Bali

As the plane from Singapore had a 1 hour delay, I reached Bali at around 2000hrs which leaves me a few hours to walk around at night. When I reach Tune Hotels Kuta, I immediately logged on to the internet to tell everyone on Facebook that I am already in Bali. The internet had a bad connection. So I decided to walk around a bit and buy a mobile prepaid sim card. For mobile prepaid sim card, it is recommended to buy “Simpati” telco as the blackberry charges are the cheapest by far which is around RP5000.00 for a day’s usage.

Me and my dearest and beloved Sister sending me off!

The food on board Airasia's QZ from Singapore to Denpasar

The next day, I decided to go for a swim at the well-known Kuta Beach. The sea was so blue and the sand was white. It was like a dream. I spent the whole day swimming. For budget travellers, it is not recommended to at cafes along Kuta Beach as the food is too expensive for Indonesia’s standard. There are small warongs by the side street that sell cheap local fares. Another cheaper option will be fast food and it is really cheap.

The entrance of Kuta Beach

Kuta Beach!

The overrated Kuta Town

As I go around the streets to look for cheap tours, I chanced upon a Yagi Tours. It was one of the small tour stands along Jalan Pantai Kuta. I enquired for Tanah Lot and other historical tours but the guy manning the tour stand says it is not recommended for a single traveller to go on the historic tour as it is really expensive. The price was somewhere between RP400,000-RP500,000 which was really too much for me. He recommended me a water rafting tour which costs only RP300,000 (SGD43.00. It was really cheap for me as water raft tours are pretty expensive elsewhere. The tour included a return air conditioned transfer, approved rafting equipment with international standard, instructions by well-trained professional guide, shower facilities, use of towel with changing room and a scrumptious buffet lunch.

The tour stand right outside Tune Hotel Kuta

The driver picked me up the next day at my hotel to bring me to Mount Agung for my water rafting tour. As we drove by rice terraces and mountains, I couldn’t stop thinking how beautiful Bali was. We reached Mount Agung an hour and a half later after picking other passengers up from their respective hotels. Mount Agung is really cold and I was pretty surprised by the cool weather. Our water raft base is called Lapama Adventure Rafting. We were briefed by the instructor. He told us to keep our important belongings such as money, cameras and mobile phones in a plastic bag as it will be kept secured in the instructor’s dry pack. Other belongings will be kept by the van driver. They assured the security of our belongings which was a sense of relief.

My instructor’s name is Komar. He is a Hindu Balinese. He was the same age as me. My raft consisted of two middle aged Australian Nationals and they were travelling together as a couple. I got on the raft and it was pretty nerve wrecking. The water wasn’t that friendly either. The first few hundred metres was rough and I almost got thrown off the raft. It was fun though. After an hour and a half of rafting, our first stopping point was a beautiful water fall. I couldn’t take my eyes off it.

Wee!!

After our break at the waterfall, we were back on our raft to the next obstacle which is the 6m rapid drop.  6m may not seem high to anyone but it definitely is for any rookies out there especially me.  Our preparation for the rapid fall was very simple. All we had to do was to lie flat on the boat so that our body was horizontal to the 90 degree waterfall. Boy it was scary!

The water raft adventure seemed fast as I had so much fun. We were greeted to a sumptuous buffet after climbing up a series of steep stairs. The buffet was quite simple but it was more than enough to keep me from going hungry. Our restaurant was located at the top of the rice terrace hills. It was so beautiful. Unfortunately, we had to go as the van was waiting for us to bring us back to our hotel. That was the end of it. I’ll be back again. When the van dropped me off at my hotel, I couldn’t go into my room as I had checked out early in the morning.  So I had to wait for a few hours at the lobby for another van to pick me up and bring me to the airport for my evening flight to Bandung. So long Bali!

The Woes of Flying

What?
For as long as I could remember, I have always loved flying. The minute I step into the airport, the check-in process, passing through security and even the immigration. Now, I wished I was taking the bus home instead. Flying regularly also teaches me to have better tolerance. Here are some reasons why.

Check-in Process

Check in time! Don't miss your flight!

I am someone who loves to plan ahead. That says so much about my flights because I always check-7 days in advance which is applicable to some airlines. However when I was in Kuala Lumpur, things started to go really wrong. I left my hotel for the airport about 3 hours before flight time which presumably gives me ample time to sit around at the airport (mobile check-in done). When I reach the airport, all I had to do was to scan a barcode on my mobile phone and the ticket will be printed out.

Next process was the baggage drop off. I joined the queue and noticed the line was not that long. A group of Indonesian travellers were queuing in front of me and they were taking so much time. One had to go back and forth the queue just to get her things and the other was still sorting her check in baggage. Not that it really matters to me but my fight was leaving in about 1 hour and 15mins time. As soon as it was my turn, I spoke to the counter agent nicely telling her that I have a flight that leaves soon. She said nothing but smiled at me. What does it mean? I don’t know.

Immigration

Once again, this happened in Kuala Lumpur. The immigration line was quite alright. The horror begins here. 15 minutes in the line and it wasn’t even moving. Later on I found out the system had some problems which doesn’t allow the officer to “only-God-knows what he’s supposed to do.” Again and again he tried to scan the passport but to no avail. For your information, this wasn’t my passport. I was at the back of the queue. The technical guy came a few minutes later and tried to do repair the system. I wonder why they do not have a back-up system.

