Learning To Find My Way One Country, One Mistake and One Kindness At a Time

Day 1 – How I Almost Ended My Trip on the Very First Day

To be honest, I don't have the best memories of my journey to Malaysia. Due to several layovers, long waiting times, and dumb decisions, I was travelling for more than 36 hours in total. Thanks to my excitement and nervousness, I didn't sleep a single minute – not even a short nap on the plane; apparently, my body had decided that sleep was simply not an option.

My itinerary took me from Berlin to Kuala Lumpur via Rome and Singapore. In theory, it was a pretty good connection – as long as you can handle multiple transfers or, even better, take advantage of a longer layover to explore the airport. And that was exactly my plan in Singapore. After all, the Changi Airport has been ranked among the best airports in the world for years, and I was determined to spend at least a few hours exploring it.

Unfortunately, travelling doesn't always go according to plan. Because of the constant changes in air pressure and temperature between flights, I ended up with a terrible migraine attack... and in the one airport I had actually wanted to explore (really bad). Instead of wandering around and discovering all the highlights, I was desperately looking for a quiet corner where I could disappear for a while and recover. Luckily, I had packed my medication within easy reach in my trusty backpack.

After the headache slowly started to subside, I managed to find some time to eat and visit the beautiful butterfly garden before my next flight. It was definitely not the airport adventure I had imagined, but at least I got a small glimpse of this incredible place.

When I finally arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, I was incredibly happy to have reached Malaysia – but at the same time, completely drained. Three flights, more than 30 hours of travelling, no sleep and a lingering headache had definitely taken their toll on me. My brain was barely functioning anymore. And if that wasn't enough, there was also the temperature change. Just one day earlier, I had been walking through a freezing Berlin, and now, the muggy tropical air of Malaysia hit me like a wet towel. At that moment, all I wanted was to see the inside of a shower and fall into bed.

Unfortunately, there was still one small challenge left: somehow getting from the airport to my hotel in the city center. Standing in front of the ticket machines for trains, buses and taxis, I suddenly felt completely lost. Luckily, this was my first encounter with something that would accompany me throughout the entire journey: the incredible kindness and helpfulness of locals. Within minutes, a friendly employee patiently explained which ticket I needed and how to get into the city.

Proudly holding my KLIA Express train ticket in my hand, my adventure could finally continue. At KL Sentral station, my next mission awaited: getting a SIM card. Without mobile internet, I probably would have been completely lost within minutes. Once again, I experienced the warmth and patience of the people around me. The employee at the small kiosk inside the mall connected to KL Sentral station simply took over the entire registration process, set up my SIM card and explained everything very, very patiently. I guess by that point, my appearance was probably a pretty accurate reflection of my inner exhaustion.

With working internet and determined to finally reach my hotel, I started to look for the exit. Or at least… I tried. Because first, I managed to get completely lost inside the huge KL Sentral Mall. Not just slightly confused. Completely lost. I reached the point where I was genuinely close to tears out of frustration. No matter which escalator I took, which corridor I followed, or which signs I trusted – the exits seemed to have completely disappeared. Eventually, I mustered enough courage to ask a shop assistant for help.

When I finally found the exit, I caught sight of the sky and felt like a new person. In a moment of pure optimism – or perhaps temporary insanity – I decided to walk to the hotel. Because why would a 45-minute walk through tropical heat with a fully packed 40-litre backpack be a bad idea?!

I was absolutely bursting with excitement. Everything around me felt unfamiliar – the air, the smells, the plants and even the street signs. Maybe I should have paid a little more attention to those, because about five minutes later, I almost ended my trip... and yes, my life. When crossing the street, I looked to the left first – just like I would in Germany. The only problem? Malaysians drive on the left side of the road. A tiny detail I had somehow forgotten that tiny detail until I saw a car careening towards me from the exact opposite direction. My heart jumped into my throat. Luckily, the driver reacted much faster than I did and managed to avoid me. I apologized several times and continued my little adventure – although I was now firmly back on earth and no longer floating around on cloud nine.

Eventually, I reached my hotel completely drenched in sweat, exhausted and running on fumes. Who would have thought that a supposed 45-minute walk could turn into a nearly two-hour adventure because of a heavy backpack, way too many photo stops and a lot of hills?

The thought of a hot shower was probably the only thing keeping me going. Unfortunately, after finally reaching my room, the shower only provided one option: ice-cold water. After several minutes of trying everything I could think of, I finally gave up and accepted my fate. A cold shower it was.

The next day, the friendly receptionist explained that I simply had to hit a separate switch for the water heater in my room. I smiled brightly, turned around, walked out of the reception area and whispered to myself: "Welcome to Malaysia!"

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Thanks for reading! I would really appreciate any feedback or corrections. If you would like to start from the beginning, you can find the previous parts of my journey here:

Day 0 - How a Dream Became Reality

I hope you’ll join me again for another chapter of my journey.