Monthly Archives: February 2025

Asia day 37. Time’s up…

20 Thursday Feb 2025

Posted by in Air Travel, Airports, Indonesia, jakarta, Photography, Travel

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I’ve decided to have a lazy last day here in Jakarta. After all the running around i’ve been doing, it’s time to savour a last day of soaking up some sunshine up on the hotel roof (which I have to myself). It offers some great views across this part of the city and the streets below where I can watch folk go about their daily lives whilst the multitude of local cats wash themselves or doze in the heat.

Besides, life will be full on when I get back and I’ve learned the value of peaceful solitude over the years. Now’s the opportunity to enjoy it for a couple of hours!

16:30 (Jakarta time).

In fact I enjoyed the sun for all that time – and dried a shirt that I wanted to travel back in. I even managed to nip out for a wander and chance to get a last few shots of street-life before it was time to leave. Asia fascinates me. I love the way so much of people’s lives is lived on the streets and how many people make their living there. It makes for such a vibrant and interesting place, so far removed form life in the UK. It’s also a photographer’s dream! Jakarta’s a mad place, but I must admit – I’ve rather enjoyed it. It must be the masochist in me. It reminds me of some Indian cities, only with added massive Singapore style shopping centers full of international brands. The only things I won’t miss are the pollution – and smoking. Indonesians are inveterate smokers and it’s a habit that seems to be catching on with more and more women – as is vaping.

Having run out of time I packed, showered and ordered a taxi to the airport. Navigating Jakarta’s mad traffic took way over an hour but as I had plenty of time before my flight it wasn’t an issue. Now I’m airside having checked in easily enough. My first flight to Doha is with Garuda Indonesia whom I don’t remember having flown with long-haul before. At Doha I transfer back to Qatar so this is chance to make a comparison.

Terminal 3 at Sukarano Hatta airport is much like any other. You could be almost anywhere in the world if it wasn’t for the people passing through that give it its identity. Here there’s still people off on the pilgrimage to Mecca as well as international travelers of all sorts. In the queue to check in I ended up in conversation with an Indonesian woman from Java who was on her way back to Singapore where her and her husband live. Her English (or rather West coast American, where she studied) was excellent. We chatted about Indonesia and language all the way to check-in. I love impromptu meetings like that.

Right, almost time to go as my chariot awaits. I doubt I’ll have time to blog en-route so the next time you’ll hear from me I’ll be back in the UK.

00:00 (Qatar time).

I’ve time to kill between flights here in Doha so here’s a quick update. My Garuda Indonesia flight wasn’t bad but the Boeing 777 wasn’t the most modern of aircraft. The entertainment system was outdated, and the headphones suffered the classic problem of ill-fitting sockets leaving to sound cutting out unless you jiggled them. Plus, the most modern film was at least 5 years old! Still, the food was good and the legroom wasn’t bad.

Beef with fragrant rice.

I even managed an hour or so’s sleep. Bonus!

Security at Doha is tight. I had my bag x-rayed once, and I was frisked twice – the last time at the gate. All the staff (not one of whom are local) were polite and efficient, so the whole thing was stress free so I was at my new gate within 15 mins of my plane landing. I wonder what Manchester will be like?

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

To be continued…

Asia day 36. Time’s almost up…

19 Wednesday Feb 2025

Posted by in Food and drink, Indonesia, jakarta, Photography, Railways, Travel

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Today was my last full day here in Asia and it’s been a good one, despite the wet start. I’d set my alarm for 07:00, but it wasn’t needed, thanks to thin walls and noisy neighbours – the only drawback to where I’m staying.

My plan had been to head out before 09:00 but the drizzle and gloomy skies persuaded me to delay my departure for an hour. That worked out well as I ended up seeing part of the school run, Jakarta-style – which includes how many people you can fit on a scooter! I still haven’t beaten five – although I still have time tomorrow!

I retraced yesterday’s steps to Tanah Abang railway station only this time I took a different route where I finished up at the end of the line at Tanjung Priok. The Dutch built the port in the late 1800s and they rebuilt the railway station into a rather magnificent edifice in 1925. Nowadays, only one platform under the huge trains he’d roof is used by passenger trains (a shuttle service from Jakarta Kota). The rest is used for stabling intermodal wagons and locos for freight services out of the docks.

