One evening, after celebrating a fellow rider's birthday, we adjourned to a mamak stall to chat further. As usual, our talks revolves around bikes, routes, journeys past and futures.
It was during this time that Claudine presented to the group about her desire to take one of the last train journeys through the jungles of Peninsula Malaysia. This particular train journey is pulled by a diesel powered locomotive from Johor Bahru all the way to Tumpat and hugs some of the oldest rainforests in the world.
Just as the old sleeper trains pulled by diesel powered locomotives had disappeared from the tracks of the West Coast Rails, the East Coast will soon say goodbye to these iconic trains as well. Currently, DMU (Diesel Multiple Units) trains are already plying the routes between Tumpat and Kuala Lipis and Kuala Lipis and Gemas. Once, the last sections of the electrified double tracking system between Gemas and JB Sentral is completed, the old trains may find themselves obsolete and redundant. What more with the new ECRL (East Coast Rail Link) already in the works and expected to complete by 2026, it is a matter of time before all these old trains goes down in history.
Claudine's pitch sparked Zoe's interest. While all of us had gone to dreamland that night, she was still wide awake searching for tickets based on our criterias...the journey to Kelantan must fall on a Friday night with lower sleeping berths. She searched every Fridays of the week, one week after another and by 2.30 am the next morning, she had whatsapp the group on the results. It seems, she had went from August to December and concluded December was our best bet.
Inspired by her enthusiasm, 11 of us committed to the trip with ready tickets the next day with 5 more jumping on the bandwagon soon after. The rest is history...
DAY 1 - BOARDING THE TRAIN FROM KEMPAS BARU
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Coach 7 hosts most of the team members. Above Henry was Evelyn's sleeping berth which was later released when she could not make the trip. A refund of 50% of the original cost of ticket was credited into the buyer's KTM Wallet.
Coach 7 is purportedly the best choice. Coach 8 is next to the locomotive and thus noisy. Coach 6 is next to the canteen, hence suffers the flow of passengers from Coach 7 and 8 passing through.
Whatever the choice of coaches, always avoid the berths next to the doorways as they are near to the toilets, tend to be noisy and is a favourite hang out for smokers! |
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KTM Kempas still sports the old fashioned, curved ticket booth. A new station which replaces this old station is nearing completion soon so the next time you board a train, remember to double check the location!
Note the notice on the glass, "Tiket ke Kelantan malam ini HABIS". In short, SOLD OUT! We were surprised the tickets were snapped up almost immediately especially when 3 of our team members just cancelled 1 day before departure! |
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| In the waiting room |
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| Note the dimpa bag which concealed our trifolds |
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| The complete team with Mr Tan holding the camera |
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Nowadays, they do not allow anyone on the platform until half hour before the train approaches
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Here comes our Jungle Train, pulled by the last remaining diesel powered locomotives in Malaysia.
The Jungle Train which plies between Johor Bahru and Tumpat was conferred this nickname as it skirts some of the oldest rainforest in the world. The legitimate name for this service though is Express Rakyat Timuran.
The new Shuttle Timuran which currently runs between Tumpat and Kuala Lipis and between Kuala Lipis and Gemas uses the new fleet of DMU trains. DMU stands for Diesel Multiple Units which are diesel powered trains and does not require a separate locomotive to pull the train as diesel engine is incorporated into one or more of the carriages.
The old locomotives may find themselves obsolete and redundant once the last link of electrified double tracking system between Gemas to JB Sentral is completed.
