It was around 10:30am on a Sunday when I arrived at Kuala Lumpur international Airport. Lack of sleep the previous night and falling in and out of sleep during the 3 and half hour flight gave me the very thing I hated whenever I’m travelling – headache.
I had an eight hour stopover in Kuala Lumpur and although Iβm not the adventurous type, going out of the airport came into my mind as I thought I would have enough time to wander around the city before my next flight. However, the headache was still so apparent even after taking 2 pills, leaving me no choice but to stay put so as not to magnify the pain.
Itβs funny how our body wonβt yield in to our plans at times. What a bummer.
After sometime, when the pounding on my head wasnβt so bad anymore, I walked around and checked the shops. It was my second stopover in KL Airport but my first time to roam around. Β Β My first stopover was an early morning stop when shops were closed and all I did was head to the gate and sleep till boarding time.
I was so happy upon seeing a JW Smith shop as I knew I will find books there.Β It took me around 45 minutes (or more) before I was able to decide which book to take. They had a buy 3 take 1 promo so I was trying to limit myself to taking to only 4 books as I didnβt want to overspend even though I really wanted to take more.
After that ecstatic 45 minutes (or more), I felt so hungry and went to this food counter with huge images of noodles and rice meals on their roll up posters. Although I was so tempted to try Nasi Lemak, Malaysiaβs national dish, I wasnβt able to resist the call of the wanton noodle soup, hence I settled for the latter.
I ate slowly and even after that hearty lunch, I still have so much time to spend so I went to a cafΓ© to have tea and on the way, I came across an old man. He was looking at me, smiling and as we crossed each otherβs path, he nodded his head and so did I. I certainly didnβt know who he was but his smile and nod somehow felt comforting.
Itβs funny how random strangers can be comforting at times we least expected.
Time passed and it was just 3 hours more prior to my boarding time when I heard the rumbling of my stomach (again?). It was still early for dinner so I thought Iβd just have snacks, maybe a coffee and a pastry. I went to Starbucks and checked the prices of their coffee and muffins and counted the remaining Malaysian Ringgit with me. I didnβt want to spend more than the local currency that I have. I didnβt want to bring more Malaysian Ringgits with me as I wonβt be able to use them afterwards (you pay dollars, they give you Ringgit as change).
My money wasnβt enough for a Starbucks coffee and muffin. My money was only enough for a coffee but that won’t satisfy my tummy. I headed to McDonalds and was so happy to still have some Ringgits with me after buying a coffee and banana walnut muffin and to be honest, McD’s coffee and muffin wasn’t so bad at all.
I found that scene funny, that scene of opting for McD because I didnβt have enough Ringgit for that SB coffee and muffin. I mean, I had money but somehow I didn’t want to change it just for SB.
So, I thought.
If this happened 10 years ago, Starbucks wouldnβt even be my option. I wouldnβt even come close to it nor check the prices because I never had money for this luxury.
If this happened 5 years ago, I would have paid by USD just to have that Starbucks Coffee regardless of the Ringgit change, just because I want to be in Starbucks instead of McDonalds.
It’s funny how we change according to what we have or what we don’t have. And it’s funny how in time, we change regardless of what we have or what we don’t have.
My 8 hours in Kuala Lumpur Airport wasn’t very productive because of the headache and all I did was eat and drink but hopefully, if I’ll get a chance to stop by again, I’ll be able to do more.
19 responses to “Headache, Bookstore & the Smiling Man : 8 Hours in Kuala Lumpur International Airport”
Love the books that you bought. Don’t worry there’s always next time. Kaso ang hirap ng masakit ang ulo while nagtatravel.
Btw, my husband reads your blog too. Hahaha nahuli ko sya kanina.
