"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."

[KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA]► So this is KL Sentral. I'm only seeing (and reading) about this place when I was planning this trip and now I'm here finally. The so cliché 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."

[KUALA LUMPUR] ► HELLO! WELCOME TO KUALA LUMPUR!

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 are 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.

Anyway, for a first timer, I'm finding it hard to look for the monorail station (where I will ride). Basically, KL has several trains. They have the LRT with different lines (service routes). They also have BRT and the Monorail. Gosh! I find 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 have 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 is resurrecting the fear in me of roaming in a highly-populated urban jungle. Getting lost is my main concern here and I don't want that to happen.

My back is already aching in carrying my backpack while I'm still figuring out how to exit this place called KL Sentral. Uh. Taxing. I actually packed light for this trip but I can't let my backpack hanging there for long—it would mean backache if I insist so I need to get out of here quick.

[KUALA LUMPUR] ► I REACHED KL SENTRAL BY RIDING A BUS FROM KLIA2.

Finally, I saw a guard (Malay-looking) who is shorter than me with dark brown skin wearing a cap that signifies 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 are signs both written in Bahasa Melayu and English, but these signs disappear when you've reached another fork inside the KL Sentral Station + mall in one. I decided not to rely on 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'm gonna pursue this.

I'm confused

I approached a counter to get a ticket but no personnel was there. I was surprised that in spite of the busy rail stations in KL, I was wondering why there's no long line at this counter. In fact, I'm 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 can get a ticket but I cannot 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.

[KUALA LUMPUR] ► THE EMPTY COUNTER: WHERE ARE YO' PEOPLE?

Before this trip, I booked a hostel that is near the Imbi monorail station so that I can easily find it. I have 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 can observe them how they do it. Yes, there are instructions but I don'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.

[KUALA LUMPUR] ► LINE #1: I'LL BE USING THIS LINE TO REACH IMBI STATION.

[KUALA LUMPUR] ► SELF-SERVICE MACHINE: IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE HEADING, YOU'LL PROBABLY GET CONFUSED TO USE THIS IF IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME.

[KUALA LUMPUR] ► FINALLY, THE MONORAIL STATION.

Almost everyone was in rush and they were able to get a token in less than a minute while I'm 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 are 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 cannot 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 do not know who I am. So I'm targeting the monorail station now. 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...

[SOUTH EAST ASIA] ► TRAVEL BLOGSERYE 01

STORIES OF TOWN EXPLORATIONS - BLOGSERYE 01:
"On the Road Outside My Comfort Zone"

| | | EPISODE 04 |

SERIES TEASER: FIRST TIME TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE MY COUNTRY, THESE ARE STORIES OF FACING THE FEAR OF LEAVING A COMFORT ZONE. WILL THIS MAN RELATIVELY AFRAID OF BIG CITIES SURVIVE HIS FIRST DAY IN THE BIG FOREIGN CITY OF KUALA LUMPUR IN MALAYSIA? JOIN ME IN THIS BLOGSERYE AS I SHARE TO YOU MY STORIES OF TOWN EXPLORATIONS.

17 FEBRUARY 2016: KUALA LUMPUR SENTRAL RAIL STATION
THE TRAIN HAS ARRIVED. THIS WOULD BE MY FIRST TRAIN RIDE AS A FOREIGNER.
[KUALA LUMPUR] ► HELLO! WELCOME TO KL SENTRAL RAIL STATION.

► FOOTNOTES, DISCLAIMERS, ACKNOWLEDGMENT, ETC

[1] This post is filed under the category "Train Stations and Railways." This is a category here on my blog where I write my experiences, note down my insights and post photo essays about train stations I've seen or visited then I weave them into travel stories. There is a section below where you can see other related posts from this category. However, this is my first post under this category so the section is still empty as of this writing. Come back soon!

[2] The map I used below is from Wikipedia. Source: 1

[3] All photos are mine. You may not use it without my permission.

[4] The insights, conditions 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 visit KL Sentral. Names of places and properties may also change by time.