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

{Lone Ranger Finding His Loving Wife}

......continued from part XII

After I'd done my pre-plan in Bangkok, I started moving on to the next destination - Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia, a country located at the east of Bangkok.

Before I checked out from Bangkok, I read on a time-schedule of the train going to eastern part, which is Aranyaprathet to be specific. This town will connected tourists to the border of Thailand-Cambodia.

Bangkok train Eastern Line Timetable

As you can see in the timetable above, there was only 2 trains available everyday. Either be it 5:55am or 1:05pm. Definitely I chosen the earlier one because I could reached Cambodia early. And for your information, the Cambodian immigration check-point is closed in the evening time. So, if you reach there late after it closed, then you have to stay an overnight in Aranyaprathet.

NOTE: Tourists may request a piece of this timetable at ticket counter in Hua Lamphong railway station

So, I have to wake up very early on the next day. Before that, I need to book a hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia. You probably may curious why this ranger didn't book early (always have to wait til last minute) and get a cheaper price. Well, it's a say in Chinese "we don't know what may happen tomorrow" , hopefully the good thing comes. I normally book the first hotel for my first destination early in advance if my itinerary is split into various destinations. Then I will do my second and next hotel's booking once (if) I have reached the first destination.

So, I scrolled on my smartphone with a slip of my early written shortlisted hotels on the other hand, and chosen this ..(advice: do the shortlisted before you travel, write it down on a piece paper) 

Bayon Boutique Hotel, Siem Reap price at RM146 per night @ agoda.com

After booked the hotel, then I have to pre-book a taxi. This is a must because I must reach the rail station before the train departed at 5:55am. So, I kept on scrolling on my smartphone and found two useful taxi-booking apps to be downloaded. 1. GrabTaxi and second one I forgot the name & had deleted it recently. 
Tell you what, I almost unable to book any taxi even with that two apps. Probably it was too early for taxi driver to response to the request on apps, or probably the pick-up time was too early. So how? Never mind, there's still a plan B where I could take the afternoon train. 
However, I never given up and kept clicking the request button on the apps every 1 hour, while on the hand I intercom the hotel Receptionist to ask for if there was any hotel-connection's taxi available. Normally some hotels have good connection with taxi or private cab to transport tourists, but unfortunately the Receptionist replied (after an hour) that no driver respond. Never mind la, keep trying ...
Finally, until 3am plus, I succeed to get a driver's respond on the GrabTaxi apps .. (blessed!)

Grabtaxi booking

Then I could rest at least for an hour before check-out.
The driver was punctual to arrive at the hotel front door at 5:00am and driven me to reach at the Hua Lamphong railway station at around 5:10am. Blessed ! I must thanked this driver, I even given him extra tips but he refused to take "No tips, No tips." . Wow ! Met a good guy early in the morning, sign of a good brighter day. 

It is about 300km from Bangkok to the border of Cambodia. The train from Hua Lamphong railway station to Aranyaprathet only cost me 48 Thai Baht (less than RM6) for this long of distance, would you believe ? However, then I started very curious what-type of train is it ..

Bangkok to Cambodia border train ticket @ 48TB

The 48TB train looked like this ...

Hua Lamphong rail station Lone Ranger's selfie @ 5:30am 

Hua Lamphong rail station @ 5:30am

Hua Lamphong to Aranyaprathet train internal view

Hua Lamphong to Aranyaprathet train internal view

Not bad, comfort, with adjustable chairs and toilet insided. I checked on other coach of the train, and found that adjustable chairs were not available on all coaches, so tourists have to be smart & 'sit tight' early on your chair before it fly off ~

After I 'sit tight' and bit of tired without enough sleep, I slowly falls asleep...

Until midway, the rain flaws in splashing my face and waken me up, then I pulled down the wooden window besides me and continue my 'train-sleeping journey'.

