Rooftop bar at Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The real Asia begins…

My first day in Malaysia at Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur.

After waking up early in Singapore. After checking out of my hostel and walking to the bus station. After arriving at 10:30am and buying a bus ticket for noon. After being told “but you can get on that one that is leaving now.” After surviving passport control. After 6 hours on a bus, listening to music and staring out the window pretending I was in a movie.

I arrived in Kuala Lumpur.

I had directions to a hostel — Reggae Mansion — but they were from the bus station and I certainly wasn’t at a bus station. And so I pulled out my guidebook and tried and failed at finding a street sign and a local man helped point me in the right direction. He told me to go to the traffic light and turn right. Simple directions if I wasn’t in Asia. I went to the traffic light and then tried to cross the street for about 20 minutes. I didn’t think I would ever make it.

But eventually I was able to follow a couple of others and made it safely to the other side.


I checked into my hostel, into the tiniest room with the most awesome bed system that makes me feel like I’m sleeping in a fort.

Fort Beds at Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

And chilled out downstairs for a bit. I decided I wasn’t quite ready to leave the hostel that night, to once again brave the streets of Kuala Lumpur, and luckily they host nightly dinners so I signed up and awaited the mixed grill awesomeness that awaited me…

Mixed Grill dinner at Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Mixed Grill dinner at Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Mixed Grill dinner at Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Waiting in line for my food to be cooked I met a girl from Hong Kong named Eming and we ate our dinner together. And then a few guys from Japan joined us for a drink.

We spent the rest of the night up at Reggae Mansion’s roof bar, enjoying the view, enjoying cheap cocktails, and enjoying Malaysia.

Rooftop bar at Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Rooftop bar at Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Hi, I'm Val. I spent most of my 20s in a standstill, unable to pick which path in life I wanted to take. I wanted the nomadic life of a traveler but also wanted the husband, the condo, and the kitten. Unable to decide which life I wanted more, I did nothing. When I turned 30 I’d had enough of putting my life on hold and decided to start “choosing my figs.” So, I quit my job, bought a one-way ticket to Europe, and traveled for three years. Now I'm back in Chicago, decorating my apartment in all the teal, petting my cats, and planning my next adventure.

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2 Comments
  • Ali
    November 10, 2011at10:50 am

    Are those beds in a dorm room? That looks awesome!

  • Gabriel
    November 14, 2011at5:39 am

    Hey Valery!
    I have seen many of your photos, they are great! actually i realized you took one photo from my bed!!! without my permission! hehehe just joking, i am taking a train tonight to Thailand.. hope to see you somewhere there!

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