KUALA LUMPUR
So I’m in Thailand and found a job that ensures me I’ll be able to stay for awhile. The next thing I need to do is fly to Malaysia and visit the Thailand Embassy for a non immigrant B visa. Consequently, This will allow me to gain my work visa in Thailand. Not really sure why you have to leave the country in order to accomplish this but it’s the rule and I am up for another adventure. “You can’t do that, they exclaim, It is so easy to get there. Also the adventure is part of the fun. All you have to do is get the bus at the airport. It will take you to the train station where you can catch a train and it will take you right there.”
“We’ll that’s true.” my brain justified to me even though my heart told me I would be lost forever. “The destination is never the fun of anything in life and its always the journey there that has the most enjoyment. And besides what’s the worst thing that can happen? Right?”
So I grab my back pack and exit the plane. I’m determined I can find the bus and my way to the embassy. I always try to travel light and I was only going to be there for two days. Bringing a suitcase just seemed cumbersome and too much of a hassle. I head for the front door. After wandering around for thirty minutes and almost sobbing like a baby, I spot the buses and make my way to them praying that someone speaks English and that I can find the right one.
“Well that was easy.” I thought feeling proud of myself as I climbed the stairs of the bus. I walked down the aisle and a little old man reading a newspaper looked at me and smiled. I smiled back and sat in the seat across the aisle from him.
The bus roared down the road and I made myself comfortable looking at the scenery that the window offered. “It’s in English if you would like to read it.” The man said looking at me and smiling.
“No thank you”, I politely declined, I think I’ll just sit here and enjoy the scenery.”
“That’s ok.” he smiled. “Where are you from?”
And thus started a friendship that I wish I had continued for years to come. I explained to him my plight and what I was doing in Malaysia and how I was lucky to find the bus that would take me to my destination. I was happy I hadn’t taken the taxi. The bus ride was about 30 minutes from the airport and I was congratulating myself on the money I saved.
The bus pulled into the parking lot of the train station and the passengers started to depart. “Do you know where you’re going?” The man asked me as I stood from my chair and swung my back pack onto my shoulder.
“Not really.” I smiled, “But I think I’ll be able to find it.”
“Then follow me and I’ll make sure you get to where you’re going.”
Now I must admit that my mind started racing at this point. I started to wonder what in the world this man was after with me. Did he need money? Was he going to take me somewhere and rob me? I didn’t know, but I did know that if he asked I would give him some money for his troubles. It would have been worth it, because we winded in and out of stores and side streets, making our way to the train station. I knew I would never have made it and that I would have given up by now and been searching for a taxi.
He walked to the window to get a token for the train as I waited my turn behind him. I stepped up to the window and he looked at me. “No, no,” he said, “I took care of it.” He dropped the coin into the turnstile and I walked through with him close behind. We walked through the maze of the train station and arrived at the train we were taking and climbed aboard.
“Is this the way you usually go?” I asked
“No, my train is on the other side of the station. I go the opposite direction for about 30 minutes but I really have nothing more to do today. The extra 20 minutes won’t make a difference to me.”
Now I must admit that it had been a very long time since someone has touched me with so much kindness. I’m a very lucky man for meeting people like this on my journeys. But it does make me sad that as I’ve gotten older my cynicism has grown. I still had doubt in my mind as to why someone like this would be so kind to me.
“This is your stop”, he said as the train slowed and came to a halt. Follow the stairs and I think you’ll be able to find your way from there. He nodded and smiled. I thanked him for all he had done for me and exited the train wishing I had asked him for his name or address. I could at least write him a kind note of thanks for his unselfishness and kindness. That is truly one of my regrets in my life that I didn’t.
Well just to show you that I really am horrible with directions, I did follow the stairs. After about 10 minutes I gave up trying to find my way and decided to walk around the city and look at the incredible architecture. I hailed a taxi and found the hotel I was going to be staying in for the next two nights. The twin towers located there are indeed one of the marvels of the city and the architecture was amazing.
It’s funny how the small things in life are the ones that stick with you. As beautiful as the city was, it’s because of this one man and his act of kindness that I will always hold Kuala Lumpur so dear to my heart. Sometimes one person can change the world, even if its only the world of one person that visits the city and has problems with directions.
Thank you sir for the kindness you showed me that day. Believe me, you did touch my heart in a way that no one has in many years. In addition I wish you and yours well and hope that God enriches you for the things you did for me that day. I truly hope you get to read this and understand what one act of kindness can do, and how it can make a beautiful city even more magnificent.
©2010 Timeshareadvisor.net
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. It is partly on a peninsula of the Asian mainland and partly on the northern third of the island of Borneo. Its known for beaches and rainforests, as well as a mix of cultural influences. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories. It has a total landmass of 330,803 square kilometers or 127,720 square miles. What makes Malaysia unique is that its separated into two similarly sized regions by the South China Sea. These are the regions of Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia (Malaysian Borneo).