On and off, there were hawkers hopped into the train while the train stopped-by at some intermediate stations. Hawkers kept asking passengers to buy food stuffs. Blessed, I hadn't taken any breakfast, I bought a bowl of rice with a piece of omelette ( 荷包蛋 ) and a plate of steamed groats chicken ( 香料辣肉碎 ) . Wo! Tell you what, you must try this, the groats meat was so aromatic with little spicy. Delicious! Stomach full already, then I continued my dream ~~

photo courtesy of yourkrabi.com

After about 6 hours on the train, the train finally reached at the Aranyaprathet station. I hopped onto a 'songthaew' (a passenger truck), and it driven me together with another 3 passengers to the immigration checkpoint at the Thailand-Cambodia border.

It was only a 5-10 minutes drive, cost was 50TB, the 'songthaew' stopped aside, and the driver fingerly-pointed the direction to show me the building of Thailand Immigration checkpoint where is 100 meters in front. 

Thailand Cambodia border map. Click onto the map to enlarge.

So, I just followed the queue but still have to be smart. Some locals (residents near border) will queue on another 'fast lane', maybe their process is faster without passport ? maybe.. For expats, we have to walk up to another floor level in the building (marked as no." 1 " in the picture above ) for passport process.

After the Thais officer chopped my passport, I walked down from the floor. Then ...... I KNOCKED MY HEAD onto an overhead column which was not 'over'head high enough.

picture illustrated similar to the overhead column

While I was turning left from a corridor (after walking down staircase from departures upper-floor) to follow to a narrow corridor, I accidentally knocked my head onto an edge of a column (which is similar to the column edge as illustrated in the picture above). KhongG !! Then I used my fingers to knead on the pain part, Ops! Wet! Bleeding already... and quite a lot. 

So how then ? Now I had already 'considered' out of Thailand territory after passport 'chopped', where to go ? clinic ? or at least washroom .. ok .. no panic.. I made up my mind to cross the border first, then try to get help in Cambodia territory.

Argg! First blood in no way

I used my handkerchief to press on the bleeding part, then kept walking.. and passing by a bridge while there were a lot of locals with motorcycles pursuing tourists to take on their rides to reach to the Cambodian Immigration checkpoint which is 400 meters away. 
I had read on website that tourists have to be extremely caution while passing by this bridge because of scams, conman and thieves. 
However, a few of the locals were kind enough to offer me help to tight up my wound to stop the bleeding, and they'd never for any money.

So, you see... there is always some good persons around too; think positively.

There were a few casino buildings along the way. Whatnot, Poipet, is a city permitted with casinos in Cambodia.

Then, I reached a queuing site near the Cambodian Immigration counter. Before that, if you are not a tourist from Asean countries, you might need to apply for Visa. The visa counter is just 100 meters before the immigration counter (see the map above, marked as No. " 2 " ) . For Malaysian or other Asean, just walked straight passing the Visa counter and follow the queue.

There you are, after the passport stuffs, then you are permitted to entry Cambodia.
Blessed! With great heart, I had gone so far away and crossing to another country which is thousands miles from home ~ ~

Then I have to find a clinic to check my bleeding head. I asked the locals around the roundabout area, and found it very strange that seem nobody had a correct answer for "doctor" or "clinic" .. But I never given up, finally a pharmacist storekeeper direct me to a clinic (or small hospital) which is not too far from the roundabout. It seems that it should be more easy to find a pharmacist than a doctor in Cambodia.
After waiting for almost an hour in the corridor outside the clinic, a casual-look-alike-farmer doctor came down from upper floor and treat my wound. After he done a proper clean up & injected a tetanus ( 破伤风针 ), but no need stitches ( 缝针 ), then he asked for 5 USD. 
In Malaysia, the only few things we proud to have is its medical benefit which our government subsidy for medical treatment in any government-run clinics and general hospitals. So, we pay only RM1 (equivalent ~USD0.25) for usual treatment in government-run clinics, or else if you can't wait long, then just pay RM50 (roughly) in private doctor-clinic.

So, there you see, every place has its good & bad element. Thinks positive, open your heart, open your eyes and you'll see different thing.

