one week, one thousand, one country, three cities.

Ehem ehem (cleaning throat)… how to start huh ?

First thing first, I’m so sorry for the delay on updating this itinerary. It had been 5 months plus. Well, by the time on this Krabi trip I was an employee. But now I am a student back.

As usual this trip was planned from Amirul who is my junior back in polytechnic life and this Amirul had travel a lot. Feel secure to travel with him. Katenye. This trip involved a twitter team which is I my self gonna meet them for the first time. Here the day goes.

Day 1 (Sunday)

Waking up early in the morning around 5:00 am I think, then getting ready and was pick up by Zam’s parents and we here at Bukit Mertajam Railway Station. Our train is the first train is I’m not mistaken depart from here at 6:08 am. This is a normal train NOT an ETS. Tun tun kecih kecih kecih (train sound when it moving). While waiting this train approaching our destination most of us decide to sleep (kado tidoq konon) and I just can’t sleep. Why not this valuable time we use to get know each other, well this is the first met anyway.  Around 8:50 am we are reaching the Padang Besar Railway Station and this need us to stamp our passport. What a lucky day, since today not a public holiday, it just takes around half an hour to settle down our passport thing. Okay, the train come back with different head, which is from Malaysian to Thailand. It Purple in colour, awesome. 10:30 am, we’re here. Hat Yai. Grab the bag and here we go. Walk. What ? walk. Yes, seriously. If you plan to travel with Amirul please prepared your leg to walk long enough. Several minutes of walking, we had been flirt by Abang Thai who own a tuk tuk. Tuk tuk is a public transport that similar to taxi back in Malaysia, but tuk tuk seem like a small van. That Abang Thai can speak malay. Lol. We ask him to drop us at bus station so then we can find the way to Krabi, Ao Nang. Yeah, they are doing business; just say to them they will find a bus for you. They are connected to each other’s. Talk from here till then, we agreed to go for a shuttle van to Krabi. Fight for the price guys. Say no, too expensive. Plus we are a student. Boooo. Liar ! While waiting for the van to pick us up, we had a simple pre-lunch that named ice cream. Nice what. In the hot of Thai, yummy. Thanks to Abang Thai for most helping us. 

Next, we keep searching for sim card since this is a week trip. Sadly none of them suit with my budget and my time. Pon pon pon, van is here and we ready to go. We drop by at the ‘rnr’ for lunch and I just decide to eat the ‘goreng-goreng/cocok-cocok’ food. When we just stop, the van driver said, front there is halal food and surau. So, they know us well. Their English not so fluent just say a main idea. Don’t say the full sentence, they won’t understand. Finally we arrived at Ao Nang at 5:30 pm. The van drivers make a stop at one of travel agencies in the town. I tell you they doing business. Luckily, the daughter of the agency’s owner can speak well in english. Cung cang cung cang huk hak huk hak. Fight for the best price again. (siap tepuk meja kowd nak beat best price) dapat la harga untuk night stay and two days plan. Let’s go, excited to meet my new bed. Muah muah. The night come, we craving for some food and just deal with it. We had a dinner with Aiman’s team. Tiba-tiba malam tue makan Jemaah ramai-ramai. Nothing much we’re done today. After the dinner just a simple shopping since Aiman and her team is going back tomorrow. Aiman is my junior at technical school and we work at the same company now. We go for manicure and pedicure because my toe nail broken. Sob sob. Settle down, change of instagram profile, tweet follow and Aiman lost her purse. Stupid Aiman. On 1:00 am in the cold still look around for her purse. Finally found it at McDonald, Aiman used their toilet actually before the manicure. Again, stupid Aiman. Good night.

Day 2 (Monday)

Aiman and her team left. Lantak kau la kan.