At this point of time, I was on the verge of breaking down because my flight leaves in 15 minutes time and the announcement was calling for passengers to board my flight. “Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen, flight AK @#$ bound to Phuket is now ready for boarding. The Elderly, families with young children, passengers seated at row number 1, 12 and 14 are welcome to board the flight first.” I nearly shit in my pants when they started to call my flight number. I was still half way through the queue and it wasn’t even moving. When it was my turn, the immigration officer notice how worried I look and realised my plane was about to leave after seeing my boarding pass.

To the immigration officer, I would love to say this to you, “BUCK UP HONEY OR QUIT YOUR JOB!”

Boarding

Boarding time!

Let’s focus my mind somewhere else besides Kuala Lumpur. Have you even been to an airport where the boarding gates are combined with other flights? This usually happens in small airports. When the announcement is made, passengers will rush to queue like as if their seats will be taken. I hate that. You know when you are there on time, there’s no need to rush as seats are allocated on most Asian budget carriers.  I have seen many people rushing to be the first in the queue and then get rejected for quick boarding simply because they have not purchase the quick boarding process namely Tiger Airways’ “Board me first” and Airasia’s Express Boarding option. I tried once on my flight from Clark, Philippines to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and it worked and for a few minutes I felt like a VIP because I jumped queue when they called my row number. It’s worth the try though. The cheapest quick boarding option will be by Airasia.

Domestic boarding rush at Ngurah Rai, Bali.

Passengers

Ahhhh! Yes, passengers. I have met many kinds of people on board flights. To name a few, here they are:

  • The ones who cannot shut up
  • The ones who speak on top of their voices although their mate is just right beside them
  • The ones who cannot stop fidgeting
  • Infants who cry non-stop
  • Children running up and down the aisle
  • Irresponsible parents

Apart from the categories above, I have never met rude passengers in my entire life until one fine day I was on domestic flight from Hanoi to Da Nang.  A Vietnamese woman seated behind me decided to put her foot on my arm rest. I elbowed her foot and she got a shock and quickly apologised. Oops.

Airline Seats

The horrible seats on Vietnam Airlines B777-200

I was on the most uncomfortable passenger jet ever. It was a Vietnam Airlines Boeing 777-200 jet. I was excited as it was my first time on Boeing 777-200.

I sat down and found the seat with a huge bulge on the lower back. Throughout the flight I sat down in an “erotic” position and that sitting position made me looked like I had huge dose of old men Viagra the night before likewise long-term erection. Forget about the seats since it’s a 1 hour 15 minutes flight. At that point of time, my only wish was to be seated on AirAsia or Jetstar’s plane despite the tiny leg space which at least the seats are more humane.

Flight Attendants

I entered the plane and was greeted by 2 half dead Vietnam Airlines flight attendants. I supposed it’s a cheap airline therefore you get bloody cheap service. I expected a commercial airline to be of better standards than budget airlines but oh well. As I walked down the aisle, none of the flight attendants greeted me. I really don’t expect much but I think basic courtesy is common sense when you work in a service-oriented industry.

I also have another bad experience. This time is with Air Asia. I have always loved Air Asia for giving me the chance to fly without having to spend a bomb on a single flight. I remembered clearly it was a short shuttle flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. The day before I flew from Yangon,  Myanmar. I entered the plane. Two flight attendants stood there with their blank faces. To make sure I was on the right flight, I asked if this plane was bound to Singapore. I had my reasons to ask them. One was because I came across and unhappy message from a disgruntled passenger to Air Asia’s Facebook page saying that he got on the wrong flight despite asking the flight attendants if he was on the right flight. So I did not want to take any chances too. Now back to my story. I entered the plane and asked the flight attendant if this plane was bound to Singapore. She confirmed my inquiry and I said thank you. As I entered the aisle suddenly I overheard some mean words coming out from the flight attendant’s mouth. She said in broken English,” Then where?! Go Thailand ah?!” in a very rude way. I felt like I was being backstabbed because she said that literally behind my back. A person of her calibre shouldn’t even work as a flight attendant. Honey if you are seeing this, I hope you get fired one day.

**Disclaimer: Pictures may or may not represent texts on my blog.

Paad Thai or Burger King

I arrived in Vietnam last week via Bangkok feeling like a lost tourist. When I was in Bangkok just days before, I suffered from food poisoning. Whatever the cause, I was not in the mood to continue my travel. What made me went on was the awesome roommate I had back in the hostel I stayed in Bangkok. She is Blanca from Colombia. She was the one who stopped me from cancelling my plans to Vietnam.

I woke up in the morning with the sound of heavy traffic and incessant car horns (what more can you ask for when you’re in Bangkok) feeling groggy and nausea. My stomach couldn’t stop hurting and I felt like I was pregnant (did I tell you I am guy? LOL ). I went to the toilet and did my business (I had to tell you it was a big one) and I thought the nasty feeling I had in my tummy was gone. It was back again after a few minutes. The pain worsened after I lay down on my bed. I wonder what went wrong.  It was either the Burger King I had in Bangkok or that awful Paad Thai I had in Phuket. I went to the toilet again and this time I vomited whatever I ate the night before. I thought the feeling was gone but I was so wrong yet again. The cycle repeated a few times- lay on the bed, went to the toilet and vomit.

