my time alone in Kuala Lumpur

I was really hyped up about going to Kuala Lumpur (KL) today. For someone who works in a ghetto place, going to the city for the weekend is like a big deal (even when I live in PJ). There were some change of plans so I decided to go alone. I could use this time to think and reflect (again) and perhaps enjoy the city alone. Usually I would prefer driving cause it's less hassle, takde tolak tolak, I feel safer, senang nak park. I don't mind paying for parking fee and fuel for a little bit of comfort and it's easier if it rains. However, semenjak $ banyak disalurkan kepada perkara2 lain, and since I was going there alone, I hit the city using public transport. I wore like a schoolkid / uni student, took my small backpack, wore comfy sneakers and brough my DSLR in a small bag.

Yes. Public transport. I haven't used that for quite some time. A year, maybe? My brother dropped me Taman Bahagia LRT and I went straight to Masjid Jamek. Travelling was easier since I reloaded my Touch & Go. The city looked pretty much the same. Dusty and jammed and everyone seems to be heading to the same place as I was. PWTC.

See, there's a travel fair going on and people are just flocking in to PWTC. Macam nak kejar apa je. Takut tiket habis kot ? For me, I had a very specific objective, so I went straight to the appropriate place. MAS. I wasn't looking for some holiday package. I was looking for a ticket. A return ticket. And when I saw the destination and the price, I smiled and actually jumped a little. Murah bangat! Anxiously, I qued while biting my fingernails waiting for my turn.

Cust Serv : Yes Miss how may I help you?
Me : Hi. Can I know the exact price for flight to ________ on ________ ?"
Cust Serv : (Looking into computer clicking here and there) Ok... travelling alone or 2 people?
Me : Alone
Cust Serv : Ok.. For flight to _____ return it's RM ****, all inclusive. You have 30 days from departure date to return to KL.
Me : Oook.. Do I book first now? Are there any booking charges?
Cust Serv : Sorry, you have to pay and I give you the tickets right away.
Me : (gulp) Oo.. but I'm not sure of the return date yet.. Can I change the return dates?
Cust Serv : So sorry.. once you've purchase the tickets, no changes can be made..

Alamak. Susah la pulak. Even though murah GEGILE but.. alot of factors I need to consider first and I need to talk to someone first. I didn't buy the tickets today. I still needed more time. However, I purchased a headphone for my mp3 player instead since there was a Digital Fair too. Singgah juga Canon nye kedai but no wide eye lenses around for sale, just body + kit set jer.

Buntu la jugak for awhile. I searched for Lufthansa but no other airlines were there. Just MAS. I walked back to LRT Star and sat for awhile. 3 trains passed. I still couldn't decide on what to do next. I took the 4th train and headed to Pavillion. I changed to Monorail at Titiwangsa where I got a nice seat before the monorail was sandwiched with many many kiasu people. AAh! I exhaled when I reached Bukit Bintang.

Yup. I looked at Menara Genesis. It was the building where I used to drag my feet to go to work. For me, the sounds of techno music with Chinese salesman/salesgirl with blonde-rebonded hairdo and long fingernails is Bukit Bintang's true identity. Not to forget the salesperson who sells moving toys at RM 10 in front of Maybank. Youngsters (sadly Malays) who hangout in groups are completely oblivious at the fact that precious time is lost just by enduring this lepaking culture.

Like a schoolgirl who just entered the city, I innocently walked towards Pavillion. This would be my second time visiting this gah place. Watching yuppies with their cup of coffees discussing projects and clicking at their PDAs reminded me of the lifestyle I had before becoming an academician. (only, i didn't have PDA, just.. had a lot of coffee and no projects :p still drink coffee now too though). Comparing this scenario with the lifestyle I am leading now is like two different universe.

Finally I reached my destination. I stood still and looked up as everyone was walking. Wow. So this is PAVILLION. but.. It looked just like any other shopping mall to me. Except the COACH store by the side, which you rarely see in KL. But one thing you see a lot in KL is that the youngsters, specifically, mat rempit kinda or gothic chic kinda, they like to hang outside of the mall. I felt a big difference when being outside of the mall and inside. There was a whole different crowd inside. How freaky!

Pavillion reminded me a lot like Singapore. As usual, I took my time looking at the Directory (its a thing that MSO and I do when we are at shopping malls), at that time, I missed him. A lot. I acted cool since I had my mp3 player on. I was bopping my head a little (padahal lagu slow masa tu) cause I didn't wanna look like I was really lost and scared. I didn't know where to go really. But I was hungry. Nando's. Okla, so I had my lunch there. Alone. Yes, I was there alone. I took my time eating my Mild Peri - Peri with Garlic sauce. I didn't wanna look like a complete loser so I took out my planner and started to scribble notes while eating (yes, it did feel like a yuppie at that time). I took out my phone and started SMSing and calling people. I really did look busy when in actual fact, I felt lonely in a middle of a busy city. How is that possible?

Lunch was done. As a normal teenage girl (ewah) , shopping was next in the list. I remembered Tangs had a MEGA sale so I headed there. Malangnya, takde ape sangat. The shopping vibe in Tangs, Pavillion was not like the shopping vibe I had in Singapore. I walked around here and there. Stopped by at Crabtree, Braun Buffel, G2000, Soda, Parkson, Sembonia, Charles and Keith and a few others I can't remember. I decided to buy a pair of Soda Jeans and Soda Blouse to go with it. And I bought a pair of Sembonia shoes (FINALLY!). To kill time waiting for the rain to stop I bought some stuff in Parkson.

It was almost 6. I walked out of Pavillion. I walked by at Lot 10 and of course stopped by for an Iced Blended Chocolate at San Francisco. This place is a very meaningful place for me. It's where MSO and I had met for the first time after 7 years. Everytime I'm at Lot10, pasti akan ke San Fran :) It's like my thing :)

Mama called cause she was worried. Apa la jadi kat anak aku sorang2 jalan di KL.. "Kol berapa nak balik ni ? Dah kol 6.. "... "ok ma, dah on the way ni" (pdhal singgah Lot10 dulu on the way tuh).. hehe. I was too tired to shop. After looking at some shirts, I headed to the train station. Seperti gadis kampung, saya terkejut dan takut melihat begitu ramai orang (esp mat rempit) at Bukit Bintang. I wanted to go home so badly cause it was just too scary. I was holding a lot of things but lucky for me, I got a seat. I reached KL sentral. I bought 2 pair of hijabs (like the one I mentioned before) for RM 30. A fair deal.

Lastly, I waited for the LRT train. I headed to Taman Bahagia again. Finally reached home safely at 730.. that's how I spent my time alone in the busy city, kuala Lumpur... very much different from kuala selangor, kan ..?

Bunyi macam tak pernah gi KL kan ? hehehe.. Lamenya x gi kl...

** post ini akan diedit lagi ye. Nanti nak bubuh some pictures I snapped.