Hahaha, no I am not talking about an unexpected happy ending. But I did have a massage in Kuala Lumpur that turned out to be a huge load of trouble. I sit most of the day in front of a computer and consequently, often develop muscle knots under my shoulders that need to be ironed out via massage. While in Kuala Lumpur I also got a massage, but that turned out to be a big mistake.
I generally prefer a Thai massage over an oil massage. Young women in revealing outfits sitting outside whistling at you? Avoid like the plague! I was in Bukit Bintang, the shopping and entertainment district of Kuala Lumpur and there was this street with massage parlors on both sides. Across the street, were actual massage parlors with older women sitting outside wearing scrubs. These are the massage places you want to visit.
My massage technician was a large older lady and I thought she would be perfect for ironing out my knots. That proved to be the case. She gave me a wonderful massage, working specifically on the knots. I felt great afterward! Next morning, I woke up covered in hives. The rest of my skin was itchy and got progressively worse.
Unfortunately, I was traveling to Tokyo later in the day which made for a very uncomfortable flight and indeed, uncomfortable stay in Tokyo and onward flight to San Francisco. Three days later, the hives had not improved at all. I consulted my doctor and had to go on a regimen of prednisone, which finally took the hives away.
Going forward, I tend to insist on no oil, especially in these cheap places. Massages are a great part of visiting Asia and I look back fondly on all the excellent massages I have enjoyed over the years.
