You may not believe this but I felt so ignorant about this. There's no train station in our province so encountering a self-service machine like this in actual setting was new to me.
[Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory, Peninsular Malaysia, West Malaysia, Malaysia]
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So this was KL Sentral. I only see (and read) about this place when I was planning this trip and finally, I was here. The so clichรฉ first-time-travel-encounter moment strikes again—that feeling when you're like stoned in the middle of a sea of strangers and you just stay still looking around while saying to yourself, "OMG. I can't believe I'm here."
KL Sentral is Kuala Lumpur's central hub for trains. All trains from Kuala Lumpur's systematic railway system stop here and you can reach all the major destinations in KL (Kuala Lumpur) from KL Sentral. It's officially known as the Kuala Lumpur Central Railway Station.
Entering KL Sentral for the First Time
After alighting from the bus, I searched the way to the KL Sentral train station only to find out that there were many train stations within KL Sentral that service different destinations in Kuala Lumpur. The KL Sentral is I think attached to a mall. There are restaurants, banks, business centers and boutiques around.
This is a pleasant looking transportation hub that's so conveniently accessible from the airport and other popular tourist attractions in ▼ MALAYSIA
. So well-planned.
. So well-planned.Anyway, for a first timer, I was finding it hard to look for the monorail station (where I would ride). Basically, KL has several train systems. They have the LRT with different lines (service routes). They also have BRT and the Monorail. Ulkk! I found this stressing. At home, I only ride a tricycle or a motorbike then in a few minutes I'm already in my destination. But here, I still had to choose where to. So, where to?
My small city with less complicated transportation system is my comfort zone. Big cities like Kuala Lumpur with complicated transportation system for a first-timer like me resurrected the fear in me of roaming in a highly-populated urban jungle. Getting lost was my main concern here and I didn't want that to happen.
My back was already aching in carrying my backpack while I was still figuring out how to exit this place called KL Sentral. Uh. Taxing. I actually packed light for this trip but I couldn't let my backpack hanging there for long—it would mean backache if I insist so I needed to get out of here quick.
Finally, I saw a guard (Malay-looking) who was shorter than me with dark brown skin wearing a cap that signified he's part of the security team. "Where is the way to the Monorail Station?" I asked.
He answered me quick in English with his Malaysian accent. His accent was strange that it was hard for me to understand at first. He was able to help me find the direction though. Ahhh... The search for the Monorail station didn't stop here. OMG. Am I getting dumb for this? There were signs both written in Bahasa Melayu and English, but these signs disappeared when I reached another fork inside the KL Sentral Station + mall in one. I decided not to rely from these signage and I opted to ask random people along the way until I found the right place. Yes! I've reached the monorail station. This would become my first train ride outside my country ▼ PHILIPPINES
(if I pursued this).
(if I pursued this).
I approached a counter to buy a ticket but no personnel was there. I was surprised that in spite of the busy rail stations in KL, I wondered why there was no long line at this counter. In fact, I was the only one waiting. I'm so confused!
I waited for several minutes until an Indian woman with long black curly hair arrived. She entered the office, sat in the counter and asked me what do I need. I told her I need to buy a ticket for Imbi station but she didn't give me a ticket. She instead instructed me to go somewhere where I could get a ticket but I couldn't understand her English. After a moment of clarifying things, I finally got it. There's a self-service machine at the other side that brings out token, not ticket.
Before this trip, I booked a ▼ HOSTEL
▼
I stayed in a dormitory-type room with bunk beds. There were other guests when I entered the room. They were all white travelers. I was the only Asian inside our room.
that is near the Imbi monorail station so that I can easily find it. I had a screenshot of the Google map where the hostel is located to guide me on my search for this hostel. Since my hostel was near the Imbi station, I purchased a token for Imbi using the self-service machine that drops a token including your change.
I stayed in a dormitory-type room with bunk beds. There were other guests when I entered the room. They were all white travelers. I was the only Asian inside our room.
that is near the Imbi monorail station so that I can easily find it. I had a screenshot of the Google map where the hostel is located to guide me on my search for this hostel. Since my hostel was near the Imbi station, I purchased a token for Imbi using the self-service machine that drops a token including your change.
Dang! You may not believe this but I felt so ignorant about this. There's no train station in our province so encountering a self-service machine like this in actual setting is new to me. Because I didn't know how to operate it, I opted to let the other people do it first so that I could observe them how they do it. Yes, there were instructions but I didn't want other people to laugh at me whenever they see me doing the stupid thing so I have to study first how do they do it.
Almost everyone was in rush and they were able to get a token in less than a minute while I was still figuring out the step-by-step procedure of purchasing a token. When it was already my turn on the machine, I instructed the people at my back to just do it first. Some were hesitant to overtake me since I came there first and waited patiently but I insisted they'll do it first. They laughed and spewed words I couldn't understand to the person beside and behind them. Well, I didn't care if they're saying things against me or whatever but at least they didn't know who I am. So I targeted the monorail station. Interestingly, "mono" in my native language means "dumb."
After a couple of observations, I was able to operate the machine correctly like a pro! Now, I went to the waiting area and I'm ready for my first ever train ride outside the Philippines! | to be continued... |
CHAPTER 01CHAPTER 02
CHAPTER 01 SUMMARY: ▼ Five (5) Tourist Stops (Not Spots) to Spice Your DIY Itinerary Below 24 Hours in KL
▼
If you loaded this page expecting for tourist attractions to see in less than 24 hours in Kuala Lumpur, I'm sorry to disappoint you but this is not a story of tourist spots but tourist stops. Yeah, stop here, stop there, stop everywhere.
