The City I used to Live

It was 1.30pm when I arrived at the bus which took me to KL Sentral. The Malay music blared from the speakers. As the bus drove forward, I could see less-congested traffic and bigger road. This is not the city I live. This is the city I used to live.

It was so good to be back in Kuala Lumpur. I missed the weight of 4 mineral bottles I used to carry from the nearest supermarket into the trunk of the taxi. In Jakarta, I have a water dispenser and I do not need to fight all the hassle. But it was in Little India, where I hunted for stuff to buy for my family back home--mostly coffees, and sweets--I felt the joy of carrying hefty groceries which I used to hate so much.

I missed the LRT ride from Bukit Bintang all the way to PWTC, where I used to live. The station looked the same from the last time I was there. Only there is a new mall built in front of my old apartment.

I missed my friends, so we gathered up at Nando's and somehow the peri-peri sauce did not have a proper kick. It could be Jakarta has evolved my palate.

Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. 2 years, I kept comparing them. I kept highlighting and cross-checking their differences, but in this short trip I found so many similarity. The warm. The light. The chaotic urban that welcome me home.

Sometimes, I just have to crossover.