Thailand is hectic. Very hectic. In an attempt to slow down a little and increase our comfort level, we decided to head south. After enjoying the beaches of Thailand, we took two overnight trains towards the capital of Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur.
The first train departed from dark and unfriendly (I’m sure that was just our impression) Surat Thani in the middle of the night. Originally scheduled at 1:26, we left the station around 3AM, as our train arrived traditionally late. After getting a little bit of sleep, we crossed the Thai-Malay border, before arriving in Butterworth around 3 in the afternoon.
Our next train wasn’t until 8PM, so we decided to take the ferry to Georgetown, Penang for a rush visit. This city is very picturesque, it almost looked European. Undoubtedly, the British influence from back in the day still lives there.
After two days of being in transit, we arrived in Kuala Lumpur just after sunrise. After sleeping for a few hours, we were ready to explore the city. It turned out the city is far less hectic than Bangkok, and the people are very friendly and sincerely willing to help or direct tourists. Quite the change from what we experienced in Thailand.
Kuala Lumpur is best known for the Petronas Twin Towers, but it has more to offer. About 10km outside of the city, the Batu Caves are a popular tourist destination. The cave can only be entered by climbing 300-or-so monkey infested steps, guarded by the worlds tallest Hindu God of War. Quite the experience, and luckily we were able to hold off the monkeys. Tip: don’t bring peanuts.
Back in the city, we explored the old town, where the Central Market, and Independence Square are located. Again, Kuala Lumpur turned out to be a very welcome change from Thailand. Yet, as always, travel goes on as the next train was waiting for us. Destination: Singapore.
