Klick–Klock Homestay in Melaka

We traveled 148 kilometers southeast of Kuala Lumpur (a two-hour, MYR 24.30, bus ride from the international airport in Kuala Lumpur) to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Melaka City in the state of Melaka (or Malacca). The bus's last stop was Melaka Sentral Station and we had to endure an oven-hot taxi ride (the taxi's air conditioning unit wasn't working and it was boiling inside, but the taxi driver refused to open the windows) to the city center for an agreed price of MYR 20 (no meters in taxis in Melaka).

Since we were in a historic city, our companion decided to book a home in an old pre-world war building. Brilliant. For a hefty price of MYR 400, I hope there are no ghosts there.

We were dropped off in front of a white building with green windows on a quiet one-way street. The door was closed. All windows were shut. Knocking on the windows and calling "Anyone home?" did not summon any person nor ghost. We wondered where the owner was. A few more minutes of wondering and peeking around corners, we saw a sweaty Chang rushing down the one-way street.

Chang, all chatty and apologetic, unlocked the front door and showed us into Klick-Klock. On the ground floor, on one corner, a table with a PC; and by the door, a bicycle. Both (PC and bicycle), we were told, we could use anytime.

On the second floor, on the side facing the street, was the bedroom with one king-sized bed and one queen-sized bed. Just outside the bedroom, the living area; and then the dining area near the stairs. From the bedroom to the dining area, the floor is made of wood. And if I wear one of their red wooden slippers, I could klick-klock around the house and make an infernal noise...but this is a no-no, as advised by the sign hanging by the stairs: Please don't walk like an elephant. I can only wear these wooden slippers on the non-wood-floor part of the house, which is at the other end of the second floor—the very spacious shower area, where I can choose to shower for everyone to see or, when feeling shy, draw the bamboo blinds down.

I am a tightwad and Klick-Klock is in the splurge category, but I am glad—I think everyone in the group was glad—to have splurged. Klick-Klock is neat. Orderly. And just lovely. Made me wish I had a house like this, where I, and not just the ghosts, could klick-klock around in wooden shoes.