I feel like I just blew past the fact that I spent 2 weeks in Malaysia for my R&R; but since it was such an incredible experience, I think it deserves it's own post.
I decided on Malaysia for a couple of reasons:
1. I'd never been there before
2. It was super close, and I felt like I should explore my new South East Asian surroundings
3. The 300$ flight is quite literally an entire month's salary, so it was really all I could afford
I was pretty busy in the weeks leading up to my leave, so I didn't really get a chance to do much research before going. I knew that Kuala Lumpur had some cool looking twin towers, that they used "Grab" not "Uber", and that there were a bunch of really beautiful islands around... but that was about all I knew. I had no idea, for example, that it was an hour drive from the airport into the city. I also wasn't prepared for how tired I was going to be - I was up early the day I left because I still had a few things to do, then after my first flight from CXB to DAC I had a 9 hour layover hanging out on the the wrong side of security where there's nowhere to sit, nothing to eat, and only one place with (over-priced) coffee. And of course, as luck would have it, my flight to KUL was delayed an hour and didn't leave until 1:00am. The only thing that kept me going that day was an incredible conversation I had with my best friend Marc. He sent me a text to tell me that the paperwork they've been waiting on finally came through, and that he was now OFFICIALLY engaged!!! I was sitting in a packed, yet silent, waiting lounge and called him in a near scream of congratulations (completely ignoring the stares I was getting). It's so good to know that even though we're miles away from each other I'm still able to celebrate these milestones and share in his joy and excitement. It's so easy to fall away from people when you're not around them, but with Marc I know that no matter what happens we're always going to be there for each other. We've spent 7 years living in different countries and haven't let that come between our friendship yet; so it doesn't matter where in the world I am, I'm going to move heaven and earth to be at his wedding, cuz when you're the best man, you kind of have to be there!!
Anyways, back to Malaysia...
KUALA LUMPUR
I spent the first four days in Kuala Lumpur, and it was a bit of a rough first three. I was so tired and messed up from my overnight flight into KUL that I spent most of the time sleeping or dragging myself from place to place fueled solely by caffeine. But KL is definitely a beautiful city. The Petronas twin towers are pretty cool (especially at night), the parks are brilliantly green, there's a lush rainforest right in the middle of the city (complete with a canopy walk through it), the shopping is extensive, and the rooftop infinity pools are on point. I love rooftops, so booking an Airbnb that had a rooftop pool where i could relax in a real bathing suit was a no-brainer.
Canopy walk through the KL Eco Forest:
KL Shopping:
Rooftop Infinity Pool:
I tried to cram in as much of the city as I could in those 4 days, but definitely took time to do those things I'd really been missing - spending time running and in the gym, lounging in a bikini pool-side while reading a book, eating an inordinate number of salads, and enjoying my fair share of wines and ciders. It was great that I arrived on a weekend, as I also got to check out the nightlife in Bukit Bintang.
Bukit Bintang is the shopping and entertainment district of KL, and on Friday and Saturday nights they close down a whole street that's lined with bars, restaurants, and clubs. It becomes a mess of competing music, people going in and out of everywhere, and staff standing out on the street vying for your attention to try and get you into their establishment with the promise of "happy hour deals". Even when I finally called it quits at 4:00am, people were still out and about. Needless to say, I was in need of some pool-side lounging the next day.
By day 4 I was definitely ready to get out of the city and start living the island life. I really had my heart set on the Perhentian Islands, but unfortunately the only 2 options I could find were expensive resorts or extremely basic rooms. And maybe it was being a bit "high maintenance", but I desperately wanted a soft bed and hot water so the basic option was not going to cut it.
However, after meeting a lovely old lady at the breakfast table next to me one day and spending the whole morning chatting away with her, it was recommended that I check out Penang Island. I also got a hand drawn map of all the good sights to go see in KL, the best times to go, and the best way to get there. It's seriously amazing what you can learn from people. I still think it's one of the best parts about traveling - meeting new people and discovering all the hidden gems about a place by just going out, getting lost, and exploring the unknown. And explore I did... on her recommendations of course :)
Photos from the heart of KL: Kuala Lumpur means the "joining of muddy rivers" - this is the exact birthday place of the city, where the two rivers become one. Central market. Old Town. Independence Square.
