Shopping in Kuala Lumpa!

My arrival back in KL marked the beginning of a huge shopping spree!

After all my weeks of living a simplistic life, chanting, reading and story writing, I was ready to enter the next stage of my Storytelling career.

While at the farm I had had time to think in depth about how I could make my dream of Storytelling at Festivals become a reality. Stories and Poems were filling up my laptop but somehow I needed to find a way to share these freely, while at the same time making enough money to cover my expenses!

During my thinking time at the Farm I had played various scenarios through my head, fine tuning and changing them as new ideas appeared. 

My plan at present was to buy a 20 foot by 15 foot market stall as soon as I got back to Wales which I would call the Story Hall and decorate accordingly.

Each morning at around 7.30 I would open the Story Hall for Musical Tai Chi. 

As I already did Tai Chi to music most mornings it seemed a nice way to start the day and sharing the experience with others was a bonus.

At 9am I would open up the 'shop' part of the Story Hall and begin to gather an audience in my usual 'Roll Up, Roll Up' way.

Each Story Hour, 11am to 12 and 3pm to 4pm, would be themed to particular stories, Traditional, Eastern, Pirates, Fairies and Flying Things etc and I would dress up accordingly each time. 

Any excuse to dress up is always a good one!

For 2 hours I would encourage people to come and listen to the Stories all the while promoting the theme of the event. 

Then at 11am the 'shop' area would close and I would tell my Stories until 12 noon.

In the afternoon there would be another themed Hour with a new dressing up costume.

The shop area would be my source of income selling items relating to the stories plus things made by myself. 

With this in mind I headed out into Kuala Lumpa!

I am not a great lover of shopping for myself.

I am not fond of the huge crowds and spend ages analysing, do I really need it, is it worth it, am I worth it, until the whole adventure becomes over whelming and I abandon the whole experience,

 BUT

 shopping for a reason other than myself and my whole mind space changes!

Would others like this? Would others think this is worth it, can I make people smile with this, can I help people to be happy with this, makes the whole shopping experience wonderful!

I departed the monorail outside one of the huge shopping malls,

entered through the vast doorway and wandered from shop to shop looking at things I would never normally look at.

Shopping in the big cities really is something else.

Entire fair grounds complete with loop the loop roller-coaster take up four floors of Central's Mall

while TWELVE floors of shops keep people occupied!

I bought myself new flip flops, rode escalators that climbed into the sky. 

I climbed into glass lifts to gaze down onto the tiny people rushing from shop to shop far below and

I had my photo taken next to the Lucky Monkey in readiness for the Chinese New Year. 

(Yes that is a monkey apparently!)

With numerous bags I departed through the massive doorway and got back onto the Monorail!

Next I headed to Little India where once again I explored each and every shop!

I bought bindi's, flower garlands, scarves and hair combs. 

I wrote stories in my head as I shopped linking each item to a story or an idea.

My bags bulged, my arms grew tired until finally, after what must have been my fourth walk through little India I returned to my hotel and tried to pack everything into my back pack!!!

In the morning I thought about returning to Little India for just one more look but luckily my bag was so heavy I just went for a walk along the river until it was time to head to the bus stop to catch my bus back to Singapore.

As I once again headed through the huge shopping mall towards the tiny travel office to book in and to drop off my bags, I walked past a shop filled with the most amazing glittering stock.

I dropped my bag at the entrance and spent an hour plus a further £20 collecting even more wonderful things for my stall!

Shopped to fulfilment I left my many bags at the office and stepped next door for lunch.

The bus wasn't due for another hour and after weeks of amazing healthy food I was in the mood for pizza!

Lunch cost me £2 and included a drink and soup starter,

followed by a mini pizza, wedges and dips!

I treated myself to a second drink and watched the crowds wander past the open aired tables.

Sitting in the middle of the city, sated on pizza and fizzy pop, my bags filled with bling and commercialism I wondered where my simplistic spiritual life of yesterday had gone?

The ability to change from one thing to another is as simple as changing our clothes. 

Sometimes a bit of thought is needed to make a conscious decision about what to wear, other times we just put on clothes without much thought and sometimes we feel forced to wear something we don't like.

At any instant we can change our clothes, buy new ones, throw away worn out ones or store safe on the shelf those we will want to wear again. 

Choice.

Yesterday I wore the clothes of a person content with all she had on a farm.

Today I wore the clothes of a person filled with ambition, 

(while still wearing the underwear of someone filled with doubts!)

I finished the pizza, made sure my clothes were tidy and climbed aboard the bus. 

Next stop Boon Lay, Singapore.

(via imigration and border control!)