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 journey.

The Start of the Trip and Its Impromptu Nature

My spontaneous trip to Malaysia with a friend during my final summer break of college was filled with joy, even amidst unexpected difficulties. During the trip, Maroon 5’s “Lucky Strike” made us feel even more free, serving as a breather from our exhausting daily lives and leaving a special memory in our hearts.
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 this song. It was the theme song of our trip to Malaysia together. There was no special reason for it; we just happened to hear a Maroon 5 song before we left. But now, whenever I’m overwhelmed and exhausted—like during exam periods—this song flows through my earbuds, reminding me of that joyful trip to Malaysia.
During my final summer break of college, I had been racing forward nonstop for six years. That’s because there were so many things I wanted to do and achieve. Before I knew it, six years had passed without a moment to look back, 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 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 right next to each other and were as close as siblings. Even after the move, we stayed in touch and visited 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 studies, we each became busier and couldn’t meet as frequently. It was this sense of longing that led us to decide on the trip on the spot, despite having only a month to prepare.
Although it was an impulsive 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 trips with college friends had been organized through our club’s international partnerships. Since local friends had guided us during those trips, 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 preparing for the trip were 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 food we wanted to eat. Even if a place was listed as a “must-visit” in a book, we boldly excluded it if it didn’t interest us. Our trip was truly planned “just the way we wanted, exactly as we pleased.”
Thanks to planning with a friend, organizing this overseas trip felt just like preparing for a field trip back in elementary school. This time, even the planning process itself brought me joy. For the past year, planning had felt like something rigid, like studying for exams or writing a thesis, but this time, the process of making fun plans with a friend I like 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, our trip didn’t go smoothly from the very first day.
We had originally planned to spend four days in Malaysia and three days in Singapore.
However, the day we intended 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 after completing “Ramadan,” a month-long fasting period. During this festival, many people travel back to their hometowns, causing highway congestion and making it difficult to secure bus tickets. We only found out about this after arriving at our accommodation. The guesthouse owner had forgotten this crucial detail. Since he had told us beforehand that buses ran frequently and there was no need to book in advance, we had let our guard down.
Although we were flustered by the sudden change of plans, we ultimately decided to give up on the 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 and believe we could still have a great time in Malaysia. Fortunately, the accommodation issue was resolved thanks to the owner’s consideration, and we replanned our seven-day itinerary.
On the first day, we set out to find a café recommended by the guesthouse owner to escape the heat. Walking through 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.
Our next stop 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.” The lyrics had nothing to do with travel, but we liked the upbeat melody. Walking while listening to the music was especially enjoyable.
When we arrived at Lake Garden, the vast lake and green forest spread out before us were breathtakingly beautiful. Seeing foreigners jogging made me feel as if I had stepped into a movie. We rested there for a while, letting the fatigue of the trip melt away. It felt as though that moment was the true beginning of our journey.
What I gained from this trip was more than just a simple respite. 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 then.
My trip to Malaysia was a precious pause in my life.