I could not take the pain anymore. I decided to visit the hospital which was just right next to the hostel. I registered myself at Bangkok Christian Hospital. I visited the outpatient clinic. The nurses were so nice and they kept telling me I look like a teenage boy despite the fact that I am already 23. They checked my temperature and blood pressure.  Everything seemed normal. Only my tummy wasn’t. I told them about the pain and the misery I had to go through in the toilet early that morning. After the routine temperature and blood pressure check, the nurse asked me to wait till they call my name. She even hold my arms just in case I collapse. I wished nurses in Singapore would do that.

There was no numbering system at the outpatient clinic. The nurses had to call patients by their names. When it was my turn, I remembered exactly how she sounded when she called my name. “SUUU-TEEEEE-MANN”.  No one responded. I thought it sounded like my father’s name which is Sudirman but there may be locals with such name. The nurse gave up calling that name and she passed it on to another nurse. This time, the other nurse used a microphone with a loud speaker. “SUUUUUUUUUU-TEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-MAAAANNNNN, SINGAPORE!” My heart skipped a beat when she said Singapore. I was kind of embarrassed and people started to look. They were probably wondering why there’s a foreigner in the hospital. Foreigners do get sick too you know. I guess I was the only foreigner in that clinic so I went up and showed my card that was issued earlier and apparently my name is “Suuuteeemaann”. Oh well, I don’t blame them for having a hard time pronouncing my Dad’s name.

The nurse who showed me to my seat at the waiting area brought me to a room which had a doctor. While walking, she hold my arms again to make sure I don’t collapse. How sweet! I sat down and the Doctor greeted me and I did the same. I told him about what I ate the night before and what happened early that morning. He asked me to lie down and he started to press my tummy to see if I felt any pain. Hell yeah it was painful when he pressed it down. He told me that the food I ate wasn’t clean and I thought to myself well I am sure it doesn’t take someone with a doctor’s degree to tell me that. He suggested I take a jab that will probably soothe the pain. Guess what? It did! I was still very weak but at least my tummy didn’t hurt like it did a few hours ago.

After the injection, I laid on on a bed to rest for a while just in case I collapse. The pain was that bad. I have never felt such pain in my entire life. Yeah you guys think I am that weak huh? Anyway, after resting about nearly an hour at the hospital, I decided it is time to go as I had a flight to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.  Before I left I decided to visit the toilet again and this time, it was the end of it. All the impurities in my tummy were gone. I headed to the hospital pharmacy to collect my medicine. I didn’t like the payment part. I was so worried about the high medical fees. It turned out to be around SGD100.00 which was definitely very high for me as I have never paid such amount for my medicine back home in Singapore.

When I came back to my hostel, I emailed my sister about my ordeal. I also asked her to transfer me money as I was running short of it. I love my sister so much.

My Love Hate Relationship with Vietnam

China Beach

It was my first time in Vietnam and as of writing I am now in Danang which is located in the central of this beautiful country. Danang, Vietnam is a coastal city facing the South China Sea.  When I first reached Saigon from Bangkok, I wasn’t prepared. I thought Vietnamese are a friendly bunch but I was wrong.

The Airport Taxi

My first contact with a Vietnamese was the guy manning the airport taxi counter. The counter has a sign “USD7.00” for a ride to town. I paid him USD7 but he asked for a dollar extra for the toll fee. Fair enough I paid him the extra dollar. When I got in the taxi, the taxi driver asked me money to pay the toll. I was so pissed I told him in English that I have already paid the toll fee. He couldn’t understand a word of English or maybe he pretended not to understand. I gave him VND50,000 as I didn’t have small change. The toll fee was VND10,000. He gave me back only VND20,000 and I asked him for another VND20,000.

I didn’t know what the problem was but he kept asking for more money despite the fact he has not given me the correct change. It was a major confusion but I think I ended up giving more money because I wasn’t proficient in reading too many zeroes on a single note. I was really mad as Vietnam currency has simply too many zeroes. I thought Indonesia’s currency was worse. I really got sour over the incident but this was the first I of the many incidents yet to come.

Vietnam Airlines

Ho Chi Minh City was a one day stopover and you guys are probably wondering why I have so many stopovers. The next day I took a taxi and headed down to the airport’s domestic terminal. I was very excited about my first experience with Vietnam Airlines. I expected a commercial carrier such as Vietnam Airlines to be top notch but the service is worse than Jetstar or any other budget carriers.

I entered the plane and none of the flight attendants smiled. They looked like they didn’t want to work and it seemed to them the passengers are a big nuisance. Their uniforms are nice though. The only thing that I have to praise about is the leg space. Beats other budget carriers. As soon as we reached a certain altitude, it was meal service. I was really excited. When the trolley came near to my row of seats, my excitement level just went downhill. The flight attendant handed me a meal box consisting of a chicken ham bun, a packet of mixed nuts and sweet sago pearl dessert. They were probably cutting on cost but the meal box was something I did not expect out of a commercial carrier. It was a 2 hour flight mind you. I finish my meal and was waiting for another round of juice refill but it didn’t come and the flight attendants did not even collect my rubbish.

Vietnam Airlines Boeing 777-200

The Crazy Hanoi Bitch

I reached Hanoi in the afternoon and did made an arrangement a week before with the travel agent who booked my Sapa Trip with to pick me up at the airport. As soon as I reached their office, I settled down for a while and decided to walk around the city while waiting for my night train to Sapa.

