Malaysia. Because Why Not?

Starting a new adventure!

So its been awhile. But I'm back and still traveling the world! So let's jump in...

Nicole invited my mother (which included a package deal of her husband and both of her fabulous daughters - me) as a traveling companion to...wait for it...Malaysia! For spring break. It was a little spontaneous, I think we knew maybe a little more than a month ahead of time. So it was a rush to get lodging and flights, but it all worked out and it was A-Malay-zing! Okay, done with the cheese, moving on. So we packed our bags and got on a plane to Kuala Lumpur, but first: The journey!

So we drove down to San Francisco to fly to Shanghai, because parents. And that's just how the flights worked out, so here we are, doing our pre-boarding yoga, getting ready for long uncomfortable flight ahead.

Which actually didn't turn out to be so bad. The six hour flight afterwards was wayyyy worse.

I know, this is just so exciting. But I need to demonstrate the eons of traveling we did to migrate our butts halfway around the world. (Worth it, of course)

The one lynch pin in our grand travel scheme was this bus. Nowhere in our hotel information did it mention when the bus came to pick us up from the airport, and several travel websites advised that it was labeled only in chinese, and the hotel did not speak great English, so calling them wasn't going to be helpful either. So we were waiting for a bus we hoped would be there. And it came! Hooray! 

Amanda and I made quick work memorizing the hotel's name in Chinese so we could at least recognize it if its name was on the bus, and sure enough! The downside to this bus is that once we got to the hotel, we had no way to exchange money or call a taxi, and internet in China, is not what it is in the US, and what was supposed to be a grand evening adventure in Shanghai turned into a smoggy, late night walk around the airport wasteland we were residing in. It was a little disappointing, but it just means I'll have to go back!

For breakfast in the Shanghai airport the next morning, there was good old Starbucks, but with a few twists. Like green tea cheesecake - which I enjoyed - to dragon-fruit in our fruit salad.

Look at my adorable father :)

And then it was time to get on the next plane to Kuala Lumpur!

My first impressions of Malaysia blew me away. Mind you, I was looking out the window of an airplane, but it was so green and bright, with rolling hills and it looked magical. Also, probably the contrast from the brown smoggy non-existent sky in Shanghai that was still fresh in my mind, made the impression even stronger. So we arrived and were picked up by our driver Michael, who was very friendly and talkative and gave us our first glimpses into Kuala Lumpur. 

When dad attempted to get into the passenger seat of the taxi, that's when we knew we were no longer in America. Because in Malaysia, they drive on the left side! So my dad sat down and there was a steering wheel in front of him and we were all bewildered for a moment, before it sunk in. And man, after only being, and visiting countries that drive on the right side, the shift took some getting used to and most of the time I kept thinking our driver were insane. 

Any how, Jenny and Tony greeted us at the condominums we were living in for our stay, and man was it sweet. The building was brand new and 52 stories high. It was beautiful and the view of the city in the jungle (as I thought of it) was captivating.

And there was a pool on the top floor! (Also, the 7th, which took up an entire floor! It was a large pool)

We had our first dinner in Kuala Lumpur with Tony and Jenny, and their friends, and had a wonderful evening easing into our new surroundings.

Classic.

My first impressions blew me away, I was struck by everything very strongly, which I haven't felt about a place, maybe ever. I don't know what it was, but there was a charm and air to Malaysia that left an imprint on me from even the first day. And I was unusually excitable, but it was good. I ad been needing something to be excited about.

Alright, the cool stuff is next! Read on.


-Natalie