INTO THE WILD

Saturday, 11:58 PM

Idalis:

Kuala Lumpur

It was time to experience Malaysia's capital.

Unfortunately, our time in Kuala Lumpur got off to a shaky start. After a five hour bus ride from Penang, it took us over two hours to find accommodations. Kevin and I wandered the streets of Chinatown with our heavy packs in the heat, trying to find a reasonably priced room that wasn't infested with bed bugs. Oasis Guesthouse wasn't quite the oasis we were looking for, especially with its weird smells in the hallway and a never-ending squeaky washer. But, it was a room, we were tired, and it fit our budget. We were now free to explore the city!

We spent one day exploring the Colonial District. We visited Merdeka Square, where Malaysia's independence was proclaimed in 1957. We tried visiting Masjid Jamek, a famous mosque, but had arrived during prayer times. It looked nice from the outside! We saw the old railway station, a beautiful castle-like structure of Islamic spires and arches.

Another afternoon was devoted to the National Art Gallery, which we loved. There was a great exhibit by a Chinese artist who painted the city through his outsider's perspective. Being free and air-conditioned made it that much better!

A short bus ride away from the city brought us to the Batu Caves. A holy Hindu shrine and site of the 42.7 meter high statue of Lord Murugan and the annual Thaipusam festival in the Tamil month of Thai (which falls in late January/early February), where devotees perform amazing feats of self mutilation, including piercing portions of their bodies and suspension by hooks piercing their backs. The festival usually draws millions of devotees, but thankfully the day we were there was much quieter and only had a handful of visitors.



The highlight for us, though, was seeing the Petronas Towers. Kevin and I got up extra early one morning and waited in line for close to two hours to ride the elevator to the 41st floor. It was totally worth it. One of the world's tallest skyscrapers, we were able to see amazing city views from that perspective. We liked it so much, we went back to see it lit up at night!

When we weren't seeing the sights, Kevin and I were busy stuffing our faces. Kuala Lumpur is a serious eating town. Food courts are everywhere, and we took full advantage. From Indian roti canai to Chinese pork in a pot, Thai omlette and rice to Malay nasi lemak, we spent just as much time perusing the hawker stalls as we did pounding the pavement. A perfect balance!

Taman Negara









After spending so much time in a big cities and breathing in exhaust fumes, it was time to convene with nature again and go into the wild. Hence, our time in Taman Negara, Malaysia's premier national park.

Getting to this leech-infested was no small task. It involved a three hour nail-biting bus ride from Kuala Lumpur to Jerantut, local bus to Kuala Tembeling, and then three hour boat ride to Kuala Tahan, the jumping off point for this leech-infested jungle.

First things first: finding a place to rest your head. We loved the little bungalow that we (eventually) found at Durian Chalets. Although it had over-anxious ants in the squat toilet and leaned to one side so that when I woke up in the morning and stumbled out of bed I would crash into Kevin's bed, the peaceful surroundings and jungle noises at night more than made up for the overpowering smell of stinky durian fruit.

On our first full day, we hiked to the Canopy Walkway, a hanging rope bridge constructed of wooden planks and ladders that's elevated 45 meters above ground. In this case, simply walking was an adrenalin rush! Along the way, we met up with the Romeros, a French family we had met the day before on the lunatic-driven bus. Antoine and Carrine have two girls, Odet and , and the six of us spent the day together, pointing out wildlife and trying to scare each other on the high bridge. That night, we met up for dinner and had a fantastic time.

The next day, we all hiked for three hours to Gua Telinga, a cave infested with bats! It's only 2.6 kilometers to the caves, but we stopped often to admire the verdant scenery, take too many pictures, and get mini French lessons from the girls. The cave was awesome, and this is coming from a person who hates both dark caves and bats! A rope guided us through the dark, strenuous walk through the cave, and you had to be careful of not bumping your head into sleeping bats or placing your hand on bat poo, which was everywhere! After our hike back into town, we all jumped into the lake, which served a dual purpose: to cool down our sweating bodies and to wash off the crusty bat poo! That night, we spent hours playing cards, recounting our experiences, and laughing at our hysterics every time a bat had swooped by our faces.

On our last full day in Taman Negara, Kevin and I relaxed. We slept in, had a long breakfast, read books, and rested our tired bones. We met up with the Romero family one last time for dinner and both extended invitations to visit each other in our respective countries. Meeting the Romeros proved to be the highlight of our jungle trip, and we were sad that our time with them had come to an end. Later that night, Kevin and I took the path back home in the dark to our creaking cottage. As we walked hand in hand, we reminisced about all the wonderful people we've met on this trip along the way. People like the Romeros who have colored our experiences, shared a million laughs with, and then have to say goodbye to. We are always saying goodbye ...

To the Romero family: Thank you for the great laughs, amazing company, and French lessons. You are a beautiful family, and we hope to see you one day again. Until then, enjoy your travels and never stop exploring!