The station’s still well worth visiting as a relic of the Dutch era and as a piece of railway architecture.

My next stop was Jakarta Kota, the more well-known example of Dutch stations on Java. I managed a range of pictures there before moving on to something more modern by catching the train to Manggarai. This station’s changed out of all recognition since my last visit in 2017. Now, it possesses an upper level as the trains to Bogor run on elevated tracks at this point. There’s plenty of empty platforms in the trainshed on the same level – just waiting to be plugged into the network when new elevated tracks are completed.

This snd Jatinigara station further up the line are great examples of modern Javanese stations. I’d go as far as to say they’re world-class when it comes to facilities on offer. In fact, they could teach us a thing or two – like this, seen at Jatinigara (another station which has been heavily rebuilt and modernised).

A ‘co-working’ space on the main concourse above the tracks which is used by young and old. I think the plants are a really nice touch.

I visited several other stations on the network but there’s far to many pictures to sort out now. Hopefully I’ll have time to write up my about my rail trips around Jakarta tomorrow as the system’s an excellent one. Having got home I had grabbed a shower then headed out to eat in one of the lack backstreet food stalls. Here’s today’s meal.

Rice, fish and loads of veggies (plus a potato cake). Oh, and that red blotch is chilis!

Whilst I was eating there the heavens opened which delayed me somewhat but then wet streets at night are so photogenic.

The backstreets where I’m staying are a maze, and on every corner there’s a place to eat.

Now I’m back at home getting ready for the off. My flight’s not until tomorrow evening, so I’m hoping to make the most of the morning. Let’s see…

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If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Asia day 35. Jakarta junket…

18 Tuesday Feb 2025

Posted by in Indonesia, jakarta, Photography, Railways, Travel

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The only problem with sleeping in a windowless room is that you get some very good sleep! Well, once all your neighbours have crashed out anyway as the soundproofing of the internal walls in this hotel was the one thing they scrimped on! I’d forgotten to set an alarm so I slept soundly until 07:30 which is unusual for me. I’d already decided that today was going to be home-based for the morning as I’ve a massive backlog of pictures to edit and I’ve stuff to sort out as I’m only a few days from returning back to the UK. As usual, something’s got to give. In this case it’s going to be having a trip on the high-speed line out to Benteng and back. It’s a bit of a logistical pig and there’s too many other things to do nearer ‘home’.

The first part of the day was spent in my hotel getting dozens of pictures ready for captioning before they appear on my Zenfolio website. That’s when having a desk (but no window) is rather useful. My only break was to nip out for breakfast (which is included in the price of my hotel) at the communal space I ate at last night. Breakfast was a buffet affair of traditional Asian (friend rice or noodles) plus Western – which meant sandwiches!

Having been fed and watered I returned to the hotel to spend another few hours editing, then thought ‘bugger it’ – let’s go exploring. My plan was to walk the half a km to the nearest railway station, Tanah Abang, then take a few trips on the suburban rail network. That walk turned into quite an experience as it was through a maze of narrow local lanes which tourists don’t normally explore, especially on foot! Nor that I was worried as the reception I got was universally friendly with several people asking for me to take their picture. The journey was fascinating as I got to see backstreet life, which consists of mad traffic and more small businesses than you can shake a stick at – and many of them are transient, based on little carts like this.

I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts! (but not much else)…

Finally, I made to Tanah Abang station, which has changed completely since 2017. The old locomotive depot has vanished. In its place a brand new station is appearing. The old low level platforms have all been rebuilt to the correct height for the imported Japanese trains – which have all been refurbished internally.

What hasn’t changed is the friendliness of the rail staff or the internal cleanliness of the trains, which are kept spotless by an army of cleaners. There’s also white gloved guards and security patrols throughout each train. The staff are all impeccably turned out, with (from what I could see) a very high number of female employees at all levels that would put the UK to shame. Here’s a few pictures from today.

Thumbs up from a young guard on the suburban line. Staff are impeccably turned out – including white gloves.
A cheery wave from a young lady guard who say me taking a picture of her train as it departed. After I waved back she even flashed the trains headlights!

