I did. Friday morning, I hung out in the hostel till 12noon, packed my bags and with no where to go, I left the hostel, said goodbye to the German dude, called Andy, we exchanged email addresses and I didn't expect to see him again.
I walked with my 22 kilo's of luggage to the busstation, decided to book a bus to Langkawi, which is an island off the northwest coast of Malaysia. It's a 7 hour journey and the bus was due to leave at 11pm. This was great, cause I'd have saved a night in the hostel by sleeping on the coach and any other bits of the city I hadn't yet seen, I'd now get a chance to.. Well that was the plan anyhow. But that soon changed when I just wasn't arsed anymore. I had been walking again, only for an hour, and I was done with it. I started to feel lonely and was tired of always knowing that there was someone looking at my every step. Because that's what it's like in that city. I was tired of it. So I hopped on the Internet, both to escape from the world and to book a hostel for Saturday night on Langkawi. But shock, shock, horror, horror, every hostel and hotel on the island was fully booked! There was nowhere for me to sleep!! O no.. I panicked, and that made me feel even more down and alone and drained. I didn't know what to do. I tried to get a refund on my bus ticket or even postpone it to a few nights later, but they weren't all too helpful (wouldn't be the first time). The thoughts of staying in Kuala Lumpur another few days didn't feel too good either, I actually dreaded the thoughts of it. So, to cheer myself up, I dropped German Andy an email, seeing if he wanted to meet up for some dinner, just for some company and some advice on what I should do, with this problem of finding accommodation.
So we met up and chatted lots, had yummy dinner and an overdose of green tea... How nice!! And he started telling me about where he stayed in Thailand. It was on the island of Kho Phangnang, on the eastcoast, and it's called the "Sanctuary". Well, the things he told me about it, were amazing. We both seem to be on the same wavelength when it comes to the books we read and the things we want to do along our "journeys". So this place he stayed at, was exactly what I was looking for, when I had planned on coming to Malaysia. It's, apparently, isolated from the road, by the beach and only accessible by long tail boat. It has yoga, meditation, massage, workshops and courses on offer nearly every day.. There's so much of what I love, in such a tranquil little haven. And it was much cheaper than the normal hostels in Malaysia too. He loved it there that much, that he said he was probably going to go back. But all I could see, as we were talking, were visions of me being there and doing all the things I want to do; yoga, meditation, massage, writing, reading..all surrounded by people with the same mindset..tucked away in a little piece of paradise. I couldn't believe it! This is where I wanted to go! This would solve my accommodation problem!
The excitement of it all!!!There's so much more to come..
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
KL in 24 hour
A day later..only one day and so much has happened. Thinking back to yesterday, feels like days ago. But all is well, I arrived safe and sound and I now find myself sitting in a hostel, smack bang in the middle of Kuala Lumpur, in the area most commonly known to the westerners as tourist central. It's called Bukit Bintang, and it's also near where I stayed 2 whole years ago, when I first visited Malaysia.
Yesterday was so cool though.. Why? Because I was suddenly apart of the real traveling world again. I was meeting people from the word "go" and was, and still am, loving every minute. When we finally got flying, as the flight was delayed by an hour and it then turned-out to be an 8 hour journey..instead of the 6 hours I thought it was going to be (silly me forgot to take the 3 hour time-difference into account), I didn't want the flight to end. Yes, of course I was excited to get to Malaysia but I was so comfortable on that flight that the thoughts of having to "throw" myself out into this big city and figure out how to get to the hostel and sort out my money and arrange my mobile phone and be on-the-ball and alert at all times.. all felt like so much effort, as I sat on the plane totally chilled and relaxed and reading my book.. But then when we landed, I just went with the flow, as I didn't have much choice..haha, and soon everything started happening.
