Lombok to Kuala Lumpur

After coming down from the mountain, I was transported back Gili T along with Pierre, Gunda, and Kiley. We all met up for dinner at the night market and then headed back to our hostels for an early night.  I was able to procure my own cabana for under $10 through some fast talking, but they upped my price to $15 the next day when they realized my deal was way too cheap, but they gave me free breakfast to make up for it.  It was pretty amazing, it was the first time I had my own hostel room since I started traveling over 4 months ago...It was so glorious to finally sleep alone and have complete peace and quiet.

After a few days of doing absolutely nothing in Gili, I made my way back to Bali via speedboat.  I was hoping to get transferred to Denpasar, where the airport is located, but the farthest they would take me was Sanur.  Thus, I found my way to the same hostel I stayed at last time, The Big Pineapple.  I had a down day to do my laundry and catch up on blogging before trying to make my way to Kuala Lumpur.

One last look at the Gilis

I totally look like a slutty schoolteacher in this photo

When I got to the airport, I moved through security and found the AirAsia check in gate, but as I handed over my itinerary I was informed that my flight didn't leave from the airport I was standing in.  Rather, it left from an airport that wasn't even on Bali, but on an entirely different island in Indonesia, Borneo, 839 kilometers (521 miles) across the ocean. In my paper-thin defense, the airport I booked my flight from was named Balikpapan, I mean come on, it has Bali in the name!  To my dismay, I wasn't allowed to transfer tickets or get any sort of credit, not even for the baggage fees I had already paid.  Thus I was forced to purchase a new ticket from Denpasar to Kuala Lumpur.  Whereas my initial flight was set to leave at 11 AM, my new one didn't leave until 5 PM, giving me a lot of time to hang out at the airport and reflect on how my University education was working out.

With 8 hours to kill, I made my way to a little shopping area past the airport where I spent my morning in Starbucks and afternoon in Burger King.  If you have free wifi and power outlets, you have my business.  I arrived in KL around 8 PM, but by the time I got through customs, took the 75 minute bus into town and walked over to the monorail station, it was approaching 11.  I stumbled into the cheapest hostel I could find and hoped for a good night's rest, but the dude across from me was talking on his phone and blaring music at 2 in the morning and the kid above me started watching anime at 4, so my slumber was a hodgepodge assortment of naps.  
KL is nothing like what I had envisioned.  I was imagining an average size city with a few skyscrapers and a rather poor economy, but that was not the case at all.  It's a city with futuristic ambitions; Locals playing on smart phones, sprawling shopping districts, ultra efficient monorail and train systems, and some very stylish skyscrapers.  The modernism is partially thrown off by the conservative apparel though.  The vast majority of men and women don't show much skin, even wearing jeans and long sleeves amidst the 33 degree heat (91 Fahrenheit).  It's also pretty 50/50 on women adorning the traditional Muslim headscarf, the hijab.

Ummm that sign says Malaysia instead of America...WTF?

This elephant is tough to read...Is he sad based on his posture or mischievous based upon his stare

The hostel I was staying at wasn't even full backpackers.  Nearly everyone in my room was Malaysian, but when I'd go to the other floors I'd see Caucasians.  Maybe I got put on the Asian floor, but Caucasians are asians too, so in my mind there shouldn't be segregation against them just because their bad with math and computers.  During my second night, a girl ran into my room at 4 AM after being held at knife-point... in the hostel.  Her English was broken, but she had either been asked for money from the guy or the guy had given her money and wanted sex in exchange.  Either way, when she didn't comply, he pulled a knife on her.  We couldn't contact the police because she was in fact an illegal immigrant...Who would have thought they have illegal immigrant issues here as well?  Thus one of the guys walked her to a different hotel since the assailant had apparently already fled the scene and the coast was clear.

The next day, I walked past the wanted signs of the previous night's attacker, whose picture was now posted on the entryways to each level of the hostel, and made my way to the monorail station to see some of the city.  I met up with Daphne, who I had met in the Gilis to explore Chinatown, which was several blocks of wall to wall stalls filled with knockoff purses, watches, jerseys, and hello kitty apparel.  She too was in a creepy hostel, with questionable roommates.  I don't know why the hostels are so creepy there, they are built like prison cells with no natural light allowed to enter.