Remember I mentioned how mad the traffic is in those narrow streets? Have a watch of this…

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If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Asia day 34. In transit from country to country…

17 Monday Feb 2025

Posted by in Air Travel, Aircraft, Airports, Indonesia, jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Travel

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The time’s just after 11:00 here in Malaysia and I’m at Kuala Lumpur airport waiting for my Air Asia flight back to Jakarta. To be honest, I’m sad to leave. There are so many exciting rail projects that I didn’t get chance to look at, I barely had a day in one of my happy places (Georgetown) – and I could hear a beach calling my name. But it wasn’t to be…

As usual in Asia, I was up early, but I didn’t have a great night’s sleep (too many things going around in my head), so I was having my last roti canai breakfast at 07:30 this morning.

My last one for a while…

Sitting in a local eating hose watching the world go by is quite educational. The place I chose I know of old but it was interesting seeing the old men coming in who obviously all knew each other, picking up a breakfast to take to work (or take home). Suitably replete I returned home, showered, finished my packing and said goodbye to what’s been my home for the past three nights. It’s been fine but next time I think I’ll go back to where I stayed in 2023. I missed having a big window to storm-watch from!

Getting out to the airport was easy. There’s a direct rail-link that runs every 20 mins and takes 33 mins to get to Terminal 2. Arriving is a bit confusing as you have to walk through a huge shopping centre before you find the actual airport! There was a melee around check-in but I got through quickly enough. security and immigration were just as much a breeze. Now I’m sat plane-watching as I’ve time to kill before my flight leaves. Nicholas Lim (a Singaporean friend) has texted me to say the Jakarta airport rail-link is up the spout, so things may be a little slower at the other end!

I’ll update this blog later. Right now here’s a few pictures for you.

Aboard one of the new Chinese built KLIA trains en-route to the airport.
The view from the outdoor smokers area’s best for plane-watching!
I’m forever blowing puddles…An Air Asia flight creates waves as it passes through the remains of last night’s torrential rain.

It’s early evening after a ‘fun’ arrival. The flight from Malaysia was great. It took 2 hours to get to Jakarta, where the weather’s just as wet as KL only with more overcast skies. The fun started at immigration. Getting my visa on arrival was simple. It was the biometric gates that were the hassle as my arrival co-incided with several hundred people from all over Indonesia who’d just flown back from the Haj to Mecca! The queues would have been bad at a European airport, but watching elderly village women (who’d probably never flown before) trying to come to grips with the gates was a sight to behold! It was almost worth the delay. Everyone was patient with everyone else, but it did take some time!

Ordering a Grab’ taxi at the airport I travelled into Jakarta by road. The trip wasn’t bad until we got close to where my hotel is. The main roads were jammed with all manner of vehicles going in different directions but we made it through in good time until we turned into a narrow one-way street. We got caught in a jam coming up to a crossroads and moved about 100 meters in half an hour. It was so rammed with scooters, cars, and parked vehicles it was almost impassible to pedestrians, who had to try and weave their way through the gaps in the traffic. I’ve not seen anything like it for a long time. We ended up getting to my hotel 45 mins later than planned, but hey – I’m not going anywhere else tonight. The Choska Residence where I’m staying is rather plush. Impressive from the outside, it’s got some great public spaces. The rooms are fine too, with a fridge, desk and big TV as well as plenty of wardrobe space and a nice bathroom. It’s in a mixed area that seems in some ways to be quite affluent but in others not, with lots of street stalls and the usual detritus of Asian big city life. Just across the road is an interesting place that has links to my hotel. It’s billed as a communal living space. In a new building is a cafe, several different eateries – and a laundrette! Like my hotel, it seems popular with young Muslim women.

Yes, that is a row of washing machines along the back wall!
Nice place, isn’t it?
The exterior.
– and the lobby of my hotel…

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Asia day 33. About time to move on again…

16 Sunday Feb 2025

Posted by in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Photography, Railways, Travel

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I’m afraid today’s blog will be short and sweet as my evening hasn’t gone quite to plan. Sometimes news from home can put a damper on the brightest of days. So, I’ll leave you with a few pictures from a day where I got out to explore the phase 2 extension of the Putrajaya MRT line, which opened just a few days after my last trip here.