PENANG ISLAND
I arrived in Penang late in the afternoon, only to find out that my visa card had been temporarily frozen, thus leaving me stranded in the airport unable to catch a GRAB to my hotel. It was slightly more than annoying to spend an extra hour in the airport trying to make skype calls to visa to have them cancel the hold, but when all was said and done, and I spent almost an hour driving halfway around the perimeter of the island to get to Batu Ferringhi, I was rewarded with a gorgeous sunset and a welcome cookie upon check-in :)
I spent the next few days lazing around the pool, reading, getting in two training sessions/day, shopping in the night market, and binging on tv movies with wine and the most delicious burritos (street-food style). Penang Island is beautiful - wynding coastal roads, lush jungles, beautiful beaches, and the UNESCO-protected hertiage city of Georgetown. I spent a whole day wandering around this very pedestrian-friendly town, sipping on cappucinos with the coolest 3D latte art, searching out street art, treating myself to a wonderful massage, and drinking margaritas with a couple of expats at the best little Mexican restaurant called "Holy Guacamole". Mmmm... guacamole.
3D Latte Art:
A Slideshow of Georgetown Street Art:
Exploring Georgetown:
PENANG ISLAND WITH CHRIS
It was hard to believe that at this point it had only been a week. I feel like I was relaxed, chilled, and refreshed... and thank goodness, cuz the next morning my brother arrived, and if anyone knows my brother, he's not the kind of guy to lay around and do nothing. Anytime you're with him, it's just full-on. You're non-stop. And this trip was no exception.
Chris arrived in KL that morning, and after a delayed flight from Tokyo and some miracle from above, he actually made his connecting flight to Penang at the last minute... running. I hadn't seen him in 3 months and was super excited for him to arrive. I had his giant welcome beer chilling in the mini fridge, and was waiting downstairs in anticipation. Really though, how lucky am I to have a brother change his already-booked flights around to schedule an 8 hour out of the way flight to hang out with me for a week in Malaysia??
Once he arrived we wasted no time. The next 3 days were packed with activity - we hiked through the jungle in flip flops to Turtle Beach in Penang National Park (his first jungle experience), we climbed to the top of Penang Hill and had a stand-off with a rogue dog mid-way through, we walked all around Georgetown trying to collect as many different types of mini beer glasses as we could (even if that meant accepting the bartender's challenge of "pint drinking" to get them), and we met an awesome expat couple who introduced us to the concept of the "Beer 7/11" - a place on a back street where everyone gathers on small stools, after choosing their beer or cider of choice from the little hole-in-the-wall beer store beside it. They were such an awesome couple (one from the Philippines and the other from Scotland) that we kept in touch and met up with them again when we were back in KL a few days later.
Starbucks and Batu Ferringhi:
Hiking to Turtle Beach in Penang National Park:
Our hike up Penang Hill. Just relentlessly straight up....
The hunt for street art in Georgetown. Chris was beside himself the whole time... street art is his ultimate!
Our quest for mini beer glasses and "Beer 7/11":
KUALA LUMPUR WITH CHRIS
We flew back to KL mid-week and unfortunately it rained for a lot of it. But when you're travelling with Chris, that really doesn't mean anything. We pushed through and explored the Batu Caves (a Hindu temple just outside of town with more monkeys than people wandering around), ate way too much at the Chinatown night market food stalls, did some "urban training sessions", shopping, and went for a long run in the rain around the 1 mile track in KLCC park under the Petronas twin towers.
Unfortunately we learned that rain and phones don't mix very well, and Chris' last 12 hours in KL were a bit stressful trying to coordinate his flights and hotel sans mobile. Nevertheless, it was still an incredible trip, and I was so thankful to have the chance to explore Malaysia and hang out with him.
Spending time with my brother definitely had me missing home... especially after receiving a care package from my parents that Chris toted aroud the world for me. I am very thankful for some of the essentials from it (like ground coffee and Clif bars), and then some of the extra reminders of life back in Canada (delicious smelling soaps, new socks, and my Team Canada tri kit I would have been competing in this past September in the Gold Coast). So in my last few hours in KL I sought out a 50m pool, put on my name-emblazoned tri suit, and spent some time in the water.
My pace wasn't amazing, but it was a great reminder to be thankful for my continued ability to push my body to do more than I think it's capable of.
Every day here we push our bodies to great lengths. Sometimes it's struggling through the heat, the rain, up and down many flights of stairs when the lift is off due to power cuts, hours of walking through the camp, or sitting for hours on end on hard plastic chairs in the office... and sometimes it's mentally willing yourself through another day of frustrations, let-downs, and miscommunications. Either way, we are all capable of so much more than we think we are. But often times we forget that. This is why R&R is so important. It's a time when you can take a step back to regain your strength, both physically and mentally, and remember that you are capable of so much more than you think you are. We have an amazing God who gives us strength and endurance, and in those times of struggle, don't forget what drives you... what motivates you. Be intentional in your actions each and every day, and push yourself to do things much greater than you ever thought possible.
Just keep breathing. Just keep going. And if you get the chance... I highly recommend some R&R in Malaysia.
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