Singapore was not what I expected it to be…Malaysia continued…

I arrived in Singapore after enjoying the first class bus ride from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on December 25th at about 9 PM, but by the time I arrived at my friend’s sister’s apartment, it was a bit too late to do anything, so we decided that we would take on the city the following day.

On December 26th we did just about everything there was to do in Singapore: Sentosa, Chinatown, Little India, Orchard road and so many things in between. By the end of the day, we felt like we had just completed a task on one of those reality t.v. shows. Sentosa was cool, but a little expensive for travelers on a budget. I picked up some clothing in Little India for my myself as well as my mom.

The following 2 days in Singapore were pretty uneventful because we did just about everything there was to do the first day. For some reason we thought there were so many things to do that we would not possibly be able to do them all in 3 days, so day one was jam-packed with activities which left us a little bored for the remainder of the short trip.

My little theory about taking travel advice with a grain of salt was proven yet again while I was in Singapore. I had been told by countless people that Singapore was expensive and very westernized and not really worth visiting. I strongly disagree. I mean, it is very British, but not all that expensive for a budget traveler. If you are like most American vacationers who need 5 star living arrangements with cable t.v. and a swimming pool and you are not willing to use public transportation and you only want to eat at the hotel then any place in the world is going to be expensive. However, if you travel with just a little common sense and are not afraid to take a bus or a subway and search the internet for great deals you will spend far fewer dollars. I found the food in Singapore just a little more expensive than the food in Thailand and pretty close to the same price as food in Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur. I could eat a decent lunch for about $3 to $5 USD which isn’t bad. In Thailand I often had to order 2 portions to satisfy my mammoth American appetite, so my meals were almost the same price in both places. Living in Singapore is quite expensive compared some of its neighboring countries, but I wasn’t interested in living there, so the cost of living for its resident was totally irrelevant. As I have said before, I would rather travel and have my own experience than taking what someone else has to say into consideration when choosing my travel destinations. Life is about taking risks and living with the consequences.

“I am excited by all of the possibilities and I love all the risks involved, can overcome the challenges and am surely not afraid at all” – Robert Bumpers

My second bus ride to Malaysia was just as comfy as the first with a bit less stress since I did not get lost on my way to the bus station. Upon my arrival in Kuala Lumpur, I checked into the hotel and immediately went out to get something to eat. I had a taste for Nasi Lemak, which happens to be Malaysia’s national dish.

Here is a recipe for Nasi Lemak that I found online for anyone who wants to try to make this delicious dish at home.

Nasi Lemak:
1 cup rice
3 screwpine leaves
salt to taste
1 grated coconut

Sambal Ikan Bilis:
1 bombay onion
1/2 cup dried ikan bilis ( anchovies )
1 clove garlic
2 tbsps tamarind juice
4 shallots
8 dried chillies
Prawn paste ( belacan) ( Optional )
Salt and sugar to taste
Instructions

Nasi Lemak:
Clean the rice and drain. Squeeze out 2 cups of thick coconut milk with screwpine leaves. Add in salt. If you desire, you can also add in some sliced shallots and ginger. Serve this rice with sliced hard-boiled eggs, cucumber and sambal ikan bilis.
Sambal Ikan Bilis:
Fry the ikan bilis until crisp and put aside. Grind the prawn paste together with shallots, garlic, deseeded dried chillies. Slice the bombay onion into rings. Heat 2 tbsps oil in a pan and fry the ground ingredients until fragrant. Add in the onion rings. Add tamatind juice, salt, sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally until the gravy thickens. Add in the ikan bilis and mix well. Serve with steaming hot Nasi Lemak.

This was my 3rd trip to Malaysia in about 5 weeks and Kuala Lumpur certainly felt like a city with a lot to offer and tons of energy. Kuala Lumpur is very cosmopolitan an very hip with lots and lots of malls and just as many restaurants and brothels, for those who are into that kind of thing. I was propositioned by both men and women and several pimps tried to talk me into checking out their stable of young, hot things.

On this 3rd trip to Malaysia, I was certainly hoping for a party and a party was what I got on New Year’s Eve. The streets were just as packed as they were on Christmas Eve and every single person was in good spirits. There were no fights that I am aware of and the people were super nice and friendly. I heard that there would be a firework show at the “twin towers”, so I walked on over and commandeered a spot and snapped a few shots to make sure the camera was in working order for night-time photography. Once the settings were right, I just relaxed until the show began and before I knew it, it was over. I swear the fireworks lasted all of 5 minutes and they were not all that fantastic. I guess they were fair, but I was expecting more, a lot more, but I had a good time nonetheless. Before I knew it I was back on Bukit Bintang (the street where I stayed and party central. It is kind of like Kuala Lumpur’s version of Times Square. There is even a building called Times Square in the area.) and there was a party going on for sure. I hung out for a bit taking a few snap shots of the crowd before heading back tot he room to get some shut-eye. I needed to pack my bag and make some last-minute phone calls since I had only about 24 hours left in S.E. Asia.

Things I liked about Malaysia in particular order.
1. The food was divine! The Malay dishes were fantastic as was the Middle Easter cuisine.
2. The shopping was great. I am not a big shopper, but if you are, this is the place for you. (skip Thailand)
3. The people were warm and friendly and pretty helpful.
4. Chinatown and the section I call Little India were definitely worth visiting.
5. The weather.
6. The public transportation rivals that in any major city anywhere I have been.
7. The accommodations. There are accommodation for any budget from $20 USD per night to several hundred USD per night.

Hasta la próxima vez mi gente bonita,

a1globetrotter