In this blog post, I’ll share the story of an impromptu trip to Malaysia I took with a friend during my last summer break in college, and how Maroon 5’s “Lucky Strike” came to hold special meaning for us on that trip.
The Start of the Trip and Its Spontaneity
The spontaneous trip to Malaysia I took with a friend during my last summer break of college was filled with joy, even amidst unexpected difficulties. During the trip, Maroon 5’s “Lucky Strike” made us feel even freer; it served as a breather from our exhausting daily lives and remains a special memory.
Maroon 5’s “Lucky Strike”! Whenever we turned onto a quiet road, this song would inevitably start playing. My friend and I walked down the street singing along to it. This song was the theme song of our trip to Malaysia together. There was no particular reason for it—we’d just happened to hear a Maroon 5 song by chance before setting off. But now, whenever I’m overwhelmed and stressed—like during exam periods—this song flows through my earbuds, reminding me of that joyful trip to Malaysia.
During my last summer break in college, I had been racing forward nonstop for six years without a moment’s pause. That’s because there were so many things I wanted to do and achieve. Before I knew it, six years had flown by, and as graduation approached, I was completely exhausted. The pressure and anxiety were weighing me down. That’s when I decided to put everything aside for a while and set off on a trip to Malaysia. This trip was decided on the spur of the moment while I was having a beer and chatting with my oldest friend, A.
“I’m exhausted. Let’s put everything aside for a bit, stop thinking about anything, and just go have some fun!”
Those words marked the beginning of our trip.
A, who traveled with me, was a friend I’d known since elementary school. Until A moved away during high school, we lived in apartments directly above and below each other and were as close as siblings. Even after A moved, we stayed in touch and continued to visit each other’s homes, maintaining a close friendship. In college, we made time to meet often and hang out, but as we advanced through our academic years, we each got busier and couldn’t meet as frequently. It was this sense of longing that led us to decide on the trip without hesitation, despite having only a month to prepare.
Although it was an impromptu decision, we methodically prepared for the trip. While preparing, I couldn’t contain my excitement. The reason was that this trip would be my first visit to Malaysia. Until then, I had traveled abroad with my family through travel agencies, and my overseas trips with college friends had been organized through my club’s international partnerships. Since local friends had acted as our guides, I hadn’t experienced independent travel. Since all my previous trips had been enjoyable, I hadn’t even considered trying independent travel.
But as I prepared for this trip—booking accommodations myself and filling out the itinerary—my anticipation and excitement grew. A said that the fun and excitement felt while planning a trip are just as enjoyable as the trip itself.
We planned our itinerary based on blogs and books, focusing on the places we wanted to visit and the foods we wanted to eat. Even if a place was listed in a book as a “must-see,” we boldly left it out if it didn’t interest us. Our trip was truly planned “on our own terms, exactly as we wanted.”
Thanks to planning with a friend, organizing this overseas trip felt just like preparing for a field trip back in elementary school. Even the planning process itself brought me joy this time. For the past year, “planning” had been something rigid, like studying for exams or writing a thesis, but this time, the process of making fun plans with a friend I love was incredibly happy.
Travel Anecdotes and the Role of Music
After a month of anticipation, we traveled to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, for seven days from August 16 to 22. We had prepared thoroughly, and the weather was sunny—it seemed like it was going to be a perfect trip. However, from the very first day, our trip didn’t go smoothly.
We had originally planned to spend four days in Malaysia and three days in Singapore.
However, the day we were scheduled to travel from Malaysia to Singapore happened to be the final day of “Hari Raya,” Malaysia’s biggest holiday. Hari Raya is a festival celebrated by Malay Muslims to mark the end of “Ramadan,” a roughly one-month-long fasting period. During this festival, many people travel back to their hometowns, causing traffic jams on the highways and making it difficult to secure bus tickets. We didn’t realize this until we arrived at our accommodation. The guesthouse owner had overlooked this crucial detail. Since he had told us beforehand that buses ran frequently and there was no need to make reservations, we had let our guard down.
Although we were flustered by the sudden change of plans, we ultimately decided to give up on our trip to Singapore and stay in Malaysia a little longer. We felt disappointed about having to skip Singapore and were also angry at the guesthouse owner for not providing accurate information, but we didn’t want to start our trip on a sour note. We decided to stay positive, believing we could still have a great time in Malaysia. Fortunately, thanks to the owner’s consideration, our accommodation issue was resolved, and we replanned our seven-day itinerary.
On the first day, to escape the heat, we set out to find a café recommended by the guesthouse owner. Walking along unfamiliar streets relying only on a map wasn’t easy. It took us a full two hours to finally reach our destination. The joy we felt when we spotted the café sign just as we were about to give up was indescribable. We took a breather at the café, having “kaya toast” and coffee for lunch.
Next on our itinerary was Lake Garden. The path there was very quiet, but the sun was still intense. That’s when we put on Maroon 5’s “Lucky Strike.” Although the lyrics had nothing to do with travel, we loved the upbeat melody. Walking while listening to the music was especially enjoyable.
When we arrived at Lake Garden, the vast lake and green forest that spread out before us were absolutely beautiful. Seeing foreigners jogging made me feel as if I’d stepped into a movie. We rested there for a while, shaking off the fatigue of the trip. It felt as though that moment was the true beginning of our journey.
What I gained from this trip was more than just relaxation. It made me reflect on the six years of college when I had pushed myself too hard. And this trip with my friend infused me with new energy. Now that I’m back to my daily routine, whenever I hear “Lucky Strike,” I recall the clear, blue skies of Malaysia’s Lake Garden and reflect on the happiness I felt back then.
My trip to Malaysia was like a precious comma in my life—a moment of respite.