Good morning – getting ready for today trip. Applying SunPlay toward beautiful skin 15 minutes BEFORE expose. Only this is time I know that SunPlay must be apple before meet the sun. lol. Waiting for the van to pick us on the lobby of hotel and we breakfast a bread of local Thai brand that bought at the 7E front there. How to identify the halal-ty of the brand just look for bacon or ham flavour. If you found them, just forget it. Find another brand. Today our activities are swimming and have a look on blue pool. I thought that blue pool just somewhere near to Ao Nang, it a mistake. After of more less one and half of hour, we reach our destination. What a wait. The van driver give us a time to be gather here back. Just a walking distance, tada~ here the hot spring. It’s a nice one. Feeling like Jacuzzi but this one is nature. Own creature. Next, we moved to the blue pool aka blue lagoon. This time quite challenging, where we need to walk around 30 – 40 minutes (depend how your walk type) and you won’t regret when you see the blue lagoon. What a relief. Bie said ‘walk like half of death just to look on this ? what ?. Yes, Bie. Bie is one of my ahli Jemaah (travel team). Her character is talk active and have low of energy. We had to push her emotion toward blue pool. Yeap, we can’t touch the water not to mention to swim. Dream of ! It is because the blue lagoon consists of some natural chemical reacting, so the water is not safe of us. Instead, if you clap your hand, the water starts bubbling. Natural connection, perhaps. The bottom surface of the pool is a sucking sand and it can just eat you. Lol. Seriously. After hundreds of selfies, we get down back to the pool that we can do water activities. It a same area of the blue pool, again, tough leg needed. Walk down around 20 minutes. The pool that we swim, such a clear water. You can see you toe just naturally. It a bit cools water since it coming from the hill. Warning, the side of the pool is badly slippery. 

Please take note. Swim, selfie and tired. What a surprise, Sheera such a skilled person using GoPro. All her selfies really nice. Not like us, have to redo several of times. On the way back to the van, we grab a pre-lunch. As I can’t find local Thai simcard that suitable with my budget, I decide to roaming. I tell you, here in Thailand the internet connectivity so unbelievable. It so damn fast evens us in the middle of forest. Whoa~  It 3:00 pm and we’re at hotel. 3.30 pm and we’re up to find a food, as our lunch. Hi Madi, she just arrived today, who is another ahli Jemaah. Walking distance of 20 minutes from the hotel, there is a halal food area. Yup, all halal and the mak ciks and pak ciks (aunty and uncle) is muslim. All of us take fried rice as a main food, yeah, malay tummy. Guess what, their spicy is too spicy for us. God ! pedaih gila weyh. (too spicy in penang’s word) all of sudden it a pouring rain. Daaaaa~ kind of drama. Nothing much happened on the evening, just a simple walk, postcard finding by Madi and a picture at Ao Nang beach. Ao Nang beach just seem like Langkawi sea. Even worse maybe. The thing is, Ao Nang beach is not beautiful, the beautiful of Krabi is there. Yeah there. You need to go for island hoping to see the beautifully of Krabi. But my team choose for forest. Thanks Amirul for the idea. On the night time, after we take our dinner, we decide to have a Banana Nutella Pancake (BNP) as a desert. It a must do thing. Amirul said ‘penang we got pasemboq’, zam cut ‘KL got KLCC’ Naja said ‘Krabi got BNP’. So, you got this right. How it taste like ?. You better come and try yourself. Before get back to hotel, we try the oil massage. My ahli Jemaah said Thai massage very paint full. Opsss~ what a great evening and I almost fall asleep while doing the massage. Here on bed, sweet dreams.

Day 3 (Tuesday)

‘Zam, you better pack your things up, we’re leaving’. It’s from me. Zam always the last one since I know him, he never be ahead. Sorry Zam. He is my BFF since kindergarten actually. Pon pon, the tuk tuk here but this one is larger one. It a huge lorry and we got a company of local Thai people. They are coming for holiday’s maybe. They talk loud and high-pitched. Kap sana kap sini, medai la apa la. Just let them be. Truly say it annoying! Me myself, if I’m going out for travelling like this, which need to use a lot of energy, then my appetite gonna goes down. We shared the pulut mangga (glutinous rice with mango) as our breakfast but we can’t finish it. At 9:00 am we depart to Phuket via Phi Phi Island. Westerner likes to fry so they choose to lay down at the rooftop of the ferry, so do us. Let’s fry up. Bapak panaih weyh, nak sangatkan. 11:00 am and we’re here at Phi Phi island. Oh My God ! What a beautiful sea. We stop at a pizza stall and grab some slice plus peach juice by F&N which is my first time seeing this. Nice drink to try. Then, we go for walk around the island. Yup, this whole island just a walking distance but tiring. As usual, Madi starts finding her postcard and planned to post it right away. After all of tired, we grab another drink at one hipster shop. Here in Phi Phi Island, a lot of drinks shop you can try, furthermore the drinks good in taste. After having a personal time, all of us gather back near the jetty. Bie with her sad face, full of curiosity. ‘Why Bie’. Ask me. ‘I think my money can’t make it till Saturday’. She answered me. Great timing, it my salary paid off. Then I decide to loan her some, but how. Luckily, CIMB is not only in Malaysia, it also available in Thai. Then I just make a call toward international CIMB to ask them to active my international withdrawal. Poof~ problem solve. 2:00 pm we are ready for Phuket. Phi Phi island just rest stop for us, you may spend a couple of night here if you want to. 

