25-28^th June

Malaysia is somewhere I knew nothing about. Literally nothing. Even when I planned the trip all I knew was that I had to somehow get through Malaysia to get my flight from Singapore.

I found out that Kuala Lumpur was the capital so I decided to give Couchsurfing another go and put up a public trip. The chap who offers me is Malaysian, his name’s Edwin. He’s overtly friendly and enthusiastic. This always puts me on the defensive back foot because we’ve never met before and I find it odd how quickly people open their arms to someone they don’t know. That’s more my problem than theirs though.

After I decide to cut my time in Malaysia a bit shorter because of how long the bus journey is from Thailand I arrive on the Saturday and there’s been some confusion over the dates. Edwin can’t put me up on the Saturday. Thankfully, there’s plenty of nice, cheap hostels around and I stay in somewhere called KL Homies for the first night.

Turns out to be a delightful turn of events because the hostel’s amazing. I arrive tired and the (I’m assuming) gay hostelier gives me an entire room to myself. After a short nap, I ask him where he can suggest for dinner and he says not to worry. He will put on a Malaysian feast tonight. Result! All for about £3, this is brilliant. Before the feast, I head over the road where there’s some evening karaoke happening. Apparently this is a big thing in Malaysia!

Then I come back to this.

Wow. It really is a feast!

I go to bed watching Captain America and have a bit of a lay in before I get the metro to meet up with Edwin. When I do there’s a whole entourage of couchsurfers with him. He’s saying goodbye to three of them, one of whom sticks his middle finger up as Edwin walks away. This makes me nervous for the time being that maybe Edwin treated them badly (it turns out I couldn’t have made an assumption further from the truth!).

Myself and Oli, the remaining couchsurfer, jump into Edwin’s brand new car. It’s impressive. Then we stop for some fuel, which I have never seen so cheap. As cheap as water for the litre! This gives me an opportune moment to ask Oli about Edwin. He reassures me that he’s cool. He too was taken aback by Edwin’s full-on friendship at first but says he only means well.

From here we go to meet Edwin’s brother. We end up in a car park and then going into a “church” for something called Hope City. It’s essentially taking Christianity and aiming it at youngsters. It works. There’s a band, some Christian rock and a crowd of entirely eclectic cool people. To top it off, the pastor’s just 24!

After this they put on a bit of Mexican food. Cool, right? Then Edwin seemed to get a little bit bored and waited outside for us. We joined him and then set off towards the Petronas Towers. Around this time is when I’m starting to relax more around Edwin. He’s so kind and generous introducing us to all these people and new experiences. Then, he takes time out to take us to touristy destinations – all in the first day!

The towers and just two big buildings, as impressive as they are, but the real highlight was the fountain water show.

The night is finally finished off with some absolutely lush street food.

Don’t get this back home!

Day two begins with a trip to Edwin’s school where he is lecturing. He is kind enough to let us sit in on the lesson. Given that it was about auditing and I’m studying accounting, I found it quite fascinating! Edwin is also a very good speaker.

After this lesson myself and Oli go sightseeing by ourselves whilst Edwin prepares to give the same lesson a load of times today.

We walked a lot, I got visibly sunburnt (like a lobster come the next day!) but we had a nice time none the less.

When Edwin joined us we head off to the Batu Caves.

There were monkeys everywhere!

Coming near the end of our stay with Edwin, he very kindly invited us along to his friend’s newly opened restaurant.

The food was delicious. The side plate of soft boiled, half-cooked egg, was certainly a new experience but tasty as well.

We stayed at his parent’s apartment for one of the nights which had an awesome swimming pool, was loads of fun and I was also introduced to Monopoly the card game. We all took it really seriously as everyone always does. I, however, lost miserably. I was aching to play the board game and regain my winning title!

This marked the end of my trip to Kuala Lumpur, or so I thought. Either way, I waved goodbye to Edwin and KL on that premise and got the Delima (excellent!) bus to Maleka where my next couch surfing host is ready and waiting.