This temple wasn't as amazing as the temple that is my body

I was a little underwhelmed by the amount of Hello Kitty merchandise

Reaching for the sky

China Town

I need to work up the courage to try this, it's like a Chia Pet infused strawberry

One day I decided to go to the Petronas Towers.  I was a little confused when I arrived because I was under the impression the Patronus was a mythical creature created by JK Rowling, so I was expecting something like that.  However, what I found was the third largest skyscraper in the world and the most impressive piece of modern architecture that I have ever seen..  The twin towers are absolutely stunning in design and sheer magnitude, like Redwoods in a field of Dandelions.  I have never felt smaller in my life than standing in front of those buildings.  Which is ironic, because I'd never felt taller than in Malaysia.  I was generally a full head and shoulders above the males and close to a foot taller than most girls.  Though to be fair my new running shoes add a few inches to my height, putting me over the 6 foot mark.  And when you factor in the 5 inches of upward hair growth I have experienced, I'm probably nearing 6'6.

The Towers also contained a mall, which was full of Christmas decorations, which made me feel a little nostalgic for home.  I'll even admit I ordered a coffee and sat there for a few hours, soaking up all the Christmas joy, with the giant trees and flashing decorations.  I was so impressed by the Petronas building that I headed back there the next day to make a few time lapses of the clouds passing over the towers.

This is how you claim the sky...

Racecar spelled backwards is racecar...You've been palindromed

Christmas!!!!

Such a modern city...was not expecting that at all

Not a bad view from the backside either...451.9 meters high, 88 stories.

I actually got inside these twins, unlike the ones from the Rinjani tr....Ewwww now I'm just being creepy!!!

Malaysia. Messi. Mustache!

When the sky turned grey, it was like a poster-board for evil corporations

During my week in KL, I made most of my meals to save money, grilling hamburgers and hot dogs that didn't have any change in color when cooked...Seriously, they stayed blood red.  You don't feel very confident in your stomach's digestive powers whilst looking at it, but then you realize you bought a ten pack, so you best be crossing your fingers.  I also ventured to some fast food places after stepping on a scale that claimed my weight was down to 150 lbs.  I mean, I know I'm shrinking but that can't be possible, I'm praying that thing was broken!  At McDonalds. I learned I could get a Big Mac meal for roughly $3.  To put that in perspective, a single Skittle cost $11 in Australia.

Some people know I have crazy diets.  Sometimes I'll go cold turkey and not eat any junk food for 3 months, replacing meals with protein shakes...And other times I'll gorge on junk food, replacing meals with cans of Pringles.  My diet in KL was equivalent to what would happen if you told a 7 year old to buy groceries, gave him $50, and then dropped him in front of Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory... It was a pretty disgusting and shameful few days to say the least.

I was so lazy in Malaysia that at one point I was lying in bed and the only thought that ran through my head for an entire hour was, "Cadbury milk chocolate, you are the greatest thing that's ever happened to me".  I was a complete waste of oxygen for most of my time there.  Plus I smelled awful some days because I was too lazy to shower after I'd walked around the city for like 6 hours and been super sweaty.  Since my room was just 2 local Malaysian guys I didn't really feel the need to impress anyone.

Funniest thing about Asia...Petrol is so cheap all the fast food places deliver

The McDonalds Prosperity Meal Deal.......CURLYS!!!!! Upon seeing them I had to listen to Tenacious D - Drive Thru

On one hand, when you're a backpacker, the big cities aren't usually what you're looking for, but they are cool to visit from time to time.  I spent a week in KL, which was a little excessive since I didn't accomplish anything of value, but it's nice to have downtime.  I was able to take care of some Christmas shopping, mail a few things back home,  and get caught up on my blog, uploading pictures, and relaxing.  I also ordered some stuff for my brother to bring to me when he meets me in Thailand.  To all the people that told me get a polarizer lens kit...shit's about to get real!

When the time arrived to leave, I decided to switch up my route back to the airport and take the speed train instead of the bus.  The train was incredibly fast, getting me there in 30 minutes.  However, when I meandered up to the departure gates, I noticed the Air Asia stands were hard to come by, and a slow sneaking, familiar feeling started creeping into my head...Did I really go to the wrong airport again, for the second time in a week?  Absolutely I did.

Turns out Air Asia operates out of a completely different terminal...but that terminal is basically a different airport.  Thus I had to hitch a bus 40 mins to the LCC terminal.  Epic Fail.  Navigating your way through the airport was madness.  Depending on which country you are headed to, you have to check in through different security areas.  For Thailand, you have to pre-scan your bags and get your ticket through a special section of check-in counters. After you check your bag, you leave that area and then go back to the main terminal to go through immigration and then you head through security a final time for your carry on stuff.  Wheeeewww, so even though I left from my hostel 4 hours before my flight was supposed to leave, I only got to my gate with 45 minutes to spare.  Madness!  My flight also ended up being delayed for an hour, but no formal announcement was made either over intercom or on the flight boards, but that's just how it goes.  So after all that I was finally on my way to Thailand, where I didn't do any research or planning on how to get from Hat Yai to Krabi, but that my friends is a story for another blog....

