KUALA LUMPUR: For several tourists, the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of being able to visit the region has been the best gift this Christmas.
Economist and mother of two, Alina Pintea, 45, from Romania, stopped by Kuala Lumpur on a 15-hour layover while on her way to Australia.
“This is my first trip here as I will be going to Australia to visit my cousin tomorrow (Dec 26).
“I am on a stopover, and initially I was unsure because I didn’t know how it would turn out. But now I am happy to have the chance to visit the city.
“Travelling during Christmastime is a little sad because I am not with my family, especially my kids. Despite that, I told myself I would not miss this opportunity as it is the holidays,” she said, adding that she was wowed by Kuala Lumpur when met at the Petronas Twin Towers on Wednesday (Dec 24).
Pintea said she felt blessed to have time for herself, describing it as the best Christmas wish to come true.
Meanwhile, Oliver Smith, 35, and Freya Smith, 39, from England, visited the city as part of a Christmas tour of the far east, which includes Singapore and Thailand.
Oliver said that they were also taking the opportunity to visit Freya’s sister, who works as a music teacher at an international school here in Kuala Lumpur.
“We are doing a tour, so it is a bit of a different Christmas in this tropical heat.
“We have done quite a lot of sightseeing, like a tour of Chinatown. It was interesting to learn about its history.
“We also stayed at a jungle resort, visited the Merdeka118, and are now at the Petronas Twin Towers. Definitely a bit of a different Christmas day for us,” they said.
When asked about their Christmas wishes, the pair said they hoped for a brighter year in 2026 with loads of good luck and happiness.
Syahla Rana Puteri, 16, from Indonesia, was all smiles during her trip to the city with her family of six.
The high school student from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, arrived two days ago on Tuesday (Dec 23) to spend the holidays here.
“It has been so fun (and) traffic is so clear while travelling. I have not been bothered by the long journeys to all the places (where we will be sightseeing).
‘We have been to a few places and really enjoyed the River of Life.
“In the coming new year, I hope there will be more positive things (in store) for my family,” said Syahla, who will also be travelling outside of Kuala Lumpur.
