Throughout the past month, I've been playing host to many caucasian buddies of mine here in Malaysia.

December felt like a month of not only sharing & introducing Malaysia, my culture, my lifestyle, my food and my people to friends from abroad but also getting more in touch with my own country on a totally different level.

Believe it or not, being a constant tour guide does have its profound impacts on a local. 

I can vouch for that in its entirety. 

But to be honest, being a tour guide/host is not an easy streak as constantly going out and about to never-ending places of interest is more than likely to render me strapped for cash; draining my wallet of its dosh. $$$$$$$

En route to Batu Caves!

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy it regardless – well proven with my 1st Australian guest I hosted last month.

So…. bring on round #4 of bringing foreigners around in a month! 

Batu Caves, the 400 million year old sacred Indian hilltop temple of worship

was one of the touristy destinations I took 'em all to

That 140 feet Lord Muruga statue we have is the tallest statue of its kind in the world! 🙂 *proud*

Currently it's not so pretty as they are re-doing paintworks – hence construction scaffoldings around it.

Birds will flock together in unbelievable amounts! 

I've seen the entire walkway covered with a sea of birds on certain evenings

Oooh tiny boy chasing pengui – – wait, I totally meant pigeons.

Honest mistake there. Unbackspaced for shits and giggles 

Anyway, I've been frequenting Batu Caves so many times in a month that I think I could totally climb up the stairs in under 5 minutes now. It's not exactly that tough, trust me 

300 steps all in all – 272 steps to get up there and another 20ish steps inside the cave.

But seriously, please, what can 300 do to you?

Oh wait…. right. 

*gulp*

Right, so…. the next time I pay a visit to Batu Caves will be to bring le boyfie for the (much dreaded) staircase hike, the Ramayana cave, the Dark Cave tour, the Indian blessings and to simply witness the picturesque sights of KL & the Klang Valley from up above

Only a halfway mark? I kid you not.

What's also wonderful at Batu Caves is the fact that you will see so many tourists/foreigners/expatriates flock from all over the world; curious to know the ongoings within the walls of our sacred cave. 

My Aussieguests Allyce & Lauren attempting the climb!

Armed with their cameras of all sorts, maps and escalated enthusiasm, people of different races and religion come to this limestone hill which bears home to arguably the most popular Hindu shrine in South East Asia. 

Incidentally, I made few new friends up on the steps too

This is Anamika. She hails from India and is in Malaysia for a holiday & to pay her respects to Hindu Lord Murugan

Finally arrived the peak! Batu Caves beckons us

Amazing view of nature from waaaaay up here!

And part of the Klang Valley from the look out spot

inside the main cave of Batu Caves – the Cathedral/Temple cave!

Stalactites and stalagmites come in abundance!

So much more to see inside! Ancient Indian paintings line the walls of this enclosure 

Intricate statues and devotees getting their blessings by the Indian monks as they murmur spiritual incantations and sprinkle by holy water onto them are not to be missed! I watched closely too 

Not gonna show you anymore – you have to see for yourself!

So here's a photo of the staircase as we head back down to the foot of the hill again

David – my Swede buddy and I having a refreshing coconut drink after the climb

Insane amount of pigeons were still around!

Cave visitors and devotees often buy food to offer these pigeons

I shall now award this t-shirt to a specific someone

TO THE PIGEON WHISPERER

Amongst the flock was a rather aggressive – AND HUNGRY – monkey

Who I felt was rather indignant that they get all the food and he doesn't

He took some for himself

Correction : took ALL the food to himself

And the birds soon surrounded him. Hah! You're outnumbered now, lil monkey 😛 😛

It was quite the spectacle, if I do say so myself. A funny sight to see although eventually, more visitors started to bear them more food. That certainly put an end to the food wars LOL!

Batu Caves has never failed to be an experience for me.

Neither will it ever be for anyone – both believers or non-believers! 

Here's to hoping that the paintworks on the Lord Murugan statue will be finished and the scaffoldings will be taken away by the time I bring le boyfie to visit. He arrives Malaysia in 3 days!! *eggcited*

As you fabulous peeps would've already known, I've been in Sydney for the Easter break

Took a million photos throughout the week -as usual,  I hope I won't take forever again to blog the whole thing!

Walked by the Queen Victoria Building early in the morning

Was supposed to wait for my cousins to meet me but couldn't seem to find them anywhere!

So I walked and walked the streets of Sydney… taking in all that this city has to offer.

It was huge and busy for such an early hour! I had to drag meself outta bed to even make my way to the city this morning.

T'was a slightly wet morning, with the pitter-patter of the drizzle from above

I've noticed how certain city centers like Melbourne, Singapore and Sydney has immense volume of pedestrians crossing every other street. Especially when the lights at the zebra crossing turns green, a human stampede will follow thereafter.

Unlike Kuala Lumpur back at home, where everyone pretty much cross the roads anytime they want LOL 😛

The city dwellers scurrying for shelter!

I soon got tired of roaming around aimlessly after taking pictures of random things and talking to random people.

So I retreated back to where I was supposed to meet my couzzies –

At the famous Town Hall steps! (it kinda looks like an ancient temple from this angle LOL)

Apparently, that's the common meeting place for everyone

So I waited for a bit and finally found them!

Couldn't recognize them at first. Bear in mind that I've not seen them in AGES. Like, really… in 16 years!

And they're already in their 30s while I'm still in my 20s. But we clicked instantly

Bernice & Kenneth are my eldest cousins btw (and I'm the youngest!)

They took me to where Uncle Shen and Auntie Julie were waiting for us.

As we walked, I couldn't help but to take more pictures of the sights I saw!

Ohhh lookie! It's the statue of Queen Victoria!

She was the longest serving monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland during the 17th century

Right behind her, I saw a tiny statue of a dog by a fountain.

And that's when I met Ivan. Yes, say hello to Ivan the talking dog.

Make a wish & throw a coin in the well after talking to him

When the couzzies told me that he was a talking dog, I scoffed and took it with a pinch of salt.

So I went right up to him and said, "HELLLLOOO" for no reason

but had a shock of my life when that solitary statue responded to my greeting

Hence, the expression.

So Ivan told me his name, introduced himself to me and

went on about something which I don't quite recall anymore.

What can I say? I was still flabbergasted with what hit me, as I didn't expect it at all.

So yeah, the poor dog went on talking to someone who wasn't exactly listening LOL

Guilty as charged But if you wanna listen to Ivan talk, he can be found along George Street

I soon found out that my uncle and aunt were waiting for us inside Queen Victoria Building.

Grrrr. I walked past that place agazillion times earlier just then; could've just gone inside!

Here I am again!

it was very, very pretty inside… and humongous too!

Lotsa boutiques, novelty shops, deli's and the like 😀 😀

I smell…. shopping!

Haha. No time for that now, for we're about to go sight-seeing immediately after meeting up. It's off to the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, The Rocks, Darling Habour, Chinatown and more!

More of that in the next blog-episode of this Sydney trip.

Oh but before I go, imma leave you with a fairly interesting (but offensive to some)

street art behind a STOP sign in the city.

And no, Christ, your penis won't be able to fit in the nail-hole of your palm unless you're well… diminutive in size.

Not that I would know, but hey, I'm just saying 😛