March 2009: I left my home around 4AM and took a taxi to EDSA Pasay. There’s a bus station there that goes to Clark Airport everyday. I can’t remember how much exactly I paid for the bus ride but it’s definitely not that much. For those who’re not familiar with Clark, it used to be a US base and now it’s a commercial airport for both passengers and cargoes. It serves budget airlines, perfect for cost conscious travelers and backpackers like you and me.

The bus wasn’t full and it left after an hour of waiting. I was still early for my flight so I wasn’t worried at all. However, the bus stopped again at SM Megamall to pickup more passengers and stayed there for more than thirty minutes. I was worried, so I asked the driver if we’re going to arrive on time at the airport. He gave me an assurance that we’ll be there on time because we’re still ahead of the schedule. I just hate missing my flight because of the hassle and unnecessary expense that it had cost me in the past. Yeah, I’ve already missed some flights before.

Anyway, we got there on time (as promise) and I immediately checked in and waited until we were called for boarding. I wasn’t that excited though, maybe because I was tired and all I wanted was to sleep.

As soon as I got hold of my seat, I was immediately transported to dreamland and before I knew it, I was already in Kuala Lumpur.

I rested and didn’t do anything on my first day. I felt so tired or maybe just because of sheer laziness. We went to a vegetarian restaurant that night and had dinner. The dishes tasted like meat but they’re really vegetables mixed with coconut and mushrooms.

On the following days, I explored the city on my own with a map and my guidebook for Southeast Asia. I don’t know much about KL except for the Petronas Tower.

As I was walking on the streets of KL, I felt a familiar feeling. It felt like I was just in Manila. The people, the streets, and a lot more look the same.

A few days stay in Malaysia was definitely not enough to explore this vibrant country. I would definitely go back for more.

Here are some pictures and random facts about the places that I went to.

Some facts about Merdeka Square from Wikipedia

“The Dataran Merdeka (or Merdeka Square) is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is situated in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Buidling. It was here the Union Flag was lowered and the Malayan flag hoisted for the first time at midnight on August 31, 1957. Since then, Dataran Merdeka has been the usual venue for the annual Hari Merdeka Parade (National Day Parade).”

“The Petronas Twin Towers (Malay: Menara Berkembar Petronas) (also known as thePetronas Towers or just Twin Towers), in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia are twin towers and were the world's tallest buildings before being surpassed by Taipei 101. However, the towers are still the tallest twin buildings in the world. They were the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004 if measured from the level of the main entrance to the structural top, the original height reference used by the international organization Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat from 1969 (three additional height categories were introduced as the tower neared completion in 1996).”

P.S.

Some random pictures from Kuala Lumpur