Malaysia - Arrival in KL, Nov 5 2010.

It's Nov 5, 2010 and it's Deepawali, the Festival of Lights (biggest festival for the world's 1 billion Hindus that also marks the Hindu New Year). This also happened to be the 1st time when I was all alone in my celebrations ( and I mean - less any family members). This simple fact alone had transpired that it was going to be a very unique celebration.
So I departed from Singapore to Malaysia in the afternoon at around 1300 hrs in an ultra-comfy 'Transtar' Coach which boasted of 'Massage Seat Recliners', and only 16 of them, with Widescreens for each seat and cable channels for each screen.

I know, I know, I thought that too, that this has gone against the very spirit of backpacking which I so highly speak of, that backpacking must be synonymous to "budget travels" and "living rough" and I have betrayed that ideology - but hey I didn't took a flight did I!! 


That these bus companies are now able to provide an entire "in-flight entertainment" inside a coach for less than 60 SGD is a totally different thing. Anways, the trip took a good 5-6 hrs and by the time I had reached KL, it was almost 7 pm. 
Was it bcoz it was late evening on a Friday or for the fact that it was a public holiday, but the bus-stop in KL was completely deserted. I was also promised that upon arrival, I 'll get the chance to convert my money, but to my mild shock & surprise the only shop I could find there was already closed. There were also 2 taxis standing, but none of them looked even mildly interested in picking up any passengers.
So, with backpack tugged on, I start walking on this road which I could only guess would lead me to some form of public transport, when one of the taxis catches up to me. Fortunately I had 15 Malaysian Ringgit (AUD$ 5) in my wallet (thanks to an Airport transit via KL nearly 7 years back), which he reluctantly accepted (his initial offer was RM 25) and dropped me in Chinatown or as the Malays call it "Petaling Street".

I had finally reached "Backpacker's Travellers Inn" where only a night before I had booked a room for 2 nights at RM 54 (AUD $18) per night. Located smack-down in the middle of Chinatown in KL, with their own travel center and a roof top terrace and bar seemed like the perfect place to be.

With my backpack stacked away, I head to the rooftop bar and met this lovely couple from Ireland who had been travelling for a good 6 months across all of Asia. I remember them bcoz they were lots of fun and we chatted until midnight (although I am guessing our drinks would have something to do with it), until the barman called out his last. AND THEN, not a second may have passed after 12, when a horde of firecrackers went up in the air, all together, and I knew that some people had indeed gotten scared.


It was left unto me to explain that this formed an integral part of Diwali and that this in essence is a reckoning for the same. Alas, the atmosphere was all festive and here I was in the middle of KL, underneath a clear starry sky, on my very first day celebrating a Diwali which I knew all too well.

Singapore: Santosa Oct 31, 2010

On all my previous trips to Singapore, not once had I been to Santosa Island and Resorts, unarguably the most popular tourist destination in Singapore, thus I had made it a point this time to devote an entire day for this playground.


It didn't disappoint me in the sense that it proved to be what I had been expecting - an entertainment hub for all - having said that it DID fail to surprise me (or may be I was expecting too much, depending which way u wanna look at it).

So, amidst all the excitement here I was, late in the morning, at the Santosa World.

Tons of places to roam around - and I am naming only the ones which I checked out myself, such as the path to nature discovery, a beautiful (as well as creepy) tour of the butterfly park and the insect kingdom, a walk-through about Singapore's history and culture and some 4D movie magic.



As I have said earlier, it did keep me entertained, but it wasn't like, nature at it's exotic best or culture in its unique singularity.



Apart from that, Santosa does provide it's share of thrills, whether it be MegaZip, the flying trapeze, ParaZump or the luge ride (I tried all of them btw). 
But again, if you have done sky diving, bungy jumping, mountain climbing etc. this might be not be enough to lift your spirits :)

The trainer did ask me, whether or not it was my first time on MegaZip - I told him it was. Then he asked me how I was feeling - I told him I had done Sky diving and bungy before so it should be OK. He agreed.


It was here, I met one Columbian guy, Zack, and we decided to exchange our cameras - my idea of-course.