Tomorrow I leave Malaysia to fly back to Jakarta for a last few days before my plane leaves for the UK. I can’t say I’m ready for that right now, but hey ho…

A Putrajaya MRT train crossing the KLIA airport line on its way into Putrajaya Sentral. The remains of the abandoned and never completed monorail can be seen in the middle.
Driverless trains with big windows are fun underground!
Tonight we had another major thunderstorm and deluge. These two young Malaysian girls make light of it as they walk through Petaling market in Chinatown.
Here’s a video of the storm.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Asia day 32. KL capers…

15 Saturday Feb 2025

Posted by in Food and drink, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Photography, Travel

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My day here in Kuala Lumpur started out sedentary – but early. For some reason I always wake up early in this part of the world. 6am is pretty standard. Today I forced myself to have a lie-in until my alarm went of at 7am. After all, I wasn’t travelling anywhere. My day was planned around meeting a Malaysian friend in Chinatown around 3pm which meant I was under no pressure. That was great as it gave me the opportunity to spend several hours editing pictures from my trip and getting them on my Zenfolio website. Most of the ones done today were from Bangkok and Thai railways – including the yellow line monorail. I posted a picture of this on social media a few days ago and it generated a lot of interest. You can find the rest of the pictures (and more besides) here.

The other thing I needed to do was get some washing done. Where I’m staying is fine for rinsing a few shirts, but that’s it, and after travelling so much in such hot and humid weather over the past week or so I really needed to get clothes washed properly before they disowned me, or I them! Now, I’m staying in Chinatown. Old jokes aside, you wouldn’t believe how difficult it was to find a laundry here. There’s a launderette a few streets away but it’s always packed. Finally, after wandering the streets for an hour I found an old backpackers (which I’ve got a sneaky feeling I stayed at 15 years ago) that’s become a laundry. It’s hard to find as it’s set back from the main street and unless you spot the sign you’d never know. After climbing up several flights of stairs I was greeted by a very nice young African lad (who slept on the premises) who confirmed that – yes indeed, they did laundry for RM7 (£1.30) a kilo, and would I like it back today? Winner!

This left me free to potter round at home, edit more pictures and be ready to meet my Malaysian friend (Alan Bligh) at 15:00 outside Pasir Seni station. Alan introduced me to a nearby coffee shop which is really rather funky. Not only is the coffee good but it’s the sort of place where (mostly young people) mix and/or work from via the internet. It’s also completely multi-racial, just like Malaysia itself. You have conservatively dressed Malay Muslim girls rubbing shoulder with scantily clad Chinese or Indian counterparts. The lads reflect the mix – along with a few Europeans who’re either studying here or just passing through.

Alan and I sat talking for several hours. He’s a mine of information on Malaysian railways, politics, the economy and much much more. We also touched on ‘travel’ TV and YouTube (but that’s another conversation) I leaned a hell of a lot, but the hard bit’s retaining it all. As I said to Alan ‘I wish I’d recorded all our conversation’! There was so much to absorb. All too soon it was time to part, but by then the heavens had opened and we were treated to a heck of a thunderstorm. Alan was also very kind enough to bring me a gift (which I’ll post a picture of later).

Saying goodbye (until next time) at Pasir Seni .

Back at ‘home’ I relaxed for a few hours (and edited more pictures) before nipping out to eat. I returned to a locally run stall where I ate last night. It’s got a fantastic array of meat, fish and veg. You just load your plate up of whatever takes your fancy. The cashier takes a look at what you’ve chosen and charges you accordingly (this cost me 12 ringgit, just over £2 but trust me – those plates ain’t small). I’d no idea what some of the stuff was – and half an idea with some, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. I love trying food just for the hell of it. Here’s my plate.

You might recognise fish. At the front is Jackfruit. Next to that is beans. Between them is a chicken’s foot – not my favourite but the sauce was lovely. At the top (just out of focus) was the stunner. Tempe with small dried fish in a spicy sauce! You can see it in all it’s glory in the picture below. It’s the 2nd from the bottom. I’ll be back for more…
Talk about spoilt for choice. Oh, there’s more food lining the opposite wall, but a lot of that is varieties of fish-head curry!

