17-20.06.2019 # Kuala Lumpur / Return journey

The last stop of our trip is once again Kuala Lumpur. Maike and I have fond memories of this city and we are excited to share them with the rest of the group. Thanks to our old friend Adam, we don't have to worry about transportation from the airport to the city. A few days before our departure from Bali, I message him to arrange a meeting in KL, and he immediately offers to pick us up. He can't come himself, but he introduces us to Han, a reliable driver. To ensure that we don't miss each other, Adam creates a WhatsApp group, and since the KLIA 2 Airport has functioning Wi-Fi, we only have to wait 5 minutes for Han to arrive at the meeting point. The van has enough seats for 8 people, but it's not designed for large amounts of luggage. So, in the end, the four of us sit in the middle row. Well, we can manage for an hour.

We are staying at the Melange Boutique Hotel in Bukit Bintang. Maike, Rico, and I stayed here two years ago and had a good experience. The location is excellent, within walking distance of several tourist highlights, such as the Menara Tower. There is also the Alor Night Market and plenty of restaurants and bars nearby, so we won't have any trouble finding food. We have booked the rooms for three nights, even though we will only be sleeping there for two nights. Since we want to check out at 11:00 PM in order to catch our 2:00 AM flight, we don't have to worry about our luggage. We can also use the rooms for some rest or a shower before the flight if needed.

During check-in, we have a moment of panic because there is no reservation for Anne. I frantically search through my documents and, indeed, I forgot to book a room for her. Later, I remember that I had already booked the rooms for us and Rico when it was not certain if Anne would come along. By the time she confirmed her participation months later, I had already made further plans and overlooked booking a room for her. Luckily, there is something available, and Anne doesn't have to sleep with us or anyone else in the group in the visitor's crack.

Later, we want to go out for dinner and immerse ourselves in the surrounding entertainment district. The bars are blasting noise, each one trying to outdo the others with its music. None of us in the group are inclined to go inside any of the bars. Finally, I find a Thai restaurant where we can still have a normal conversation on the terrace, and there is something on the menu for everyone. We order the "Tiger" beer in a 3-liter tower for convenience. It looks cool, and the beer is always pleasantly cold.

The breakfast on the rooftop of the "Melange" the next morning is quite basic. But we are not demanding and are glad that there is food at all. Two years ago, we had to go to different places for breakfast because the hotel didn't offer it.

We walk to the Menara Tower, the television tower of KL, taking our time as it is not yet too hot. However, we start sweating after only a short time. Fortunately, there are "100 Plus" drinks available at every corner. It is an isotonic drink that has often saved our day here in the past. We leisurely walk for less than half an hour until we reach the free shuttle bus stop at the foot of the Menara Hill. The buses are supposed to run every 15 minutes, and we would prefer not to walk the last and steepest part. Of course, no bus arrives, so we have to make the rest of the way on our own. We buy tickets for the open Skydeck at a height of about 300 meters and the closed Observation Deck a few meters below. The capacity of the elevators is limited, and we are lucky to be able to go up just before a larger group of local students. From the Skydeck, we have a fantastic view over Kuala Lumpur and the nearby Petronas Towers. There are also two plexiglass balconies (even the floor) that allow you to hover above the abyss. Maike and I have already experienced this on our last visit, and since the access is limited in time (40 seconds for taking selfies), we let the rest of the group go first.

It's incredible how the cityscape has changed in the past year and a half. There are still construction sites everywhere. Currently, near the Merdeka Stadium, not far from the famous Petaling Street, the PNB Tower, the future tallest building in Kuala Lumpur with a height of around 640 meters, is growing. It seems that there are no limits to the construction frenzy here.

After enjoying the view, we slowly make our way back to the hotel. Adam had originally planned to pick us up for lunch around 1:30 PM. When he suddenly changes the date to the evening, we decide to go to Pavilion Mall and have lunch there. Afterwards, Anne and Rico walk towards Berjaya Times Square Mall, while the rest of us prefer taking the monorail due to the high temperatures. One special feature of this mall is an amusement park inside, including a roller coaster between the 5th and 10th floor. Peter, Renè, and Sascha are determined to try it out, while the rest of us spend our time shopping or enjoying a cold drink at Starbucks on the ground floor.