... to be continued

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

(current page) travel to Siem Reap Cambodia from Malaysia by train ..part XIII

(click) travel to Siem Reap Cambodia from Malaysia by train ..part XIV

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

{Lone Ranger Finding His Loving Wife}

......continued from part V

I reached Bangkok at 11:30am (Malaysia time 12:30pm) on the 14th September. This marked as another milestone & big step in my life. Sawadee-krup Bangkok, first time krup.

While I was overwhelming with excitement & cheerful, I checked on my [Things To Do] list. So, I need to buy early a train ticket returning back to Hat Yai. I scratched on my handy file to check for matching date & time of my Hat-Yai to Sungai Buloh (Malaysia)'s train ticket before I buying the Bangkok to Hat Yai ticket.

Malaysia train ticket Hati-Yai to Sg Buloh @ RM56

The train from Hat Yai (back to Sungai Buloh) will depart at 1745 on 28th September. Thus, I have to buy a ticket which the train must arrive at Hat Yai before 1500 on the 28th Sept, 2 hours lapse time to play little safe.

Then I asked the ticket counter which was resided at the right hand side once I passed the exit line of the train waiting area. The officer served me was very gentle and nice. He'd given few choices whilst I chosen that train which will arrive Hat Yai at 9:15am. It should given more than sufficient lapse time if the train arrives late.

Bangkok to Hat Yai Junction train ticket @ 845 TB

The ticket costs 845 Thai Bath (equivalent ~RM103, year 2015 Rawang money-changer's rate @0.123). Hmm..and it was cheaper to return compared to 945 TB ticket of Hat Yai to Bangkok, with sleeping berth too. So, why ah? They said it was a different train, not the train 36. The train I bought was train 169. Hmm 169 ? (in Cantonese say, this is a vulgar word, 69 means man's private part, dick, or means something that turn around, flip-flop, not good. And "1" in Cantonese means "must", must happening...) Errr..! However I didn't pay a lot of attention on this because I believed that I had earned & blessed to have traveled so far and now reaching here then.

Then I also asked the polite officer about the train going east to Thailand-Cambodia border and the officer was a resourceful person & given good advice to me. Everyday there got two train going east to Aranyaprathet (a Thais city nearest to border). First one will depart at 0555 and arrive at 1135 on the same day. Second one will depart at 1305 and arrive at 1735. Before I started my trip, I had checked online that the Cambodia check-point will be closed in the evening (roughly around 6 or 8pm ?? forgot), so I better get the early one. But then the officer told me no hurry to grab the ticket now, it should have plentiful on the day I want to ride on.

Hua Lamphong MRT subway train station

Alright then, after the ticket stuff, I took some precious photos with my Olympus Digital camera. Then I proceed my journey to ride on the subway train to go to my first hotel.
The MRT subway station was located at the left handside of the Hua Lamphong rail station. You will find it on your left side once you exit the main entrance of the rail station, just walk a few steps only, less then 100 meters. So, it is very convenient with their well-connecting transportation system.
And once I step down with escalator into a tunnel heading toward ticket counter, things look a bit like KLCC LRT station (KLCC located in Malaysia capital city).

Modenised design inside tunnel @ Hua Lamphong MRT station

subway train waiting area @ Hua Lamphong MRT station

Is this the same officer I saw inside the rail station just now? He was hand carrying flower ..

I get off from the subway train at Sukhumvit MRT station. Walked 300 meters, then go stair up to Asok BTS sky-train station.

Map of Sukhumvit MRT to Asok BTS

Wow ! Start getting high. 

[Sky] view ?? from Asok BTS sky-train station

Seeing the Bangkok Exchange Tower @ Asok BTS sky-train station

Park Plaza far from Asok BTS sky-train station

And the journey continue... sup..sup...sup

BTS sky train from Asok to Phaya Thai

Haha! Now I was having a good chance to see real & original Thais inside a BTS sky-train. And the view outside, hooo.. man, you have to see it (& feel it) yourself. 
(Bit of sorry, not taking any photos, cause truly enjoying the good view & moment)

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

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

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

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

{Lone Ranger Finding His Loving Wife}

......continued from part IV

Bangkok, how should I write about this city ? It just have plentiful of thoughts before travel to Bangkok & marvelous of feeling after then. 

