Truly Not Asia

* This post may insult people who live in, have travelled to, enjoyed, love (etc., etc., etc.) Malaysia so if this you're going to take this personnaly. Please quit reading this post now.

I am still at the airport in Malaysia as I write this but I can say with conviction:

It will definitely take an undefiable force of nature for me to return to this hellhole.

I would never ever give-up anything and anyone in Manila to stay in this country or live here. This probably just isn't my day but just the same, I can't help but feel negatively towards this place. Being back at work has been both fulfilling and stressful so this pre-planned trip with C, M and thier friends was definitely something that I welcomed--even if it meant being away from Jimmy and everyone else for an entire week but I can't help but feel that this is the most stressful trip I've ever been on in my entire life.

My bro and the others stayed on to continue to Bangkok tomorrow and I honestly wish them luck. Some of this trips lowlights:

1. We had just come from Singapore so there was a stark contrast from the moment we landed here. The lady at the tourist information help desk was much happier chatting on the phone than to actually go and help the tourists.

2. The smell. You can't miss it. 'Nuff said about that.

3. Never trust internet pictures. I'm sure almost 100% of all 'eyeballs' are always miles different from actual photos which explains the actual state of the hotel we stayed in. Kudos to the photographer though. I'm just thankful the people were nice and always helpful.

4. Their transportation system is a mystery to me. I have no idea how buses and trains work here. It doesn't help that the names are hard to pronounce, the map doesn't quite show everything and people can hardly speak English.

5. No, I am not Japanese or Korean or Malaysian or a mery mix of different nationalities. Pilipino ako! And because I can wear tanktops and not have to walk around wrapped from head-to-toe does not give anyone the right to be all "WOW!!!" and ogle my breasts. NO. THAT IS WRONG. Regardless of the time and place.

6. Because I had some errands to run and because I could not afford to be too far from the hotel we stayed in, I opted to go around the Bintang area to explore. While killing time at the bookstore, someone managed to get a hold of my mobile phone from my pocket. "I curse you and your next of kin. May sickness and death plague your bloodline forever!!!" It was a crappy phone but it worked and just the idea of someone stealig something from me just makes me sick to my stomach.

7. The cabbie brought me to the wrong airport. Good thing he gave me his phone number so my bro could use him to get to the airport tomorrow because he was kind enough to bring me to the right one. You rock Radzi! Thank you for getting me one step closer to home.

That's about 7 of Malaysia's deadly sins committed against me. I have almost an hour to go till i have to get on the plane and quite honestly, I'm so scared that something else is going to happen. The best thing I learned on this trip: MANILA ROCKS AND KICKS SOME SERIOUS ASS! 3 stars and a sun!!!

Manila.. I'm coming home.. :p