I walked out of the alley and found Hanoi’s Old Quarter to be really charming. I crossed the road and happened to see a monument. I don’t know what it was but it was a big statue of a man and woman. Just as I was snapping some photos, someone tapped me and greeted me with a hello. It was a 25 year old lady who claimed that she was a student helping disable kids. She showed me some documents and a student pass which probably is not legitimate. She said it does not take a lot of money to donate but who was she kidding me? How much is not much money? I told her I didn’t want to donate to her as I don’t feel comfortable doing that.

Here was what she did. I said no to her and she screamed at my face and hell yeah my balls shrank. She stormed off like a senile old women and babble something in Vietnamese. I thought it was going to be a “Thank you I hope to see you again” kind of ending like the ones in Singapore but for screaming at me for not donating, she deserves a “Crazy Hanoi Bitch Badge with First Class Honours”

Right after taking this photo, the crazy bitch tapped my shoulder.

The F**king Screwed Up Travel Agent

I am not waiting to get sued but I deserve to say this loud and clear. The travel agent whom I dealt with about a year ago seemed nice and genuine and they are located in Hanoi. I put my bags down and walked around the Old Quarter. They even let me use their shower as to get ready for my night train to Sapa. After the long 9 hour train journey from Hanoi to Lao Cai which is the base city for the mountain in Sapa, a representative picked me up and I took a van to Sapa. The van driver dropped other passengers off. When it was my turn, it seemed that the driver dropped me off the wrong hotel. The name of my hotel was Green Valley Hotel but I ended up at Sapa Global Hotel. I asked the staff from Sapa Global Hotel about the location of my hotel and he said it is a 10 minute walk. It wasn’t just any 10 minute but it was going up and down hills and it was really bad with my bag which weighed nearly 20kg.

I reached the hotel and checked in but my booking was nowhere to be found. I booked a dorm bed through www.hostelbookers.com about 6 months ago. I also emailed them about my confirmation. Apparently the dorm beds were full and I had to pay extra for a private room which wasn’t really pricey but I could do so much with that money.

I emailed the travel agency about my ordeal. I asked them for a partial refund because it is obviously their fault for the lack of information. They didn’t mention anything about the refund. They only offered me a stupid Vietnamese Noodle Soup for breakfast when I get back to Hanoi. Do you know that the guy (travel agency staff) who picked me up at the train station in Hanoi screamed at my face for not understanding him? I guessed that’s how Northern Vietnamese people talk. Shouting and screaming is really normal to them.

That's me in Sapa, Vietnam

The Family Train Cabin

Before I go on, I would like to clarify that I have nothing against locals in Vietnam (apart from the unfriendly Northern Vietnamese). I booked a return night train on ET Pumpkin cabin with the screwed up travel agency. The train going back to Hanoi was overbooked but it wasn’t a huge problem for me because I paid full for it. When I got on the train, I thought I was the only one in the cabin that was meant for 4 people. A few minutes later, a Vietnamese Family arrived by huge numbers. The man of the family started to light up his cigarette but I told him not to smoke in the cabin because smoking was not allowed.

The cabin that was meant for 4 people ended up with 12 people. The wife of the family asked if she could place her children on my bed and I said no. I paid full for it and I think I paid more than what the locals pay. Not that I don’t want to share but it’s my entitlement to say no. What’s worse is that her kids cannot shut up when I tried to sleep. One of her kids cried in the middle of the night. Even so, we had a great time talking to each other. It was the only chance to mix with locals.

Night Train to Sapa

Vietnam Airlines (YET AGAIN)

I took a domestic flight from Hanoi to Danang with Vietnam Airlines. The experience I had with them was enough to understand why many of their flight attendants are not proud of their job. I mentioned earlier that their leg space is good given their cheap price. This time, the leg space is still good but their seats are like hell. I almost got a back ache but thank God it was a 1hr 15mins flight. The seat had a huge bulge on the lower back and it couldn’t be adjusted. For nearly one and half hours I was sitting like I had a long term erection. It was a Boeing 777-200 by the way.

One woman around her 40s seated behind me put her legs on my arm rest and I used my elbow to hit her foot. I turned to her and raised my voice at her. She apologised but I feel that putting your foot your on someone else’s arm rest is fucking rude.

Danang Oh Danang

I reached Danang and I tried to get on the “reliable” taxi company called Mailinh Taxi Service. None of them wanted to take me to town. One even had to shout at me for God knows what reason even thought I spoke nicely. Now I understand why shouting is part of being a Vietnamese. They are the least gracious people I have met in the entire Southeast Asia.

I got on an unknown taxi and we agreed on USD7 to town. I asked him to bring me to the hotel on Lonely Planet’s listing. The driver brought me there and the hotel was nowhere to be found. I was short of money and I don’t know if the money I had could last long. When I asked him to bring me to China Beach which has a cheap guest house, he asked me for another USD8 which is really expensive for cheap country like Vietnam. I tried to bargain a lower price but he still insisted on USD8. I paid USD15 altogether which I believed could be a lot cheaper. Fuck the taxi driver seriously.

Don’t Gimme That Look Ok?

Even till the last minute in Vietnam as when I was about to leave for Bangkok, the people try their best to squeeze every single dollar out of me. I wanted a cheap ride to the Ho Chi Minh Airport so I decided to take a motorbike taxi which is only USD3 in contrast to the expensive taxi which cost around USD8.

