It's Play With My Phone or Risk Being Engaged in Conversation

 

Fancy. 

I'm on a bus and since I am likely going to be on this bus for at least an hour, maybe two (I didn't really do any research), I am probably going to both drain my battery and amuse myself by writing another postcard/blog. Actually, I already took a break from this just to look around. It's amazing how quickly we all seem to need a distraction. Right away people adjusted their seats, broke out their books or tablets, got out their phones, launched into conversations, or, my favorite, a good of people on this bus are already asleep. I think we fear death only because it might be boring and we fear boredom more than anything else in the world. 

Other people attempt to write poetry so the rest of us don't have to. God bless the aspiring poets of the world, even the ones who vandalize. 

Off to a late start today. First, I am just a lazy slug so when my alarm went off at 7:30, I didn't hit snooze. I reset the alarm for 8:30. I'm on vacation. From there, I remembered that I was low on cash and decided to hit up an ATM only to have both my Chinese and American cards declined. Huh. Neat. Quick regrouping and backup planning! Okay, you've got $1000 U.S. in cash. That will cover the rest of your hotels. You have enough cash to get to the airport. You've got 2000 yen and a couple hundred RMB... Okay. It's gonna be lean, but we can maybe do this... Annnnd.... Let's just try that ATM again 'cause even though it said no three times, maybe number four... Einstein is credited with, "the mark of insanity is doing a task the same way multiple times and expecting a different result..." Huh. Hot damn. It worked. Okay. Crisis adverted. Let's go to Melaka. 

Hence the bus. 

I was tempted to head down to Singapore or up to Northern Malaysia, but I want to have a reason to maybe return some day (I'm telling ya. I like this place) and I might do something a little expensive in Melbourne so... Three dollar ticket to Melaka it is. 

This is many people's exact vision of Hell. 

(Some time later) 

Ahhh!!! Didn't shake out my shoe before putting it on!!! Ouch!!! Ants here don't mess around! At least it was only an ant!!! (You have to leave your shoes outside some places, not just temples or mosques.)  rookie mistake.

Besides the local wildlife, I noticed a guy kinda hovering about. Eventually conversation happened. At first visions of Turkish carpet sellers danced in mr memory, but this guy turned out to be a construction worker from Pakistan. I swear, if I was going to ever going to try that dating thing ya'll seen to enjoy, it would probably end up being to a dude from the Middle East who would not appreciate my views on religion. Thirty minutes just chilling outside some dude's house. 

Texas is offended. 

And....Hour long conversation with a shopkeeper about what is wrong with the world (let me save you from guessing 'cause the man in the back with the yellow hat shouting "everything" is correct). And I didn't even have the decency to buy anything. On the other hand, part of the problem IS unmarried women so....

I am the buff wonder in front. Don't be confused. 

And back on a bus! Took me twenty minutes to get from the bus terminal to city center but two hours going the other way!!! Bus was super late and I underestimated how big the loop was. Kismet. Missed my bus home and had to buy another ticket. So, that cost me an extra 10RM... Which is almost three dollars!!!

At least it is easy to buy another ticket. 

Today was the day of chats. At the bus stop I befriended a Dutch couple here for a medical conference. We end up going to the same station, catching the same bus to KL, and going to the same station in KL. making friends? These things come in threes. I should be good for awhile. 

Some people make out in every country. Some get wasted. I...I take photos of sewers. And that has made all the difference. 

 So it turns out Melaka is a World Heritage site! I don't think it is possible to write about how charming a town is without sounding like a dull 1870's escapee. Here are some adjective and noun pairings. Old buildings. Colorful facades. Tiny galleries. Elaborate temples. Shop-lined streets. I'll throw some pictures below. 

Uh... Really? This is the only picture I took???

Actually... I didn't really take any photos with my iPhone!!! iPhones suck on overcast days so I leaned pretty heavy on my Big Girl Camera. (Thanks, Dad.) 

Shaved ice with all the toppings as a standard menu item. Mmmmm... I've for lunch. 

I think it is pretty apparent that, if this blog post was an episode of some show on The Travel Channel, everyone involved would be in trouble. No photage, information, and it's pretty obvious your host today just isn't feeling it. Ah well. 

Go home time. 

Peace. (And that was tea not beer!!!)