Before I traveled to Bangkok, I only knew from my perception that it is a city look alike Kepong, a rural township outskirt of Kuala Lumpur; or the most, Bangkok is just alike area with old streets of the Malaysia capital city. But then, why I decided to travel there while I can easily trip down to Kuala Lumpur within a 20 minutes short-drive? Because my final destination of this trip was Angkor Wat. It had to be pass-by Bangkok if I want to travel to Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia, without flying from Malaysia. 
Eventually, I had to do some surfing online & bit of research about Bangkok besides running on lot of pages about Angkor Wat. 

Bangkok, had been selected by travelers around the world as one the “Top 10 Destinations in Asia” in 2015.

Top Destination in Asia by Travelers' Choice award

"….. Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for hotels, restaurants and attractions in destinations worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period.

[Top 10 Travellers’ Choice Destinations in the World]

1. Marrakech, Morocco  2. Siem Reap, Cambodia  3. Istanbul, Turkey  4. Hanoi, Vietnam  5. Prague, Czech Republic  6. London, England  7. Rome, Italy  8. Buenos Aires, Argentina  9. Paris, France  10. Cape Town, South Africa

[Top 10 Travellers’ Choice Destinations in Asia]

1. Siem Reap, Cambodia  2. Hanoi, Vietnam  3. Ubud, Bali, Indonesia  4. Bangkok, Thailand  5. Kathmandu, Nepal  6. Hong Kong, China  7. Hoi An, Vietnam  8. Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia  9. Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia  10. Beijing, China"

 quoted from TheStar, dated 30 March 2015.

There are plentiful of articles writing about Bangkok online. Among all it shown in the net, words & pictures which attract me were the ornate shrines & gleaming temples, tour by river boat shuttling in many other gypsy-like boats & riverside attractions, romantic sky-bar view, Thais original tom yam and so on … those were things that I would like to experience there.

Bangkok Hua Lamphong railway station

The Thailand train36 I ride on from Hat Yai since 7pm a day before finally stopped at Hua Lamphong, Bangkok railway station, at around 11:30am. So, it had been 17 hours lone ranger long ride on a 'comfort' train in a foreign country, with lot of greenish village rural view. Not bad.

Bangkok Hua Lamphong railway station

Bangkok Hua Lamphong railway station

Caution of "Tips on Traveling Safe"

So there you are. Seeing a lot uniformed officers & policemen gathered for a briefing. 

A month before I traveled to Bangkok, there was a bombing took place inside the crowded Erawan Shrine located in the downtown of Bangkok. So, Thai authority seem like taking serious caution on tourist crowded area.

Uniformed officer & policemen seem everywhere in Bangkok railway station

Monks seem "stand-by" for prayer in Bangkok railway station

Namo Amitabha, Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.

--------------------------------------------------------

Bangkok, attracts more tourists than any other city in the world and it doesn't take long to realise why ...

Bangkok ranked 3rd in current "Cities in Asia in [Lonely Planet] website 

Siem Reap selected as the "must go" destination in Asia

... 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 V

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

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

{Lone Ranger Finding His Loving Wife}

......continued from part III

Sometimes we never know how far we can go, we never try, we never know. Ya, I mean trying for new thing that is uncertain, strange but always in the basis of good, decent and safe.
Before I decided to go on for this travel, some people was told and they said that I was crazy. Ya, it's true. How crazy I was to travel alone, how crazy I was to cross countrie..s  without any flight, how crazy I was to dream that I am able to travel 2000km away from home to a totally strange & new places where people are communicate in different languages & having different cultures. My old man even told me that "What ? Cambodia ? People are not wearing pants .." there you are... Many new thing are happening & new technology invented in world because of the folks of crazy people, agree ?

And the crazy Lone Ranger lying without pants

While the clock (and ya, don't watch hand watches. I mean phone's clock which would automatically changing according to countries of your current position) shown it was 2:09am, the Thailand train 36 had started since 7pm (Thailand time) just now...I checked on GPS, and it shown that I had half-pass the Thai - land. My phone also automatically changed to Thais mobile-line : [TRUE], as shown in the picture above. Remember not to switch on to 3G, unless you are prepared to pay more for phone bill.

