This morning we woke full of excitement, and just a wee smidge of trepidation, ready to start our long overland trek to London. After a lunchtime briefing, we and our fellow travellers - we are a band of 12 with a tour leader (who will travel with us all the way), were loaded onto a bus and then a shuttle train which would take us across the Strait of Johor to the Malaysian border where we would board a train to head further north. The Strait is a narrow body of water that separates mainland Malaysia from the island of Singapore. Singapore looks like it has been bitten off the mainland Malaysia - in fact until 1969 it was part of Malaysia. This was the first border crossing of a journey which would see us crossing many many borders as we traverse 16 countries!
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| Singapore across the Strait of Johor to Malaysia |
Before I go on I should tell you who comprised our group. There were 7 Aussies, 2 New Zealanders, 2 Singaporeans and 1 Canadian - 4 couples and 4 women traveling solo. Our ages ranged between early 60s to 81 (Lindsay).
Back to our northward travels …… we were heading for Johur Bahru, capital of the State of Johor, where we were to stay overnight. The weather was rather ennervating as we struggle to acclimatise ourselves to carting luggage in hot, humid air that envelops you the moment you step outside. We would just get used to it before being transported to the high Tibetan Plateau surrounded by snowy peaks! It promises to be a journey of contrasts.
Finally, after a bus, two trains and twin border controls (and a bit of walking), we collapsed with a cold drink before heading out for food. Dusk was approaching but we had a chance to do a little sightseeing before settling on a place to eat. Our walk took us past a ‘heavenly’ Hindu temple from which incantations wafted around us to soar skywards. The temple decorations and figures were quite glorious. Eventually hunger prevailed and we settled on a place that looked a bit like a foodhall in amongst the street market stalls. I was a little nervous about eating ‘off the street’ so to speak but the food was freshly cooked. I dug into a steaming mound of spicy Nasi Goreng and it was delicious. Then we wound our way through crowded streets back to the hotel - and hopefully sleep. We were to start early in the morning to continue our journey north on the Malay Peninsula to Kuala Lumpur.
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| The figures leap out from the tower in technicolour 3D - glorious |
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| Right across the road from that 'candy confection' temple were burnt out buildings. Such contrasts! |
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