As we wrap up our time in Penang, Malaysia, I was just going to brush over how we got here and combine it with the post on Penang. But as I started to write and reflect, I thought about how often I do this. How I often just want to get “somewhere.” How the expression “the journey is more important than the destination” actually sometimes irks me and causes me to roll my eyes because I just want to “get there.” How, if I really think about it, trying to “figure out” where I need to get to and where that even is causes most of the anxiety and agony in my life!
So this is the story of how we made it a whole journey to get somewhere, how it was almost like fitting various puzzle pieces together, doing what we could to make them match, then letting it go and simply hoping for the best. This is the story of how the process was actually kind of fun, though sometimes nerve wracking and anxiety inducing (I blame B-Rod for that), and how getting to the destination was an accomplishment, but in the end it didn’t even matter where we got to!
So our journey took us from the island of Koh Phayam, Thailand to the island of Penang, Malaysia. If we were strapped for time we could have easily done this in a speed boat ride and two flights. It would have cost more and taken less time, but we had the time, and really wanted to ride the train! As magical, amazing and relaxing as Koh Phayam was, we were ready for an adventure.
This is a journey that took 7 phases (plus a couple bonus phases that we didn’t count), which were booked in five different ways.
Bonus Phase – scooter
Phase 1 (booking 1, prebooked)- Speedboat to Ranong
First, we had to get off the island to get to the mainland. There’s a slow boat that we would really like to take one day (it arrives to Koh Phayam filled with furniture, concrete blocks and snacks), but . . . . today was not that day.
Phase 2 (booking 1, prebooked) – Minivan to Ranong bus station
I was hoping for a tuk tuk or songthaew, but minivan it was. The moment we got off the boat, I had us following a guy to a van. “How did you know that was our guy?” asked B-Rod. The minute I stepped off the boat a guy said “bus station,” so I followed him! Did I mention sometimes travel is simply about trusting some guy you don’t know to get you to some place you’re not quite sure where it is?!
Phase 3 (booking 1, prebooked) – Minivan to Chumphon
I was expecting a bus, but again a minivan showed up after some time spent at the bus station. We were kicked into the back, stopped for a passport check halfway, and eventually arrived at the train station.
Phase 4 (booking 2, prebooked) – Train to Hat Yai
We had a few hours to kill at the train station before we were set to head out. This was the impetus for this whole journey and the part we were both looking forward to. We had done the Bangkok to Chiang Mai train years ago and though it was rough, it was an experience and we wanted to try again.
This time we changed a few things that made the journey a bit better. First, we booked a little bit further in advance so we could choose our seats. The bottom bunk was key – you got a bit more space and a window. I also put us closer to the middle of the train car, so we didn’t hear the clunking of the door every time the train stopped and new passengers came in. It also happened to be a brand newish train, so . . . . I’m sure that helped with the comfort level!
We boarded the train just after midnight (it had come from Bangkok), and B-Rod got scolded when he looked into one of the bunks of sleeping passengers trying to find our seat number! I climbed into my bunk, got comfortable, put on my eye mask and actually think I had a decent night’s sleep!
Waking up in the morning with privacy and a window to watch the sun rise and the passing scenery was so great!
Phase 5 (booking 3, booked on spot) – Train to Padang Besar
We got off the train at Hat Yai which is a town close to where Thailand borders Malaysia. The next journey involved an hour long train ride through Padang Besar, Thailand to arrive at Padang Besar, Malaysia. We had a chance to head out for breakfast before coming back to the platform. Once there, it felt like every worker was directing us for where to go. We ended up in a one car train with no engine where a bunch of us sat around waiting for . . . . . . 🤷🏽♀️
And this is where B-Rod caused the first of my anxiety. With nothing happening and running a bit late, he decided to choose that opportunity to go to the washroom (which was located quite a ways away. While he was gone, those of us sitting on the train experienced a huge “BANG” and suddenly we were now part of an actual train complete with an engine. Guess who was nowhere to be found?!
Phase 6 (booking 4, booked on spot) – Commuter Train to Butterworth
The next phase involved a 2 hour commuter train, so basically it felt like riding the C-Train in Calgary for a couple of hours. We didn’t have to wait too long, but again the train was running slightly late (or maybe it was early), so . . . . when the train pulled up, can you guess who was nowhere to be found?!
Phase 7 (booking 5, booked on spot) – 10 min ferry to Penang
It was a bit of a weird process getting tickets here and this was the only place we touristas could get cash through an ATM, so though the ferry was super cheap, all we all had was big bills, yet the customer service agents collecting payment seemed surprised every time a tourist couldn’t give them coins or smaller bills. The ferry service has changed since I was here last, so though the ride is a bit faster, it’s not on boats that are as fun as before, and we had to sit inside squeezed together with everyone else taking the ride for the next 10 minutes.
Bonus Phase – walking to Ren i Tang
We stepped off the ferry onto the island of Penang and walked to our accommodation in the heart of Little India in Georgetown. The place we booked to stay at is AMAZING and I credit DawnO for helping us book because this was her choice when I travelled to Penang with her. When I was looking for a place to stay, there was nothing that seemed to beat it! Thanks DawnO!
Conclusion
Sometimes the journey IS really fun and the destination doesn’t matter. Now, having said that, sometimes it’s also super frustrating as evidenced by the night bus that ran three hours late that I just stepped off of . . . . but that is a story for another day! 😆
. . . . annnnnnd, the ferry tickets to Penang were literally the first thing we bought, and it’s always a challenge to wrap your head around currency conversion, so when RB gave the agent the equivalent of a $5 bill, he asked if she had something smaller. haha, turns out the ferry ticket is 35 cents! Why even charge anything?? One constantly has to figure out where to put the zeros in a conversion process.