Hello guys! Thanks for stopping by and read this note (or memo) or spam, or whatever you might call it after you read it. LoL

I’ve asking before by Mr.Syamsul Sunduseng to write down my stories while I’m backpacking abroad, sebagai bayaran atas pinjaman LonelyPlanet hehe, but I’m quite confused what I should write down, when I’m ABSOLUTELY not a typical of goodwriter…

So there’s a night when I can’t sleep due to environmental hazard (baca: bule german yang tidur disampingku gak berhenti ngorok, plus cewek austria yang dari tadi kerjaannya nelpon terus) so I get into idea to write down my STORIES…

Well, you might find it not a typical backpacking stories, I will not tell you any silly detail of my days here, or describe you how much money I spent for any single thing. But I will tell you ANY, I mean ANY new thing that I learned and ANY amazing people that I’ve met 

I’m start with nothing but DREAM, I like travelling, meeting new people and seeing a new place. And someday I decided that I must do that, I must travelling as a way to escape rom my routine and do something that can make me fresh again.

Its not about where I go or what I wanna do, because if that what I mind to, its not gonna be different with my daily life..

What I’m exactly want is a DAY, when I can wake up with big smile and all the thing in my head is just a new experience and couriosity! And so that happen, I made my day and backpacking is the way! 

Come to a question, why Malaysia,Singapore and Thailand? The answer is not because it’s the easiest country for a beginner backpacker from Indonesia but its all about CHEAP flight and limited time…

And about the question what I want to do or see there? One answer! I JUST WANT TO ENJOY EVERY SINGLE STEP THAT I TAKE!! I don’t wanna be a backpacker who just visiting a touristic place, mark any country that I visited with my big face photos in from of famosu landmark, shopping till’ drop or stuff like that, because if I want that way, I’m just one click to a tourism agent and I don’t need to sweating my ass working in complicated itinerary…

So 2weeks – 3country – Magnificent Experience (walau diperjalanannya, saya dengan bodohnya baru menyadari, I’m not into 14days backpacking but a full 18days! Haha) THAT’S ALL…

Its all about 2 month preparation, online booking the ticket, prepare my itinerary, request for a couch and learn (I mean a real learn) about the country that I want to visit…

Thanks God, on this big world, there’s still bunch of people who absolutely great in helping a newbie like me (well, I cant write down all of the names, but when you read this and suddenly you remember me asking you or talk with you about my backpacking plan, so yes! You are the people  )

24^th of January, I mark that day as the 1^st day of my trip. And Malaysia is the 1^st country…

Despite the issue that going between Indonesia and Malaysia, I have heaps of friends here, so I come to this, to experience a simple feeling of happiness of what we called REUNION, stay on Nazrin n Keanu’s Apartment, my buddies back in college..

4 days and its all about old stories and future plan.

There’s one bright night, when we talk in a brigde in Putrajaya-Malaysia, a brigde that when you stand in the middle of it, you can see two sparkling mosque, a silent black river and a wide view of big building. Just us-the night and sudden God. It was 2am and no one there, we just laugh to our stupid time and speak in Makassar dialek, as we just back couple of years ago. Otherwise, drive randomly in the middle of the night to see big new building around Putrajaya.

I also enjoy every single night, when I’ve finished exploring the city and getting tired with my ankle, I buy a cup of hot chocolate and sit down in Petronas Park, see the Twin Tower Illuminating and watch the tourists pose or a couple of lover of friend who talk each other, I can spent hours there and never get bored even just for a minute!

I met a guy from Philipina called Martin, he was an outstanding photographer, he flight from Kualalumpur just for a day to met her girlfriend who also flight from Dubai to Kualalumpur, a day to forever, a night to spent and unlimited love to share! What a couple…

He show me his photowork and its inspire me to see on a different way, a different angle of Twin Tower, an angle that I’m never saw before and I suddenly remember that’s how a good photographer are, always see a special thing in every common.

Watching Jazz Opera in Dewan Philharmonic Petronas! It was awesome to the MAX! I booke a ticket for that, and I have my 1^st big ball, entering the Opera with a fulldress and give a standing ovation to the guy who played Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me to The Moon, I was there, yes! I was in the Opera and I will never forget that I made one of my dream become reality.

Once again, I will not tell you how Petalling Street looks like or do I have a photos of Genting Highways, I mark that all!

4 days in Kualalumpur and I’m right as rain to continue my trip to Singapore, where I met an amazing couple, Otoko and Alan.

I was not asking to surf in their couch before, but I just want to learn about Singapore from Otoko, a daily chat and heaps of night sharing, and Otoko is welcome me to surf at his couch…

It was ABSOLUTELY a Gift! Just as I arrived, Alan had book us an premiere entrance to the Upcoming Universal Studio World Resort and Theme Park, why I call it Upcoming? Because its not opening for people YET! And yes, its mean we are the luck bastard that become the 1^st visitor! So damn lucky 

Counting the night that we spent eating the BEST satay in Satay Park and the President’s Rujak, as one of the best moment of 2010. Otoko and Alan is really great host.

Hmm, if u asking who is this magnificent guys, well they are a Gay Couplle that had been together for more than 10years, who currently live in Singapore, a very nice new friend who I’m never met before in a real life, but suddenly when we met just like an old friend 

They had a warm nice simple house with wonderfull interior and kitchen, starting the day with a cup of fresh coffee and end it with night dvd time.

