The journey from Penang to Bangkok started with a pleasant ferry ride from Penang wharf to Butterworth, a free ferry that takes about 20 minutes and provides a pleasant break from the heat and humidity of the island. It was easy to arrange the transportation, the small KTM ticket office at the ferry wharf sold them for 104RM (upper berth. Was 111RM for a lower berth). But what to do on a 22 hour train journey?
1. Get on the train without falling onto the tracks. The train was from Thailand, built to board at ground level. Malaysia have regular raised platforms. This presented quite a conundrum when attempting to board, loaded up with a backpack, daypack and bag of snacks.
2. Get comfortable in your seat. Very roomy when you figure out your backpack can (just) be stowed under the seat.
3. Get to know your seat buddy. Upon seeing me yawn, this gentlemen told me that if I got up at 5am and did Tai Chi with him then I would have more energy, and I wouldn’t be sleepy. Oh, and I’d be slimmer. He then promptly fell asleep.
4. Check out the toilets. And wash your hands vigorously in hand sanitiser every time you use.
5. Watch the world go by
6. Check out the view from the back of the train and watch where you’ve been. Be careful though, I don’t think I was supposed to open the door at the back of the train!
7. Listen to music
8. Play games on your phone. I’m quite partial to the Telltale suite of games, particularly Game of Thrones at the moment. It’s a good idea to have a re-charging device as there is no-where to charge you phone on the train.
9. Read. It’s always good to have a book on hand for any long journey. Currently reading The Gift of Rain by Twan Eng Tan, set in Penang during the Japanese occupation during WWII.
10. Start watching Sons of Anarchy from season 1. Been wanting to watch for ages. A good as time as any to start.
11. Play clock solitaire
12. Go through immigration. We arrived at the border after about 3 hours. Immigration clearance took about 30 minutes, though we were at the station for about 1.5 hours.
13. Exchange your last ringgit for baht with the money changing lady who boards the train
14. Eat the food you ordered earlier. The train ‘concierge’ will come around with a menu and offer a limited choice of dinner options.
15. Watch in wonder as the train attendants turn your seat into a bed.
16. Figure out how the hell to climb up to your upper bunk.
17. Figure out how you and your daypack with all of your valuables will fit on your upper bunk.
18. Search for your earplugs and sleeping mask. These are a must. The lights in the carriage stay on all night, and some people like to talk on their phone until the wee hours of the morning.
19. Sleep
20. Eat your snacks for breakfast. They do offer a pre-ordered breakfast the night before, but none seemed too appetising.
21. Work on your blog!
22. Welcome the sight of Bangkok Train Station
From the train station to Khao San Road is only about 5km. Bypass the taxi touts at the station entrance (who tried to charge me 300 baht!!) and head across the road where you can flag a taxi down who will use the meter. Depending on traffic, should only cost around 60 baht.
