Kuala Lumpur!! Doesn’t that sound exotic. Like Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok….places you hear about, read about, and perhaps dream about. And here we are, in Kuala Lumpur, about to embark on our “Grand Adventure”.
A little bit about our trip….we have become minimalists, not necessarily by choice but rather necessity. Our shipment had to fit into a 4ft wide, 7ft long, 7ft tall wooden box. Within that box our mattress had to fit…advice from expats….”You won’t find a bed long enough for Bob in Malaysia, so bring your bed.” Well, we did and it filled half the allotted space. Next we tried to fit the 10 large plastic bins full of Heidi’s shoes…okay, couldn’t resist, only two bins of shoes, the rest crammed with pots and pans, towels, teaching materials, utensils, pictures, etc. The movers sealed and nailed our container up tight and sent it on its way to Malaysia via a container ship. Fingers crossed that it will arrive.
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- “Vanna” showing off the bins of shoes!!!!
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- All our worldly belongings
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- The 4x7x7 shipment box….massive isn’t it?
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- Crammed full !!!!
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- Us amongst our bags of clothes.
The day before we left, we packed the bulk of our clothes. Five large suitcases, one topping the scales at 70 lbs, and two carry-ons. Great shopping in Kuala Lumpur (fourth largest shopping city in the world) but nothing that will fit us…just don’t make sizes for Westerners, so we brought all our clothes. Waiting at the baggage claim
in the KL airport, Heidi and I were holding our breath hoping and praying all our bags would arrive. And wonder of wonders…they all came in…at least we will have clothes.
The hardest part of leaving was the saying of goodbyes…the emotional aspect was so much harder than packing, selling our cars, getting our finances all in order, etc. Yes, we have Skype, VIBER, e-mail, international calling plan….but they do not substitute for a hug, for a grand kid sleep-over, for being right there for the ups and downs life throws all of us…this has been, and will continue to be, the hardest part of this adventure…nothing else will compare.
Well, off to breakfast, then we will zip over to take a look at our condo…can’t move in until they finish painting and making minor repairs. We need to start our bank account, get new cell phones, and pick up our car. We still are a bit jet-lagged so we will find time to enjoy the hotel pool…and perhaps the pool bar!!!
Will write more when we are not so exhausted….that flight is not for the faint of heart.
Sehingga masa yang akan datang (until next time)
Bob and Heidi
Our Adventures 
Wow! Glad to know you are there safe and sound. Happy to know each and every one of those heavy bags made it . Heidi looks quite relieved, Enjoy the pool and the bar ….. I think you might need it have that long journey. Can’t wait to hear more . Luv to you both,
Nanci and Gregg
We wish we had brought those four bottles of Karma Wine….can’t seem to find any wineries here in downtown KL. You need to let us know what our selection of the month is at the Wine Thief.
We miss you guys.
bob-
Glad to hear your clothes made it… Especially since they don’t have your size. We wouldn’t want Bob looking like Steve Urkel 😊
We kept looking for our first bag on the carousel…bag after bag went by but none were ours…we were getting worried….then the first one rolled off much to our relief. When you think about it, it is rather amazing the bags find their way.
So glad you and all your stuff made it!! We have been thinking if you two this week. We miss our morning greetings from you Bob. 😊 I cannot imagine how hard it was to leave. You two will have many adventures there! What an opportunity.
My prayers are with you both as you settle into your new home.
Mandi Rodstol
At about 9:00 this morning I told Heidi that it was about time to do a “walk-about” to check on the bestest girls! Miss you guys!
What an adventure indeed! Glad to hear your trip was relatively smooth and can’t wait to read more 🙂
We are sooooo exhausted. Today we got phones…an adventure on to itself. We have quickly found that NOTHING here is the same as back home…not necessarily bad…just different. We are both thankful we are very patient. I picked up the keys to our car but was too chicken to drive it…maybe later this week.
Happy to hear you made it. Perhaps Beth and I could visit in a year or two. Hope the hotel bed was long enough for you.
After 23 hours on planes and in airports, we could have slept on a bed of nails. Very thankful for the plush king size bed here in the room. Sure hope you are able to visit….that would be cool.
Two Things – I’m glad you made it safely & Best Wishes on your adventure!!!!
Sue, so good to hear from you…I was missing my “two things” phone calls!!!!!
Bob
I love seeing pictures and hearing how things are going…you don’t feel so far away!!! Love to you both… Hope you can settle in smoothly! Xo
Natalie,
Good to hear from you…it’s 3:30 am and Heidi and I are wide awake….need a few more days before we acclimate to the new time zone. On the agenda today…get bank account and then veg by the pool.