This Chapter 01 is all about first-time stories. Will this boy from the province with relative fear in roaming a big city survive his first day in a big metropolis for the first time outside PH?
✈ EPISODE 01: ▼ Flying from Metro Manila to Kuala Lumpur with Drama in Between
▼
I was shaking, quite speechless for outspoken words but the voice within me is speaking too much that it's so hard to handle...
✈ EPISODE 02: ▼ Travel Drama in Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2)
▼
My anxiety as a first-timer almost escalated to panic level. So there's no such thing as overacting because sticking to reality is the name of the game here.
✈ EPISODE 03: ▼ KLIA2 to KL Sentral by Bus: My First Land Travel Outside PH
▼
I was showing physical awestruck signs overtly while inside the bus because I was seeing different races. There are Malays, Indians, Chinese, black and white men. This country is so multicultural! This is my first bus ride in Malaysia!
✈ EPISODE 04: Reaching KL Sentral and How I Acted Dumb Stupid
✈ EPISODE 05: ▼ KL Sentral to Bukit Bintang: My First Train Ride Outside PH
▼
The monorail runs overground. I saw the city of Kuala Lumpur in a general perspective up close—the modern skyline, the lush parks, the mosques, the busy roads and the residential areas. I enjoyed it.
✈ EPISODE 06: ▼ Lorong 1/77a: of Endings and First Times
▼
This street was where I ended my first day in Malaysia but it served as the rendezvous of my many first-time experiences and encounters so it meant so much for me.
▼
If you loaded this page expecting for tourist attractions to see in less than 24 hours in Kuala Lumpur, I'm sorry to disappoint you but this is not a story of tourist spots but tourist stops. Yeah, stop here, stop there, stop everywhere.
This Chapter 01 is all about first-time stories. Will this boy from the province with relative fear in roaming a big city survive his first day in a big metropolis for the first time outside PH?
✈ EPISODE 01: ▼ Flying from Metro Manila to Kuala Lumpur with Drama in Between
▼
I was shaking, quite speechless for outspoken words but the voice within me is speaking too much that it's so hard to handle...
✈ EPISODE 02: ▼ Travel Drama in Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2)
▼
My anxiety as a first-timer almost escalated to panic level. So there's no such thing as overacting because sticking to reality is the name of the game here.
✈ EPISODE 03: ▼ KLIA2 to KL Sentral by Bus: My First Land Travel Outside PH
▼
I was showing physical awestruck signs overtly while inside the bus because I was seeing different races. There are Malays, Indians, Chinese, black and white men. This country is so multicultural! This is my first bus ride in Malaysia!
✈ EPISODE 04: Reaching KL Sentral and How I Acted Dumb Stupid
✈ EPISODE 05: ▼ KL Sentral to Bukit Bintang: My First Train Ride Outside PH
▼
The monorail runs overground. I saw the city of Kuala Lumpur in a general perspective up close—the modern skyline, the lush parks, the mosques, the busy roads and the residential areas. I enjoyed it.
✈ EPISODE 06: ▼ Lorong 1/77a: of Endings and First Times
▼
This street was where I ended my first day in Malaysia but it served as the rendezvous of my many first-time experiences and encounters so it meant so much for me.
Coming Soon!
BLOGSERYE 03 SUMMARY: ▼ MALAYSIA-THAILAND BACKPACKING + MOTORBIKE RIDING FOR THE FIRST TIME OUTSIDE PH
▼
As a millennial, this is not conforming to the 'trend'—doing it because your friend do it. For me traveling is a form of continuous education. No masteral and doctoral degree could ever teach you the way traveling does.
Blogserye 03 is a blog series narrating my fist backpacking outside the Philippines.
Map Showing the Location of #KualaLumpur
► FOOTNOTES, DISCLAIMERS, ACKNOWLEDGMENT, ETC
[1] The above story is the Episode 04 of Blogserye 03.
[2] This post was filed under the category "Train Stations and Railways" See more posts related to this below.
[3] The maps I used on this post are from maps.google.com.ph.
[4] All photos are mine. All rights reserved.
[5] The insights, condition and name of places or properties I mentioned here are based on the facts and situation on the day of my visit. Take note that you may have a different experience when you try or see the properties or places mentioned here. Names of places and properties may also change by time so it's not my responsibility to update all the information on this blog because once published, I already consider it an archive and I won't update my narratives because I want them to become my references of what have happened in the past. I'm very particular of the dates because I want my amazing readers to understand that I am writing stories based on my perspective and insights on the day of my visit. You can see dates almost everywhere on this blog. Exempted from this rule are my travel guide posts that need to be updated.
LATEST STORIES COVERING #KUALALUMPUR | SEE ALL #KUALALUMPUR STORIES »
MORE STORIES COVERING PENINSULAR MALAYSIA | SEE OLDER STORIES »
SEE OLDER STORIES COVERING 'TRAIN STATIONS AD RAILWAYS' »
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That was hilarious! I'm sure you had another story to tell before that meet happened in KLCC.
ReplyDeleteHope we can meet again bro but in Vigan.
Sky Summer | I surely do have more stories in store to tell pareng Joey! Thanks for your time in KL! It was really a great time to have met you! :)
ReplyDeleteOh yeah. It would be cool to meet you again in my hometown this time around.
In Malaysia have many subway system to use? Trip to singapore convenient?
ReplyDeleteViแบฟt Hรฒa | Hi there Viแบฟt Hรฒa! Generally speaking, Malaysia has a good train system, particularly in Kuala Lumpur.
ReplyDeleteBut I think Singapore is better in train in their train system. And yes, if you're referring getting a trip to Singapore from KL, it's pretty convenient as well. :)