So, I left office early on friday, packed my bag, and started hitchiking trip with Jaja and Umit.
It was a great success with great team :D we hitchhiked all the way Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru, and bus to Singapore - Since it'll be near impossible to hitch ride crossing the border at 12am.
Date: 7 & 8 August
THE TRIP
So, we started our trip from Damansara Perdana. We took the free shuttle bus to Kelana Jaya LRT. Why? We were in Petaling Jaya, which was waaaaaaay out of south-way. We were thinking of starting to hitch from somewhere near beginning of way to south.
So we decided to go to LRT Universiti. Its at the end of LDP highway, the point of leaving KL to south.
5:00pm, Ikano Mutiara Damansara to LRT Kelana Jaya = Free
5:30pm, LRT Kelana Jaya to Universiti = RM 1.30
*Jaja n me posing @ LRT Kelana Jaya
From LRT Universiti, we cross the road, and started from there.
It was crazy peak hour. It was a traffic jam too, and that was the idea. We started off with 'SINGAPORE PLEASE' sign made by Umit. We do get a lot of smiles and stares but no offers.
After few minutes, I decided to change to 'SG. BESI' sign using order papers Umit took from IKEA and my permanent marker. Why Sg. Besi? To narrow down potential offers. It helps the potential drivers too. Because, the area where we were was the starting point of leaving KL to the south. Since hitch hiking is not a culture here in Malaysia, drivers would think that we want a ride straight to Singapore.
Few minutes after that, we were offered ride by a nice guy in Proton Perdana, En. Wan who works at Angkasapuri. He was on his way back home to Kajang. Kajang is two exits after the Sungai Besi Tol.
6:00pm, LRT Universiti to Sg. Besi Tol = Free
*Jaja using her charm
The feeling when we got our ride to Sungai Besi was great! And Jaja is officially not a 'Hicth-Hike-Virgin' anymore ;D
After a quick lunch at Sg. Besi Tol, we found a nice piece of paper and changed our sign to 'SOUTH'.
Umit insisted on using his 'SINGAPORE PLEASE' sign and was waiting at a Singapore registered car. Nothing personal, but I dont agree of the idea;
- Im from JB myself. And, no offence, I dont really fancy spending hours with a Singaporean(s) ;P
- Using 'SOUTH' sign will give more chance on getting ride. If we cant find a ride straight to Singapore, we could always do it partially.
So Jaja and me went to the corner at starting of rest area. And VOILA! Like two minutes later a brand new white Proton Saga stopped, and asked where to south we were heading to. Then he said he was heading to Seremban. That was just great. Then he went to Shell for petrol, while we walked to Umit.
The guy was Ravi. We had good chats on Berjaya and his family. He drove us to Seremban R&R, and after cigarette - Ravi and Jaja, he left and we walked to the corner end for next ride.
7:00pm, Sg. Besi tp Seremban R&R = Free
The next ride was kinda quick too. We were standing at the corner with'SOUTH' sign, and we thougwe were getting good at it. After 5 minutes, a Honda CRV stopped and asked about our whereabout. He agreed to give us ride, but needed to go to toilet first. So he drove to the Shell station, and we walked and waited at his car.
Mr. Teo is a programmer on the way to Malacca to meet some friends. We had good chat on travels. Turned out he was a travel bug himself.
20:15pm, Seremban R&R to Ayer Keroh R&R = Free
*Jaja n me waiting for Mr. Teo. He went to toilet just after agreeing to give us ride. Shell@Seremban R&R
We had quick supper at Ayer Keroh R&R then we got a Fortuner for ride. Mr. Lim just got back from meeting in KL and was heading back home in Johor Jaya.
21:30pm, Ayer Keroh R&R to Bus stop in Johor Jaya/Tampoi = Free
Mr. Lim suggested us to take the bus into Singapore, since its kinda impossible to hitch ride crossing the border and especially after midnight. Mr. Lim dropped us at a bus stop at Johor Jaya.
Then, we were a bit lost ;P , and it was already 23:30pm. Local busses out of service. Umit suggested that we walked to the intersection, and yes, we got our last ride to Larkin. Mr. Ganas driving a junkyard Toyota.
00:00am, Johor Jaya to Larkin = Free
*me at Larkin, failed to withdraw money ;P ATM out of service after 12am ;P ;P
Bus to Singapore. We cant managed to get ride into Singapore. We thought of going to the last station this bus goes in Singapore, Bukit Timah. But we didnt make it ;P loss of 50 cents. To Woodlands is RM1.60.