I brought them a Toraja Coffee bean and they gave me a great hospitality, that’s how the friendship work. No matter who you are, it just the bond and trusted that make the friendship work! Otoko always give me a brief info’s about a place that I want to visit and a tips about how and where I can find best food in Singapore EVERYDAY! And we had an interest conversation with Alan about Abortion in a different point of view.

Till now, Singapore is my Favourite!

They said its expensive to life or having a backpacking trip to Singapore, so that’s why some people that I know just have a half day trip or one night here. But for me 4 days is even not enaugh!

I like spending time on Singapore finest MRT, buying an EZ link like a local people, nor window shopping in famous orchad, I prefer to sit down and hearing jazz with a can of coke in Esplanade and see the light of Merlion Compleks and Fullerton Hotel turn on, together with the nice twilight.

Hunting the best photos of City Dawn with local art students. A dinner at Quake beside Singapore river while talking with an irish guy, is so oldschool!

And in Singapore, I just found my new interest, MUSEUM! 

I’m walking from Arab street to Bugis Junction and end watching festival in little India. It was Friday and I pray with the local mosleem community, I saw how they try to explain Islam and Mosleem community to the visitor and travellers by making the mosque as a living museum, they allow them to explore mosque, see our praying activity and give them brochure. A good way to a positif promoting! Mark this one 

31^st of January and I took a bus back to Malaysia to catch my connecting flight to Phuket. Spontaneusly I remember that I want to visit the old town Melaka! So I’m stopping by and sighseeing on this World Heritage City and try the Famous BabaNyonya Couliner, its so spontaneus, and that’s how it should work isnt?

A night to spent in an airport, I’m glad there’s a starbuck and warm waitress that allow me to sleep and surf the net in starbuck with single cup of hot chocolate.

Morning flight to Phuket is fantastic, an amazing view of Kho Phuket (I wonder why they delete the ‘Kho’ in front of Phuket name) and Sun Rise. One hour flight is just like a big scene of Theme Park. So amazing…

Well, I’ve stayed in friends house, couchsurfer house and now I’m decided to fell the atmosfir of Backpacker Hostel. I stayed in Patong Districk, so near from the famous Patong Beach, called Patong Backpacker Hostel in a mixed dorm of 5 bed.

Phuket is just about RELAXING, spent a day just sleep and swimming in Patong Beach. Have a day trip to Maya Bay and Kho Phi Phi, it was absolutely worthed to do! I’m done my trip alone and I’m kinda now that I just a person that enjoy my lost in translation time, coz hey! Why you need buddies if you can enjoy the evoking tears of Maya Bay by your own self, its like enjoying the Paradise for your own.

Beach in the morning, coulinery hunting in the afternoon and crowded BanglaRoad in the night. 3 days and that’s all! Catch all the ladyboys, hear the lousy music and avoid all f*cking tuk-tuk!

Its not a very good 12hours, if u choose travelling by bus from Phuket to Bangkok, but surely a relief before heading to the hectic City of Angel!

My LAST JOURNEY and my Unforgettable one, BANGKOK…

Do you believe in what they called faith? Or if some of you just want become little realistic, just called it coincidence, buy hey whatever it is I’m glad 6days in bangkok really give me a lot of stories..

If you asking what am I doing for a whole 6days in Bangkok? As a tourist? Absolutely nothing! Don’t asking me about elephant trip, or floating market, don’t you asking me also about how cold is chiang mai or I took the ship to the golden triangle in Chiangrai, because I don’t have any Idea about all of that..

Bangkok is all about meet this Magnificent peoples, (well, I still keep the warm last hug and smile when I’m typing it all).

Back the 1^st day, I join a bangkok group posting in couchsurfer.com by this beau thai girl Akanitha, she collect some travellers that just stopping by in Bangkok to explore the city in two days, and that’s how I met with Dimitri an easygoing American Guy and Ankita the fascinating Indian Girl. After that? There’s no single day without them! Later on I met with my 1^st and best Danish guy Martin in a house party.

What happen when a stranger meet with a stranger in a stranger city? A simple stranger family. Oh well, that’s us. Back forth, day time and night time is just about walking together, bar hopper and warm quality chat. I remember the day when Akanitha took us to the rooftop bar, in 69^th floor, having a cocktail or two, and see the sparkling Bangkok. Or how stupid we are, catching a bus to the ancient city.

How I get my morning call from Ankita, asking our today’s plan. And how easy to get dimitri to come together with us. Or how we enjoy everysingle conversation with Martin and spending the most favourite dinner with accoustic. Back to a day when the house party suddenly turn into a naked pool party, how we enjoy the sunset at the top of wat arun or how we become the bar hopper in Kao Sam Road.

Its not just them, but I met A LOT! Of new friends, a big family of travellers that connecting each other. I suddenly fell that this is what my trip about. Its not about the place, but its all about the people 

I don’t know them, they barely know me, we met in a strange way but suddenly we get that thing called chemistry. How me can get along for the rest 6 day? Only God knows why…

I can describe you, how great, one by one, Dimitri, Ankita, Akanitha and Martin is. When the memories still lingers on, but I keep that later, for you who wants me to sing you a lullaby.

So Its all guys! You might be found this not to interesting, but I assure you need to try it sometimes, go Backpacking! Face the world, face the new people, find the real you! 

9^th February 2010, 09:55am

Suvarnabhumi International Airport

Yours;

Husni Mubarak Zainal

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