While I was having lots of thoughts of my career, my family thousand miles away, my future plans & my current excitement, although hard to fall asleep with an exciting heart, but slowly .. and slowly.. try to keep eyes-shut..

The sun rising earlier at around 6am in Thai-land (Malaysia was 7am then). 

Different greenish view

Thailand paddy field @ 6am

Thailand is producing more rice than Malaysia. True ? Eventually, Thailand paddy field is larger than Malaysia.

My breakfast was served properly to me at about 7am. Not free la, I paid around 100 Thai baht (or less, I really forgot, morning memory not good).

Thai rice porridge (veges only)

While I was tasting the hot rice porridge, I caught my time to take photos with my Olympus digital camera, through train's window (luckily the window besides my seat was clear, I just don't know why and I try not to say this "why some country train window can't be made clear for better view for the sake of tourists ??" )...

Thailand @ 7:13am

Thailand @ 7:49am

Thailand @ 9:13am

 At about 10am, the train is very near to Bangkok then. Hoho! coming...ya ... coming ....

Salaya Railway Station @ 10:18am

Google Map - Salaya Railway Station

Salaya Railway Station @ 10:19am

Thailand officer off the train @ 11:29am

Hoho ! Almost there ... Bangkok...I'm coming ......

...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 IV

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

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

{Lone Ranger Finding His Loving Wife}

...continued from part II

Most of the passengers will hang around the Hat Yai town while waiting for another train transit. Shopping, look-see look-see, different building, different faces (off course, look for Thais pretty faces), different cars (ya, it's still different in plate number, haa), tasting delicious Thais foods, and off course la, not forget the famous Thai massage.

Whilst I just did some short window-shopping (without buying anything) cause my next destination was the biggest city in Thailand - Bangkok. Then filled my stomach with a simple Thai rice noodle in a Thai Chinese lady owns restaurant, and laying my relaxing legs for few hours while had a long but simple chat with a Chinese man. He apparently look like middle 60', and he told that he was having his renovation business in Singapore, but having holiday in Hat Yai with long-staying in budget hotel ?  And he never back to Malaysia since 10 over years ago, odd. For what reason, he refused to reveal. I believe there are some who had travel or work outside Malaysia never intend to back to home country due to many many reasons..s

I did a very very 'simple', 'fast' and bit-of-inconvenience shower in a washroom (it is an actual shower room, not toilet with shit-hole) inside the rail station.

Thailand train - purple colour, purple rain ?

I found it was a totally different with Malaysia train. the seat facing oppositely will be converted to be sleeping berth in the night time.

Fit-fit size Thailand train officer

Oh! There were a dining table which slotted into the wall of train provided, very intelligent and caring. I just don't want to say but still must saying this "Why we can't have this in Malaysia train ? " 

A dining table slotted. Intelligent initiative move

Dinner (rice with veges & fruit) served in Thailand train 36

As there you see it, my dinner was served properly by a gentle Thai train officer. Free ? Hah ! You wish, the dinner was not included in the ticket price, had to extra order @ 200 Thai baht (roughly)

Before writing this blog, I traveled to Langkawi island in June this year. The Malaysia train has taken their initiative to provide the similar facility in electric train, ETS. 

NOTE: Currently, the ETS or Malaysia train has no more direct cross-border to Hat Yai. Tourists have to get down either in Butterworth or Padang Besar, then take the Thailand train 36 north-up to Bangkok.

Right after I finished my dinner, the gentle officer started their 'transformer' show to convert passenger seat to be sleeping berth. 

My ticketed was for the lower berth, which I believe will have more turning space and greater view while morning then.
And I like that the blanket was clean and covered properly inside a laundry bag. 

Clean blanket inside laundry bag 

There you see it. Thais are really giving their 'heart' to provide their 'care' & concern to tourists, which is highly recommended to be learned by other countries' tourism industry.

......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 III

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