Kuching - town of cats

Well, I've landed in Kuching and I'm staying at a place called Singgahsana Lodge. It is a town in Borneo with cat statues on every corner. I have no idea why but I'll soon find out. Last night in KL I took the monorail to Chinatown - what an experience. It was rush hour so everyone was literally being packed into the trains like sardines. I took one look at this grotesque display of Malaysian efficiency and started walking away from the platform even after paying for the ticket. But as I was thinking about leaving I thought to myself, "This is truly an Asian experience and I will remember this the next time I think I have it bad on a Go train." So, I got back in line and jammed myself in. What can I say other than how incredibly uncomfortable and awkward it is being pressed up against little Malaysian Muslim girls with veils around their heads. After that ordeal I visited the Petronas Towers around 10 P.M. to take some pictures. The towers are magnificent at night and definitely the highlight of my stay there.

I also bought a t-shirt from an original Malaysian artist operating out of his modest stall. In Asia, I have learned that haggling is an artform and have gotten fairly good at it. But this man was so gracious and his shirts were so elegant I figured I should pay him what he was asking, which wasn't very much anyways. His shirts were dedicated to Malaysia of colonial times and there was melancholy in his voice and his art. He told me that Malaysian culture is rapidly evaporating due to new money and development, and his artistry is dedicated to reminding passerby's of old times.

SO, I came here to Kuching because I heard Malaysian Borneo was a nice place to visit but there are a couple of dilemmas. For most of the tours around here you need a minimum of 2 people. There is a kayak trip down this river and a trek to a place called "village in the clouds", and both require at least two people to do them. I'm going to try and see if there is anyone else interested at this lodge, I hope so. Secondly, I was planning on travelling up the coast to the eastern tip of the island and then flying to Bali from there, but turns out there are no flights to Indonesia from there, and the next one goes out from here on the 24th. I'm starting to think it was a mistake to come here because it'll be a long 4 days if I can't find anyone to go with. The town is relatively quiet and there are few travellers my age, so far. That is part of it though, there is always something to take away from experiences like this. I'm going to explore the town tomorrow and try to meet people willing enough to do those tours. If all else fails, it's a nice little place and I'll be going to Jakarta on the 24th. Definitely learning the ins and outs of going it alone over here. Bye for now!