00:10am, Larkin to Woodlands (but we paid for to Bkt Timah) = RM 2.10
Bus to Singapore. We cant managed to get ride into Singapore. We thought of going to the last station this bus goes in Singapore, Bukit Timah. But we didnt make it ;P loss of 50 cents. To Woodlands is RM1.60.
00:10am, Larkin to Woodlands (but we paid for to Bkt Timah) = RM 2.10
*The bus
We were soooooooo excited that we managed to get to Singapore ;D
So we were singing and dancing and Umit was taking our pictures at the escalator. When we reached the floor, the handsome policewoman stopped Umit and asked him to delete all photos taken
bwahahahahahahah !!!!
*at the escalator @Sultan Iskandar CIQ . Umit deleted the dancing photos ;P
Waiting for Umit. Him the Turkish, and two other visitors from Sudan was taken to a separate room for short interview/interrogation before they be allowed to enter Singapore.
So we waited.
*Jaja checking on the buses.
After almost 1hr of interrogation, Umit's bags got a detailed check. I said it was for job interview. He didnt get the job though ;P
We then decided to wait for the Sudan guys. But after 15minutes, we made our move. We weretired and hungry.
... and we missed the last bus at 00:40am
*Umit and the friendly officer looking at Umits's stuff
So walked to the hawker center outside Woodlands check point. We were tired and hungry. And were sitting near the hawker centre. And was looking at the food.
Yeah, we got money. But no SGD !!! ;P We were so excited the whole day that we forgot to change any SGD. Money changers were all closed, and I didnt activate my card for oversea usage.
.. You know the feeling, when you got the money, but your money is worthless... that was how i felt...
Then.... Umit appeared and handed 50SGD ;D - that sweet Turkish went to the atm and withdrew money, whilst Jaja n me sitting hungry and delusional. And all the while, we thought he went to the toilet. Sweet Turk ;)
*Jaja n me managed to buy some drinks with Umit's money
We decided to eat somewhere else. Owh, did I tell you about the security alarm ringing from Sheng Siong building? We were to avoid it. So we walked to the back of the hawker centre, and found a nice place to sit. The alarm was still ringing, but we decided to call it a day.
*tired looking hicth hikers
So we made lovely music to counter the security alarm ringing at Sheng Shiong Market.
Yeah, the alarm lasted all night until about 6am.
*Candid by Umit
From Woodlands the next morning, with 5SGD, Jaja n me decided to go back KL. Sorry, but I dont find it interesting to travel Singapore.
So, after queuing, I forgot that we dont have small change for the bus. So I asked the nice malaysian lady and her husband for small change. She got small RM change. And I thought it was OK - silly me ;P
When I got to the bus, the bus only accepts SGD. So we got out of the bus, and now, me, again, begging for small change og 5SGD from some nice SIngaporean Ladys and cute guys. Owh, we got extra 20 cents, coz the cute guy and his friends didn't have coins for 1SGD. well, they need it for the bus too. And we made it for the next bus.
0730am, Woodlands to Larkin = 1.60SGD
At Larkin, we had good breakfast. Then was all ready to go back KL ;D
Larkin Bus tickect seller are jerks. Even the woman ;P but we however got our ticket to KL, supposedly for 9:30am but the jerks lied, and the bus actually departed at 10am. Then picked up 2 more passengers at Nusa Jaya bus station. And dropped passengers at Seremban bus station.
And the stupid lady that lied to us about the bus time said it was a non stop to KL bus !!! And the traffic into and leaving Seremban was not pretty. But we arrived safely at Bukit Jalil bus station around 3pm.
... And that was how we ended our journey.
10:00am, Bus JB to KL (Bukit Jalil Bus Station) = RM50
15:30pm, LRT Bukit Jalil to Masjid Jamek = RM 1.80
15:45pm, Taxi Masjid Jamek to Damansara Perdana = RM 15 - yeah. I was already feeling lazy
*Stupid bus driver smoking in the bus.
MY SAY
In general, I was sooo glad I did this trip. I almost cancelled the trip due to work load, but hey, I managed.
However, this trip is not that thrill. I know the road, and I know the way. So, it wasn't THAT exciting. I love spontaneity and the unexpected.
Next trip would be hitch-hiking to Koh Pangan ;D
XOX