After that, we take the monorail to Maharajalela Station. Our destination is Petaling Street, a street market in Chinatown where Chinese cheap products and counterfeits are usually sold. We don't plan on buying anything, but at this time of day, the area is not too crowded, so it's worth taking a stroll. Since we have some time, we also visit a Hindu temple a few streets away. For a small fee, we can leave our shoes at the entrance for safekeeping, and it also serves as the entrance fee. When Sascha is caught trying to sneak his shoes into his pocket, the security officer immediately scolds him. I also receive a scolding later when I sit on the floor inside without using the traditional sitting posture. It seemed a bit inappropriate to the locals. We watch the daily 6:00 PM ceremony where candles are lit in various shrines accompanied by incredibly loud music played on a flute and a drum. Afterwards, we stroll through Chinatown and slowly make our way back to the hotel.

Later, Adam picks us up from the hotel and takes us to a typical Chinese restaurant off the beaten path. While most of the group is still studying the menu, he already orders a menu with chicken, beef, pork, fish, vegetables, and tofu for everyone. Unlike what we are used to, the food is brought to the middle of the table on a rotating plate, and each person takes what they like the most. Maike and I are familiar with this procedure, and we watch our companions' reactions with interest. After some hesitation, everyone finds something edible and gains a new experience. After dinner, Adam takes us to Sultan Abdul Samad Building. In its early years, it was the seat of British colonial administration, and later it was used as a court. Behind it is the River of Life, a beautifully designed area at the confluence of the Sumbai Gombak and Klang Rivers. From the promenade along the riverbank, we have a completely new view of the Twin Towers and the Menara Tower. Adam is pleased that even after so many visits to KL, he can still show us something new. Back at the hotel, we have one last Tiger beer in the gutter, as is our custom, before we fall into bed exhausted.

We have booked online tickets for the Petronas Towers at 11:00 AM the next morning. We chose this time so that we don't have to rush after breakfast, but instead walk leisurely to Pavilion and then take the air-conditioned pedestrian bridges directly to KLCC. My little brother is once again the only one who keeps his feet on the ground, while the rest of us can't resist visiting the Skybridge between the 41st and 42nd floor and then the Observation Deck on the 86th floor. The view is even more breathtaking than from the Menara Tower, and on clear days, it is said that you can see the ocean. Unfortunately, I have never had a clear day in all my visits here. Nevertheless, I am always fascinated anew. I particularly like the view of the other tower's tip, which makes you fully aware of the height. With one of the telescopes, I catch a glimpse of the Signature Tower, which was completed earlier this year. With its height of 452 meters, it is one of the tallest buildings in Asia and the first with more than 100 floors in Southeast Asia. Near the top, I can see a gondola swinging thanks to the reinforcement on the side, which is not visible to the naked eye. Window cleaning wouldn't be a job for me here.

Back on solid ground, we have a meal at the "Dome" before it's time to head to the gate. We want to make use of the remaining time and visit the Batu Caves, a Hindu temple complex outside of Kuala Lumpur. Unfortunately, the signage in the underground passages of KLCC is quite poor, so we take a detour before finally finding our way to the station. However, we can take a direct train ride to Batu Caves after transferring at KL Sentral. Since our last visit here almost 10 years ago, a lot has changed. A real small town has sprung up with restaurants and shops, and the number of monkeys seems to have grown exponentially.

To comply with the dress code and cover their knees, Maike borrows a sarong for 5 MYR (~ 1.05 €). 2 MYR are returned upon return of the sarong. Then we climb 272 sweaty steps to the interior of the main cave, which is 100 meters tall and contains several Hindu shrines. From time to time, ceremonies are held here, and participants bring food as offerings. The monkeys take advantage of this and gather on the wide staircase, hoping to snatch some food. They can get quite aggressive. Usually, guards armed with golf clubs are present to chase away the pests. Rico also has this experience when one of the cheeky monkeys steals a cup of sliced mangoes from his pocket. The rest of us are lucky and not bothered by the monkeys. The cave itself is worth seeing, but we don't stay there for too long because the mosquitoes are quite annoying. There are more accessible caves on the premises, including the Dark Cave, the largest with a length of about 2 km. Due to time constraints, we postpone the visit for next time and head straight back to the nearby train station to catch the next train back to the city.