Dodging the rain on my way home I saw this. ‘Merdeka 118‘ is the 2nd tallest building in the world. Tonight, because of the weather it looked like the tower of Sauron. Earlier, because of the low cloud, the top of the tower had been lost completely.

Tomorrow’s my last full day in Malaysia before returning to Indonesia. I’ve got a lot planned. I won’t have time to do a rolling blog but expect future pictures of the expanding rail network around KL and the Klang valley soon…

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Asia day 31. On the move again…

14 Friday Feb 2025

Posted by in Food and drink, Georgetown, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Photography, Railways, Travel

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My sojourn in Georgetown was all too short, but I’m running out of time. Today I’m moving on to Kuala Lumpur. I was awake and out early to make the most of that time, although Georgetown sleeps late. Nothing much is open before 10:00. That said, it’s lovely and cool and a good time to explore the empty streets and take pictures – just not shop!

The first part of today’s trip was getting off Penang Island and back to the mainland. That’s a lot easier now the new ferries are running from the old terminal in Georgetown. It’s just a few minutes away on a bus from Lubuh Chulia (around the corner from where I was staying). The ferries run every 30 mins so I connected with the 11:00 sailing. At Butterworth I discovered a fantastic (but deserted) space that’s been built where the old ferry ramps were. There’s great views back to Penang, and you can ship-watch or just enjoy the breeze. Oh, it has free WiFi too – hence this blog!

A classic view. One of the new ferries passes mine as it heads for Georgetown, with the Komtar tower in the background. This was the first ‘skyscraper’ on the island. When it opened in 1985 it was the tallest building in SE Asia!
Goodbye Georgetown. For now…
The view back to Penang.
Here’s looking the other way. There’s various shop units here but few seem to be occupied. That said, the one nearest to the camera opened up at lunchtime, serving food to a dozen or so local people who helped make the space useful. I’m sure that when more units are let this could become a busy space.

Another good photographic vantage point is the rooftop parking levels at the massive new shopping complex that’s been built at the back of the ferry terminal. This was where I was shooting pictures from in 2023, but where I am now is far more pleasant!

My train leaves at 13:05 and arrives in KL just over three hours later. I’ll update this blog from there. Here it is – an ETS set built by CRRC of China in 2018 but assembled in Malaysia.

15:45.

Wow! There’s working wifi aboard this ETS trainset. Well, in coach C where the buffet is – which is where I’m sat enjoying a coffee (made with coffee bags, and really rather good), checking in with the world and updating this blog. This train’s sold out. Whenever people get off en-route their seat’s been rebooked. The train’s one of the 2nd batch of ETS sets and it suffers from the same issues as earlier ones, such as blown windows that are almost impossible to see through and a lack of exterior cleaning. It’s all a bit careworn too. Even so, it can still hit over 140kph, not bad for a meter-gauge railway.

A busy Coach C, looking along from the buffet portion.
The buffet area of coach C. There’s a good selection of pre-prepared local food such as Nasi Lemak. There’s also a small selection of sandwiches for those who prefer plainer fare. Hot and cold drinks are also on the menu. There’s two small tables which seat two apiece next to the counter for those who want to linger.

21:50.

I’m settled here in KL so it’s time to bring this blog to a close. We were a few minutes late into Kuala Lumpur (old station) which is where I disembarked. It’s a much handier location (within walking distance) for Chinatown than the new KL Sentral. Whilst I was there several trains passed through the magnificent trainshed. Sadly, the whole edifice is showing lots of signs of neglect. The hotel which took up part of the main building and kept it alive was closed down in 2011. Since then, the place has been in a slow decline as no plans have materialised about what to do with it. A railway museum was established, but that didn’t last long. The erratic nature and history of the commuter services through KL hasn’t helped – but more of that in another blog.

The vast trainshed and four platforms of Kuala Lumpur station, with the main part of the building to the right. The station was designed by Arthur Benison Hubback in Indo-Saracenic style which was much in vogue at the time.
The sad signs of decay in the largely empty main building.
A KTM Commuter train calls on the way to Batu Caves.
Another SCS EMU passes through the 1986 addition to the station. This was built to allow greater access to the Pasir Seni area and new commercial district. Only now, commuter trains no longer stop here as they’ve reverted to using the main trainshed, leaving it all a bit of a white elephant, although the escalators and walkways are still rather useful to get through to Pasir Seni.

