The Search for Enlightenment

...does not end in KL and it doesn't even really start in KL.

While I'm on holiday I get to do crazy things, like this morning I had cake for breakfast and James wanted to better explain the rail system to me but I love that I can correct him.

Because I'm searching for the meaning of life, I'm longing for the day when I get that 'oh, yeah. So that's it' moment.

I catch the train to visit the KL Towers because it's their most famous landmark. As I walk through the train station I realise that it has seamlessly lead straight to a shopping mall and I am confronted with horrible images like this;

When I eventually found the towns I had my first 'meh' moment and a touristy photo;

I decide to go inside to check it out. Having no idea what I would find I was somewhat excited. HOWEVER inside KL's most popular landmark is two things;

1. A shopping mall 
2. Some asshole trying to charge you $40 to go up the elevator.

After almost being killed several times because everything with wheels and an engine wants you DEAD, I'm happy to return home.

Karen, James and James' sister offer to show me the night life and I'm all too eager to say yes.

(I tried frog for the first time and my mind played a video of Kermit singing 'Rainbow Connection' and I felt so horribly guilty.)

The four of us stay up talking at a Starbucks till 1:30am. James calls me crazy and stupidly brave for doing what I'm doing and tells me it's like when a Buddhist sheds their identity and material possessions to spend months on their own.

Because we talk about religion so much, Karen suggests going to the Batu Cave which is the Indian holy ground in Malaysia. Indians from all over the world travel to come and prey here.

There are 207 stairs that lead from the bottom all the way to the cave entrance.

"Finally," I think as I look up and notice how all the foliage reaches up towards the light, "something wholesome. Something amazing."

There's a small Indian temple in the middle of the cave and I line up to be blessed. After I prey, the Indian 'holy man' rubs ash on my forehead and wishes me a safe trip. Just when I think that I've had some kind amazing spiritual connection with this place, he leans over to me and asks for a donation.
I explain that I've already given one when I entered.
"No, this is separate," he says. "If you give me a personal donation I will make sure you are extra blessed," and winks.

This makes me notice his unusual amount of back hair, the fact that he smells like menthol cigarettes and he begins to resemble every kebab shop owner, ever.

On the way home, I see the most interesting building I've ever seen in my life. I press my nose against the window of the car and open my eyes greedily. "What's THAT building?!" I ask Karen in amazement.

"Yeah, it's so pretty huh? It's a shopping mall," and just like that, a part of me dies.