I enjoyed taking the motorbike. It was truly an experience which I will never forget. The traffic was heavy with thousands of motorbikes thronging the roads Ho Chi Minh. As we reached the airport, the motorbike driver drove into the wrong lane. The security guard shouted at him to stop but he still went in. We stopped somewhere which was only meant for cars. Seconds later, the security guard who shouted at him came over and reprimanded him. The guard confiscated his keys and I was really shocked.  Later on he gave me a sympathetic face which I believed.

I didn’t have small change so I decided to give VND200,000 which was around USD10.00. He did not even give me back the change and he went off pushing his motorbike. I guessed money that he took from me was meant to pay the guard to get his keys back. Fuck him seriously. It was more than the cost of a taxi to the airport. I told myself to forget about it because the people there are just vicious cheats. USD10 won’t bring my morale down.

Overall Experience

I am not saying the whole Vietnam population are made up of cheats. Vietnam is a place where it is too beautiful to miss. The experience I had in Vietnam has led me into thinking that the people are not honest and they are definitely exploiting tourism. All of these nearly brought me into a huge meltdown as I told myself I have had enough of dealing with dishonest people. When will you people change? This experience too has taught me to deal with different kind of people and surprisingly I was able to keep cool despite the meltdown.

Muzium Kastam Malaysia @ Malacca (Malaysian Custom Museum)

I got off the Melaka Heritage Cruise and found the Muzium Kastam Malaysia just right across the jetty. It looks like a police station from outside. The museum contains pieces of the past when the custom first started out.

From old uniforms to  to illegal contrabands. The museum entrance is free! Muzium Kastam is located right beside the famous pirate ship of MalaccaThe pictures below are the few articles that caught my attention.

Muzium Kastam Malaysia

Opening Hours

An old bicycle.

Clock

Salaries and Pension Record Book

Staff Salaries Record Book

An old typewriter

Warrant Cards

Good declaration form

Enche Lim Yun Su

States and Settlement

Customs Tariff

Timeline of uniforms

Another timeline

An old safe

Weighing Scale

Boats along Sungai Melaka

An old cash register

Custom Staff in Penang

—————————————————————————————————

CONFISCATED ITEMS FROM THE PAST

Keris

Guns (I have no idea what model this is)


Old School blue films

Chinese Fire Crackers

Booze with looooong neck

Animal fur

Confiscated motorcycle

More confiscated motorcycles!

Simple way of testing the amount of alcohol per bottle

Ranks after ranks..

The KTM Train Experience

This is a continuation from my Malacca / Melaka trip. Everyone has been talking about the KTM train. A few days before I left for Malacca, I booked a Superior Night Class (ADNS) train for only a mere RM40.00 or SGD16.00 for a bed in the upper berth. Lower berth cabin is RM46.00. My route is from KL Sentral to home sweet home, Singapore.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad or famously known as KTM has been around since the British colonial era. The stopping point for Singapore is Tanjong Pagar railway station. Do not get confused with Tanjong Pagar MRT station. The Tanjong Pagar railway station will be discontinued after 30th June. Sad but I guess we all have to move on.

The station that will replace Tanjong Pagar will be Woodlands Checkpoint which is just a 7 minute bus ride from my home. I feel that Singapore is moving forward too fast that history has been forgotten somehow. The Tanjong Pagar railway station will be made into a museum. Not that it really matters but Tanjong Pagar station should still be made the main station and the 999 year leased acquired by Malaysia should be scrapped as Tanjong Pagar Railway station is sitting on Singapore’s soil.

I checked out of Ringo’s guest house at 11.30am, left my bags in the living room and continued my walk to explore the beautiful historic city of Malacca. Done with my walk at 2.30pm and I bid goodbye to everyone in the hostel. Instead of  taking the Town bus no.17 from Stadthuys (Red Square), I walked to other side of town to take a bus back to Malacca Sentral. From Ringo, I walked 5 minutes to Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka  city campus where the bus stop is located. All domestic buses that stop here goes to Malacca Sentral. Bus fare is only RM1.00 .

From Malacca Sentral, I boarded the intercity Transnasional bus to Kuala Lumpur. Bus fare from Malacca Sentral to Kuala Lumpur’s Terminal Bersepadu Bandar Tasik Selatan is RM12.50. Bus was pretty comfy as mine was a single seat.

The waiting area at Malacca Sentral

In the bus to KL

The journey was supposed to be 2 hours but the bus driver made an unscheduled stop at a weird looking gas station and probably took a leak or something which was pretty long.When I reached Terminal Bersepadu Bandar Tasik Selatan in Kuala Lumpur, I was really impressed.

It was huge,clean and it looks like an airport.

The bus bay Terminal Bersepadu Bandar Tasik Selatan, Kuala Lumpur

The arrival hall

The arrival hall

Upon reaching, I made my way down to Pusat Bandar Damansara to meet Caroline for dinner. Caroline from Washington D.C was my hostel mate back in Ringo’s in Malacca. She works in a NGO company based in Kuala Lumpur which handles domestic cases related to women in Malaysia. Caroline left the day before and we agreed to meet up when I come to Kuala Lumpur.

Here I am with Caroline and her former schoolmates. After dinner, I made my way down to KL Sentral where I boarded the KTM train. I was really excited about this.

As you read ahead this is going to be slightly embarrassing. Why? Read ahead honey-kins.

Caroline and her friends. The 2 waiters with their few seconds of fame.

