Malaysia in 2003 is catching up with the modern world. It's capitol city, Kuala Lumpur has many modern skyscrapers but drinking the water will make you sick. The 5 hour bus trip from Singapore included massaging seats and a movie but it was apparently a demo movie (there were messages to that effect on the bottom of the screen). There was a four lane highway for the bus trip but the highway was in need of repair (which caused enough vibration that the massaging chairs unnecessary).

Kuala Lumpur is more of a business center than a tourism destination. There weren't many internet cafes and the hotel clerk had great difficulty locating his own hotel on a map. But, with a curious mind, one can enjoy discovering the city.

I was reminded how far I was from home when 2 young Indonesians asked me to take a picture. I thought they wanted me to take a picture of the two of them together. One pulled out a camera and the other stood next to me. They wanted a picture of him next to an American.

Again, I was struck by the culture difference when I went for lunch in a mall. Two restaurants were side by side: McDonald's was almost empty and the restuarant next door was full. The restaurant next door was "Famous Fish Head." They serve a fish head dish where you have nothing but a little sauce and the head of a fish staring at you.