Travelling reminds me of my growing up years. As a child I remember ushering in every New Year in a new destination. Being a tourist and exploring new places gives me a thrill that I somehow always find hard to articulate. Let’s just say it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside with delight! Like every other individual, I too wish to escape the daily grind. Hence, short or long, I love all my holidays!

The stockpile of time being scarce, life today threatens to rob us of those few moments of pleasure we call vacations! But in spite of the mad dash around us occasionally filching an escape even if just for a weekend, I feel, is totally worth it.

There are so many beautiful places to visit, a long list in fact, that an entire lifetime at times seems a period too short. But our dream holidays are often forced to linger on in just our dreams due to the ever increasing travel costs. But all’s not lost! With the exciting air fares on offer from Air Asia for vibrant cities like Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, I could at least manage to strike one of these cities off my list. Yes, these attractive prices tell me that this time around I might just bring in the New Year in a place away from home just as I did when I was a child. But which among the two would it be?

I know! As the Malaysian Tourism tag line goes, Kuala Lumpur is the city I’d visit to experience what they call Truly Asia. I remember the commercials inviting us to explore their land with the catch phrase ‘Malaysia – Truly Asia’. And caught I am! Yes, Kuala Lumpur is what I seek to see and soak in!

Kuala Lumpur, they say and I have read is a symbol of the past coexisting with the present; of traditions coexisting with modernity. On one hand there are temples and mosques rich in history while on the other are the symbols of modernization, sky scrapers and commercial districts. An amalgamation of what was and what is, a perfect destination to experience and capture. Yes, that’s why I wish to visit this city, the sixth most visited city in the world!

And then there are the Petronas Twin Towers which I have read are visible from anywhere in Kuala Lumpur. I want to see that too. Wouldn’t that be just fascinating? Though I have no particular love for heights, for some reason I really wish to stand on its sky bridge, even if for a second and soak in the view.

Another huge draw for Kuala Lumpur for me is the fact that it’s a shopper’s paradise! I am a woman after all. Some of the world’s largest malls are in Kuala Lumpur, now that’s just music to my ears. I want to shop in the stretch from Bukit Bintang to Kuala Lumpur City Centre. With its covered pedestrian walkways and countless branded outlets, this section called the BBKLCC stretch is where I wish to spend hours and hours together, exploring and splurging!

The night life of Kuala Lumpur centered in what is called the Golden Triangle or just admiring the cityscape is all I want to do as I move around leisurely. I wish to capture the architecture of this beautiful city through my lenses too. It’s a kaleidoscope of old colonial influences, Islamic inspirations and modern architecture. Truly worth a visit and draw inspiration from.

And last but not the least how can I forget to sample the cuisine! I have watched enough travel shows to know that Kuala Lumpur is known for its foodie delights. Restaurants, Food courts and road side stalls I’d visit them all.

A weekend’s getaway in my leisure time free, that’s what I wish to see, and that’s why I choose Kuala Lumpur as my travel destination key!