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Ha ha masa madami pa akong gustong bilhing books kaso nakabili na rin ako ng ilan sa Pinas bago umalis eh….pasaway talaga yung ulo ko…sakto pang bumibiyahe kapag sumasakit…
Awts! Nahiya ako bigla ha ha pero thank kamo kay Sir sa pagbabasa hehehe
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Ahhh, my head is also my inferior organ. It takes the toll when I don’ t do something right to my body, like lack of sleep or not eating on time.
We grow old everyday, and we also grow up.
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Same here. Malipasan lang ng gutom naghuhurimintado na ang ulo ko
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So may book reviews soon? Haha. Excited lang.
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Ha ha wish ko lang mabilis ako magbasa, may iba pa akong binabasa currently kaya yun muna ang mahahatulan :p
BTW, gusto mo ba sumali sa facebook group naming mga jologs bloggers? LOL (hindi ito networking pramis!)
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Sorry late reply! Anong kajologan yan? Haha! Ok gow.
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“Itβs funny how we change according to what we have or what we donβt have. And itβs funny how in time, we change regardless of what we have or what we donβt have.” –gusto ko ‘to! Isusulat ko to sa quotes notebook ko!! β€
Kamusta ang headache? Okay na? hehehe
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Ha ha ha ui salamat Aila :p
Hay nako, epal tong sakit ng ulo ko eh, timing lagi pag may lakad…pero ok naman na hehe
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“Itβs funny how we change according to what we have or what we donβt have.”
Gaya nga ng sabi nila, nothing is constant except change. May nabasa ako a few days ago na our personality stabilizes at the age of 25. So yung mga ka-age mo nung 18 ka pa lang, ay maaaring ibang-iba na 7yrs after.
Beyond the age of 25, just like sa case mo Aysa (coz’ you’re 27, right?π), may mga small changes pa din na mangyayari depende sa mga experiences na mararanasan at haharapin natin. At isa na siguro yang naranasan mo na nagpabago uli ng slight sayo. Ayun, nai-share ko lang. π
Sayang, hindi mo naikot yung KL. Naalala ko tuloy yung nag ala-amazing race ako dun. 8hrs lang din ako nagliwaliw sa KL tapos balik na uli pa-SG. Heheh..
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ha ha salamat Jeff sa pagpapabata sa akin :p
Naalala ko nga yung amazing race mo kaya naisip ko talagang lumabas kaso masakit talaga ulo ko…and knowing na busy City ang KL, baka lalo lang sumama pakiramdam ko sa ingay at sa dami ng tao he he next time na lang pag may stopover uli
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Ha?? Di ka na 27? Di nga?! Heheh..
Oo, mahirap din talaga magbyahe pag may headache. Actually, sakit ng katawan kaya kong tiisin pero yung sakit ng ulo hindi talaga.
Kaya nga pag nagbabyahe ako, lagi ako may dalang medicine. At hindi lang yun, pati mga white flower, efficascent, betet, at iba pang mga liniment dala ko din. So kung makasalubong nyo ako after a very tiring travel, wag na kayo magtaka kung amoy Omega ako or Vicks. π
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hahahaha wala na ko sa kalendaryo LOL
true…di bale masakit katawan wag lang ulo…. ako din may baong white flower at gamot lagi pero syempre ilang oras pa sya bago umepekto hay
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“Itβs funny how random strangers can be comforting at times we least expected.” – love this line. So trruuue. β€
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haha salamats π
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Masarap kaya kape ng McDo π¦ Hahahahaa
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pag may McCafe… pag wala pwe..parang pinaghugasan ng sunog na kanin ang kape haha
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True people change… and now I understand when they say when someone moved overseas they came back as a different person. I, for instance, adapted to the ways of my adopted home (NZ), I am not afraid to voice out if I am right, I believe in equality and yes no longer craving “junk foods” as what they call it for fastfoods because I can afford to eat in an inexpensive restaurant. BTW… KL is a nice place I hope you can go and explore next time!
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Yeah, once you’ve stepped out of your country, you’ll never be the same again π
Thanks for passing by and I do hope too that I can explore KL some other time
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