Kuching, ATM and food forray, April 23rd 2013

Kuching, Sarawak

Orientation, well that's pretty easy as the city, the CBD and touristy parts, are essentially located along the Sarawak river. A quick rough map from Frankie and I'm on my way, to an ATM and some food hopefully. Actually making sense of this map is proving a little difficult, no ATMs around here, not a great deal of food either, looks as though I'm in the wrong direction! A couple of skyscrapers behind with the name of a well known bank on it, so that's probably a good direction to head and yes, soon a plethora of large hotels and a few of those glass skyscrapers are creating long shadows as the sun heads south - this must be Kuching tourist hangout.

Not much food around and by that I mean food the way I like it - self service canteens where I can eat as much as I can possibly manage in one session, and with the owners blessing. That's the way it's been in Malaysia so far, plenty, good and cheap - food of course, I know what some European minds are thinking! The Chinese canteens are closed, no food courts in this area, not even street carts. I'll have to succumb to a Chinese restaurant, small portions and pricey if I know the Chinese, and I do. Yes, exactly as I expected, a small dome of rice to go with my sweet and sour pork, tasty enough though.

For a tourist destination there appears to be a distinct lack of tourists on looking around here. About 3 westerners propping up an Irish bar, a few more looking for somewhere to eat I should think and a handful milling around the waterfront close to their rather expensive looking hotels - very quiet indeed and perhaps that's what some find appealing about Kuching. With Western alcoholics firmly planted in Thailand and Kuala Lumpur this place definitely has a relaxed vibe and I don't mean would be Bob Marley's running around either, hopefully they are all firmly planted in Penang. For now then, back to base, the Nook, situated on floor 2 of a rather mundane concrete block, but at ￡5.75 per night I'm not complaining

Looking Down on Sarawak, Borneo, April 23rd 2013

Looking down on extensive de-forestation, riverside communities and town housing near the city of Kuching on Borneo.

Is this the Borneo plane?

An Empty Plane, Almost

Sarawak River

Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo, April 23rd 2013

Kuching, Sarawak, Malay Borneo

An exciting and adventurous couple of days commuting back and forth to Singapore - ￡5 per night for a single room in Johor, ￡1.20 for enough breakfast to last the day and about ￡3 transport costs, that's Singapore on a pretty low budget I would say!

Packing for the next destination on my South-East Asian expedition - the city of Kuching on Malay Borneo. One last fill up of Porata and dal from the corner cafe before the hike down to Kotoraya bus station, and hopefully the airport bus will be there, waiting. ￡1.80 for a ticket, has to be purchased in what's termed the  'City Lounge' when infact it's a dark hall with a collection of car hire desks and three chairs around a table.

10am and the bus pulls away from downtown Johor, a place I will certainly visit again, and have no hesitation in recommending others to take on the adventure of the Singapore commute! In the Johor suburbs and it's fair to say the place has quite a few demolition projects to undertake as abandoned blocks litter the skyline. Abandoned because there are a number of new, or newish at least, shopping malls, residential blocks, office complexes close by. Johor is certainly moving ahead with its suburban development, industrial development too as the coach speeds along the motorway towards the airport at Senai.

The airport looks pretty new, or at least new additions to the place, surrounded by plenty of open, undeveloped space. Plenty of time for a little nose around since I am about 3 hours early. It's quiet here, nothing going on, very sleepy little airport. Oh, I seem to have stumbled upon a food court, just by the air cargo sheds - well, that only means one thing!

Very bumpy, as the plane climbs away from Johor heading towards Singapore before turning left direct to Kuching flight time 1 hour 15 minutes, well, that's what the pilot said anyway. Smoother air and a cup of in-flight tea for 6 Ringitt, a 20p price hike since the last flight - fleeced again!

This short flight is soon over, the pilot skilfully weaving between afternoon storms, and it's 33 degrees in Kuching, that's pretty nice. A small interrogation at the passport control since I have about a hundred stamps and rapidly running out of pages, and the passports only 2 Years old! Baggage through the green channel, looking guilty as ever but thankfully the officials don't seem to notice my eagerness to get out.