IT WAS FUN NEVERTHELESS

This ride took me to Siloso beach & it was almost evening by now & so I decided to watch the glorious sunset, which undoubtedly proved to be one of the most memorable parts of the trip.

Having gulped a few beers - while lying alongside the beach - with some rocking beats in the background - and watching the sunset in all its glory does put you in a different mood altogether, trust me on that.
Later in the night, I joined one of the star attractions of Santosa (or so I have been told) "Songs of the Sea". It was a really entertaining show with a live cast, full of special effects and pyrotechnics.

Add to that synchronized fireworks (and lots of it), laser shows and scintillating music and it was definitely a night which won't be easy to forget.

It was almost 10 pm by the time it was curtains and my "planned" activities for the day had all been completed. YAY. I knew I hadn't touched certain aspects of Santosa, Underwater World and Universal Studios to name a few. 
I always knew I won't be able to cover all of it, Santosa was always going to be too big for a day, but by the end, I was really content and satisfied - Alas, I had been to Santosa and it had been entertaining all along. PERIOD.


All that was left, was for me to say good-bye to Zack, find a cab and then my bed.

Singapore: Little India & Chinatown

I have traveled to Singapore on several occasions on account of business trips. As a result, I truly believe I have seen more corners of this little country than most locals.

When I first came on her shores in 2008, I stayed on for more than 3 weeks and you can ask any of her visitors and they'll tell you that's more than you'll ever need to go around this extremely "artificially beautiful" country.


So about Singapore, don't go there if you are looking for adventure or adrenalin or for seductive waterfalls or for lost wilderness coz u won't find any, what you do find here, however, are very simplistic and welcoming locals, an amazing mix of global cultures, a fusion of popular cuisines, bustling nightlife, beautiful architecture  and towering them all is the omnipresent smell of money showcasing Singapore in the only way she wants to be seen - as a business district & commercial hub like no other.

So here I was in my cozy $250 a night hotel room, a week before Diwali when I head out to Little India and Chinatown.


To my immense pleasure, the first sight alone of Little India was enough to throw me back into old days when Diwali was very much a celebration in India. 

I walked for nearly 20-25 minutes alongside all the decoration

Enough to get me all sweaty and wanting for some cool "Daap"

I had an epiphany sometime back while I was wandering on the streets of Chinatown - that no matter which part of the world you go, all the Chinatowns in all the major cities across this world have striking similarities. It's like they are continuously being replicated across space and time. What an achievement.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

One Hundred Buddhas

In this temple, statues of 100 Buddhas are placed on both sides of the main hall. I don't pretend to be an expert in matters of faith but I would like to point out the irony here because Buddha himself was against idol worship. 

The concept of self-realization which he so devoutly practiced had as one of its founding notions the IDEA that you have to find your OWN path to self attainment and the path of Buddha was for him alone. 

But as happens so very often in history soon after his death, mankind craved for yet another idol - this time it was Buddha's.

After all this preaching :) it was almost evening and time for me to join in the buzz and chaos of the night market.

My Travel Escapades

So here I am finally - using my prodigious *winks* writing skills to write a blog entirely my own.I have been wanting to write down all the adventures I have had in the past 12 months but somehow there was always something keeping me busy.

Finally after meeting some amazing people and reading some amazing blogs, it finally dawned on me that this is more important, work can wait - who needs it anyway?

These adventures I say, mind you are no lesser trips - but indispensable memories of a lifetime which is mine. For instance, a highly indulgent week in Malaysia, remarkable joyous rides to Singapore, an unforgettable journey to the South of New Zealand, a memorable trip to the Australian state of Tasmania, countless amazing days on the Australian East Coast as well as several chaotic trips around India.

 

Despite all that, I harbor no illusions to the fact that no matter how much I may travel, my efforts to gain whatever little understanding I'll eventually have of this world when I'll finally cease to exist, will forever be infinitesimal.

In that spirit, I can only hope that when that moment finally arrives, I shall have traveled far and wide to the best of my abilities, gaining grounds and understandings of a lesser known world, met the most amazing life-forms and had my share of moments which I may never be able to define on a parchment.
 

But lingering on that would be to no avail and so its time to start recollecting those wonderful moments which have produced an abundance of joy and experiences worth sharing.