Back to the North.

Perhaps, dear reader, you're wondering why I even set off on such a distant journey. Well, because it's fun, amusing, exciting, and intriguing. At times, circumstances may seem to corner you, but in the end, you always emerge victorious from any situation.

And all of this is generously gifted to you by the Universe, free of charge. You just have to be ready to accept the gifts you'll find everywhere in our shared home called planet Earth. The key to it all is a positive attitude.

With this positive mood, I left my hostel one morning while staying in Johor. My goal was to get as close as possible to Singapore. I didn't have a visa, but I still wanted to take a look, you know? I found the approximate entry point on the internet — the Johor Bahru City Square shopping mall. I approached it. But a busy road separated me from the entrance to Singapore. Seeing my predicament, a kind-hearted young Malaysian gave me a tip on what to do. It turned out, I just needed to cross the road. Simple, right? I just didn’t figure it out on my own. However, the guy wasn’t entirely altruistic — he asked for lunch at the nearby KFC in exchange for his tip. Clearly, he has a knack for business! You won't be bored on your journey.

But as I tried to approach Singapore, another challenge arose — making sure I didn’t accidentally cross the border without noticing. After all, I had no visa, and you know how borders are these days. Luckily, I ran into two Malaysian border guards checking documents. So, Singapore will have to wait until next time.

On a journey, you can get an energizing boost even from a simple conversation at a street restaurant. Thankfully, there were plenty of them near my hostel. At first, I had the idea of diving deeper into Malaysian cuisine. I walked into the first place I came across, but it didn’t impress me for some reason. Luckily, just a few meters away, there was another one. What I liked about it was the menu — I could think ahead about what to order. But as I realized, I’m not much of a gourmet and wasn’t keen on trying unfamiliar dishes. I stuck with something familiar — rice. A traditional Malaysian dish, Nasi Lemak, with a mound of rice, pieces of boiled egg, and cucumber slices. The women working in the kitchen seemed to be watching me. It felt odd to be the center of attention just by being among Malaysians. But by the next day, when I returned, the owner himself greeted me, and I settled the bill with him directly, exchanging words of gratitude. Ordinary events took on an extraordinary and vibrant hue from meeting new people, discovering a new culture, and the joy of pleasant interactions. A truly motivating experience.

During my first days in Johor, I didn’t manage to visit the bustling street food spots in the city center. To be honest, I wasn't used to them. But on the last evening before leaving, I decided to dive in and chose one of the spots located just off the main street, Jalan Wong Ah Fook. It felt unusual — I spent a long time deciding what to order until a woman came to my aid, probably to speed up the process. She happened to be Indonesian. The evening went well; we chatted, and she showed me her photos from Indonesia. I shared a bit about myself too. So, you can always find conversation on your travels, no matter your usual habits from everyday life.

Every big city has its tourist attractions, and Johor Bahru is no exception. I visited Skyscape, a skyscraper with an observation deck offering views of Singapore. It was wonderful — I liked the group I was with (all from East Asia) and Singapore, even from afar. But what left the biggest impression on me was … a virtual reality headset experience. Yes, you heard that right. It was part of their program — a few minutes of roller coaster rides in virtual reality. I never thought that something purely visual could literally knock you off your feet.

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