The group splits up for dinner. Anne, Maike, Rico, and I search for and eventually find an Indian restaurant, while the others go to a pub. To ensure Anne can sit near us on the flight to Doha (she booked her flights separately), I quickly do the web check-in for the four of us using the Qatar app after dinner. This turns out to be an advantage later. We use the time until pickup to pack, shower, and relax in the room. Adam is punctual as always. He insists on personally driving us to the airport. When we say our heartfelt goodbyes, we promise to visit again soon. It's comforting to know that there is someone we can rely on.

Check-in is chaotic. Even at the baggage drop counter for already checked-in passengers, there is a long queue that moves very slowly. Gone are the times when we were almost alone there. It seems that nowadays, almost half of the passengers check-in online, which almost negates the effect, at least until there are more counters where you only drop off your luggage. Nevertheless, we finish about 15 minutes earlier than the other four. This gives us time for one last coffee in the smoking area.

I intend to write a blog on the flight to Doha but I am too tired after the long day. So, I focus on the entertainment and try to get some sleep. It works until a friendly flight attendant wakes me up to give me my breakfast. I decline. However, I can't sleep anymore. At some point, I look out the window and see the sunrise beginning. However, it takes several hours as we are flying against the time in the westward direction.

Arriving in Doha, we look for a place to eat and drink. While I am alone at the table for a moment, a stranger comes to me and puts a plate of scrambled eggs and sausages in front of me. He indicates that he couldn't finish his portion and didn't want to waste the food. So, he gave it to me. I have never experienced anything like this before. Before we go to the gate, we say goodbye to Anne. She will continue directly to Munich from here. Thank you, my Sepupu :-) It was nice having you with us for part of the journey.

The flight to Berlin-Tegel passes relatively quickly, and suddenly, everything is over. After almost three months, we set foot on home soil again, but the joy doesn't really set in.

Rico is picked up by Jacky. They want to catch the next train to Frankfurt/O. So, we say goodbye faster than expected. We still have a good hour until our bus to Dresden departs, but suddenly there is an unusual rush. So, we skip the obligatory currywurst at the Ess-Bahn and take a taxi, or rather two taxis, to the ZOB (central bus station). When the bus arrives, I am relieved. No license plate from Vienna. Last September, we had to pay extra for excess baggage (> 20kg). However, it turns out that all drivers on this route now have luggage scales and weigh the luggage whenever they feel something is too heavy. Our bags are just over 21kg each, but they go into the trunk without being weighed. Luckily, Maike and I had already booked an extra piece of luggage in advance, which confuses the drivers a bit. When they are busy dealing with the additional payment from Peter, Sascha, and Jana, whose luggage was presumably weighed, we end the pointless discussion and simply board the bus. Curiously, the only items that fit in the narrow luggage compartments on the bus are our two ukuleles. We burst into laughter when the announcement comes about where to store your hand luggage. Even the smallest backpacks won't fit there. :-)

We arrive in Dresden almost on time at around 6:00 PM and say goodbye to Jana, Peter, Renè, and Sascha. Another short taxi ride, and we are back home. Well, at least home here. By now, there are several places in the world that I would call home. Because wherever you find people who make you feel welcome and at home, that's where you are at home.

Since we don't have any food at home and we are too lazy to go shopping, we spontaneously decide to go to the Greek restaurant around the corner. There, we review the past weeks and are shocked by how long ago our time in Australia already feels. And how quickly the memories fade. It was only the beginning of April. We have had so many wonderful experiences, met interesting people, and had a great time with friends. Still, as I write these lines, an indescribable wanderlust is already stirring inside me. It's probably time to go on another journey soon. :-)

And with that, this blog comes to an end. We thank everyone who has virtually or in person accompanied us on our trip, and we hope that reading was somewhat entertaining. We know that the texts have become longer over time (hopefully not more boring), but we wanted to share as much as possible with you. Until next time (maybe),

Maike and Wolf