The restaurant Kitty

KL Sentral is somewhat very familiar to me. Having passed through KL Sentral quite a number of times to catch the Airport train to KLIA and LCCT, I was pretty sure I knew everything about this place. First counter I approached was the KTM Commuter counter. KTM Commuter is a subsidiary for short haul train rides. I asked the sweet looking lady manning the counter,“Hi, can I check in for my train ride back to Singapore?” She answered,“Oh, we don’t do check in for long haul trips. You have to go to the KTM intercity counter.” I asked her where it is and this was what she replied,” Oh, ermm..I have no idea where it is.” She gave me a smirk. Excuse me? You people work in the same company yet you don’t know where the counter is? But I didn’t tell her that of course.

So I made an attempt to find it myself. KL Sentral isn’t that big but finding the KTM intercity counter proved to be a challenge or rather I was bad with directions.

Next, I approached a KTM staff manning the train platform. Oh guess what, he said the counter is located right in the bookstore. I thought he was joking but he wasn’t. So I went to the bookstore and asked the shopkeeper and he laughed at me but I wasn’t laughing at all. I was getting frustrated. One employee doesn’t know the where the counter is and the other mocked me into saying the ticket counter is in the bookstore.

Whatever the case was, I managed to find the counter. It was just beside the entrance and don’t blame me for being bad with directions. It has no prominent signs!

Entrance of KL Sentral

I am so sorry that my hands were shaky

The soft copy of my train ticket



The KTM Intercity ticket counter


When I booked the KTM train ticket I did not print out the e-ticket as my printer ran out of ink. So I tried my luck if I could just give them my reference ID. Fortunately I was able to that. My ticket was really simple. It was a receipt.


Reminded me of Air Asia. If you have printed out your train ticket back home, just head straight to the platform.


The train ticket


11.00pm and it was time to board the train! I have been waiting for this moment! Woohoo!


Gate B was where I boarded the train


The train car


Not bad for RM40.00 right?


That's me on the upper berth!


You know, trying to climb to the upper berth was slightly a task. It took me 2 attempts to try to get climb up. I am not unfit ok! Other people had problems too. =p


Let me introduce you to Pakcik Albert the ticket attendant! I got permission from him to take a photo.


Pakcik Albert, the Ticket Attendant.


My two lovers.


The cabin aisle


Yet again..the aisle.


While everyone was asleep except for the lady with the legs sticking out, I walked around and guess who I saw,


FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, not.


Train attendants to be exact. They aren’t your typical, surly, moody and rude Low cost or  Western plane flight attendants. They are young, probably my age and they are really kind. Unless you get on their nerves, maybe.


Pekan and Habibah. No that's NOT their real name.


The dry chicken burger for only RM3.50


Toilets are pretty up to par


Bumped into Pekan and Habibah again.


The night light. Ok well good night!


The view from my window


I reached Johor Bahru (JB Sentral) at 6.00am and had my passport checked by the Malaysian immigration. Our stop at JB Sentral was about 1/2 an hour. The train made its way to Singapore immigration at Woodlands. Everyone had to stop and embark.


As for me, I stopped at Woodlands instead of Tanjong Pagar because I live in Woodlands. I was too tired to embark at Tanjong Pagar railways station. If I had stopped at Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, it would be something like this.


Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, Singapore (Credits to malayarailway.com)


The overall experience was good. I watched some movies on my laptop and even managed to catch some sleep. It was 3 hours of sleep. Pretty good for a bumpy ride huh?


Lastly, here are some tips you should follow. We all know that Tanjong Pagar Railway station will not be in service by 30th June. Ticket price for trains departing from Singapore is more than twice the price as compared to Malaysia.


 When you book on www.ktmb.com.my , be sure to select “JB Sentral” instead of “Woodlands ICQ” (Singapore). Price for Singapore to KL Sentral is SGD40.00 for a sleeper cabin while JB Sentral to KL Sentral is RM.39.00 . So you see the difference?

Price Bucket:


Domestic Bus (Malacca city centre to Melaka Sentral): RM1.00


Train (Senandung Sutera) : RM40.00


Bus (Malacca to KL / Transnasional) : RM12.50


A great excuse to take a bus from Malacca to KL to catch the night train back to Singapore JUST  to blog about the experience : PRICELESS

					

	
	


					
						


	

					

							

							
Malacca / Melaka Part 1

			


		

				
I set off for this last minute solo trip at 6 am and made my way to Larkin Bus Terminal in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. For Singaporeans who don’t want to waste money, I strongly recommend you to take a bus from Johor Bahru to other parts of  Malaysia instead of departing from Singapore as buses there are half the price as compared to Singapore. I live in Woodlands which is a border town of Singapore facing Johor Bahru in Malaysia so that makes it even more convenient for me.


Making my way down to Larkin was such a breeze. All I did was to take the feeder bus from my estate to Woodlands Checkpoint. After passport formalities through the Singapore Immigration, take the SBS bus number 170 to Larkin. Before reaching Larkin, all buses will have to stop at the Malaysian Immigration for another passport formality and off you are to Larkin bus terminal. Remember to take bus 170 again. From Malaysian Immigration in Johor Bahru to Larkin bus terminal is about 15 minutes away.


Larkin bus terminal was pretty much in the same condition as before. The last time  I was there it was more than 10 years ago. Well, I don’t really need to explain much. As soon as bus number 170 dropped me off at the bus terminal, I was searching for the best bus company in terms of comfort and other factors. Although it Malacca is only 3 hours away from Johor Bahru, I still need a bit of comfort. Not that I am picky because this isn’t Myanmar. I approached a bus counter which bears the name “Maju” and asked the agent about the price. The prices are all fixed and non-negotiable. Bus tickets from Johor Bahru to Malacca is only RM19.10 in contrast to SGD30.00 if you depart from Singapore.