Part Two: 2-3^rd July 2016

After a few hours in Maleka, Edwin messages me to say I’ve forgotten something. He’s a bit of a joker so I tell him to give it up. I called his bluff. Turns out one can be a joker but not be bluffing. My boots! My Panama Jack boots! Noooooo. Right. I need to head back to Kuala Lumpur. We make plans.

First day I’m back I’m running massively late. Everyone has different advice about which metro to take and it all gets very confusing very quickly. Eventually, I make it there. Me and Edwin go to the cinema and watch the new Tarzan followed by Independence Day. The movies are so cheap here!

In-between I challenge Edwin to a game of electronic darts, having got my practice in Taiwan. I still have it.

After this we decide to continue the fun with an Aryan shake and then some good old karaoke and our final bit of street food.

The next morning, I am quite literally skipping in the streets for joy at the fact that I’m going to get an opportunity to meet up with Anne again.

I arrive at her hostel with plenty of time and leave my bag in their luggage room. Upon taking a seat I mean to message Anne but find myself chatting away to a Chinese girl that is sitting opposite me on the table. She’s travelling by herself and is starting to warm up to the conversation. Anne comes down the stairs and joins us at the table and in her usual confident self joins the conversation with total ease. It’s lovely to watch her at work. So natural.

The Chinese girl, Luping, asks if she can take a photo with me to show people back home. I readily agree and ask for the same.

We’re all getting along well and we invite Luping along to see a few hours away with us. We head through the local market and then make our way to China Town. Having picked up a few goodies we then head to a bar. Trying to keep my alcohol intake down, I hesitate whilst ordering a beer.

Anne suggests that I shouldn’t set myself arbitrary rules such as what days to drink on whilst I’ve no commitments. Just enjoy myself. I agree the rules are arbitrary and instead think to myself that I will just ensure I never drink more than I feel I should, rather than not join in with new friends “just because”. A good test of will power! We’ll see how it works out. As well as this, I noticed at the front of my drawing journal is the Oscal Wilde quote: “the only way to rid yourself of a temptation, is to yield to it”. I promised myself to live life, within reason, by this principle.

This is the thought that is going through my head throughout the entire time in the bar. Anne is stunning, fun and an obvious temptation for me. I suggest we sit at the bar so we can sit closer than we would on the chairs. This allows me to test the waters with the odd friendly touch. We do a little photoshoot.

After the second beer we pay up and start to leave. I turn to Anne, but my hand on her hip, she says “oh” in a lovely playful way, and decide the only way to rid myself of the temptation is, indeed, to yield to it. I’ve never been so happy to give in and lean in.

With a gigantic grin on my face, we leave the bar. Grabbing some food before hopping into a cab we move towards the Petronas Towers. Having already been here allows me to have some familiarity to the place and also be able to suggest that we watch the fountain show, knowing that it wouldn’t disappear.

I had a thoroughly enjoyable time and was upset with the prospect of leaving, saying goodbye to KL again and to Anne. As we walk back we come to the walkway fountains. “How great would it be just to run through that”

“Shall we?”

“I’m game”.

With that, we both emptied out pockets and gave it to Luping. Locked hands. Ran. Ran. Ran.

When we came back, smiling, we agreed that we should’ve taken a picture of this.

Oh, well.

Luping. You star. Whipping the phone up and snapping a photo. Brilliant!

One of the best, most carefree experiences of my travels. Love it.

With the time disappearing, we head back to the hostel. The taxi is a complete rip off. I agree to pay for it as Anne covered my beer and they both covered the last taxi. When we get to the hostel I am running short of time and now money also. I say that I will get the metro. The driver says it’s shut. I’m suspicious but he seems genuine. Hmmm. I say that I will just have to risk it. Time is running short though. Anne keeps saying it’s fine, she’ll cover the taxi and I keep refusing the kind offer. Eventually she talks sense into me, offers me some money and I grab my bag, get back in the taxi and make it to the bus station just in the nick of time. The money was needed.

God. I will miss that girl.

For the second time I’m saying goodbye to Kuala Lumpur.