Holy cow…I’m sure that is frustrating!!! Can’t you just drink more by the pool & pass out at the right time!!!? Ha ha… Hope you sleep better tonight!! Sending you both peaceful thoughts! :0) xo
Being so close to the equator, if we did pass out we would wake up looking like two strips of bacon !!!! We actually went to bed yesterday at about 4:00 and slept, and slept, and slept. Feeling refreshed today.
Bob and Heidi, there are tradeoffs for everything. Sometimes, you just have to grab the Bull by its horns (as you did) and hang on. Gonna be fun to see to see how far you go! Love you both. Mom
Judy, I’m afraid I’m going to pass on the crown of Bubble IQ to you….actually, you have always ruled that game! I may not have time to play any of my favorites. Just learned how to say thank you in Malay…terima kasih. And you’re welcome is Sama Sama.
We’ve definitely grabbed the bull by the horn…and we’re hanging in for all we’re worth!
Loved hearing about your journey to KL. Just finished reading both of Tan Twan Eng’s novels as per recommended by you. Loved them. The journey of a new chapter of life has begun and am so excited for you. Breathe deeply and embrace the moment. Will look forward to reading your blog. Happy Day. Jennifer
Glad you loved the books…I learned so much of the history of Malaysia reading them…particularly that WWII period. Let’s keep sharing those titles of good books! We definitely are embracing the moment and learning so much!
Bob
How exciting! Gla you and all your bags made it safely!!! Looking forward to keeping up with your adventure!!
Glad you’re following. We had quite an adventure getting our phones today…will probably write about it soon. Tomorrow we get our bank account…can’t wait to see how different that will be. Everything is a learning experience.
So glad to hear you two made it safe and sound. Now…let the journey begin! Enjoy everything and have fun adjusting to the new time zone! 🙂 Can’t wait to see more pics! Keep em’ coming!
It is 4:00 am in the morning and we have been awake for over an hour….we are failing at adjusting to the new time zone….we currently are significantly below standard on that international travel standard….we will keep working on it. Glad you’re checking our blog. Take care.
If you keep up with such a detailed blog, it will be almost like we are there with you:-) Glad you both made it, along with all of your bags. I can’t wait to see more pictures!
Hello Kim,
I’m sure the blog will taper off as soon as school starts rolling but hoping to share a lot these first few weeks.
Take care…we miss you.
Bob
What a joy it is reading our blog and a comfort knowing you are just a word away. I loved seeing the pictures as well. Please attach to your blogs as much as you can. It is wonderful to feel somewhat a part of your new journey. Enjoy each and every day. It looks very beautiful there. Hugs and hugs to you both. Ang
Hello Angie,
So nice to hear from you…we will definitely keep up on the blog. Going to get a bank account today….everything you learned in the USA is thrown out the window…we have to learn a whole new way of doing things.
Bob-
Bob & Heidi, It seems you have passed the first hurdle of priority packing, shipping and then praying for delivery. When our son did a term in London his box didn’t arrive for 2 months…when it was almost time to ship it back. It taught him a lesson that perhaps he didn’t need all that “stuff” after all. I can’t think of anyone that will be able to “go with the flow” as well as you two! Happy journey! Karen
Hello Karen,
Go with the flow we will be the order of the day. We just got word that our shipment…all our kitchen stuff, all our bedding, our bed, etc, etc. won’t arrive until July 22. We’ll have access to it about a week later…well, so be it. We will work it out. Hope you are enjoying your retirement !!!
bob and heidi-
The adventure has begun. So glad to hear you made it (and all of the suitcases as well). Jet lag will get better day by day. Thanks for sharing all those great pictures. Enjoy all those wonderful new and different things.
Hello Vira,
You are right on the jet-lag…we feel much better today. Went to sleep about 4:00 in the afternoon and slept like a rock until morning….it is off to see some sites today, BATU CAVES here we come. And instead of a cab, we are taking the sky train and commuter bus….are we adventurous or what???
Hope you have a wonderful trip to Germany!!!
Bob and Heidi-
So glad your bags ( and you!) made it there in good shape. You are off to a good start. We leave on our month long road trip tomorrow: it doesn’t sound too exciting compared to your adventure. The pictures are a fun part of your log. Miss you, love you Kathy
Have fun on your month long trip…enjoy your adventure!!!! See you in April !!!!
bob and heidi-
It was such a treat to be at Pangborn to wish you a safe trip! You two have been in my prayers-blessings on you during this fabulous adventure! Love, Ruth
And we loved seeing you! You even made our blog! Hope you enjoyed the time with your mom.
Wishes to you for a wonderful, restful summer
Bob and Heidi-