I Think I Might Be Crazy ...

I am willing to bet a fair amount of cash that anyone who has been 'down under' has loved it and might - out of need - partake in some scandalous activities in order to return. The beaches in Queensland are comparable with those exotic postcard images of the beaches in Thailand and the rest of South East Asia, the iconic Sydney Opera House is even more intriguing in person, Melbourne - the home of the Australian Open - is the 'sister' city of San Francisco, and well, Kangaroos, outdoor activities, women and surfing galore. Despite all this, I'm leaving ...

I had what I dubbed a 'Western Freak Out' two days ago. Something just hit me and I knew I had to get out of here. I felt trapped; imprisoned. I had been struggling to cope with the changes of lifestyle and culture that come with being back in the west since I arrived. Hannes - a cool cat from my second time around in Kuala Lumpur - had told me that I would and that it truly takes a strong conscious effort to knock yourself out of it. That thought was reiterated by a girl I met upon arrival at my favorite German's place in Sydney.

I wish that I could accurately articulate the thoughts that have/are running through my head in an effort to sort them out and reassure myself that I am doing the right thing (noting of course that there are no guarantees in life and the effects of any one decision have the potential to ripple out through the tide of time).

Financially speaking, I am an idiot as going through this ordeal entails forfeiting a ridiculously cheap flight back into Asia at a later date, buying a new ticket last minute, missing the flight due to extremely incompetent service people (jetstar is a waste of life) resulting in a rescheduling fee and lastly a pre-arranged ticket out of KL. Mentally speaking, I think I am doing the right thing. I realized that 1)at this point in my life, the 'real world' isn't so real, 2)that this trip is finite and regardless of the risk I need to follow my heart wherever it leads me and 3)when traveling (for me at least) the 'first' and 'third' world should not be mixed and match. The amount of time it takes to readjust your mind and wallet accordingly is better spent zip lining through a jungle, hitch hiking through Indonesia, chasing after a girl and well, owning life.

It's funny ... I've been in Australia for 3 weeks and all I have seen is Sydney. I have had some good times and met great a few great people who have helped me get through this surprisingly difficult time (God I must sound like a whiny brat).


To my gracious host, I am forever in your debt. I am lucky to be a benefactor of your generosity, friendship and more importantly, your love. As much as it pains me to leave you, our paths will soon cross and should they not, believe me when I tell you that I carry a piece of you with me wherever I go.

Rockin' KL ...

7 - 12 February:

I had no idea my time in Kuala Lumpur would turn out the way it did. I had originally assumed that it would be a time for detox and reflection; quite the contrary. KL turned out to be almost as action packed as Thailand. How can one actually be entertained for 6 days in a city like Kuala Lumpur? Answer: Join an ensemble of people comprised of a crazy Englishman from Leeds, a gung ho Hawaiin, a Finnish jigalow and an outgoing fisherman from the Pacific Northwest.

In order to paint a picture of the kinds of shenanigans that we might have found ourselves in, I will share with you a story of class, wit and charm (class might be debatable). The Englishman, Hawaiin and myself, after a fun hour of bowling without socks, set out for the Petronas Towers. They tower over the city as if it were its guardian, its protector and one would have to be truly numb to not be taken back by this architectural feat. After photos were taken, we set out for the Mandarin Oriental to do what anyone else would do: crash the pool.

For those of you who don't know what the Mandarin Oriental is, think of it as like a Ritz Carlton except in terms of its numbers. I believe there are less than 10 in the world and according to the Hawaiin who formerly worked at one in Oahu, anyone who "has money" knows about the hotel and the quality of service they provide to their paying guests. We walk in what can be described as rags at best and walked with our heads held high, barely acknowledging the workers we passed on our way to the elevator. Floor 3. We made it. We enter to the right, and there it is ... an infinity pool with the KL Tower dominating the skyline as the back drop. The Hawaiin didn't hesitate. He took off his shirt and just walked right into the water. The Englishman and myself on the other hand, did hesitate. For one, we were a little scared and two, we didn't have swim trunks, only our underwear. The pool man (I know the term is 'pool boy', but he really was more of a man) came by and asked if we wanted a towel to which we obliged. He then, slyly, followed up with a "And what room are you in?". Without so much as a flinch I responded "214" with a straight face in hopes that he would buy it. He did. As the pool man turned away to retrieve our respective towels, the Englishman suggests that we just go in our underwear. I thought he was kidding, but then out of stupidity and pride (I didn't want to be the last one in if he was serious) I stripped and walked in leaving him baffled because he in fact was kidding.

The water felt great as it moved around my skin, swallowing a little more of me with each step. The only way I could describe the feeling I was experiencing at that moment is with the saying "money won is better than money earned". There is a certain thrill in "cheating" or finding out that you paid a lower price than your friend. We all want the best deal in town and in KL, a 5 star pool for free is indeed the best deal in town. At some point, the pool man returned and began to ask the Hawaiin what room he was in. Luckily I had informed him of the number and we were all in accordance. "214", "214", "214". The pool man finally beckons him to come over. He knew I was full of it. The restaurant and a few retail shops are on the second floor while rooms don't start until the 4th. We had been caught wet handed.

After a few jokes and a few apologies, the pool man lets us stay for free and gave us one tip of advice: scout the hotel and give a real room number next time.

KL ... you were cooler than I thought.