This time all of us taken a seat and in 1 2 3 all of us sleep again. Suddenly I woke up and feel dizzy. I ask Madi for a walk to the roof top of the ferry which is in level 3 as I wanted to get a fresh air, meanwhile the rest still dreaming. Nice weather, warm air passing by but it not for me. It became dizzier on me. I left Madi up there and I feel like want to vomit. Here I am, in the toilet in front of the mirror and ready for vomit. I just stand there, next to me, on the left hand side there is a white people who is currently vomiting. After a few second it’s my turn, buwekkkkk. Three times I vomited; It consist of air, and another two with several of food. Damn, my pizza and my delicious drinks. His girlfriend who stand next to the white people pat him on back and she ask her boyfriend to take the pills she holding. She offered me and I refuse for the first time, for the second times I just grab the pill so do the mineral water she’s holding on. Telan. I remain stand still and feeling dizzy. Luckily I able to say thanks before she leave the toilet. She’s the HERO. If she gave me drug I just take, I can’t think anyway. Note to yourself to bring the anti-seasick pill. Not everyone lucky as me. After a minute, I fall asleep, maybe because the pill effect. As I wake up, we already at Phuket jetty. Madi offers me gardenia bread the one that cost of 70 cent back in Malaysia.  A van fetches us and drops us at the town, Patong Beach. Just a walking distance and we meet the Kool Backpackers rest house. The location is just above the pub. Who cares, cheap price come first. Among this journey, this rest house I recommended the most. Tide, large hall, TVs, aircond, WIFI, games play, all in. Walah~ The lobby boy is a Kelantanese, at the end we talk in malay. Since body is too tired, at the night we just have a look toward this local Patong area. We find a travel agency just on the right side of the road, well, fight for the cheap price and we have an activity for tomorrow. Having a dinner and they wanted to walk for hard rock. God. I’m fucking tired. Just go by the flow. Hello bed, light off.

Day 4 (Wednesday)

7:30 am. Good Morning and we’re here at front of the guest house road. The night life of the Patong Beach was like, Wow and this morning everything gone. There is an uncle cleaning the road from all the trash that had been created last night. A woman who is still drunk walks down and fetches by another man, her brother perhaps. Up there, a bundle of wires as their main supply of the city. You know what, the electric cable here in Thailand consist of seven layers. Even the wires seem mess, but the internet connectivity very powerful. That’s the importance. Around 8:00 am, we had been picked up by our tour team and then we make our first stop at Lungkhai fruit garden. Lungkhai is a land that full of Thai fruit farm. They sell fruit of course and they give us a try since we already paid the in package with the sister next to the road last night. What a heathy tummy, taking fruit as a breakfast today. Then, the tour guy comes. What we had paid yesterday, only for water rafting for level 3, and we need to pay more for level 5. We refused to go for level 5 but he making his sad story of level 3, then he talk about benefits of level 5 rafting and Madi who is pro of rafting also said that if level 3 there is nothing much of challenge to be faced. Okay then, just pay. That’s why you need to bring extra cash. Next we move to Island Safari, Phang-Nga. Here, we watch the elephant show and the monkey show. How both of them are skilled to attracted attention from us. But for me, those elephants and monkeys freedom had been taken away. Poor them.

