Well what a 48 hours this has been, hectic is not even the word for it.
I had to get to the airport around midday in order to check in and catch the flight over to Singapore, so I was packed up and checked with plenty of time, however it was a shame that my taxi driver spoke no English.
I really wanted to have the taxi driver take me to the zoo first, where the statue of the symbol of Surabaya was, but he didn’t understand and so despite driving right past it all I got was another almost useless drive past photo and nothing worth sending off to National Geographic or anything.
Apparently from the CBD I can get a bus to the airport for around 10,000 but my hotel wasn’t in the CBD and I had no idea ofhow to get there, so in the end I just went with the taxi which cost me around 70,000, not too much all things considered.
It was a shock to the system to have to check my luggage through security the second you got through the main airport doors and I hadn’t even reached the check in desk yet, so they are quite thorough on this.
A 150,000 IDR airport leaving tax was the last mini disappointment that I had before it was off flying back to Singapore in order to then cross the city and catch an overnight train to KL, Malaysia. The flight was a few hours and although we got a drink we didn't get any meal for free, and I really wasn’t interested in buying anything so I just fell asleep and waited for the flight to be over.
There was almost a good chance to catch the Singapore sunset just as we arrived around 6pm, but the sky was still too overcast and cloudy and so only the tiniest red slip of sky was visible.
Touching down I had the pleasure of going through security all over again, which is Singapore is one of the quickest and most pleasant it could be, before I was then retracing a familiar route to the third terminal in order to then catch the MRT to the nearest stop to the train station at Keppel Street.
This was where a map and a compass would have come in very handy, as the train station was due south of the MRT station but instead I ended up going due north and almost ending up back in China Town, which is quite a way away. Although I had given myself a bit of time, this wrong direction delay cost me badly and it meant that I was rushing back the way I came trying to find a taxi to take me there before it was too late.
I took a side street in an effort to cut off a corner of my route and I found myself slap bang in what could only be one of Singapore’s red light districts, or at least massage and gentleman club areas, and had I had more time I could have stopped and had a drink or two but being hard pressed I had to forge on ahead and remember it for next time, if there ever was a next time that I will be back in Singapore.
I did eventually find a taxi, but he almost didn’t want to take me, saying that it was only a few minutes’ walk, but I explained that I was in a hurry and didn’t have time to lose, so despite having to go the long way round a one way system he agreed to take me there and in less than five minutes I was jumping out, having paid him less than SIN$10, and was rushing to try and find if the ticket booth was still open or not.
Around 9:15 I found it, less than an hour before it was due to leave, and that gave me just enough time to buy the ticket SIN $38, buy a quick meal and few cans of drinks, less than SIN $10 and then completed the visa application form as of course Singapore is a city state and a country all in one, and although it was once part of Malaysia, that was many years ago and now they are separate.
The train left at 10pm prompt and it took at least half an hour before we reached the checkpoint where we had to get out and go through border immigration, but thankfully I could leave my stuff on the train, assuming that I didn’t mind leaving it unguarded for a few minutes, which I didn’t as everyone as out doing the same as I was, and if someone was going to take my rucksack then good luck to them as it’s a heavy beast and the straps are almost frayed to the limits after all the times its been thrown around in airport lounges.
I had booked a sleeping cabin, which was like a slim bunk bed stuck to the train walls and was barely 6 foot long, so just enough room for me but I doubt any basketball player could get in without being decapitated first.
The bus was cheaper and took only four hours, apparently, but I wanted to try the train and it fitted my timetable as I was going to check in once I got to KL in the morning, however I was doubting this logic soon after the train left as it was the most uncomfortable train journey I have ever been on and I doubt that I got a wink of sleep the whole night.
Sadly for me, the hostel where I was checked in was a mixed dorm and they did not want me to check in until after 2pm, which is a total killjoy and after the train journey I had just had I decided to look around for something else that I could check into right away.
The taxi was arranged by a ticket counter inside the train station and for 10 RM I was given the ticket, but just my luck the driver didn’t know it and so he took me close, near the road, and pointed that it was up there somewhere, meaning he didn’t know the hostel but the road name rang a bell.
The hostel I had chose was 6 people sharer for 25 RM but instead I went across the road and got a private room for 50 RM, that was no more than a bunk bed and an air conditioner unit, but the room itself was barely able to fit the bed in let alone stand up or do anything else.
I slept for a few hours until about midday, when I thought that it was time to make the most of the day, so went for a walk to see if I could find a map and take some good photos. After a bit of a trek I found a mall, a place where I could get a headset for my laptop to use with the Skype, for free phone calls pc to pc, and a good view of the twin towers.
Retracing my steps I came back to the mall where I found a tourist bureau and I had heard that they are cheap and good in Malaysia, so I booked a night time tour for today and then a full day city tour for tomorrow, for 245 RM the pair, which is barely over £60 and so I didn’t think it was going if the trips are any good.
I also almost bought a rip off DVD of a Chinese martial arts movie by the smooth selling salesman, but I didn’t realise that they were rip offs until after I agreed to it and the only thing that saved me was that he had to burn the copy before I could have it and despite being told to come back in ten minutes, in twenty minutes it was still not ready and I couldn’t wait any longer before returning to catch the night time tour.
The tour bus arrived over half an hour early, it threw me, and he said that it was to beat the rain and traffic, but in my opinion he did neither. The rain started and then poured and then it was heavy thunder and lightning and this meant that everyone was jumping in taxi's and we sat slow moving for over an hour before we got anywhere.
When we finally got to the oldest Hindu temple in Malaysia I was disappointed as the guide didn’t come in with us, and it ended up being no more than a brief photo opportunity before going back into the bus to wait for a couple of Australian Chinese for almost half an hour before then being led to China Town night market and told to wander around and meet back in less than half hour to go to the meal and show.
With less than half an hour there was not much time to do anything, so I just strolled around and then went back to the minibus and waited.
At 7:45 we then all met up to go to the dinner buffet, which was a mixture of Chinese and Malay food, which was included but the drinks were not so I just had a couple of glasses of water which they prided themselves on never letting it get too low before being re topped up.
At 8:30 an hour long show started up, with various dances from the region, and there was even a couple of dart blowing shows but it was done on such a small scale and the compare spend longer talking than the dancers were dancing so it was a little of an anticlimax for most, but a perfectly reasonable ending to an overall below average tour in my opinion.
The thing that got my goat, apart from the fact that they allowed some of the Joe public up on stage who wanted to dominate everything including the photo sessions, but one guest thought he was Borat and was OTT on everything while some of the females in the audience stood up and took photos all the time so anyone not right up at the front could not take anything of any good quality without having them in the frame.
It was a good show if you didn’t mind all that, and the endless buffet included was almost worth if it you considered that you could eat for almost two hours nonstop, but my belly has limits and so I can't just go on eating, after a point it says enough is enough.
I did try taking some photos from the sides, where the standing women were not, but then I noticed that the lighting man had set up the rig so that the lights flashed and dimmed at irregular timings and so it was not possible for my automatic camera to take adjust to the light, as it kept changing, and so I took plenty but don't think many will come out worth framing.
The route back I stopped off for a stroll to try and walk off the meal, but it was so hot and muggy that I couldn't last long without having to take get back and take a cold shower and just chill under the air conditioning unit.
I will be moving hostels in the morning, to one just around the corner that has a slightly bigger room for slightly less, and a day trip booked that I hope won’t be ruined by the rain, so fingers crossed.
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