It's Never Too Hot For Angkor Wat

Tired as we are, we had no choice but to wake up at 3:30 AM as we got ready to leave KL. After checking out of our guesthouse (and failing to leave a fat tip for Kuya bc of a mix up =.=), we hailed 2 cabs to take us to the Sky Bus Terminal at KL Sentral. If you booked flights via AirAsia, the Sky Bus is probably the cheapest and fastest way to get to the airport. Plus you can conveniently avail it through their website right after booking your flights.

We got to KLIA's LCC Terminal around 4:30 AM and went straight to the check-in counters. LCCT reminds me a lot of NAIA's Domestic Terminal - chaotic but only bigger. After check-in, we had breakfast at the nearby Café Espresso before boarding the plane. And good thing, we did! The distance from the boarding area to the plane was definitely the longest I had to walk in my entire traveling life. Whew! Mala-Revenge of the Mummy.

The flight was only an hour long - parang MNL-KBO lang. Upon landing at Siem Reap International Airport around 7:50 AM, we were greeted by traditional-looking buildings which showcases Cambodia's culture and architecture. Cool! I suggest all other international airports follow suit.

As we exited the airport building (after going through immigration of course, but not customs because it was nowhere to be found o_O), we easily spotted our host. He was the one with a huge smile on his face and a sign that says "Mr. Karl Mopia and friends." He was obviously a very happy (naturally happy, I hope, but more on that later!) and friendly person. He even gave us bits of trivia about everything we passed by. And if that isn't cool enough for you, he's a huge Manny Pacquiao fan! He was gushing as he talked about him and even asked if Manny currently lives in the Philippines. Haha How amusing!

Skwala Lumpoor* in Kuala Lumpur

Around an hour into the bus ride, we found ourselves getting off at the border to go through Singapore's immigration and customs, and then on to Malaysia. I was amazed at how physically close the two countries were. When we got to Malaysia's immigration, Karly got through with ease but an officer saw my cousin's passport and announced to the entire room that those with Philippine passports should line up at a specific counter. WHATTHEACTUALFRACK? It was clearly discrimination right there but I let it go because I know that there are a$$holes in this world. It didn't end right there though. The officer actually asked my cousin how much money she has or is planning to spend in Malaysia. ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME?! Don't you have a form for that? I have visas from three different OECD countries and never in my entire traveling life have I been asked such ridiculous questions. It was really infuriating especially since I wasn't even that excited to visit Malaysia. If it wasn't part of ASEAN, I probably wouldn't even bother. Good job, immigration officers. You're doing your part in promoting your country's tourism. If this is what you mean by "Truly Asia," I am disgusted and insulted as an Asian. I wish the government would refrain from letting rude people work for them because they're not doing their country's image any good. And that goes out to all countries. Not just Malaysia nor the Philippines.

Oh well, moving on to the better parts of our Malaysia trip. I'm glad we decided to travel to KL at night. We were greeted by the magnificent view of the Petronas Twin Towers. We were taking pictures even while we're on the bus. So when the bus came to a halt, we decided to go straight to the majestic towers instead of our hostel. It looked so beautiful at night, we just had to take a closer look and take more pictures. Yup, even with luggage in tow!

The Petronas Twin Towers look even more magnificent at night.

We left our luggage in a seemingly secure place, visible to where we're standing while taking pictures. I don't think anyone would even attempt to take them as it would be too difficult to carry it around without being noticed.

Singapura Take 2

The first time I was in Singapore, I didn't think I'd be back any time soon. Or ever. For me, it's worth visiting only once. It's a small country after all and if you're after the cultural experience rather than shopping for signature brands, there's not really much to do. As I'm not one to travel just to go shopping abroad, I wasn't really planning on visiting it again.

Dinner with Nee-chan and Karly @ Yellow Cab, NAIA Terminal 3

But guess who's back in less than a year? Both Nee-chan and Karly haven't been to SG yet so we decided to make it the first stop in our South-East Asia (SEA) adventure. Don't get me wrong, Singapore is a beautiful and extremely clean country. But there's only one thing that can make me want to come back again and again in a certain place. Food. And from the last time I was there, it didn't really leave a lasting impression on me. I went home barely craving for anything from Singapore. I don't think Reese's White Peanut Butter Cups and flavored Yakult count as authentic Singaporean cuisine, right?