Selamat Datang ke Malaysia

Remaining fragments of light, my last night in the Philippines.

I leave the Philippines with a smile, and an open heart. I am thankful for my simple time spent there, and lucky to have escaped the approaching Typhoon! ...It was a close one... I really enjoyed my experiences not seeing any tourist for an entire week! Needless to say, it was strange seeing fellow travelers again upon reaching Malaysia.

Rambutan at Chinatown Market.

Kuala Lumpur. Quickly becoming the city where I rarely sleep. Returning again to Chinatown, the backpackers district, I am reminded of the vibrancy I love about this city. A cultural melting pot & paradise...There are people from EVERY walk of life. Malays, Chinese, Indian, Persian, African - & that barely begins to scratch the surface. My hunger for stimulation of the senses is satiated here. & with this colour palate of culture, comes amazing [did I say amazing?] food. It's cheap, it's delicious, & you can find it any time of day [or night]. I see people eating, drinking, & laughing @ 4 AM after dancing all night. I love it...

It's nice to see the familiar faces of my local friends. We can usually be found at Mom's shop [a street hawker stall with delicious Nasi Goreng (fried rice), Mei Goreng (fried noodles) & Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice)]. Angela, Andrea, Simon, & Kipp... Everyone is asking about you!

Rice Porridge for breakfast!

I have retained some of my Malay/Indonesian, so it is nice to be able to converse a little and understand what people are saying on the subway. I am anxious to learn more and have been studying from my phrasebook whenever I get the chance.

The escape

I have seen much of what is to be seen in KL, but my dear friend Elmi took me to a beautiful waterfall just outside the city yesturday. We hiked up, weaving through monkeys looking for handouts, above where most people where enjoying the water. Ridiculously hot & sweaty, a hot mess if you will, we were blessed to have an amazing spot under the fall... all to ourselves, sharing only with the monkeys, fantastically huge butterflies, & the never ending sea of green. It was a needed escape & grounding experience. Peace was in reach, because we were at peace. I thought about traveling alone, but how far from being lonely I was. Sharing this experience with an old acquaintance who quickly became a lovely friend, I am thankful for him and the good soul that he is.

I am enjoying one final night in KL, before going, going, back back to BALI BALI!

Excitement is building for the magic to come...

First steps...

My first blog![it still sounds funny in my head]. This is the infamous intro-blog, somewhat simple and to the point...Lacking creativity & awesome seat-of-your-pants stories. Bare with me! This serves to keep the ones I love updated on wherever I may be in the world, since I have trouble keeping track as it is. 

4 days I have been here. The Philippines - not a place I ever really expected to be. Well, things fall into place and work as they do, so here I am! 

Philippine transport: the tricycle

Having traveled in SE Asia before, I anticipated more or less what was to come. I am, however, pleasantly surprised each & every moment. The energy here is different. Still assaulting to the senses... the smells, bright lights, honking motorbikes & yelling street hawkers. The people are different & I have yet to put my finger on it. Everyone of course is friendly, but unlike Indonesia or Thailand where people get in your face & want to know everything about you, my encounters with strangers have been met with a quiet curiosity. They stare [and I mean STARE - double & triple takes] but few say much, instead I feel the eyes of judging observation. It seems they are crafting stories about me or wondering what I am doing here. I did say hello to someone and they quickly replied yelling, "I LOVE YOU!".

There are no westerners or tourists in the small city I'm in. Sticking out is an gross understatement. I have noticed that everyone sings, ALOT. When they are walking on the street, talking with their friends, at work...Karaoke is the national pastime, and not to be taken lightly, or comically as I see it. I walk down the street and hear a lot of early nineties soft rock hits, a lot of Christmas songs, and TOO MANY Justin Beiber-esque chart toppers.

Michaella [Ging-ging]...Such a sweetheart she is!

I am about 2 hours north of Manila, in San Fernando, Pampanga Province. Kapampangans are known for the best cuisine in the country, and I believe it. I am eating WELL.

I am staying with a friend who is living & going to school here. I'm enjoying a quiet paced life with his family. His niece & nephew, Michaella & Francis have quickly become my good buddies while the family is doing their regular routine. We have limited communication, although Francis [8] being extremely intelligent & good with his English can translate more for me, but we laugh and play, and speak with our smiles. I am slowing down and so grateful for the simple moments. 

I feel at home with my backpack & traveling legs again. This is how I know myself, on the move. 

For now I will close, there are many things to do & see before I leave to the next destination.!