Auckland to Kuala Lumpur: Cramped and Tired.

Touchdown in Kuala Lumpur after an 11-hour flight from Auckland – just your typical Economy Class ordeal: cramped seats and the endless stretch of time. But then, KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) happened.

Navigating Confusion

Now, I'm no stranger to airports. From Heathrow to Gatwick, LAX to Tokyo and Seoul, I've navigated my fair share. But KLIA? Well, that caught me off guard. Exiting the plane was a breeze – just follow the herd. But once inside the terminal, it was like stepping into a labyrinth of hard floors, glass windows, and a people attempting to find comfort on hard surfaces. And don't even get me started on the lack of signage.

Information Desk Should Help, Right?

Sure, I'm cool with signage being primarily in the native tongue – this is a foreign land to me, after all. But aside from gate numbers, there was zilch to guide lost souls like me. One lonely sign pointed towards an Information Desk, complete with an arrow and a cryptic turn. I followed it, only to be met with a maze of shops and counters. The Info Desk? Nowhere in sight. Turns out, it was lurking to my right – or maybe I just got turned around in the chaos.

Back and Forth

Oh, did I mention KLIA has two terminals? Yours truly ended up at the second and needed to hustle over to KLIA1 for immigration. Cue the mad dash to the bus transfer, squinting at barely-there signs in the process. By the time I spotted the immigration queue, exhaustion hit hard. Forget the hotel in Kuala Lumpur – an airport hotel sounded like paradise at this point. Which surprise surprise was back at the second terminal.

Hotel by the Hour in a Non-Dodgy Way

Enter Sama Sama KL International Hotel, my saving grace. Booking a room by the hour (starting at a minimum of six hours), I opted for the 8-12 hour slot. Yeah, I kissed goodbye to my previous hotel booking, but the thought of battling immigration and hotel hunting in my zombie state? No thanks.

First impressions?

Friendly staff and a room that was surprisingly cozy and clean. And the best part? No airplane symphony lulling me to sleep. The shower was a godsend, trust me – clean undies and a fresh shirt can work wonders for the soul. But let's talk about the bed situation. Firm doesn't even begin to describe it – my spine felt like it was on trial. But hey, it beat sleeping on the floor.

One minor hiccup?

The constant hum like a clothes dryer in the background. Turning off the aircon helped the immediate noise, but it was still there from every other room using their aircon, taunting me through the walls.

Worth It?

But hey, all in all, Sama Sama was a sanctuary amidst the chaos. Refreshed and ready to tackle the next leg of my journey, I bid adieu to KLIA – until next time, that is. 🛏️✈️ #AirportHotelAdventures #SamaSamaSanctuary