Hello! Reporting from Malaysia now. It's been an awesome filled 2 weeks of backpacking and I try to relish the good and bad each day. Backpacking has a lot of perks, such as viewing the city like a local, eating at the dirt-cheap hawker stalls, and acquiring lots of stories along the way. My favorite is the access you have to all the wealth of information found in people, places, and culture. During my time here, I've already come across a number of different people that you are unlikely to find at your work office. I've affectionately categorized these new friends into 5 rough categories:
1. The Student
My friend and I fall under this category. These people usually have the shortest vacations (although it doesn't seem like it) compared to everyone else. I've met people who are 6 month, 1 year, even 2 year backpacking adventures. During school vacations, students take advantage of their 1-2 months and haul their backpacks around for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
2. The Classic
These people define the word backpacker. They usually have looong dreadlocks, long, flowy pants, Birkenstocks, and an assortment of oddly-wrapped packages poking out from their enormous bag. Their world traveling stories always puts your traveling adventures to shame but are so darn interesting. They've gone to every nook of the earth from Bangladesh to Hungary and have done awesome things like climb Everest or gone swimming with sharks.
3. The I-Need-A-Break from Life
These people are also quite popular on the backpacker route. They have worked a number of years and suddenly decided that they need a break to rediscover life's passions. This can happen anytime from mid-twenties to mid-eighties. They either need an opportunity to recharge or just start over. After their vacation ends, they decide to actualize their dreams and do a career 180.
4. The PARTIER
We met a few of these in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital. These people have the energy of a 17 year old and minimum 8 livers. They do not require any sleep and are the life of the party. For example: we met a nice Malaysian girl, working in media, who went out with us to a local club. She took us out at midnight, ordered a scary amount of drinks, dragged Marianna and my tired bodies home at 6 AM, and then proceeded to wake up at 9 AM for her MBA class. That takes skill. She didn't even take a nap the next day!
5. The One More Guy
This is the person my mom fears I will turn into =P. But no worries, I promise to not live in China forever. This person has innocent intentions when he/she travels to Asia. However, these plans keep on getting extended just by a mere day. The days turn into months and months quickly slip into years. Before you know it, he/she has set up a new life with no plans of returning home. This person loves SE Asia so much that he simply never left.
There are so many great characters here. Everyone has a great story and can teach you something, if you take the time to get to know them.
Loving Malaysia,
Jac
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