Solo Travel ... Part 5

 

Now that my bags were finally packed, it was time to fly to Kuala Lumpur.
Since there were no direct flights from Jordan, I booked a one-stop flight with Qatar Airways. I had a 3.5-hour layover in Doha, which I honestly didn’t mind—especially since I never sleep the night before traveling. Maybe it’s excitement, maybe nerves… maybe just me.

The journey was long and exhausting:

• 2.5 hours from Amman to Doha

• 3.5-hour layover at Doha Airport

• Then 7.5 hours to Kuala Lumpur

The food on Qatar Airways was surprisingly good, but the seats were narrow and uncomfortable, and I noticed the movies were outdated, which made the long flight feel even longer.

I landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and it was crowded, even though it was late January—not exactly peak season. But then I remembered… in Malaysia, it’s always the season thanks to the perfect weather.

First thing I did after immigration was try to buy a SIM card. I asked every mobile operator at the airport, but none of them offered eSIM for my phone. Big disappointment.

Next, I headed to book transportation to the city. I chose the airport bus to KL Sentral, which cost 15 RM (around $3.20 USD). There were other options like:

• KLIA Express Train – 55 RM (approx. $11.70 USD)

• Car rental/taxi – prices vary based on your negotiation skills

I stored my luggage under the bus and waited… with no SIM or internet. But fate had my back.

I sat next to the sweetest Indonesian girl—a solo traveler like me—who noticed I didn’t have internet. She offered to help me buy an online eSIM from an Indonesian operator and even paid for it with her card because mine wasn’t working. I paid her back in cash, and we spent the next hour talking on the bus.

She shared travel tips, stories from her trip, and even invited me to hang out with her and her friends that night. I was so touched by her kindness—it reminded me that solo travel is full of unexpected connections.

Once we reached KL Sentral, she helped me with my luggage and even ordered me a Grab taxi (like Uber) to get to my hotel since my internet wasn’t fully working yet.

When I arrived at MoMo’s Hotel, I was tired but hopeful. At check-in, they asked me to pay an extra 60 RM (around $12.70 USD)—something called a “tourism fee” which I didn’t really understand, but I paid it because I just wanted to rest.

Sadly, there was no welcome drink or help with luggage like their website promised, and when I got to my room… it was tiny. Like, no space to even walk tiny. I was honestly disappointed. But I didn’t let it ruin my night.

I took a shower, fixed my eSIM, called my family, and got dressed again.

My new Indonesian friend sent me her location. I used Google Maps to walk to the nearest monorail station—just a 5-minute walk from my hotel.
Google Maps was a lifesaver, giving me step-by-step walking instructions, even showing which station and exit to take.

I bought a monorail ticket for just 1.6 RM (around $0.35 USD). The system was easy to follow, and everything was written in English. Plus, people were kind and helped me figure out how to buy the ticket with cash.

I stopped at Bukit Bintang—KL’s most vibrant area. It was filled with lights, energy, food stalls, music, and life. I was finally here. And I was not alone.

I’ll stop here so this blog doesn’t get too long—but stay tuned for the next part, where I’ll share the first place I visited in Kuala Lumpur, what I ate, and how it felt to finally live the solo traveler dream.