Tues 27.12.2022.
Kak Long had planned for a Christmas trip to Hat Yai by ETS. Heavy bookings for this period forced the reschedule to an earlier date of 21st December until 24th. But we nearly missed the whole trip, thanks to an unforgivable carelessness by Idah. And this had happened before, also on a trip to Thailand - to Bangkok.
In the Bangkok case, having arrived early at the airport, I'd parked Idah within sight of the electronic departure board, showing the changing times and departure gates. With almost an hour to spare, and Idah at that time having problems walking long stretches, we agreed she wait on the seats available, so I could do some window-shopping around the vast expenses of the Bangkok airport.
Of course the gates changed. And Idah didn't notice.
It took a frantic Kak Long pushing an empty wheel chair to retrieve Idah and board the aircraft as the last passanger on the last call.
This time it was a miracle of sorts that saved the day.
One month ago we all had agreed on this ETS trip. Wafa, our granddaughter of 8, has been very close to her grandmother. From an infant to this day she even sleeps with her. On hearing about the trip, she insisted she was coming. Finally Dekna, her mom, relented and Haniff, her husband arranged for the issue of her own passport. This wasn't possible before. I also took a letter of consent from Haniff. Just in case.
One month ago I had inquired about Idah's passport status. "Ok" was the simple response she gave. I should have checked. I didn't.
The train was to leave Kajang, where everybody decided to leave together from, at 10.01 a.m. on Wednesday, 21st December. Kak Long had warned that the ETS is always on time. This was later borne out true.
Tuesday evening, 20th. December, at 8.40 p.m., I'd just done my Isyak prayers when Kak Long called, asking for our passports' numbers, for insurance coverage. That was when I discovered that Idah's passport had expired in May, 2021 !
Fortunately, Kak Long said UTC, where the Immigration is, closes at 10 p.m. There was still time. Dekna took her mother. The UTC is only 400 m away. They just made it, but the place was already closing down. Normally one would have to get the turn's number first, before queing for the actual passport process. I don't know what actually transpired, but Dekna managed to get all except the printing of the passport done. At 8 the next morning, our departure date, we were told to jump que and collect the printed new passport.
In fact we had to wait 1 full hour. We were there at 8 sharp, having waited 30 minutes for the main gates to be open.
At 9 sharp we rushed to Kajang, via the Lekas highway. After 2 false turns (1 on the Kajang town turn from the Lekas highway, and 1 on the train station departure gate) we made it into the lift taking us to the departure hall of the station at probably 6 or 7 minutes to the official departure time. We had to rush down the long stairway, struggling with our luggage, when an escalator would have been helpful. We joined the waiting group, waiting for the due coaches, at exactly 10 am. Kak Long saw us coming, with the broadest smile of relief. It was massive. Because Kakak, her eldest daughter, also arrived at the very same time with us from Seremban. (Later there were many trip delays in the 4-day stay all because of Kakak. But she was only behaving to form. In previous trips abroad together, Kakak only followed her own clock. It was always slower than others). We all tumbled into the first open coach door. It turned out to be the correct coach, the first one. At 10.01 as promised, the doors shut, and the train moved. Phew !
The Kajang-Padang Besar trip took 6.5 hours, with stops at practical all stations. There is only one dining coach, which ran out of food after 2 stations. The very brief stops did not give us time to jump out and buy food and drinks. Plus there were no hawkers on the platforms and within easy reach, like they had in the good old days, selling "kacang putih", snacks and even "sireh". Fortunately Idah had anticipated the situation (the passport case was different), and brought enough "mee goring" for everyone. But it was one small serving each. Still it helped fight the hunger that was only sated at a restaurant all the way in Hat Yai. The train ride was nice, with the changing scenery out of the large glass windows, the ample air-conditioning, the charging ports (important with the gadgets these days), plenty of leg-room for stretching and walk-about, the adequate but poorly-supplied toilets, and the prayer booth for max 3 and no qiblat.
Padang Besar is a renovated station and now looks a suitable-looking entry point from the Thai side. The Thailand-entry document-processing was ok, the premises clean and cool. There was an electronic lane provided, but in one case involving one of the group's members, having entered the electronic lane, she was made to double back into the manual lane because of some undetected affirmative recording, or something. Returning into Padang Besar on 24th December, the Thai officers behaved stickily in one window. The lady Immigration officer let through some of us without the finger-scans, but in my case they made me put all 10 fingers for scanning. And she also demanded the filling-up of a form by the van driver whom we had to call in because he stayed put in the vehicle, seeming unaware of the requirement although he is a regular traveller here.
The one real complain for me is the ridiculous situation where there should be easy movement from the Malaysian railway station to the Thai entry point. We had to take 2 taxis from the KTM disembarkation side to the Thai Immigration side, taking a long route under a tiny one-vehicle tunnel. In fact an overhead bridge is already in place, making it just a lengthy walk from one side to the other. Why this facility is closed puzzles me. Our van driver said that the bridge denied the taxi drivers an income. What is the concern here, the income of a few taxi drivers, or the comfort of the citizenary ? The taxi service should respond to people's need, isn't it ?
The 4-day-3-night Hat Yai trip was enjoyable. For friends and relatives who haven't done it, I would strongly recommend it. Hotel and breakfast was good. The street-shopping was plentiful, and sightseeing was great. Food was familiar and cheap. The streets were clean, the facilities good. In one particular beach resort, facing the South China Sea, the "surau" and the toilets were extremely clean.
I had been to Hat Yai before, but that must have been at least 32 years ago. I went for golf, but not at the course I saw this time on the way to Songkhla. This was trim-green with moderate-height trees just by the main road. My memory of my old visit is vague. It was an old-looking golf course, with large trees providing cover as well as obstruction for golfers.
Some small money could have been saved if I got the senior-citizen discount for the ETS. But they insisted that I appear in person. This is one area Malaysia falls behind even its ASEAN neighbours. A scan on the photo should suffice, surely.
Ku Am and Yati did save some money, though. Only, they saved money but missed the company's enjoyment, which is priceless. You can go again, with the very same people, but that would be a different thing. They cancelled the Hat Yai part, choosing to stop at Alor Star, and rejoing us on 24/12 on the trip home to Kajang. All because of reports of flooding in Hat Yai. They forget that the weather changes, and current reports are always avaiable for update.
Kak Long talked of a cruise from Port Kelang to Penang, taking a few days. I don't think I want to look at Selat Melaka and the walls of the ship for a few days. If it is for Batam and the Riau Islands, I might consider, provided there are landings stops.
We tour to see different places, meet different people, taste different cuisines, feel different weather. It doesn't have to be far away places. We can still enjoy our Terenggau or Langkawi trips. The part of getting there, like the train ride to Padang Besar, is as much the fun as reaching the journey's end. And good company helps make the lapse of time shared fun.
That was the Hat Yai trip. Sawdee kap !!
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