January 23 2009, Kuala Lumpur, Golden Rain Papaya Love Loops

I haven't even eaten breakfast yet because I'm so vibing to write this. Mornings have become Michelle times. Bart has taken to sleeping in and it gives me the chance to lay out my thoughts a little, plan the day and check up on emails, loads photos. But I write this with the anxiousness that he might wake up any second and tap me on the shoulder and that would ofcourse change my flow, and i just wanna go go go go and not stop.

I start with the day before yesterday because that's where I ended. It was one of those really challenging traveling days and I just had to keep reminding myself to breathe and stay grounded and not give into spiraling useless over emotional thoughts. Ofcourse everything is sorted out and we got bus tickets to Penang. Getting them was a mission and a half because we were exhausted and we went to Putrajaya bus station where there are just rows and rows of bus company's looking to sell tickets to foreigners. But Mohammed at the Hostel warned us that some of them will sell you a ticket and the bus doesnt show. The one's we got seem legit but I'm still asking the universe to help make that bus show up. Anyway we got them and then decided to go to a huge food market recommended by Lonely Planet.

Its called Durian Heaven, with rows of stalls selling Durian fruit. Which I haven't tried yet, but I will today. When we originally got out of the station to get there we could see the Petrona towers right near to us and the night view was stunning. Then it felt like we were actually walking through a graffiti piece, because there were tons of little shack houses with closed doors, florescent lights streaming through the cracks, childrens voices, adults laughing, laundry hanging and a hundred shoes scattered outside each door. We walked through the puddles to the Durians. We walked and walked and walked until I felt my feet were falling off, then realized we were right around the area of our hostel and could walk home through Chow Kit Market. Ended up going to a Curry house with the most amazing Roti I've ever had. They set up restaurants in massive rooms here with very bright lights and huge fans, one would assume not pleasant or appetizing surroundings. But they don't need it to be nice because the food is just so good. I've been eating cooked foods obviously because it would just be silly of me to try and stay raw at such an early stage of my journey. I have been drinking from coconuts though and trying as much of the tropical fruit as I can wet my mouth with. In the Curry house last night, there was this kid who had just recieved a toy from his parents which was a yellow plastic car track which has tiny little cars riding on it. He was so present. All he cared about was that toy. I wanted to be one of those little plastic cars in that moment.

Trees emerge from concrete here you know, out the sides of buildings, branches turning balconies into jungles.

We finally were able to book accomodation in Penang even though it is Chinese New Year and super busy. Although we overpayed a little bit, it looks amazing. Right on the beach and its not one of those nasty high rise tourist hotels. I guess this is the part of the trip we really treat ourselves and float away in paradise for a couple of day. I'm hoping for more opportunities to be with nature in Penang and in the Cameron Highlands which we where we will head to next. Today I'm hoping we can get to the Batu Caves about 8 miles out of Kuala Lumpur, its a hindu temple, very old sacred site. But onto yesterday.... i cant believe how much i want to say right now. It's like my throat chakra is spilling blue ink into my veins. How do I capture all the in-between moments, tiny tiny billions of stimulated seconds that sifted through my skin membrane. Like this....hahahah and Bart just walked in....

I just got the thumbs up on the Batu Caves. YESSSS! I'm going to have some breakfast and then delve into yesterdays reflections while Bman gets ready.