Sent the kids back to Kelantan on the last weekend of May at the start of school holidays. So..... got 2 weeks to go somewhere for holiday.
The cheapest and nearest is Hat Yai. Takkan nak ke Danok je kot.
Self drive, bus/van or train ?
Self drive - Kereta tak tukar nama lagi. The chosen date for the trip is 1st June, Agong's birthday plus it's in the middle of the school holiday. A quick check with friends and from the blogs found out that the road and immigration check point most probably be jammed with Malaysian vehicles trying to go to Thailand. At least 2 hours just to pass immigration.
Bus/Van - Not interested.
Train - Found this blog http://mytripadventure.blogspot.com/2009/01/secebis-kisah-catatan-pengembara-dibumi.html
so I decided to go by train. Seems easy and safe enough.
Checklist :
1) Passport - Done. Those without passport can get it done for RM 100 or just get a border pass.
2) Train ticket - Buy on the day of the trip ( For locations between Butterworth and Padang Besar, for those travelling from KL be sure to buy the ticket in advance ). Check with your local Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) office for the latest schedule and ticket price. It costs me RM 18 for a one-way trip Gurun to Hadyai. Station open at 6 am, train at 6:30 am.
3) Hotel - Booked through Agoda. Agong's Birthday + weekend +school holidays... so don't want to risk anything or waste time looking for hotel in Hadyai. Booked Hadyai Golden Crown Hotel. Don't forget to bring along the Hotel voucher during check-in.
4) Camera - Battery fully charged.
5) Hand phones - Battery fully charged and still got sufficient memory to store photos of the trip.
6) Travel adapter - Sebab kepala plug/socket kat sana lain dari di Malaysia. (Actually i forgot all about this).
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This is the wall outlet in Thailand.
Jangan lupa bawa adapter.
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Day 1. 1st June, 2013.
Woke up at 5 am. Drove to my friend Kamarul's house in Gurun to pick him up and arrive there at 6 am. At 6:10 am arrive at Gurun's temporary train station. Kamarul drop us there and took my car back to his house. He'll pick us up when we got back to the station from Hatyai the next day.
The ticket counter was closed but a KTM staff come out from another cabin and asked me "Dah beli tiket ?" I answered "Belum beli lagi, tunggu kaunter buka". "Beli sini pun boleh" he said. Bought 2 tickets, Gurun - Hat Yai. RM18 per person for one way trip. Took a peek at the whiteboard in the cabin.... saw the name of staffs at the station with the balance of their leave... some got up to 25 days leave balance!!!! I also saw "Tentera 120 orang - 2 June" on the board. We also saw 2 families at the station but they already bought their tickets earlier.
6:30 am. Boarded the train and head north to Padang Besar. KTM have improved a lot, comfortable, clean train and most important... on-time.
7:10 am. The train departed Alor Star railway station heading to Arau's railway station. Nice view, paddy fields on both sides. We also passed by the CIMA cement plant in Perlis.
8:30 am. We arrived at Padang Besar Railway station. Disembark from the train and head straight to the Malaysian Immigration. Then we continue to the Thailand's immigration after we filled our arrival and departure card.
8:50 am. We ate nasi lemak and teh tarik at the station. RM 5 for 2 persons.
0945 am. Boarded the train to Hadyai. Actually it's the same train but with only 2 coaches, a sleeping coach and a sitting coach.
Asked the KTM lady "Bila tren ni jalan ?"
She answered "Tunggu tren Bangkok".
Exchange some money with the lady, she can speak both Malay and Thai. Most probably she's Siam Malaysia, sebab nama pun bunyi cam nama Siam.
RM 150 x 9.6 = Baht 1440.
10:45 am. The train left Padang Besar and head towards Hat Yai. Bye bye Malaysia... Welcome to Thailand.
The train ride is rougher and you're constantly rocked... left right... left right... and you can hear the train driver blowing their horn all the time. On both side of the tracks you heard the leaves brushing against the train and you can see Thais going about their daily routine. In Malaysia the ride was smoother and you don't hear the horn.
Aisehhh man.... letih dah ni.
To be continued.
Woke up at 5 am. Drove to my friend Kamarul's house in Gurun to pick him up and arrive there at 6 am. At 6:10 am arrive at Gurun's temporary train station. Kamarul drop us there and took my car back to his house. He'll pick us up when we got back to the station from Hatyai the next day.
The ticket counter was closed but a KTM staff come out from another cabin and asked me "Dah beli tiket ?" I answered "Belum beli lagi, tunggu kaunter buka". "Beli sini pun boleh" he said. Bought 2 tickets, Gurun - Hat Yai. RM18 per person for one way trip. Took a peek at the whiteboard in the cabin.... saw the name of staffs at the station with the balance of their leave... some got up to 25 days leave balance!!!! I also saw "Tentera 120 orang - 2 June" on the board. We also saw 2 families at the station but they already bought their tickets earlier.
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| 6:15 am. Waiting for the train at Gurun's train station. Sleepy face. |
6:30 am. Boarded the train and head north to Padang Besar. KTM have improved a lot, comfortable, clean train and most important... on-time.
7:10 am. The train departed Alor Star railway station heading to Arau's railway station. Nice view, paddy fields on both sides. We also passed by the CIMA cement plant in Perlis.
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| 8:05 am. Somewhere in Perlis on the way to Padang Besar |
8:50 am. We ate nasi lemak and teh tarik at the station. RM 5 for 2 persons.
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| 9:03 am. At Padang Besar railway station. Makan Nasi lemak dan teh tarik dulu. |
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| 9:20 am. Waiting for the train to Hat Yai. |
0945 am. Boarded the train to Hadyai. Actually it's the same train but with only 2 coaches, a sleeping coach and a sitting coach.
Asked the KTM lady "Bila tren ni jalan ?"
She answered "Tunggu tren Bangkok".
Exchange some money with the lady, she can speak both Malay and Thai. Most probably she's Siam Malaysia, sebab nama pun bunyi cam nama Siam.
RM 150 x 9.6 = Baht 1440.
10:45 am. The train left Padang Besar and head towards Hat Yai. Bye bye Malaysia... Welcome to Thailand.
The train ride is rougher and you're constantly rocked... left right... left right... and you can hear the train driver blowing their horn all the time. On both side of the tracks you heard the leaves brushing against the train and you can see Thais going about their daily routine. In Malaysia the ride was smoother and you don't hear the horn.
Aisehhh man.... letih dah ni.
To be continued.