For the next activity we go for elephants riding. I got a small elephants, it cute anyway. If you want your elephants walk fast, you better buy the food from the counter for the elephants, me ? I don’t buy any. Hahaa. On our riding, I with Madi, the elephant driver can speak in malay. Yes, he is a local thai people. He works at KL before. For the second time, I am ready for my ATV riding. The track is challenging and most of us device to ride one each. A couple of American starts racing between them, tough woman. How sweet both of them. The last thing we did on Island Safari is foot fish feeding. Just put your foot into the aquarium, then the fish going to eat it. A small fish. No worries. It’s not hurt but tickle. I laugh as hard as I can, just ignore people around. But after few minutes, you got suitable with that tickle then you’ll be quiet. Before we leave the Island Safari, there is a booth that sell you photo that had been snap by the crew. We just have a look and walk away. The most exciting part come, the tour guys drop us at nowhere and picked up by another small tuk tuk. After several song singing, we reached the place. What a wonderful place. In the middle of nowhere of rainforest, there is a beautiful tourism place. That tour guys recommended to my team to do the rafting first the only have a launch since the remains time we can enjoy the food that provided into our package. Life jacket – on, helmet – on. Ready to go. We separated in to team which is I, Zam and Madi in a same boat, and Amirul, Sheera, Bie and Naja in another one. Madi says, back in Malaysia she doing this her own, but in here, this local people handling the boat. I don’t think I should call this as a boat, I don’t know the term. It’s quite challenging and your arm only can help you survive for this activity. Another great moment created. Before we take our lunch, we try the flying fox. Just a normal one. Not  scare enough. Penang Escape Park’s flying fox more interesting. Hehe. It’s food time; we have fried rice, noodles, spaghetti, egg crumble, several dishes and a bunch of fruit. Eat as much as you can, this is provided in the package that we paid for. Before we go for the rafting activity, that tour guys said ‘after this rafting you may give some tips for my friend who bring you for the rafting’. At first we device to not give any but Madi say this, Bie say that, Zam say this, Sheera just agreeing. Then we decide to give some, not much. Just imagine if that people is some of your relative, daoing rafting only their main job. So ? you decide your own. Done for today, back to Patong.

For dinner tonight, we decide to walk a little bit far from yesterday since we found yesterday food can be category as expensive food shop. Zam just rest a guest house since he got stomach ache. Alhamdulillah, at the end of the beach we found one muslim shop. The taste was not so bad and can consider as suitable price. Beware of the person who promote to you about the halah food, make sure you check their menu. A lot of the said halal food but in the menu they are selling ham. Oh God. Moreover, woman wear their scarf/shawl so the they know we are muslim. How to find a halal shop, find a HA LAM LAM logo with Arabic writing but they created their own. Non halal shops don’t have this. We buy some souvenirs after dinner and Madi still buying the postcard. On my way back to guest house, I make a small laugh suddenly. Madi ask me why. I just remember last night when a she/male with his/her long skirt but cut  on the left side of leg touched Amirul and said ‘do you want a tiger show ?’ and luckily Madi grab his and just walk away. Bie warn us better we keep an eye on Amirul either that she/male hide Amirul under his/her skirt. I have no idea what to say toward Amirul’s mum if this is happening. Done post photo on instagram, brush my teeth, drink some mineral water and I’m ready for bed. Nite Patong.

Day 5 (Thursday)

Pack all thing, we gonna check out from Kool Backpackers. 8:30 am. A tuk tuk fetch us and we make a way to tiger kingdom. This is Madi request. On our way to tiger kingdom at the traffic light, the is a man with his naked child. Going somewhere I think. Maybe in thailad they just don’t care about this, but it not good in foreigner eye. 

Only Madi go for a baby tiger which is more expensive for entrance fee if compared to adult tiger. Bie waiting outside since her budget is slightly low and she just let Naja who is her youngest sister to go in. Sister scarified. Applause for Bie. Just take a photo with tiger. Tiger here is tamed. No need to worry. The tiger’s guy who is the tiger’s trainer told us not to touch the tiger above of tummy level because the tiger will consider this as an attack. We also advised not to make a sudden move in the cage with the tiger. Tiger’s fur feels like a carpet, not soft at all. Around 10:20 am, we reach bus station and ready for the bus to Hat Yai. I wonder why this bus ticket so cheap. 6:45 pm. We reached Hat Yai, finally after four to five times sleeps and awake. Can you imagine, seven hours plus in the bus just seating with nothing to do. The bust condition was ruin, sound here and there. Why the ticket is so cheap? This is because this bus makes a stop each of the town passing by. Amirul put in blame again, since he is the travel guide here. Just a walking distance from the bus station at Hat Yai, we check in into one motel. Great service anyway, nice toilet, nice room, and fast WIFI. Another walking distance from the motel, there is a 7E, make a walk in front of the 7E there is a halal food court. We realised that still a lot of money in Thai bhat that need to be finish. The luckiest is Bie who is found her money from nowhere. Maybe she keep it scared of spend it all.  Food is cheap in here. We buy as much as food and desert for tonight. 

