17

As mentioned in the first part, when you travel to any country, especially as a first-timer, some aspects of your destination will delight and surprise you, while others will challenge you and probably remain with you for a long time. If you’re travelling for leisure, it’s even more exciting as you get to enjoy the country at your own pace, depending on your itinerary.

Hilary Gittings (pictured), who tries to make it back to Malaysia once every four years, shared with me her thoughts. “Each time I step into the KL International Airport, it is a sense of relief but never a familiar feeling.”

Gittings, who has relatives living in Malaysia, expanded on the number of challenges she has to cope with whenever she’s back in the country for a vacation.

1 TEMPERATURE- Climate can also be a challenge as well as a good change. Sometimes it can be really hard to adjust to the climate, it is also especially hard getting to sleep in the heat if you are without air conditioning. Not being used to the warmth also makes you really tired throughout the day as well as doing other activities. It is uncomfortable sometimes to stand outside for a couple of minutes as you get so hot then start sweating, then have to have around three showers a day.

2 LANGUAGE- Language is a barrier as I only speak English so I can only have a full conversation with those who can speak fluent English too. You are able to get the general message across while talking about simple things just like with any language barrier around the world. Pronunciation of names and places can sometimes be wrong but you learn as people teach and correct you.

3 TRAFFIC- In Malaysia, there is so much traffic everywhere and so many motorbikes creeping up behind and to the sides of your car, it catches you off guard. Since the traffic is so bad, using a GPS is definitely the way to go as you would not want to take the wrong turn and then have to sit through traffic not even going in the direction you want to go in. Traffic is like peak hour but all throughout the day and night.

4 DIRTINESS- There is a lot of pollution and rubbish lining the streets and motorways. Some of the beaches are too dirty to go to let alone swim in as they are brown and polluted with rubbish. Most people turn a blind eye as the cities are kept clean while the outer regions remain polluted with wild animals sorting through the rubbish causing them to be sick (I am assuming) and adding to the unpleasantries of the sides of motorways and streets.

5 MOSQUITOES- I have sweet blood so the bugs and mosquitoes like to bite me all through the day and night. This is very uncomfortable alongside the heat Malaysia brings and since it is very hot most of the time, your skin is vulnerable to the mosquitoes as you are not very covered up and your skin is visible.

Note: Motorway is like a highway or expressway meant for high-speed traffic.