Random GoPros

The monorail, so amazing! $1 takes you anywhere.

The majority of people drive motorbikes instead of cars

Sardines....

I hope when the moment comes you'll say, " I did it all.  I owned every second that this world could give, I saw so many places, the things that I did.  Yeah with every broken bone, I swear I lived".

My broseph and I were obsessed with A&W as kids....can't beleive there's one in KL

I had to gopro the towers a few blocks away just to get them into a single shot!  So massive

There's a slight chance I could use a haircut

Such a cool shot using the GoPro

From Trips in Bali to Tripping My Ballsies

Since our monkey sanctuary trip went so well, we decided to go on a snorkeling trip to Turtle Island, which houses a turtle farm of sorts...  We got to ride there in a glass bottom boat, which was just a normal boat with a small Plexiglas window in the middle, but expectations should be in line with prices. The snorkeling in Bali was disgusting in comparison to Australia due to the thousands of kilograms of trash and debris floating through the water, at one point I saw a half eaten box of noodles floating about 5 meters deep in the water.  I'm not sure on the physics of how that is possible, but clearly it's not natural.  Rising water levels and flooding...Scientists usually reference global warming (climate change), but I'd have to think the displacement of water from all that rubbish plays a vital role as well.  I'll fix it all someday ;).

Glass bottom boat...not what I expected

Nothing wakes you up quite like swimming in the ocean...

After swimming in the soy infused waters, we headed to Turtle Island to scope the wildlife, but I was pretty disgusted to see how they were treated. Every creature looked more depressed than I was after realizing I can't download the Justin Bieber and Susan Boyle Christmas albums whilst on the road.  There was a turtle with a broken shell, a snake that's confined to a container, and isolated monkeys, birds, and bats, licking rust off their cages. All these animals were awake during day, even though some are naturally nocturnal. In addition they're not all solitary creatures, so seeing them stuck alone in such dire circumstances is pretty abysmal.  Whenever you think of bats or monkeys you think of them being in large groups, never alone like that, a cruel twist of fate.  The heart breaks and the head shakes, but no actions the world takes.  This was one of the rare travel days that I didn't enjoy.

That is one depressed turtle

They throw dozens of baby turtles into bathtubs 

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop...uh one, two, three (CRUNCH!)

This bat is actually quite stunning, not scary like I imagine most bats

This is how I sleep, naked and upside down

After getting back to the hostel, I decided to go for a run shirtless in the rain, because that's how I attract the local women and get goods at a discount. When I got back there was a little drama with one of the guests, who was being kicked out. The hostel had an age limit of 35, but there was an American lady there who was closer to 50. She put up a hard luck story about her situation, claimed that the cleaning ladies or someone had removed some money from her room, and hadn't paid for her accommodation for a few days. After getting told to leave, she was crying her eyes out, so a few of us pitched in some money to help her out or forgave her of the debts she owed them, the compassion of backpackers, being quite universally extraordinary. That night we also hit up the dance clubs in Kuta, where I learned that Indonesian Red Bull can eradicate any notions or need of sleep I once had.  I'm also convinced I need to attend Bastian's (Amsterdam) Dance Academy, kid has the dancing supremacy of Kevin Bacon and Patrick Swayze all in one.

In order to rebound from the Turtle Island experience, we decided to rent a car the next day and head to Kuta Beach and then head to a famous temple, Tanah Lot. We also discovered that the hostel owner had given the woman who was kicked out a generous amount of money to help her on her way, before she accepted our money, meaning she basically conned money out of us. Americans...This is why people have a negative connotation of us. Is it really that hard to be a good, responsible person? Ergo, I now tell everyone I'm from Canada City, Canada, and I say it with pride.  I fucking love Canadians!

When we arrived in Kuta, a few of the people in our group wanted to go surfing, which was made easier by the fact that Adam is from California, so he obviously knew how to ride waves and could give free lessons, so Bastian, Emma, and Becca (England) rented some boards to try and catch the waves. While they were failing miserably at surfing, Peppe rocked some juggling, Leo went for a swim, and I snapped a few pictures.

Kuta Beach

Surf's up bitches!

