Big City Livin' (Manila and Hong Kong)

You ever walk into a place and go "oh, this is a brothel?"

I arrived in Manila with enough time to explore for a couple days before heading to Hong Kong, due to some scheduling issues (my hosts would be unable to host me in March). Manila is alive. Pulsing, pounding, grinding, and gritty - I loved it the minute my shoes hit the streets. It's a book whose stories are written on the walls of the buildings - and I mean the latter literally as the decorative aesthetic of any alleyway is painted text on every square inch.

Bored in Brunei (with bonus Borneo)

The rumors are true! Brunei is a sleepy little kingdom on Borneo. My whole purpose in visiting was to meet up with a penpal friend of mine and, well, get that passport stamp,

On Brunei itself, well, it's very car focused (public transit is sparse) and the main "city" (Bandar Seri Begawan) is a collection of streets (some without sidewalks) and modest buildings. The Royal Regalia Museum was the most talked-up spot, which was just a collection of stuff given to the Sultan plus clothes he's worn. The library was great, but it closed at 6pm. Really, all there was to do in the country was eat (which I did) and go see the jungles (which I didn't). Oh, the water village was pretty nifty, though I wish I could have found a cafe with air conditioning.

Kuala Lumpur: final thoughts

After Langkawi I flew back to Kuala Lumpur to center myself and figure out my next steps, travel-wise. I ended up staying in Reggae Mansion thanks to a tip from my host from Winnipeg (Misty) . As it was a party hostel, I ended up making my usual mistakes and spending too much money, but it was fun enough.

There are no exciting stories of new and adventurous places - just stories of small adventures with friends. Whether it was eating stingray or dancing the night away, I had a fun time in the city while I counted down my days toward departure. I even got some writing done - mostly for Steemit though.

In an unusual turn of events, I was given a quest, which I will try to turn into a fun fictional tale.

Overall I had a great time in Malaysia in general and Kuala Lumpur specifically. Loads of new friends and adventures. I know it's half a world away, but I'd recommend a visit by my American (and Canadian) friends - as I've mentioned dozens of times, it's a cheap place to come and relax and nearly everyone speaks English.