The west coast of the Malay Peninsula is the most industrialised and densely populated part of the nation. After the border crossing into Bukit Kayu Hitam, we will take the PLUS Highway southwards to Kuala Lumpur passing through the states of Kedah, Penang, Perak, and Selangor. The scenery will change from Kedah’s paddy fields to behemoth limestone outcrops in Perak to oil palm plantations in Selangor.
Kuala Lumpur is the youngest Southeast Asian capital and the most economically successful after Singapore. It also prides itself for building the tallest structures – the tallest flagpole in Asia flies the national flag in Merdeka Square while the Petronas Twin Towers is a shining architectural design feat – the tallest towers in the world.
The Siberia 2002 Adventure may not be a building feat, but to travel 12,263km (or 80% of a straightened Great Wall of China) with 65 boisterous Malaysians and their formidable 4x4s, come face-to-face with different cultures and sample exotic cuisines, navigate across rough terrain, and endure extreme weather conditions in 37 days is still a feat nevertheless.