Tomorrow I’ll be having a slow day around Chinatown in order to catch up on a few things in the morning before meeting a Malaysian friend in the afternoon, so expect more blogging and picture updates.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Asia day 30. Border crossing….

13 Thursday Feb 2025

Posted by in Food and drink, Malaysia, Musings, Photography, Thailand, Travel

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Surprisingly, I had a really good night’s sleep on the train last night. It wasn’t that it was undisturbed as the track quality can make it a bit of a rocky ride sometimes. Plus, early in the morning, a large Chinese family got on somewhere to occupy the berths around me – but when I slept, it was deep. This is a very familiar journey to me in both directions, stretching back to 1998, so I feel very comfortable with it. It’s familiar.

Not long after 6 am, the train reaches Hat Yai, where it’s shunted and split. Our two sleeping cars plus a day coach are chopped off and parked in a platform awaiting a new SRT loco to take us forward (pics later). Meanwhile, morning ablutions take place in the toilets and washroom aboard, and the process of packing away beds begins.

10:50 (Malaysian time).

Well, that was painless! We arrived at the border crossing of Padang Besar on time and detrained straight into the queue for immigration. Both getting out of Thailand and into Malaysia was easy as you go through one set of controls after the other. There’s around 90 minutes to wait for the connection to Butterworth. Plenty of time to sort out an onward ticket. The KTMB office accepts Thai baht and there’s two ticket machines which take foreign credit cards to pay for the 11 ringgitt 40 sen ticket (around £2).

The 10:35 is worked by a 6-car, Chinese built SCS Electric unit so there’s normally no problem getting a seat – especially as most people crowd together at the entrance to the platform. Head to the rear of the incoming train and you’ll probably find it looks like this!

Don’t assume it’ll stay that way though, this is a local stopping train, and at Arau (the 2nd stop out of Padang Besar), it quickly fills up with people.

14:30.

By the time the train had got to Butterworth it was packed – but fine. People are well-behaved here. Well, unless you count mobile phone etiquette but the UK’s just as bad nowadays only with added  levels of stroppy entitlement.

The new passenger ferries have started running since I was last here (2023). I’ll post pictures and an initial verdict later. The bizarre thing is they no longer take cash, but the kiosk at Butterworth accepts Mastercard or Visa. All for a fare of 2 Ringgit (less than 40p).

Thankfully, the buses do still take cash, so my RM1:40 trip to Lebuh Chulia was paid for in ‘slummy’ from my last trip here!

I’m now having a breather before it’s time to check into my hotel in Jalan Muntri. Cheers!

17:20.

Having had a break at the room to download the camera I’m adding a few more pictures from the trip before venturing out now the day is cooling down. It ‘only’ got up to 32 degrees today with Humidity of 64%. I’ll add captions later…

Our train from Bangkok was split at Hat Yai where the last 3 coaches were taken forward to Padang Besar in Malaysia. 5226 backs onto the train to do the honours.
Checking tickets in the 3rd class coach from Hat Yai to Padang Besar.
One of the new ferries that ply between Butterworth on the mainland and Georgetown on Penang. Call me a nostalgic if you will, but I prefer the old ones.

23:20.

Time to wrap things up. Georgetown is one of my happy places in the world, and I can’t believe I’ve been mad enough to only give myself less than 24 hours here. Plus, I was gutted to find that the really good travellers bar is closed for a holiday. When I say bar, it’s really a shop that spills out every evening, taking over the backstreet outside with tables and chairs. I’ve met some really interesting people there in the past.

Instead, today I stopped to buy a beer from a local shop on Lebuh Chulia (and that shop has a history!) where I met a local who was missing the same place. We ended up chatting for ages.

Meet Eric. A local chap born and bred here but with an international interest. One of those really nice people whom you bump into by chance and one of the reasons that I love travelling.
Here’s where we should have been sat outside

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Asia day 29. Thailand day 10. Time to move on…

12 Wednesday Feb 2025

Posted by in Bangkok, Railways, Thailand, Travel

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It’s 09:00 here in Thailand and I’m savouring a last few hours around a quiet rooftop pool. I’ve picked an unfortunate day to be on the move as temperatures are forecast to hit 37 degrees by early afternoon. Just when I’ll be on the move!

