Destination #7: Malaysia
A trip to Asia would not be complete without visiting my homeland Malaysia. Over the 10 days, we visited countless food joints and hang out spots to catch up with old friends. We spent most of our time in Kuala Lumpur but we did take a road trip to Penang which is an island about 4 hours north of KL. It’s known for the food, old colonial shop houses, and the heritage UNESCO town of Georgetown. Truthfully, we were just there for the food to the extent that we were eating literally every 3rd hour. By the end of the trip, we were food-out. I never thought that was possible. We did take a break by visiting Australia and NZ. By the time we got back to KL, we were ready for more food! Although I've lived in the US for 12 years, the KL culture will still be a big part of me. Every single day were dedicated to family-style meals around a round table seated by my closest friends and family. The pictures posted below are essentially just that. Leaving Malaysia marks the midway point of our trip around the world. I think I’m starting to miss home. To be honest, I’ve missed work. I miss the feeling of being productive after a long work day. I miss crossing out bullets from my to do list or writing up pros and cons for a vital decision. Here's an attempt for me to feel productive:
Travel Assessment to Malaysia
Likes:
- Food. During this trip, we've visited Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Australia, and NZ and we both agree that Malaysian food is the best. Maybe we are biased but I feel like the food here blends the best of Chinese, Indian, and Malay spices to create fusion umami dishes that are hard to beat!
- People. It's hard to hit up friends that I've not seen in ages. It goes like this in my head, "Hi, I'm not sure if you care or if you still remember me but I'm back in KL and I want to catch up to talk about grandma stories over food". Every single message back was more than welcoming. :) Malaysians take pride in showing you a good time. They pick you up from the hotel to eat at the best restaurants around, pop bottles in the club, and then duels for the check. Yes, they will duel to their death to pay for something. In one instance, a relative of Adeline snatched my credit card out from the card reader behind the counter to pay for our massage. The cashier looked stunned. You win. meme
- Weather. People in Malaysia would probably think I'm crazy but in comparison to Taiwan, Dubai or Hong Kong, Malaysia weather is comfortable. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty hot but we didn't drop a sweat during our evening walks.
- Affordability. Everyone probably already know this but traveling to South East Asia (except for Singapore) gives you the best bang for your buck. The dollar definitely stretches further here. A full meal in Malaysia will not cost you more than $5 unless you're a fancy pants. I can also go on forever on the affordability of healthcare in Malaysia but I'll refrain myself for now. Everything is reasonably cheap except for shopping!
Dislikes:
- Malaysian drivers. I hate to say this but road courtesy is a foreign concept here. This goes for both bikers and drivers alike. Road lines are merely a guideline not law. Roundabouts are common and it's the worse thing the British ever created. It does not work in densely populated cities.
- Food cleanliness. Adeline and I both got sick at one point but she had it real bad. When we got back from Penang, she had upper abdomen pain that would not go away. We went to the hotel clinic and was instantly referred to a hospital. The doctor was concerned that it might be appendicitis. She went through an ultrasound and the results were negative. The doctor suspected it was gastritis and gave her some Nexium. Thankfully, she felt better after taking the meds. We were very careful after this incident. Only eat in places with full kitchens!
- Politics. Do you watch House of Cards? I love it! It's happening in real life in Malaysia. Here.