I stepped off the plane the air was so hot and sticky. It was like walking into a room where the heating had been on forever and that hadn't had the slightest breeze or chilly wind..ever. Muggy is the word, and with that muggyness, there was rain. It was beautiful! I was instantly heated and refreshed by the rain, all at the same time! Most people would probably hate that kind of muggyness, but the aircon on the plane had felt really awful and cold, and seeing as though I feel the cold so easily, this heat was so very welcome. Being at the airport, which was tiny by the way, and chaotic, turned-out to be nothing but stress-free. Even though I hadn't a clue how to get to the city centre and I didn't know where my hostel was (that was a little booboo on my part.. I thought I had the directions from the airport to the hostel, but in my haste, as I was booking the hostel online back in Adelaide, I printed the wrong ones..oops!!). It was all pretty straight forward and the Malaysians hanging around the airport, offering to sell bustickets or taxirides, made it so easy.. They were the registered taxi's and coachservices ofcourse!! I hoped on a bus and sat and waited to get going. The only westerner on the coach, but I was feeling so confident and at ease. It felt so normal being here, that I wasn't even worried about what I was going to do once I got to the Central Station in KL. It was an hour and a half on the bus and I actually slept most of the way.. That's how at ease I felt, in this crazy and insane city.
Arriving at the station, the first thing that happens when you get off the coach: you are bombarded by taxi drivers wanting to offer you a ride. But I shrugged them all off and had stubborn thoughts of trying to find this hostel all by myself. But those thoughts soon went out the window, or were washed away by the rain, as I set foot outside the station and didn't have a clue in what direction I was heading (I thought I might have been able to recognize some streets or something from my last visit..but KL being KL.. every street name sounds the same and every street looks the same and it was dark too, which didn't make matters easier!). So I jumped in a taxi, gave him the address, paid all of 3 dollars, and 15in later I was the Pujangga Homestay!!
I was where I had set out to be!! It took next to no effort at all and the hostel was so nice!! Within 5 minutes I had even made myself a wee Irish friend, Aine, who had just arrived that day too in KL, after having been in Cambodia for a month. We hit it off instantly.. and have been hanging out ever since (sounds like we've been friends for ages..haha). It was nearly midnight by this stage, but on my normal bodyclock, it was 03.30 am, I had been awake nearly 24 hours and feeling so tired. I went out about for a very short spell, to try and make some phonecalls, and I felt amazing, even though I was wrecked. I didn't phase walking around the streets of KL at night on my own. I didn't know exactly where I was, so I didn't venture very far, for fear of getting lost, which happens so easily in this place. But everything about this place, made me feel so great. There was no culture shock.. Nothing of the kind. It felt natural, normal and like I almost belonged here, for now. The hostel felt instantly familiar, as did the people.. I didn't get to sleep until around 1am, because I was back sleeping in a dorm with 6 others and there was lots of activity.. But not to worry..
So today I was out and about, hanging out with some girls from the hostel, a thai girl named Nana, and Aine. I was loving it.. The weather, the muggyness, the streets with all there mini stalls, full of food and yummiesness and a hype of activity everywhere I looked, it was so cool! The stares and the remarks from the locals was something I had expected, so I ignored them all. The smells on the street, some of them pretty stomach-turning, brought back so many memories from when I was here last. I had a little bit of a run-in with some not so nice people the last time I was here, which made me want to get out of this city asap, but today as I was walking down the same street where my little bit of misfortune had come my way, 2 years ago, all the memories came back, but it wasn't bad.. It was all good and I was glad to have returned.
I spent the day exploring China town, the markets, some temples, until I was so tired that I hopped on the monorail (which is a train the rides the same route back and forth, above the city, giving a great picture of everything-all the temples, mosques, highrise buildings alongside the dirty "slums" almost and derelict "houses". I sat as it the monorail rode back and forth, the same route, for a while, resting the legs and watching the Malaysian people going about their daily lives.. How much fun was I having!
All in the space of 24 hours.. So, now I sit in the hostel, and will be going out to the Chinese stalls, just around the corner for some Malaysian yumminess and maybe a beer.. huummm..
Yesterday was so cool though.. Why? Because I was suddenly apart of the real traveling world again. I was meeting people from the word "go" and was, and still am, loving every minute. When we finally got flying, as the flight was delayed by an hour and it then turned-out to be an 8 hour journey..instead of the 6 hours I thought it was going to be (silly me forgot to take the 3 hour time-difference into account), I didn't want the flight to end. Yes, of course I was excited to get to Malaysia but I was so comfortable on that flight that the thoughts of having to "throw" myself out into this big city and figure out how to get to the hostel and sort out my money and arrange my mobile phone and be on-the-ball and alert at all times.. all felt like so much effort, as I sat on the plane totally chilled and relaxed and reading my book.. But then when we landed, I just went with the flow, as I didn't have much choice..haha, and soon everything started happening.
