The Hours - My Memoir

Back To Kuala Lampur | Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (AJEYA RAO) — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 16:42:21 +0530

I Continue From Here: Malacca | Malaysia

Postcards, Books and Final Impressions

17,18 September 2026

In the morning, I checked out of the hostel and took a Grab taxi to the bus station. My bus was slightly delayed, but I eventually reached Kuala Lumpur by noon. From there, I took the metro and monorail to my hostel in Bukit Bintang.

After dropping off my bags, I headed to Damascus for lunch. I had some spicy hummus and a falafel platter, a meal I had come to enjoy during my travels. I then went to the post office.

There is something incredibly fascinating about taking your time to pick the right postcard, writing a message, and then walking into a post office in a foreign country to buy a stamp and drop it into a postbox. You are setting it off on the first leg of its journey towards someone you know will be delighted to receive it.

Lately, though, the Indian postal service hasn't been doing particularly well. Only about half the postcards I send actually reach their destinations. But I refuse to give up.

The postcards I choose are often unusual and distinctive. I like to imagine that the clerk or postman who handles one will be so taken by it that, instead of letting it disappear into some forgotten corner, they will make sure it continues its journey to the person waiting to receive it. Hopefully, a beautiful postcard can charm its way through the postal system!

Malacca | Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (AJEYA RAO) — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:58:28 +0530

I Continue From Here: Sandakan | Borneo | Malaysia

A Place to Wind Down

15,16 September 2026

I reached the Malacca bus station and took a Grab taxi to Yote 28 Hostel. This turned out to be one of the best hostels I have stayed in. It had been recommended by the Austrian girl I had met in KL at the beginning of my journey. The interiors were super cool, clean and spacious, the staff were friendly, and the highlight of the place was its four adorable cats.

However, I had messed up my booking and reserved an expensive double-bed dorm. Luckily, the young man at reception was very friendly. He was from Bangladesh and immediately started speaking to me in Hindi. He explained to his Malay colleague how similar our languages were, given their shared Sanskrit roots. I told him about my booking error and asked if he could accept a cancellation so I could book again. He obliged, and I happily made a new reservation. I lost some money to Hostelworld's cancellation charges, but it was still a good deal.

After freshening up, I went downstairs to play with the cats. I then took a walk towards the city centre. Along the way, I came across another Bangladeshi man selling tender coconuts. The Bangladeshis I had encountered in Malaysia seemed to be among the friendliest people I had met. They were always warm and helpful.

Sandakan | Borneo | Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (AJEYA RAO) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:42:27 +0530

I Continue From Here: Mount Kinabalu trek Day 02 | Borneo | Malaysia

Sandakan: A Little Closer to Home

12,13,14 September 2026

On the morning of the 12th, when I stepped into the common area, I met a young man from England who was leaving for the Mount Kinabalu trek. I shared all the details I could, answering his questions about the cold, clothing, and facilities. He seemed much more relaxed after our conversation.

I took a Grab taxi to the bus station. I had booked a ticket from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan through the Easybook app, and the bus was already waiting at the platform when I arrived. The journey took almost the entire day, but it was an interesting one. I passed Mount Kinabalu once again before continuing into the plains.

I noticed that large stretches of forest were being cleared and converted into Date palm plantations, which was disappointing. On the bus, they played a Malay film (Or maybe Indonesian). All I could see were fights and violence. There was barely a pause between one action scene and the next. The violence was graphic, with plenty of bloodshed and even scenes of throats being slit. They played three Malay films during the journey, and all seemed to follow the same formula.

The Sandakan bus station was about five kilometres from the town centre, so I booked a Grab taxi. My hostel was close to the sea, in what seemed to be one of the busiest parts of town. The woman driving the taxi was Muslim but did not wear a hijab. I quickly noticed the cultural differences between Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. Life here seemed more laid-back, and the atmosphere felt more open.

At AeCotel Mingle Hotel, I met the caretaker, Naseer, a middle-aged man who spoke at length about Indian film stars such as Shah Rukh Khan and Rajinikanth. He seemed like a nice fellow. I was already beginning to like this part of Malaysia. The people I met seemed modest and kind, and they were happy to engage with travellers.