Maju Bus Counter


Got my tickets and off I am to search for breakfast. I chanced into this little Indian joint and had the cheapest Thosai I have ever paid for. It was only RM1.50 .


Thosai


After the Thosai breakfast I walked around Larkin bus terminal and then I happen to see Maju Waiting Lounge. I did not even know they had a waiting lounge so I asked the nice counter lady if I could enter with my bus ticket and there I was seating in the lounge like VIP. For your information, you can also buy your bus ticket at this lounge.


Maju Waiting Lounge


Maju Bus Waiting Lounge


While waiting for the bus, I chatted with a lady seated at this lounge too. It was only the both of us in the lounge. The local lady was headed to Mersing which is the starting point for Pulau Tioman.




Inside the bus. Pretty spacious. Mine was the single seat.


So yeah. I set off at 9.30am and reached Malacca Sentral at 12.20pm and headed for the intercity bus terminal which is also in the same building. If you really really want to save money on transport, take Town Bus no.17 which will stop directly in front of Stadthuys or locally known as the Red Square. Bus fare is RM1.00 to town. Otherwise, taxis to town will cost RM15.00 depending on your bargaining skills.


Town Bus No. 17


Stadthuys


The week before, I booked a hostel called Ringo’s Foyer Guest House. I had a hard time finding this place that it took me nearly an hour and a half to walk from Jonker Street. So this is the part where I got really really confused. I crossed over from Stadthuys to the famous Jonket Street and asked locals where is Jalan Portugis and some said,”Oh the Portuguese Settlement is about a 1/2 an hour drive from here.” I was like,”You have to be kidding me right?!” Just to let you guys know, Jalan Portugis and The Portuguese Settlement are two different places. Fret not. I found the place after walking 3 rounds in the historic district and here we are, Ringo’s Foyer Guest House!


Ringo's Foyer Guest House


I know what you guys are thinking. Things like ‘Are you kidding me?’ and ‘Freaking NO WAY!’ are a few sentences that is probably in stuck your head. The exterior may not be impressive but the on the inside is full charm and character and the people in there are really awesome. Here is why. When I first came in, Jordan, a 19 year-old British guy greeted me. He stayed at Ringo’s for quite a number of days. He said that the owner, Howard was out sending off a guest. So me and Jordan chatted all the way through till a group of Malaysian girls came in. They are Huilyn and her sister Huixian and Shengli. They are on a weekend break from the capital. Like Jordan, they too stayed at Ringo’s for quite a number of days. Another friend I made was Sarah from Ireland. We all got along really well and at last, Howard the owner came in. So Howard asked Sarah to show me around and brought me to my room which I shared with her and other mates from Canada and Scotland.


Me, Shengli, Huilyn and Sarah


After settling down, I went straight to Jonker Street again to explore the historic district. What I love about Malacca is that it is so full of history and the old buildings and shop houses which dated back to nearly 200 years ago are still there. The smell of pineapple tarts and the aroma of chicken rice ball is oh so good. Ahh yes chicken rice ball. I did not really have a good experience when I first tried the famous chicken rice ball. It was at this restaurant called Famosa Chicken Rice Ball where their rice ball really suck. It tasted more like “ketupat basi” which directly translates to “stale rice cakes”. The chilli was good enough to compensate the horribly-tasted rice balls.


Delicious Pineapple Tarts!


Jonker Walk


An old shop house along Jonker Street


Do me a favour. Don't try this ok?


The interior of Famosa Chicken Rice Ball Restaurant


After lunch at Famosa Restaurant, I headed down to the tourism office for some brochures. While walking towards the office, I crossed the bridge over the river and saw some nice looking boats. So I asked the lady at the tourism office where can I ride the boat and she said it was just 50m away from the office. The boat ticket cost only RM10 for a 45 minute ride around the Melaka River. The boat passed by many old shop houses and historic sites.


The boat ticket. RM10.00


The Heritage Boat that I almost fell asleep on


Random Angmoh on the boat










For Part 2 I will show bits and pieces of the Malaccan History. Continue reading.

			

	
	


					
						


	

					

							

							
The Little Girl Who Vanished

			


		

				
Things in Siem Reap, Cambodia  seemed to have happened to me miraculously. I became a different person the moment I left the country. I was more tolerant to people’s bad behaviour, more patient and maybe have a saint-like mind. Ok well for the last point made, that was slightly exaggerated with a tinge of sarcasm.


I was walking along the street of the famous Old Market. The weather was really hot but for me, coming from a country where the equator is less than 500km away I got used to it. The Old Market is a unique place to be in. I actually walked 3 rounds and never got sick of it. The French colonial shop houses were vastly prominent. It was laid back. Locals were smiling at me. Not that I looked funny though.  I bought a hat which is now collecting dust at home and few other souvenirs. I also bought some books which are not fakes but rather it was an illegal reproduction (I am so sorry Lonely Planet. Guilty as charged!) They come in really cheap. Varieties start from USD2.00 – USD6.00. I got really thirsty and decided to drop by a sundry store to buy a bottle of mineral water.