I stepped off the plane the air was so hot and sticky. It was like walking into a room where the heating had been on forever and that hadn't had the slightest breeze or chilly wind..ever. Muggy is the word, and with that muggyness, there was rain. It was beautiful! I was instantly heated and refreshed by the rain, all at the same time! Most people would probably hate that kind of muggyness, but the aircon on the plane had felt really awful and cold, and seeing as though I feel the cold so easily, this heat was so very welcome. Being at the airport, which was tiny by the way, and chaotic, turned-out to be nothing but stress-free. Even though I hadn't a clue how to get to the city centre and I didn't know where my hostel was (that was a little booboo on my part.. I thought I had the directions from the airport to the hostel, but in my haste, as I was booking the hostel online back in Adelaide, I printed the wrong ones..oops!!). It was all pretty straight forward and the Malaysians hanging around the airport, offering to sell bustickets or taxirides, made it so easy.. They were the registered taxi's and coachservices ofcourse!! I hoped on a bus and sat and waited to get going. The only westerner on the coach, but I was feeling so confident and at ease. It felt so normal being here, that I wasn't even worried about what I was going to do once I got to the Central Station in KL. It was an hour and a half on the bus and I actually slept most of the way.. That's how at ease I felt, in this crazy and insane city.
Arriving at the station, the first thing that happens when you get off the coach: you are bombarded by taxi drivers wanting to offer you a ride. But I shrugged them all off and had stubborn thoughts of trying to find this hostel all by myself. But those thoughts soon went out the window, or were washed away by the rain, as I set foot outside the station and didn't have a clue in what direction I was heading (I thought I might have been able to recognize some streets or something from my last visit..but KL being KL.. every street name sounds the same and every street looks the same and it was dark too, which didn't make matters easier!). So I jumped in a taxi, gave him the address, paid all of 3 dollars, and 15in later I was the Pujangga Homestay!!
I was where I had set out to be!! It took next to no effort at all and the hostel was so nice!! Within 5 minutes I had even made myself a wee Irish friend, Aine, who had just arrived that day too in KL, after having been in Cambodia for a month. We hit it off instantly.. and have been hanging out ever since (sounds like we've been friends for ages..haha). It was nearly midnight by this stage, but on my normal bodyclock, it was 03.30 am, I had been awake nearly 24 hours and feeling so tired. I went out about for a very short spell, to try and make some phonecalls, and I felt amazing, even though I was wrecked. I didn't phase walking around the streets of KL at night on my own. I didn't know exactly where I was, so I didn't venture very far, for fear of getting lost, which happens so easily in this place. But everything about this place, made me feel so great. There was no culture shock.. Nothing of the kind. It felt natural, normal and like I almost belonged here, for now. The hostel felt instantly familiar, as did the people.. I didn't get to sleep until around 1am, because I was back sleeping in a dorm with 6 others and there was lots of activity.. But not to worry..
So today I was out and about, hanging out with some girls from the hostel, a thai girl named Nana, and Aine. I was loving it.. The weather, the muggyness, the streets with all there mini stalls, full of food and yummiesness and a hype of activity everywhere I looked, it was so cool! The stares and the remarks from the locals was something I had expected, so I ignored them all. The smells on the street, some of them pretty stomach-turning, brought back so many memories from when I was here last. I had a little bit of a run-in with some not so nice people the last time I was here, which made me want to get out of this city asap, but today as I was walking down the same street where my little bit of misfortune had come my way, 2 years ago, all the memories came back, but it wasn't bad.. It was all good and I was glad to have returned.
I spent the day exploring China town, the markets, some temples, until I was so tired that I hopped on the monorail (which is a train the rides the same route back and forth, above the city, giving a great picture of everything-all the temples, mosques, highrise buildings alongside the dirty "slums" almost and derelict "houses". I sat as it the monorail rode back and forth, the same route, for a while, resting the legs and watching the Malaysian people going about their daily lives.. How much fun was I having!
All in the space of 24 hours.. So, now I sit in the hostel, and will be going out to the Chinese stalls, just around the corner for some Malaysian yumminess and maybe a beer.. huummm..
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