JETing through Jay-pan: December 21-23: Kuala Lumpur

Our flight to KL left Japan December 21st at 11:00 p.m. I took the day off work to get everything together, and also because I just didn't want to go to work. Mid-way through the day, I was still packing and cleaning, and trying to sort out an issue with my phone that sprang up a few days earlier.

The phone story is actually a sort of fun one, so I think I'll go on a bit of a tangent.

Several days earlier, on Friday, I was at a work party and happened to check my phone. I saw almost 15 messages had been sent, which is kind of unusual. When I looked in my inbox, I saw they were all spam. I put my phone away, and by the time I reached home, had gotten 20 more. The next morning, I woke up to over 100 new messages in my inbox. I tried to change my email address, but couldn't remember my password, so I headed over to the nearby AU (the Japanese equivalent of Verizon) to see if they could help me.

First, I waited over 30 minutes for the girl to finish with the previous customers.
Then, when she did get to me, I said I wanted to change my email, and she told me that maybe it was better to block the addresses that were coming in. I told her they were spam and so they always change their address, and she said she would try to block the domain. Seriously doubting this would work, but wanting to get on my way for a going away party I was already late for, I said I'd give it a try. I didn't realize she would be going through each mail individually for the next 20 minutes in order to block them. The phone is set up so that blocking an email is a process involving several steps, so she had only gotten halfway through the list when finally I stopped her and said I'd finish myself.
Fast forward 3 days later and I had blocked over 150 different addresses and counting. I decided I needed to change my email. I went back to the store and told her (as I expected) the blocking wasn't working. I said I wanted to change my email, but didn't know my password. She called somebody and then told me that I could change my password, but I'd have to come back tomorrow.

I said, "I'll be in another country."
She said, "Well, you can go to another shop maybe."
I said, "Okay, can you tell me where to go?" ::thinking I'd have to go to Sannomiya::
She said, "Yes, there's another store around here."
I said, "Oh really? Where?"
She said, "Go out this door, go straight, and you'll see the sign."
I said, ::blink blink:: "Another one in this building?"
She said, "Yep."
So I went to the other store, changed my password, changed my email, and now I have no spam. James nearly had a cow when I told him that the girl was going to make me take 2 days to change my email when she could have just told me to walk to the other end of the shopping center. ::sigh::

So, on the way home from AU, I meant to go to the ATM, but was distracted by the large To-Do list in my head and didn't remember until I got home. "Meh, I'll just go on the way out," I thought.

It wasn't to be.

I fit everything in my backpack, with plenty of room to spare for the tons of stuff I knew I'd buy, then checked, double checked, and triple checked that I had all the important papers and information, everything turned off and locked, and headed out the door. I got to the train station, and I went into the ATM as usual, put in my card as usual, punched in my PIN as usual, typed in the amount to withdrawal as usual, and then I waited. And waited. The machine sat frozen, holding my card and money hostage. After what felt like an eternity it spit out my bank card, posted some regretful message in Japanese while the little ATM characters on the screen bowed mournfully.

"Oh no."

It seemed that everyone else in the room was having similar issues, so I decided to just wait until I got to Sannomiya and try again at the bank there. However, when I arrived, several men in suits stood at the front doors turning people away.

"Please, no."

Thinking optimistically I thought, maybe it's just the ATMs at the bank. Maybe the convenience store ATMs will work.

Saying a silent prayer, I entered the nearest 7-eleven. Put in my card. My PIN. The amount. Enter. Out came my card and a little note saying, "Sorry. Not happening."

I glanced in my wallet, and tried to figure out how to make a little over $100 last almost 3 weeks. Then I tried not to panic. I had a credit card, which would pay for accommodation and some food, but Asia is largely cash based, so that would get me only so far. I had a check card, which was useless since I couldn't remember my old PIN. I had a Japanese money card that wouldn't work at any foreign banks.

"Crap."

Dinner at my favorite ramen restaurant.

We still had plenty of time before the flight, so we decided to go get dinner and try to relax and hopefully give the ATMs time to get up and running again. James tried calling around to see if anyone knew of any way to get money from a Japanese bank without ATMs, and we tried to figure out back up plans so that I wouldn't have to just sit and twiddle my thumbs to avoid spending any money for the next few weeks. Finally, as a last ditch effort, while I finished my tomato ramen, James ran off to the nearest ATM. I tried not to get my hopes up, but he came back holding the freshly withdrawn bills and my heart skipped a beat, and off I went.

Card. PIN. Amount. Enter. ... Money! Just the way it should be!

We went straight to the bus after that, just catching the bus that got us just on time to the airport. We ran into several other JETs while we waited in the extra-long check-in line. Finally, we were through check-in, through security, through customs, through the gate, and on the plane on our way to Kuala Lumpur.

KL Pavilion Mall

We arrived around 5 a.m. local time, and, since we couldn't check in at the hostel anyway, killed time in the airport by having some coffee and breakfast. I had a really fun experience in the coffee place with a guy who absolutely refused to believe that I wanted a chocolate peppermint latte and not a hot chocolate.

Rough transcript:
"Hello, I'd like a chocolate-"
"Yeah yeah yeah, a hot chocolate."
"No, a chocol-"
"Yes. Hot chocolate."
::point at sign behind him:: "Chocolate pep-"
"Yes. Chocolate."

::Give up::
::Receive hot chocolate::
::Ask for shot of peppermint::
Close enough.

We decided to try the train into the city instead of the bus. It was supposed to be faster, but someone lied. We finally got to the hostel around 7 or 8 (who knows, it's all ridiculously early), and slept on the couch in the common room until we were allowed to check-in. After that little nap, we headed out to KL.

Since we had been there already, we felt very relaxed. We knew exactly where everything was, where we wanted to go, and how to get there. Our first stop was the mall. Forever 21, Aldo, Banana Republic, and Chili's. That day, I somehow convinced James to eat there twice. The second time was supposed to be just for buffalo wings, but once we got there it turned into dinner. Chili's is just that delicious.

I live for Southwestern Spring Rolls.

James was less than excited that I wanted to document everything about our Chili's dining experience.

The most amazing salad I have seen in a very long time.

Seriously. Best salad in the universe.

The love of my life.

It was suggested by some people that we met in Vietnam that I should be sponsored by Chili's, since I literally fly to another country specifically to eat there.

We spent one night there, and got up early the next morning to catch our flight to Bali.