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| Lugging the bikes |
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| We bought an extra sleeping berth for our bikes and luggage. The idea was not to clutter the walkway with our bulky baggage hence reducing the chances of suspicion as bikes on board is strictly against KTM intercity's policy |
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| These are actually day seats converted into sleeping berths but unlike Thai and Indian trains by which Claudine and VT had travelled before, KTM does not bother to reconvert them into day seats for you during the day. |
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| On the way to the canteen, the passageway is narrowed to allow space for the kitchen |
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| Don't expect a 5 stars dining experience. They only serves reheated fried noodles or rice with a sunny side up for RM9. Beverages like hot tea and coffee costs RM3 per cup. The chips and snacks on display are mainly ignored by all passengers. |
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| The dining coach. Wee said the toasties from the canteen were not good! |
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| The dining coach is a non smoking area but this does not prevent 2nd hand smoke from entering the cabin and all over the train... |
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| ...this passageway by the door is a popular area for smokers. The smoke seeps through the gaps or are allowed in when the doors are opened |
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| The coaches are coupled together at the bottom and joined by the moving platform |
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| Squat toilets |
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| Sitting pan....I dare you!!! |
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| It's actually quite cosy. The extra pillow comes from the additional berth we purchased for our lugggage |
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| Always keep your personal documents and essentials next to you especially travelling at night |
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| Silk blanket is a travel essential. It keeps your skin away from the doubtful sheets and creepy crawlies at bay. |
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DAY 2 - THE MORNING AFTER AND ARRIVAL AT KOTA BAHRU
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| At dawn, wake up to the most mesmerizing views |
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| Closing in on Gua Musang, we pass by one of the oldest rainforests in the world |
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| Pristine rivers |
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| Palm oil estates nearing the town of Gua Musang |
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| Karst hills which are distinctively the geography of Gua Musang |
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| Limestones and caves |
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Unnamed temple near the train station
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| The train is scheduled to arrive at Gua Musang 7.47 am |
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| If you are a foodie, make sure you wake up on time for the stop to purchase your breakfast |
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| Nasi daging kerutuk or gulai ayam with sambal for RM5 each....yummy! |
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| It's a 5-10 minutes stop, so be ready with your money... |
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| ...and your ears peeled for the whistle or the train may leave you behind! |
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| It was a successful heist for Mr Tan and Claudine |
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| Meanwhile, Chooi and Mindy prioritized on photo taking, so they had to content with food on board. |
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| Jambatan Sungai Nenggiri at Bertam. On Google Maps, the river is listed as Sungai Betis, possibly as it originates from Sungai Jak and later flowed through Kuala Betis. When Sungai Betis flows through Nenggiri, it adopts its' new name. Sungai Nenggiri then confluence with Sungai Galas and adopts the latter name. All these river flows into Kelantan River which eventually dumps all its contents into the South China Sea |
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| Railway bridge crossing Sungai Galas at Kemubu. |
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| The train also made a brief stop in Dabong but there was no hot food sold at the station. Only buns and biscuits at the stall |
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| Drizzling in Dabong at 9.45 am |
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| 2nd class coach |
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| 1st class coach |
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There's enough room for 2 pax to stretch one's legs as well
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| 12.37 pm...the train arrives at Wakaf Bharu right on the dot! |
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| Gearing up at KTM Wakaf Bharu (Note to self : not a good idea to unpack in front of train station) |
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| Look !!! LC and her mum are in the car waiting to pick VT and Claudine up. The couple did not travel with bikes as they are going home the next day by flight and will borrow LC's and her friend's bikes instead. So while the team cycled to HL Hotel in light drizzle, LC gave VT and Claudine the VIP treatment... |
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| Waiting for our lunch |
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| Lunch at Barn Rao. The chef was working in Singapore but decided to come home during the pandemic |
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| The food is out of this world especially the crispy fried pork. It was similar to garlic pork but more aromatic as it is marinated with herbs as well. The more distinct flavours are lemon grass and basil |
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| Wat Mai Suwankiri and the magnificent standing Buddha. The original temple on the same site is said to be 400 years old but the current structures are slightly more than 50 years. |
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| At Wat Mai Suwankiri, there's an intricately carved dragon boat which is surrounded by waters. The boat houses the temple as seen in the photo. |
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| A stairway of ornate bells, 88 pieces to be exact! |
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Tumpat Lighthouse, built circa 1900. The lighthouse is about 100m from the sea and was important to guide ships into the port. Over the years, Tumpat lost its significance as a trading port as deltas began to form by the river mouth.
