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

{Lone Ranger Finding His Loving Wife}

This was my adventure & romantic traveling to 2 countries, Thailand & Cambodia in September, 2015.

I am a acrophobia (fear of heights) & airplane-phobia (fear of flights) person. So, I started my journey alone without any aeroplane flight; it was all by trains & lot of walks.

My journey started from riding on a Malaysia train from Sungai Buloh KTM train station, then changed riding on a Thailand train from Hat Yai junction rail station heading north up to Hua Lamphong rail station at Bangkok. After spent an overnight there, ride on another train from Hua Lamphong heading east to Cambodia border. Then, taken a private taxi heading towards my destination at Siem Reap. After succeed my "task" in Siem Reap (what task is it? to be revealed later in this blog), then back to prayer & short tour in Bangkok. Finally, back home to Malaysia via Hat Yai. The whole trip taken about 15 days with my style of slow-walk, light & easy way.

So, let's start ...

I ride on an overnight train from Sungai Buloh.

This is a medium-size agriculture-transform-industrial township in Selangor state of Malaysia. The train started at nighttime from Kuala Lumpur heading north to Hat Yai. Tourists have to book the ticket 1 month earlier as it was always sold-out. I booked online @ KTMB E-Ticket on the price of RM56 with mattress lay-on steel bar for overnight sleep.

Inside a Malaysia train

So, there you see it, I packed all the necessity, drinking water (a must), thermos with hot water, easy-dry & light clothes, negligee, recyle-water-proof-fold-bag (that pink colour folded & slotted in my backpack), a fold-able walking stick (for self-defense purpose, some tourists will include multi-purpose-switchblade, 多用途小折刀; but I won't due to some custom officer might make trouble of that)., and I won't carry a slippers due to my bag is too small and I don't want to hang it out-expose on my backpack. So, basically there all stuff that suck inside my small backpack. And ya, don't forget to bring along vitamins and common (better be doctor-prescribed) medicines, Paracetamol, Echinacea+Garlic supplement in tablet form (good for my sore-throat and cold 感冒) or others ..

Tell you what, this is the first time I north-up into Thailand, a country mostly amused and abused 被污辱 as a 'shooting chicken farm' by my buddies since the day I know-how to 'shoot'. I just can't wait to explore it. How excited I was while the train keep north-ing up (? stim-up).

Malaysia train station nightime view

After 7/8 hours, the morning-sun rising, most of the greenish & paddy field view full into eyesight from the window of train.

Greenish view @ northern Malaysia

Then, the train reached at Arau (tourist may transit to Langkawi island from this station via ferry @ Kuala Perlis). This station has became my favorite since I start travel to Langkawi by train & ferry. I travel to that romantic island once/twice every year since 2008. Maybe one day I will write about it.

Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

With the excited heart boiling up, the train finally stopped at Padang Besar in Malaysia-Thailand border. All passengers must get-off the train with all belongings for immigration & custom-check.

Why look so serious ? Custom officer ? I don't know

While queuing up for chop-passport, a duty-free shop is resided right besides the queue. Smart dude. Found it strange with a duty-free shop here inside a train station. The price is just fair, I believe the Thailand side is cheaper then.

The only 1 duty-free shop @ Malaysia side

After pass-by the duty-free shop, there you are. Pass your passport to a Malaysia Immigration Officer who sit inside a small cube-counter. And smile & 'salam' him before he greet you, then he will reply you a smile.

The Thailand counter is just resided right at the back & besides of this Malaysia cube-counter. And, be smile too with "Sawadeekrup" greet to the Thai officer. He will reply with smile and ask your destination. Simply reply with smile. Then you'll get chop.

Finally, after all these years being waiting to 'fly-out' (but not actual fly). Blessed. I got my first Thailand's chop !!






...... to be continued

(click the links below to continue reading)

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

。。part III   ..part IV   ..part V   ..part VI   ..part VII   ..part VIII   ..part IX   ..part X   ..part XI   ..part XII

travel to Siem Reap Cambodia from Malaysia by train ..part XIII

。。..part XIV   ..part XV   ..part XVI   ..part XVII   ..part XVIII   ..part XIX

travel to Angkor Wat from Malaysia without flying ..part XX

。。..part XXI   ..part XXII   ..part XXIII   ..part XXIV   ..part XXV   ..part XXVI   ..part XXVII   

travel to Siem Reap (CAMBODIA) from Bangkok (THAILAND) without flying ..part XXVIII

。。 ..part XXIX   ..part XXX   ..part XXXI (coming soon)

... and a lot more to come ~..~