“Trips are like books: Sometimes the plot is hollow, the meaning tangential, and the conclusion arrives without much climax.“
Have you ever traveled to a place that wasn’t bad but didn’t leave much of an impression? In our ever-evolving world of social media pizzazz, we like to present our travel experiences as better than they are.
But, sometimes, when we look back on a trip it has no rhyme or reason, underscoring the random nature of our existence. That’s how I would describe my 3-week stay in Kuala Lumpur. I have nothing against the city and enjoyed my time visiting Malaysian friends who I had met from other destinations, but I’m not sure how else I could describe my trip.
It started off rather ominously. I flew into Malaysia from Africa to visit my brother and his wife on vacation, then he promptly flew out 2-days later after a trivial dispute with his wife. I then got a new client from my company and had to work at a feverish rate to meet a 5-day deadline in time for New Year’s, of which I celebrated just as randomly as well.
I’ll unlikely ever start off a trip like this again, but it does leave a unique imprint, if nothing else. Having spent 15-hour days working behind a screen, the best part of my stay was having a decent view.
That’s probably my biggest takeaway: Hours of staring away into the city skyline while feverishly working; drinking whiskey to keep me inspired and coffee to keep me up.
Though Malaysia is considered slightly more expensive than some of its Southeast Asian neighbors, it’s still relatively affordable out here and the local cuisine offers a good mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine, with those three ethnicities also comprising the vast majority of Kuala Lumpur’s population: at 46%, 43%, and 10% respectively.
So is there anything much else about Kuala Lumpur? I don’t know… The purpose of my blog isn’t to write about fascinating destinations necessarily, but more to serve as a journal in which to catalogue my experiences. I think it’s okay to look back upon a trip or experience and not imbue it with much meaning. Life doesn’t always work out like that.
In terms of my travels, sometimes people are under the impression I’m always doing exciting things because I change destinations frequently. When you’re traveling almost year-round, however, a routine eventually sets in and you will experience several days where you do nothing; just eating at restaurants and walking the streets like any other local.
My day-to-day pace is much more like this than it is chock full of activities. I enjoy sleeping in, browsing the Internet, and doing the typical things anyone else would do in there daily routines. Though my scenery changes more frequently, the rhythm of my average day doesn’t. I think that’s an important realization for any aspiring digital nomad: the understanding that not every day or trip will be enthralling and that sometimes even traveling the world can get boring.
Having had this lifestyle for six years now, that’s the best advice I could give to the younger generation of backpackers. It’s okay to not update your social media regularly or feel the need to make the most of every moment. Embrace the Boring. As each trip has its downturns, there will also be its simple moments to relish.
So keep your head up!
