And we weren't even there yet

While waiting to check in at NAIA Terminal 1, my brother made eye contact with a girl in the Shanghai-bound queue, only to realize that she was the classmate paired with him when he was just five years old.

A team of tall, dark athletes whom I assumed were going to Beijing turned out to be the men's national dragonboat team competing in Penang. A few were trying to be friendly but I put on such a mataray face that they were clearly intimidated.

In the Miascor lounge, nearly all the magazines were in Korean. There was not much food, but I wish I had stayed longer--the plane was delayed for more than an hour.

At the departure gate, I watched the coiffed Singapore Airlines FAs buying boxes and boxes of Megamelt ensaymada upon landing. Theorized that the center of erotic attraction of the iconic Singapore girl is the neckline, particularly the back.

I psyched myself up with a kopi bun from Kopi Roti before boarding.

It was nearly 2am when our Cebu Pacific flight made it to LCCT, the Low Cost Carrier Terminal resembling a warehouse made of trailer-like GI sheets dominated by Air Asia planes. We had not even landed and my brother was already raving about how good the roads and the street lighting were, which he continued to mention throughout our stay.

Freddie Aguilar's "Anak" played in the van on the way to the hotel. Malaysia is so different and yet so familiar.

Selamat datang. Welcome to Kuala Lumpur.