Kuala Lumpur Adventures 

So, my first stop was Kuala Lumpur, I got there at 7am on January 28th after a full traveling day and… my backpack never showed up 😅 so, I had all my cameras and tripods with me but no underwear no clothes and no pijama 😂 Ironically the guy sitting next to me on the airplane had the same exact problem, so at least I had someone to talk to while waiting. After realizing my bag was still in Europe I gave up and embraced my day with positive energy. 

From KL international airport took the KLIA train to KL sentral, the ticket (one way) costs 55 Malaysian Ringgit (MYR): it is not the cheapest option but it only takes 28 minutes and the view is amazing, so in my opinion it is a good compromise! My hostel was in Chinatown, really close to the KL tower and in an excellent position overall. As soon as I got there I started wandering around, I was lucky enough to get there exactly on the days of the Chinese New Year celebrations so hundreds of people were performing in the streets and praying in the temples, it was a really interesting experience since the Chinese community is huge in Kuala Lumpur. 

After that I went mainstream and took the subway to see the Petronas Towers at night, I think a word has yet to be invented to describe how beautiful they are… Keep in mind that at 8-9-10pm a beautiful fountain show takes places in front of the Petronas Towers and it gets incredibly crowded so be there early! 

Moving around Kuala Lumpur is really easy, the subway is efficient, clean and cheap: it takes time to get familiar with names and numbers so don’t freak out if you take the subway in the wrong direction (I did!) 😅😅 Kuala Lumpur is a really compact city, all the main attractions are close to each other so if you don’t mind the heat and the sweat it is easily walkable. 

If you are a nature lover as I am you will love the canopy walk recently inaugurated at the Bukit Nasas park, the KL bird park and the botanical gardens, if you instead prefer museum there thousands of them from the Islamic Arts Museum which has some of the oldest and most valuable pieces of the Islamic tradition to the National museum of Kuala Lumpur. If you have the money and the time check out KLCC and its malls, they are to die for! All the luxury and non luxury international brands you can think of under the same roof!

Another must see in KL are of course the Batu Caves, situated just outside the city, they can easily and cheaply be reached with the subway (keep in mind that there’s just one ride per hour). You will climb a lot of stairs, you will encounter a lot of monkeys so be sure to be comfortably dressed, and keep in mind it is a religious place so knee length pants are required. 

Malaysian people and more in general Asian people get really fascinated by westerners so be prepared, they will ask you for a picture with them! I remember in India I was grabbing my camera out of my backpack to take some pictures and when I turned around I saw my sister holding a baby and taking pictures with a random family ahahahaha There’s nothing to be afraid of, you can politely refuse if you don’t feel comfortable!

Summing up I personally loved Kuala Lumpur, besides the heat and humidity it is a city that offers every wester comfort plus that exotic (for me) taste of Asia I’m madly in love with. I perceived Kuala Lumpur as a diverse and multicultural city, the perfect example of peaceful cohabitation of different religions and cultures. 

One of the most asked questions I’ve received so far is “don’t you feel lonely traveling by yourself?” Well, I spent 3 full days in Kuala Lumpur, and out of 9 meals I ate by myself just once. I can assure you, you will meet so many amazing people that share the same interests as you and the same perception of the world that is is impossible to feel lonely… And of course remember that a simple smile opens a thousand doors, try not to be shy! In just 3 days I met 6 amazing people, Cesar and Pamela a funny and smart couple from Chile and fellow travel lovers, Gabriel a Spanish guy that spent 3 months in Nepal building houses and schools to help after the devastating earthquake in 2015, Beka a Swiss girl that started her travels with a friend that gave up but was brave enough to keep traveling by herself, Lars a Geman guy that lives and works in Singapore and last but not least the amazing Kirsten a British girl that recently moved to China to teach English. So many stories, so many countries and countless adventures that will somehow cross your path and will somehow have an impact on your life. You won’t feel lonely, I promise!!