Guest house, the Nook in downtown Kuching and because I am staying more than 4 nights Frankie the owner has come to collect me, nice one! Welcome to Kuching, Borneo.

Johor Bahru City, JB, Malaysia, April 23rd 2013

Johor Bahru City...Relaxed but with Character and vibe

An impromptu wander around the rather small city centre area since the bus hasn't quite delivered as advertised! A dozen skyscrapers, a few blocks lacking in maintenance and then several little streets with character. Chinese shop  houses line both sides, a concerted effort to make the place user friendly around here with some traffic calming measures and then, two old cargo containers turned into a coffee shop. Unique for Malaysia perhaps, but I spotted this concept in Christchurch, New Zealand, recently. 

The city has a laid back appeal, especially after the hustle and bustle of those checkpoints! few people around this Sunday evening, I seem to be the only tourist. Maybe it's still early, the JB night market is just setting up, so later expect mayhem. A cup of Thai milk tea from the containers turned coffee shop then a few snaps before nightfall. A pleasant place to be that's for sure. It maybe a little rough around the edges compared to Singapore but there is plenty of character and vibe to soak up in Johor Bahru.

Woodlands Checkpoint, Singapore

Singapore as seen from Johor

Thai Milk Tea, Nice!

Wrong Bus, Wrong Place, Johor Bahru, April 21st 2013

Lost ticket, wrong bus, wrong place..

The commute back to Johor should be pretty straight forward - simply the same route backwards, same buses hopefully. Bus back to Boon Lay MRT, the train across to Jurong East, line interchange for the train to Kranji from where the mad Johor commute begins with bus 170. Hundreds of people with the same idea, all locals queueing to get out of Singapore out of on a wet Sunday afternoon as bus after bus rolls up and rolls out.

Singapore Woodlands checkpoint and the rush towards passport control begins in earnest, swept up in a tide of unstoppable movement. Another exit stamp and a fast trott though the green lane looking straight ahead trying not to make eye contact with the guards - for some reason I always seem to have a guilty conscious at this point. Joining the tide of movement again down towards the bus stands and onto the 170, engines running, about to leave.

Some interrogation at the Malaysian checkpoint - I was half expecting some inquisition about my frequent comings and goings at some stage, this is it. With the most honest face I could conjure up and with a slight smile, my explanation of being a tourist to see the sights of Singapore, but from the amazing county of Malaysia seemed to suffice, for now anyway and another entry stamp granted.

Down to the bus stands and the 170 was there, but the driver has changed which I thought was a little unusual, oh well, better jump on the bus - I can't find my ticket, that's another 30p to fork out! It's becoming apparent this bus isn't going to Kotoraya in downtown Johor as the motorway exit passes away to the left and the bus speeds on. About 20 minutes and the bus pulls into a rather large station full to bursting of interstate coaches, causeway links, Changi Airport Express and quite a few taxi's. It's the JB Larkin Terminal as the bus pulls into a bay and ends the journey.

Well, since I'm here lets grab some food and consider how I could have made such a simple mistake - a bit like those failed contenders at the Bridge Street Cafe on the BBC's version of the Apprentice I suppose! Well, obviously bus 170 has 2 different routes to completely opposite ends of Johor Bahru and visiting tourists, especially jet lagged ones like me are not likely to know this - finding out the hard way I suppose is part of the adventure. Problem now is getting back to Kotoraya, hopefully avoiding a taxi ride.

Frustratingly, everyone I ask for advice is biased towards the taxi cab. 15 Ringitt negotiated, that's too much since I only paid 14 a few hours ago and that was with an unsocial hours premium. 20 Ringitt from a metered taxi, again that's too much and I still have time on my side for a little more investigation - perhaps a local bus outside. Eventually, success as I am directed to stands 18 to 20 and buses to downtown Johor Bahru. It's always pleasing to avoid a taxi ride, and today a little perseverance has paid off.

30p for the local bus which seems to take in a couple of laps around the CBD before letting anyone off. About an hour of daylight left, might as well look around downtown JB, because from first impressions I see vibrancy and quaintness is one small hit!