travel to Bangkok->Siem Reap from Malaysia by train ..part II

{Lone Ranger Finding His Loving Wife}

...continued from part I

After around 10 hours 'trapped' inside the Malaysian train, finally I reached Malaysia checkpoint to get ready to cross border to a totally strange country (to me). A lot of my knowings, expecially my senior laughed at me that I being a fool to waste so much of time in transport, "why not taking flight straight ?" there you are, I felt shame to told anyone that I am acrophobia. I was a right-hand-man of a notorious 'heavenly-top' syndicate at my young age. Then I got 'learned' (得到教训，觉悟) and whitened-up and blessed that I was able to change to become what I am today. Then it would make everyone think that I must be brave enough to climb high and fly high, ya?

Anyway, I'm still must saying that the experience of 10 hours inside a train was 'ok' and not as bad as 20 over years ago when I was riding on a night train too to travel down to Johor Bharu for UTM intake interview. I failed on that interview due to my poor Malay language conversation. I still presume that my Form 5 SPM result was justified and qualify for enroll into the course I chosen then (if not, 'they' not even give a kick on me), but my damned poor conversation failed me. Haha! Maybe I am a Inspector with qualified university degree now, who knows ? Maybe I am a damned 'corrupted' cop too, who knows ? right ? So, sometimes I just felt that "if one day we fall down from a horse, that might be a good thing too" . It was the first 'T-junction' in my life which change my life and lead to who I am today.

Ok, let's get back to the story of traveling before going too far out.

After I was 'blessed' by the first Thailand chop onto my passport, then I just follow the queue to lay all my bags onto a conveyor for Thailand custom check. I carried a black backpack, an army waist-pocket and a hand-carry blue colour sport bag. Everything ok except the blue colour sport bag, they asked me to open up and take out everything inside. After they found nothing 'dangerous', then they smile and I said "Korb-kun-Krup' (thank-you) and allowed me to proceed on. 

We wait for approx. 30 minutes, then we get on the same Malaysia train and continue north-up into Thai-land. It was totally different view flew into eyesight..more greenish.. more breeze.. air breathe was cleaner? (haha! just psychological felt that "other country is better") . 

After that very fast 20 minutes, the train finally stopped in rail station at Hat Yai junction.

That was my first touch on Thai-land. Standing there inside the rail station. Wow ! Wonderful !

Then I scratched out my 'things-to-do' checklist, and ya [buy a train ticket to Bangkok]. Alright! After 'chow-tut' enjoying the moment of strange faces, strange building, I look for the counter selling Bangkok's train ticket. The ticket was only available to be sold inside an office room before walking pass the [EXIT] line from railway, it was just a few steps right after I get down from train.

The price, a bit shocked! 945 ? but in Thai-baht (equivalent ~RM116, year 2015 Rawang money-changer's rate @0.123). Train 36 is an international cross-border train from Butterworth to Bangkok with cozy sleeping berth and restaurant serving dinner and breakfast. 

  
While talking about breakfast..so after I bought the ticket, I quickly rushed out from the station to find a food-stall.

Hat Yai Junction Rail Station

Just a few hundreds meters walks, I stepped inside a look 'ok' restaurant. I filled my stomach with a simple Thai rice noodle soup...and rest my legs laying there to wait for the next train, the Thailand train 36, to depart in another 5 hours.

Thai Noodle Soup - taste - Goood

While waiting for the next train, tourists may do their shopping around this town, Hat Yai, which is so famous with her reputation for being a shopping destination for both Thais and foreigners. There are numbers of department stores, shopping malls and markets throughout the city. Their main products are imported processed food, cosmetics, fabrics, gadgets and electrical appliances, and not forget the 'well-known' Thai-massage.

...... to be continued

(back to episode 1) travel to Bangkok->Siem Reap from Malaysia by train ..part I

(current page) travel to Bangkok->Siem Reap from Malaysia by train ..part II

(click) travel to Bangkok->Siem Reap from Malaysia by train ..part III