A FAMILY ADVENTURE IN KL, MALAYSIA (19/9/2014 - 22/9/2014) in "REALISTICALLY-SPEAKING: BEING ROMANTICALLY-CHALLENGED"

I meant to write this sooner, but as usual – I’ve been hecticly busy.
Despite the available, very strong and free wi-fi connection almost everywhere (especially in Sky Express Hotel, Bukit Bintang – where we were staying), we’d been on the road most of the time. We were there with a tour guide hired by Aunt Ria for the first couple of days. It was fun and exciting, and also tiring.
Why did we have to hire a tour guide, a bus, and a driver? We were a pack of 20-ish people to begin with, so we did need one to keep us together. Stay in the pack, not stray.
The flight departed at 9:00 am, but we had to get to the airport by 7:00 the latest. Feeling sleepy? Oh, yeah. That’s why I fell asleep instantly the moment all of us were strapped in our seats on the plane.
First destination? Lunch in Putrajaya. Then we went to Pavilion.
By the time we arrived at Sky Express Hotel, it was already dark. We dropped our bags in our rooms. Some of us (me included) headed to Petaling Street, while the rest were staying in their rooms to sleep.
How was it? Well, I’m not much of a shopper, especially since Petaling Street reminds me of Mayestik, Blok M, or even Glodok. But I still enjoyed the long walk.
On the second day, we took pictures of ourselves with The Twin Towers behind us – and also in Pineapple Hill. We also went to Stone Cave (or Cave Stone??)
How to get there? Take the 250 stone steps all the way up to the cave. No joke. Those are very steep, by the way. If you’re not careful, you might end up injuring or getting yourself – and others nearby – killed. (Not recommended for those with severe migraine and vertigo!)
I know, I’m that crazy sometimes. I have a severe migraine and a vertigo. I’m out of shape as well – very, very un-athletic. What was I thinking? What did I have to prove?
Nothing. Once in a while, I just need to challenge myself, that’s all.
So how did it go? Did I make it?
Honestly, I’d almost given up. Sweating and panting, I looked up at my brother – who was already a couple of steps ahead – and called out:
“I…give…up…”
Suddenly, a tall, lean dark blond guy turned up beside me and grinned.
“Don’t give up yet,” he urged me cheerfully. “You’re already halfway through. You’re almost there.”
“He’s right,” my brother agreed. “Just take it slow, one step at a time.”
“Once you’re up there, you’ll feel that you’ve conquered something,” the dark-blond guy with smoky-grey eyes added. “You’ll feel so powerful, like you’re on top of the world!”
“Okay.” Sounds tempting, I thought with fresh, stronger determination this time. The slim, pretty brunette next to the dark-blond guy also smiled at me encouragingly.
When I finally got up there, I breathed a long sigh of relief. The dark blond guy and the brunette smiled at me. I staggered up to them and shook his hand vigorously. His smile widened.
“Mission accomplished, eh?”
“Thank you,” I breathed. “Thank you so much.”
“It wasn’t me,” he replied cheerfully, shaking his head and still grinning. “It was all you.”
My brother bought two bottles of mineral water and gave me one. I accepted it gratefully.
“Thanks.”
We also went to Genting Highlands. The cable car ride was fun and quite thrilling, a long way up to the giant mall on the top of the mountain. (Seriously.)
What did we do there? There were a lot of attractions. I ended up going into the haunted house with my two young nephews…and their father. (Random choice.) I’d been rather hesitant about having the boys try that scary experience. (Ganesh-ku is four; Gyan-ku is three.)
By the time we were in there, my prediction was right: it had been A BAD IDEA. Darkness, creepy images, a very graphic scene played on the monitor (so bloody!), scary-looking beasts (only props I know, but still…), and masked people trying to scare us along the way…
I’m a horror-movie fan; I can take it. I know those things aren’t real. (Okay, so why did they put “half the price for children” on the counter? Were they crazy or what?)
Poor little boys. They’re still much too young to understand those stuff. It didn’t help that their father kept telling them that those were fake; they were still standing so close to him with their eyes straying around and wide with fear.
Finally, he gave up.
“Do you guys want to get out now?”
“Yes, please!” the boys cried out desperately. So he and I ended up calling out to the masked people for help to show us an emergency exit.
About less than two minutes after that, we were out on the bright hall again. Ganesh-ku took off with his father first. His little brother Gyan-ku still stood rigidly by the stairs. I came to him.
“Are you okay?” When he didn’t say anything and still looked so tense, I offered him my arms: “A big hug?”
Gyan-ku went straight into my arms and we hugged for a while. I rocked him gently, rubbing his back lightly.
“It’s okay now.”
“I’m scared, Bibi.”
“I know, baby.” I kissed the top of his head as I set him down on his feet. “I’m so sorry.”
Then we held hands and walked out together. I returned him to his parents.
When we finally went back down, I fell asleep instantly on the bus. I thought I’d just sleep that night, but once I’d taken a shower at the hotel – I felt refreshed. So I decided to hit that part of the city with my brother and our cousins. We roamed around Alor and stopped by at two places: Bakita and an Indian restaurant called SK Corner.
When I returned to the room I shared with Ma, it was already 2:00 am. Ma had been asleep.
We went to IKEA on the third day. I found my dream room there, so lovely. The problem is always the same: for now, I still can’t afford it. Snif.
Someday. Someday soon, I hope.
Not much we did after that. Another mall-hopping – Pavillion, Sungei Wang, and Fahrenheit.
That night, I crashed fast in bed, completely exhausted.
We didn’t do much on our last day; we were all too tired. We didn’t have much time anyway, since we had to pack and check out. We’d be picked up at 1:00 pm by the same tour guide. Our flight home would be at 5:30. We must be at the airport by 3:30 the latest.
So we only had long, relaxing breakfast. Some of us were still lazying in bed.
We had lunch at the nearest Indian restaurant in Alor. (No, not the same one – but sorry I forgot the name.) After that, we hurried back to the hotel, collected our stuff, and then got to the airport as soon as possible.
All in all, it was a cool experience and nice holiday. Will I go back there again? I’d love to, perhaps alone…or with a friend or more.
R.