Strange expression, "Mmmm". Depending on the context or the tone it can mean quite a few things.
"Mmmm, not sure about that" - an undecided but definitely more negative summation of the subject matter.
"Mmmm, that went well" - a more pleasureable summation.
Therein lies my description of Malaysia. My view of the country as a tourist destination is definitely negative, although, there is something I definitely liked. Mmmm....
It is not that I hate the place, it is just that I find it pretty boring. I came here around 20 years ago and wasn't too impressed. The problem is, is that it works. Hassles are a minimum, things run on time and it is a really safe place to visit. Any chance of unexpected adventure seems, well, unexpected. And finally, the sights aren't all that exhilarating. Yawn. It definitely wasn't part of my original itinerary (the Indian monsoon season changed that) but it was visa free and more importantly, it was in a good location while I waited for a visa application to be processed.
I arrived at Kuala Lumpar Airport late at night so I stayed in a capsule hotel, about 3km away. Decided I'd walk it which probably wasn't the best idea as humidity causes sweat, which, isn't a great companion when you want to sleep as soon as you get to the hotel. I quite like those capsule hotels with your own snug little cubicle. Not sure as a multiday option but for a one day in, the next out, they really are convenient.
The next day I found a local place for breakfast. Mmmm... If there is one thing about Malaysia I can recommend doing, it is eating. The food here is just so good. Delicious, fresh and oh so cheap. The flip side to Malaysia is also the flip side of "Mmmm". Street vendors, markets or restaurants. It doesn't matter. If my life revolved more around food, the tone of this blog would be oh so different.
The next morning I had to get back to the airport to catch a bus to Melaka. No sweat this time as, as I started my walk along the motorway an airport employee pulled up on his motorbike and asked if I wanted to jump on the back. Although I've done this many times before it is always difficult to balance with a 15kg backpack hanging over the back of a small motorcycle. Really nice bloke and, with this being Malaysia, of course, we got there safely.
So, what was Melaka like? I hadn't been here before but my guidebook mentioned it was a tourist spot and, more importantly, it also had ferries to my next destination. The first thing was to find a hotel which I managed after quite a bit of walking. I found it really strange that for such a safe country the hotels, mostly, ask you for a deposit that is duly returned upon leaving once your room has been checked. Maybe there is a darker side to this country that I haven't yet found. Mmmm, doubt it.
So then, Melaka, tourist spot. Well there were colorful buildings set along a canal in which you could go on a cruise. There was a street where many tourists would congregate at night, filled with many restaurants that served, unsurprisingly, good food. I found a Pakistani restaurant which served some of the best food (maybe the best) I've had on this trip (I am so very far behind writing this blog). And finally, there were colorful themed rickshaws that loving couples or families would hire. Pokemon, spiderman, minions...so many themes. Each rickshaw different. At night these rickshaws were like lightshows with colored lights flashing. I felt sorry for the drivers who had to cycle around in the heat with two or more people in tow. Still, there seemed to be a lot of people wanting their services. Better that than quite a lot of other places I've seen.
No cruise, no rickshaw and most importantly, no visa. Mmmm. Stuck in Malaysia, so I decided to go back to Kuala Lumpar city.
My visa issues were starting to annoy me immensely. Cryptic denial of visa responses that mentioned additional information needed but not what that was. The problem was that I would change what I thought was the issue and it would take at best 72 hours before I'd get another email that was exactly as the previous. No visa. Once in Kuala Lumpar I decided to book a $20 international flight that I knew I'd never use (yes, I also didn't know you could get an interntional flight this cheap) as an exit for the country. This did the trick.
So now, Kuala Lumpar. This is a city of mixed old and new. Modern skyscrapers line the sky while at a much lower level you can find century old Chinese temples or mosques interlaced within the scenery. I stayed in Chinatown which was more or less a covered street with street stalls selling tourist wares and food. It was a happening place with enough going on to make it mildly interesting. I did enjoy my trips to Jalan Alor, a street filled with outside food stalls and recessed back from these, restaurants. Many a tourist can be found here and for a beer and feed, (and to sit back and watch the world walk by) it was a pleasant place to visit. During the days, I would walk until I got lost (unless I looked at my phone) and wandered the streets, hoping to run into something out of the ordinary. Peered around corners, aimlessly searched for an unknown, but alas, Kuala Lumpar stood by my view of Malaysia. Not much to see here. Mmmm.
