KL broke into the list of top 10 cities with the most international arrivals in 2012, but it seemed to have no appeal for me. The iconic Twin Towers? Seen enough of skyscrapers in NYC and Chicago. Shopping? Its tough to get me to the neighborhood mall to shop, let alone another country. The casinos at nearby Genting? Never bet a dollar on blackjack or baccarat in my life. It is only when I moved to Singapore did I think that I must visit KL, which was just a few hours' bus ride away. And when I did go earlier this month, I realized there was much more to the place than I anticipated.
I traveled alone as Jyoti was in India. I took the overnight coach to Genting. Border crossings by land have a different feel as compared to taking international flights: most co-passengers tend to be locals who do this frequently, and they change countries with a sense of comfort and familiarity I have when paying for toll at the sea link or changing trains at Dhoby Ghaut.
The bus reached the fog-covered Genting highlands at a nippy 5 am, at least a couple of hours earlier than I had anticipated. However, like money, a casino never sleeps. There was enough activity to make it worthwhile strolling around, watching the curious cast of characters, all believing lady luck will shower her favors on them at the next flip of the slot machine, or the following roll of the dice. The place was old and tacky, and customer service is non-existent: when I asked a guard for directions, he waved his hand randomly, which could have meant straight, right or left. Maybe this was a metaphor for the casino: trust your luck and pick one of the options! I did, however, see the reason for its stupendous success: it had something for everyone. Papa could hit the casino, Mama the shopping arcade, and Kiddo the amusement park, at a price a fraction of what you would pay in neighboring Singapore.