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Tumpat Lighthouse is located on the same grounds as Tumpat Railway Station.
The British had built the railway by the old Tumpat port to bring raw materials from the interiors of Peninsula Malaysia to be shipped out by sea. In the olden days, gold and rubber from as far as Kuala Lipis were transported by rail to Tumpat before they were loaded onto trading ships, bound for the British Empire.
Works on the East Coast railway line began in 1906 in Tumpat. It was only in 1914, that the line between Tumpat and Pasir Mas began its service. The rest of the line opened in stages and by 1931, the connections from Singapore to Bangkok and also the East Coast were finally completed. |
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Jambatan Bijih Jubakar
While it was mentioned that Tumpat was once a trading port, this jetty is strategically located 2.5 km from the Tumpat Railway Station. It was built by the British before the war to ease the transportation of tin ore from the land to the sea. It was subsequently taken over by the Japanese during WWII and continued to be used until 1965.
The tin were mined from Bukit Besi in Kuala Krai and brought to the port by rail. They were then packed into small wooden boxes and loaded into boats. The boats were used as feeder for the Japanese ships anchored in the open sea.
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Click above video for the birthday celebration
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DAY 3 - TAK BAI
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| Riding out at 8.30 am |
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| Group B arriving with their rides |
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| Gulai kambing |
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Serati (ugly duck as per LC) and beef.
Trivia : Serati is native to South America. Even though it looks like a duck, its characteristics are more similar to a goose such that it is not bred by the waters. In fact, it has a low fat content making it less bouyant in the waters. |
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| The burial place of Tok Janggut is less than 200 m away from our breakfast stop |
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Paying tribute to Tok Janggut who died fighting the British in 1915
Kelantan has long fostered strong bi-lateral relationships with Patani and / or Siam. Every 3 years, the northern Unfederated States of Malaya, one of which is Kelantan will present bunga mas to the King of Siam as a token of friendship. However, the King of Siam considered it as a gift from a protectorate state.
Thus, when the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 was signed, Siam relinquished its power of all northern states of Malaya to the British. Administrative changes and new taxes were then introduced by the British which subsequently led to the people's revolt in 1915. |
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| Group A at Pengakalan Kubor CIQ |
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| Group B getting their passports stamped at Pengkalan Kubor |
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| Our RORO ferry |
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| Fare for pedestrians |
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| Fare for passenger with bicycle |
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| The entire team. |
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| There are seats in the open and and a sheltered cabin on the left with air conditioning |
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| Tak Bai across Sungai Golok |
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| Tak Bai CIQ |
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Group A and B on Thai's side.
The heavy downpour at 5.30 am was most unfortunate. It finally stopped at 8 am, allowing the roll out at 8.30 am for Group B. The 1.5 hour delay in rolling out meant it was too risky for Mr Lim, Claudine and VT to ride as they had night transports to catch and the planned route spanned 90 km with many sights thrown in. Meanwhile, Claudine and VT prefer to avoid lengthy wet weather rides on borrowed bikes. |
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| The drivers must have been irritated by all our photo takings |
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| At Tak Bai CIQ, walk pass the immigration counter to a small office. The commissioner of oath hoards all the immigration forms. He will play pretend and tries to help you fill up your forms for a fee of RM3 per form. Usually, there will be a long queue as everyone disembark from the ferry at the same time. You can cut costs and time by requesting for the forms from him. Again, he will usually play pretend, requesting to see your passports. Tips, courtesy of LC |
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| Tak Bai |
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| Chasing Lighthouses...Tak Bai Lighthouse in the background. In her excitement to get a Tuk Tuk, Claudine totally forgot about her lighthouse!!! |
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| Group A and B meet again after Tak Bai CIQ. Pedestrians and cyclists takes different exits at the CIQ |
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| We thought this new Tuk Tuk beside Mindy will be taking us to our lunch stop but instead the one parked at the far corner junction became our ride.... |
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| ... you can never win the Thai fellas. When we bargained down from RM10 to RM8 per pax, we were given this beat up machine! |
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| RM 8 per pax for 7 of us...at least the driver tried to wipe down the benches for us but we couldn't wait to climb up |
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| Rusty ride..even the pole Theresa was holding on for dear life was only attached from the top. The bottom part has long broken off!!! |
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| Midway to our lunch stop, we overtook the gang! |
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| Army watch tower at the junction with CCTV's which is a norm so close to the borders |
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| The Captain of the ride at the front of the pack |
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| Crabmeat fried rice |
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| Diabetes in a cup |
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Group B joining in to fuel up before the ride as the route to Sungai Golok is quite remote, mainly flanked by paddy fields and sparse settlements
At the 11th hour, Group B decides to change the game plan to Sungai Golok to avoid the rain. Thereon, they will take the train to Hatyai. It was a good move as the East Coast of Malaysia was experiencing on/off rain the whole day and riding towards Kuantan the following days may be unpleasant.
