After three years of doing nothing but sit in front of the computer (getting fat and unhealthy as a result), I know that it is time for me to take a break and do something different. So I decided to visit fellow iSagada Gina Dizon who is working in Thailand and, if my health permits, to backpack in nearby Southeast Asian countries.

Searching for cheap flights to Bangkok brought me to the Malaysian Airlines’ ASEAN Pass which, according to its advert, “gives you the freedom to enjoy up to 4 flights within ASEAN countries at a truly amazing price”. Sounds good, no?

The catch is that Malaysian Airlines does not have a direct flight from Manila to Bangkok (or from Manila to any other ASEAN city for that matter), so I have to pass by Kuala Lumpur. This means I will be using two of my four tickets flying in and out of Kuala Lumpur. Doesn’t sound as good a deal anymore, eh?

But I never visited Kuala Lumpur (or KL as the locals call it) so I thought this would be a good opportunity to visit. Well, I’m glad I did visit. KL is my kind of city: it’s organized, it has a very good mass transport system, the air is not bad, and the city is walkable. The last two are the most important to me because I love to walk when visiting places but only if the sidewalks are not health hazards and only if the air is not polluted. Eh sa Manila kasi, baka mahulog ka pa sa manhole pag lakad ka ng lakad. And instead of helping your lungs when you walk in Manila, you are actually poisoning it with the city’s famous nitrogen oxides, zinc oxides, and the other things that them darn vehicles emit.

Anyhoo, I didn’t take lots of photos in KL because I know I would be returning there en route back to Manila. But I did take a picture of the Petronas Towers and this photo of my left foot. Hehe. I’m publishing the foot photo here for those who are googling “foot fetish Kuala Lumpur” or “foot fetish Malaysia” or “Igorot feet big”. Hehehe.

I’m currently in Mae Sot where Gina works. It is a very interesting place not because it is “touristy” but because it is a border town full of refugees from Burma. I hope to write more about the town in an upcoming post.