After grabbing a quick lunch, which consisted of the worst fish and chips my taste buds and lower intestines have ever been subjected to, we made our way to Tanah Lot. Timing is of the essence when planning a trip to Tanah Lot, because the temple is only accessible during low tide, due to the fact that it's built upon rocks jutting forth from the ocean. I was basically in seventh heaven in this place as there were several small temples/shrines and coastline views that were unbelievable for photos. There was even a bride getting her wedding photos taken upon the beaches there.

Amazing coast line and black sand beaches

The bride in white

Batu Bolong Temple

Tanah Lot Temple

Sunburst

Most of the group had to disband the following day, as most of the guys were headed to the Gili Islands. I was locked in for another night at the hostel, so I took a down day to catch up on laundry, buy some amazing neon green swim trunks, and finish cooking the remainder of my groceries, and inspire everyone else I met with my beautiful soul and devilish charm... Alright it's probably more likely I put them off with my clumsy antics and smelly farts, but this is my blog, so I can change history!  The next morning I took off to meet up with the boys on Gili Trawagan (aka Gili T), the largest of the three Gili islands.

I arrived at 3 in the afternoon, met with the guys and explored the hostel, then took shrooms, because I couldn't turn down Peppe's sales pitch, "We won't eat dinner until 8, so maybe we do shrooms and walk around the island since we have four hours to kill"...Besides, I was feeling young and reckless!  Thus, for the first time in my life, I tripped balls. Apparently the trick to doing shrooms (mush as the rest of the world calls them) is to consume them on an empty stomach, which worked out perfectly for me since I had skipped lunch. It's also essential that you are in a good mood when you do them, because they enhance your mood happy or sad and you definitely don't want a bad trip.

View from Gili T, you can see the other Gili Islands and Lombok in the background

Leo, Peppe, and I took the shrooms, while Adam and Bastian stayed sober to guide us through the experience. I have to believe that going to an unknown island that is bursting with colors is the ideal way to experience shrooms for the first time, but I'm incredibly self absorbed so I'm always going to believe the way I do things is the best way ever. You have no idea what's coming around the bend and Gili T only has one street that circles the entire island, so it's basically like walking through a video game level of Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter.

As we wound our way around Gili T on an epic quest to walk around the island in it's entirety, we ended up settling for a group of huts instead, about 20 minutes in to the 2 hour walk. They were amazing, with a giant cabana at each end and smaller ones in the middle. Staring into the sky on my left everything appeared to be a soothingly calm blue, clouds drifting into a distant horizon, while to my right, the smaller Gili Islands sprouted up before Lombok, the giant rainforest, covered volcanic island. Above Lombok the sky appeared to be a fiery red, clouds swirling in an abhorrent rage above the mountains. it was the most spectacular display of colors I have ever seen in my life.

Gili sky during sunset

As fascinating as the sky was, the sand, the cabanas, and people's faces were just as entertaining. Everything vibrates, shimmers, shakes, dances, before you. Time also moves at a slow pace, your mind racing with millions of possibilities and you want to experience all of them at once. You wonder what everything is like on shrooms; How much more amazing it would be, with colors more vibrant than you ever knew possible. Talking to anyone sounds exciting, like it would be the most amazing conversation of your life, even if you haven't talked to that person in years. I was unbelievably joyful, excited, interested, and enthusiastic about everything.

At one point I was sitting in a cabana by myself, licking the cheese powder off my fingers from the can of Pringles I had eaten previously, only to discover that I wasn't licking cheese powder at all. Nay, I was scooping sand off my feet with my index finger and licking it off instead. I also had a can of coke that took me over an hour and 6000 sips to consume, leading me to believe it was a magical never ending can of cola. I also spent about 20 minutes taking off my bracelet, which held my locker key, and putting it back on.

My shroom hut

Such a magical place, I'll never forget it

As they were starting to wear off, we headed back to the hostel room and then out to grab dinner, but not before I spoke creepily in my Gollum voice!  It's also weird to be walking around all fucked up and seeing children everywhere, makes you realize what a terrible influence you are.  All in all, the mush lasted about four hours and coming down was a nice and easy transition. I have to say that I'm glad I took shrooms, because some things can't be understood unless you experience them and for less than $18, that is about as entertained as you can be for four hours. I spent a few more days in Gili before spontaneously heading on a 4 day boat ride to Flores, but that my friends is a story for another blog...

Random GoPros

No docks needed, everyone anchors their boat in the water here

I believe this underwater path was created by the Dharma Initiative

GoPro Coast

Time Lapsing

Tanah Lot

2 bags of mush....

Me and the boys!