Rewinding KL: Madness

Kuala Lumpur, February 19th 2011

After KL Aquaria, my itinerary was actually Chinatown. I wanted to capture the night atmosphere of the town. But I thought I still had some time to take a look Kinokuniya Bookstore.

This bookstore located in KlCC is so amazing. I can't find one Kinokuniya like this in Jakarta.This one looks more like a library than a bookstore. On the contrary, the existing Kinokuniyas in Jakarta seem to shrink from time to time.

Paul Theroux!! I couldn't believe my eyes! I had been finding for his books in many bookstores in Jakarta, but never found even one title. A Periplus staff said to me that these are old books; they don't sell anymore. I already gave up and was already thinking of ordering them through Amazon.

Nevertheless, here in KLCC Kinokuniya, there's a complete serie of Paul Theroux's books. Every title! And, they are placed on the best seller's rack!! I stood in front of that tall rack dumbfounded. I've found my world!!

Paul Theroux is a train-travel-writer who has traveled the Orient Express, who has ventured the Silk Road by train -- more than once. His books have been a super inspiration for "mad travelers" like me.

I let go Chinatown and sat down on Kinokuniya's carpet. My hands rumbled through Paul Theroux's masterpieces. I selected "Ghost Train to the Eastern Star" and "Riding the Iron Rooster". I found another book on Silk-Road-traveling: "Shadow of the Silk Road" by Colin Thubron. My adventure dream on the Silk Road by train seemed getting an inch closer.

It's really getting closer! I've been looking for "Insight Guides: THE SILK ROAD" in Jakarta, but never found them, but now I do!!

A dream will stay a dream without any effort. So this is part of my dream to travel the Silk Road by train: Mastering Mandarin. Kinokuniya that night seemed to be just for me. All I needed, was there.

I also bought these. They are a preparation for my trip to Sabah in late March.

And these, that's part of my other adventure dream to travel from Singapore to Penang by train. I plan to continue the train journey to Bangkok, but I've already bought the guide book on Bangkok. It's easy to find books on Bangkok in Jakarta. Indonesians seem to love Thailand dearly :P

I kept on taking and putting back this novel on the rack. To buy or not to buy. At last, yes, to buy!

It was the movie based on this novel that first stirred my interest on Tibet. This is not fiction. It's a true story!

I returned to the hotel at past ten, very happy and very satisfied. Chinatown, I'll come to you another time! Good night, KL.