Strolling along the streets feeling relaxed with a bottle of mineral water in my hand, I felt something tapping on my waist repeatedly. It turned out to be an innocent little girl probably 4 years old. She looked dirty and wore a loose t-shirt and shorts with many holes and brown stains. Her skin was tanned due to the unforgiving sun. She was thin and malnourished. I looked at her with an “Ermm yes?” kind of expression as I do not know how I should even react. She desperately pointed with her tiny index finger to the bottle of mineral water in my hand. I knew what she wanted. She was thirsty. I gave my bottle to her with half the content and she took it and walked away in the opposite direction.


That particular moment when I handed her the bottle of water, I was in a total daze. It felt like a pre hypnotism moment. At the same time, my heart was pounding heavily. Moments later, I turned around to see the girl walk away but I couldn’t see her. I asked the nearby shopkeeper where did the little girl go to and the shopkeeper answered. “What little girl?” I was stunned. The shopkeeper gave me a strange look. It was a long stretch of road. How could she have possibly walked or ran that fast? Where did the she go to? Why did I even have such reaction? What caused my reaction? How was this “hypnotised” feeling even applicable to the modern world? I only see people get hypnotised on TV shows. Did she vanish into thin air or perhaps to the nearby shops to seek refuge of some sort? I am pretty sure shop owners wouldn’t want her loitering around in their shops.


Just in case if you guys don’t know there are such scam cases where people use hypnotism to influence your mind in a spiritual way. This usually happens in Southeast Asia. Basically it is like a mind game. They hypnotise you to the point where your mind will be in a vulnerable state and you will follow what they say. The next thing you know, POOF! Your money will be gone even without you realising it. I know I am getting slightly off topic over here.


Anyway, I am not saying that the little girl did use some black magic to get me hypnotised. My belongings and money were still intact. What I am really curious about is who was that thirsty little girl? Why did she disappear just like that? Was she some kind of an angel sent by God? Was this a sign to wake me up and see the painful reality of life? I keep asking myself questions which I am unable to answer it myself, even till now. I could have done more. I could have bought her a big bottle of clean and drinkable water and food. I regretted not doing that.


Lastly, to anyone who is reading this. Poor and hungry children are on the rise. If you see one, make a point to buy something for them which represents life that is drinkable water. Drinkable water is hard to get. Donations are good if it’s through a legal charity or an organisation as contributions will be given fairly in whatever ways such as opportunities to get a place in school and job placements for newly graduates. Money given to children off the streets at your own freewill will only promote laziness and complacency as some children might think begging is a better way of life than having a job. Empower these children. They are the future leaders of the world.

			

	
	


					
						


	

					

							

							
Coca Cola Cambodia

			


		

				
This was based on a true experience I had in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I was having lunch in a locally owned Café at the Old Market. Just as I was having a second serving of food, a western tourist couple and a group of local kids dressed in torn and tattered clothes came in. The owner’s wife of the café took orders. I overheard the couple was ordering food for the kids. I was surprised and touched by their acts of kindness. After ordering food for the kids, the couple left. The kids sat down happily and they chit chatted.


Moments later, their food arrived and something was definitely missing. They had food and glass of ice each but there wasn’t a single drop of water in it. So I decided to ask the owner’s wife why they didn’t have drinks. I got shocked when she said, “Oh, the Western couple did not buy drinks and I can only provide a glass of ice for each of them. Don’t worry, the ice will melt in this weather.” I sat there and was not impressed by her answer but to blame her or the western couple was simply naïve. Nothing in this world comes for free. In such a poor country, a meagre amount may mean much to the people. I decided to take the courage and ask the kids the drinks they want. They were reluctant at first but I told them it was on me. I suggested a fruit shake but they wanted coke. I was more than happy to pay for them.


When the cans of coke arrived, the kids lined up at my table to thank me. Clearly, I wasn’t expecting a huge “thank you” with a bow. I was overwhelmed. I have never felt this way my entire life. I was so touched. I never thought a few cans of coke would make these kids so happy. I wanted to cry but I had to hold back my tears. For once, I felt appreciated. When I spoke, they immediately know where I came from.  They recognized my Singapore English accent. The oldest of the kids was a 15 year old girl. She was so skinny that she looked more like a 10 year old. She told me about herself. One of the kids was her 11 year old brother. What saddened me was he looked like a 7 year old. Both their parents died long ago. I never asked why as I didn’t want to offend them. I told them about me and how sad I was when my mother passed away. I know how it feels like to have someone whom you love so much pass away. I still love my mother though. I guessed me and the two siblings share a few things in common. My last words (or maybe not) to them were, “Please stay in school no matter what. Study hard and I am sure your dreams will come true.”


It was time for me to leave as I had finished my meal. They waved goodbye and I still feel the pain by the fact that they are orphans. I walked back to my hostel. I sat down at the hostel balcony and did some self-reflection. My heart was still pounding. I have never met a bunch of kids without parents and still look forward to a bright future. These kids are strong. These kids are my motivation. I have learnt so much from them even though our encounter a was brief one. I used to get so agitated over small things.


One observation I made is Cambodian children as young as 4 are so independent. They never beg. Instead, they make handicrafts to sell it to tourists. A child beggar in Siem Reap is rare or virtually non-existant. I have not seen one during my entire stay in Siem Reap. I used to cry when I was really young just ‘cos I couldn’t get the toys that I wanted as our family was not well off. These kids, they are so young and yet so optimistic about things in life. They never show a single sign of sadness nor grief due to their sad past. To the Cambodian kids, my heart is with you guys!