We make a take away since I was very excited to watch Mak Cun in final episode. We got TV3 in Hat Yai local television okay. While watching Mak Cun, we started to figure what is going to be for the next plan. It already our fifth day, but we plan this trip for a week actually. Counter back, not much money left. So, we decide to make a leave of Thai next morning. Unfortunately, none of us remember what is the depart time of the train from Hat Yai to Penang, Malaysia. Everyone stared google-ing, review some blogs, but Zam just keep shopping at Zalora. Can you imagine? Should I just kill him right now?. As Amirul brain is functioning, we follow as leader word, wake up early and just walk towards train station. We have no money left. No good night today, still mad at Zam.

Day 6 (Friday)

Wake up at 4:30 am. Left the room key on the box provided since we check out too early. Walk toward pathway provided in google maps, and we meet the tuk tuk. Awai jugak orang thai ni bangun. We ask that uncle to drop us at train station. Train to Bukit Mertajam, Penang is on 8:00 am. While waiting for the train, we have a review session where we flash back what had been held here. Thanks to everyone. What a great Ahli Jemaah Menteri Thailand (travel team). Hope to travel again with you guys in upcoming trip. 12:40 pm. I’m here in Penang.

What did I missed ?

We didn’t go for island hoping in Krabi and we miss the floating market since that market only open at weekend. This two thing can be consider as important thing to go or do in Thailand.

Tips of travel :

• Please respect others culture
• Do a  review about the place you plan to visit
• Master this word on country you visiting (yes/okay, no, Thanks you)
• Bring along your pills (seasick or etc)
• Prepared a hide money for emergency
• Try to communicate even it hard
• If you want cheap price, calculate in total then pay. Divide among friends letter.
• Fight for your best price

Budget :

Day 1

Train - Bukit Mertajam to Hat Yai (6:08 am)                                                RM22

Tuk tuk - train station to bus station                                                              20 baht

Shuttle van - Hat Yai to Krabi                                                                       470 baht

Lunch - stick food                                                                                          35 baht

Blue lagoon package                                                                                      750 baht

Ao Nang stays                                                                                                200 baht/night

Transport – krabi to Phuket via Phi Phi Island                                              850 baht

Dinner – fried rice + coke                                                                              100 baht

McDonald – ice cream                                                                                   30 baht

Manicure & pedicure                                                                             250 baht/each 

Day 2

Breakfast                                                                                                           25 baht

Lunch                                                                                                                60 baht

Dinner                                                                                                               55 baht

Banana Nutella Pancake (BNP)                                                                       30 baht

Oil body massage                                                                                             300 baht

Day 3

Breakfast                                                                                                           40 baht

Lunch – pizza + juice                                                                                        112 baht

Stay at Kool Backpackers                                                                                 200 baht/night

Dinner                                                                                                               164 baht

Tour – rafting + Safari Island                                                                           1250 baht           

Day 4

Rafting – upgrade to level 5                                                                             400 baht

Dinner                                                                                                               94 baht

Day 5

Tuk tuk- tiger kingdom + bus station                                                              58 baht

Tiger kingdom – adult tiger                                                                             800 baht

Bus – Phuket to Hat Yai                                                                                  260 baht

Lunch – pulut ayam                                                                                         10 baht

Stay at Hat Yai                                                                                                 115 baht

Dinner – friend rice + yogurt + drinks                                                             100 baht

Day 6

Tuk tuk – to train station                                                                                 30 baht

Train – Hat Yai to Bukit Mertajam                                                                 332 baht

Subtotal for the trip is 7790 baht + RM 22