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| Route 4084 with Iskanda on the right |
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| View of the mainland from the bridge |
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| View of the mainland from the bridge |
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| Note the motorcycle at the far end of the bridge. The locals will access the island by motorcycle as the bridge can be a bit too far to walk at 350 m, especially on a hot day. However, we enjoyed the walk, thanks to a windy day which carried the rain clouds along |
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| Pulau Panjang |
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| First sights of the island |
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| Gravel path leading to more village homes and possibly the other bridge on the island |
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| Picturesque |
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| Inlet |
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| The beach was not very clean, filled with debris washed up by the tides. But we were happy as it was a cloudy and windy day |
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| The return fare was more expensive @ 10 baht which is about RM1.40 |
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| It was drizzling on our way back, so LC led us to the covered cabin on the ferry |
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Sitting Buddha
After shopping for chocolates at Pengkalan Kubor's Duty Free, we revisted the Sitting Buddha.
LC and Claudine were caught in a long debate on it's beauty with Claudine against it. Hence upon arrival, we all had a closer look and concluded that the plain brown colour of the Buddha was due to the mosaic tiles in monotone. Apparently skilled craftsmen were brought in to construct the Buddha and it took them 10 years to complete the statue. Finished in 2000, it held the title as the tallest Sitting Buddha in South East Asia until it was dethroned by the Great Buddha of Thailand in Ang Thong province in 2008 |
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Reclining Buddha
Often mistaken as the Sleeping Buddha, LC was quick to explain that this is indeed a Reclining Buddha as the Buddha's eyes are open and in a position of resting. Completed in 1979, Wat Pothivihan houses one of the 2 Reclining Buddha in South East Asia. The largest is housed in Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple in Myanmar.
After a long day of sight seeing, we break for coconut water by the temple before returning to LC's place. Thereon, John, Theresa and Mr Lim went back to HL Hotel |
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| Yummy desserts |
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| Rojak |
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Leaving Kota Bahru with a heavy heart. While VT and Claudine boarded the flight bound for KLIA, Mr Lim was already in his 8 pm bus bound for JB
Airasia : Depart KHB 9.50 pm, Arrive KLIA2 23.00 pm |
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Leaving KLIA2 in the morning after spending a night on benches!!! Originally, a direct flight Kota Bahru to JB on 5 December, the flight was retimed from noon to evening before finally cancelled as the dates approaches. Options given were a credit refund to Airasia account OR a choice of all available flights via KLIA.
Note the safety cones surrounding the holes. They were all over the road!!!
Airasia : Depart KLIA2 8.35 am, Arrive JHB 9.30 am
Surprisingly, both the flights took off on time and arrive 20 minutes early.
While Claudine and VT were picked up by Rygel at Senai Airport, Mr Lim disembarked from his 12 hour bus journey and arrived home an hour earlier than the couple.
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