Right now, it’s a balmy 27 but rising. There’s only a handful of guests up here, making it very peaceful with just the sounds of the birds and gongs from the Buddhist temple below where they’re celebrating ‘Big Buddha’ day. Many businesses will be closed today as a consequence – and no alcohol sold.

I’m going to turn this into a rolling blog and update it through the day, so feel free to keep popping back to see how my travels go…

12:48.

I checked out just before, which gave me time to have a saunter and get something to eat after leaving my case with the hotel conceirge. Dozens of others have left today, which probably explains why the pool was so quiet. Mind you, the streets are too. Many stalls haven’t bothered opening. Still, I managed to find a tasty meal. Shrimps Thai style (Still in their shells).

Now I’m enjoying the cool of the hotel’s lobby whilst waiting to see if Chris can give me lift to the station or whether I grab a Grab!

14:30.

In the end, Chris couldn’t get out of a meeting, so I booked a Grab taxi. The app is very useful out here in SE Asia. An almost brand new MG badged EV arrived and the driver expertly manoeuvred his was through the lighter than normal traffic  to deposit me at Krung Thep Apiawat staion with over two hours to spare before I depart for Malaysia.

This station doesn’t have the majesty or history of the old Hualamphong. But what it does have is scale. The place is vast, on multi levels and swallow completely the people using it as it’s been designed with a far bigger network in mind.

That said, it is slowly improving as more shops move in. Now it’s possible to buy freshly cooked food and hot drinks rather than just junk and snack food.

The problem with the station is it’s run like an airport. You’re kept corralled and not allowed onto the platform until 20 minutes before your train departs.

Steamed buns and pork dumplings were just some of the things on offer and the prices were normal, not inflated.

16:20.

Despite the usual confusion from people who’ve never used a sleeper train before everyone settled in soon enough and we left on time. Mine is one of the older sleeper coaches so it’s missing a couple of refinements, but nothing major.

17:20.

We’ve left Bangkok behind to head out into the fertile Thai countryside. It’s also a chance for me to observe the railway being rebuilt as part of the double tracking scheme. Now, little stations like Nakon Pathom have become huge, with raised platforms, footbridges, and substantial staion buildings. The surrounding roads now pass under or over the railway, abolishing all the unsafe level crossings and the traffic congestion they caused. The railway gas installed fencing along its length, but this is suffering mixed fortunes as well worn paths to sections that have vanished betray the fact some locals aren’t happy with losing their traditional shortcuts! The pace of change seems patchy. Some areas I passed through in 2023 seem to have hardly changed. I’m not sure when the project’s due to be finished, but it’s not going to be for a while…

19:20.

Most people in my coach have retired to their bunks now their beds have been made. Mostly for the privacy. Hawkers are still passing through the coach, their melodic (if raucous) cries shattering the quiet, but I doubt they’ll stop me being rocked to sleep by the motion of the train.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Asia day 28. Thailand day 9…

11 Tuesday Feb 2025

Posted by in Bangkok, Photography, Railways, Thailand, Travel

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Yup, there’s another day’s blogging gone missing, but that’s mainly as there wasn’t anything to report other than the fact I was lying around by the hotel’s rooftop swimming pool catching some rays whilst I have the chance.

Today was a much more interesting day as I ventured out and finally had a trip on Bangkok’s new ‘yellow line’ monorail which only opened in 2023. It was certainly an interesting experience. The size of the engineering is impressive as the route towers over the streets it runs along the centers of. But, it’s also disappointing. The ride is far rougher than conventional metro systems and the speeds are nothing to boast about. I’ll talk about it more in another blog, but for now I’ll leave you with these pictures from the trip.

All the trains are four-car sets, running on a frequent service.
There’s few seats and lots of space taken up by equipment inside the monorail cards.

This evening’s my last in Bangkok. Tomorrow I catch the train South into Malaysia, so it was lovely to meet up with my old friend Chrissorn for a meal and a drink, especially as tomorrow is a big day in the Buddhist calendar so nowhere will be selling alcohol. This was our last chance!

I’ll be spending most of tomorrow afternoon (and all of the night) on the train tomorrow, so I’ll have more time to blog then.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312