Train to Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Train to Taman Negara
6:45 am at the train station. At first we weren’t sure how to get to the right platform because a train was blocking the opening in the fence you walk through. We’ve seen so many hyper modern stations we were looking how you go below or above to get by. I guess I was also quite sleepy. The view from the train…the water lilies were blooming for a couple miles. I kept trying to capture the birds, but I did capture the green… The train was noisy and windows rattling, there was the smell from the engine and visible smoke at times that made my snot a bit black later on.But Tong Tong made it interesting, talking to me most of the way. She is a 25 yo nurse who worked in surgery, then did private nursing in Bangkok for a year and now just started two months ago in a 1-bed psych ward in a small regional hospital. She is working to learn more about her specialty and getting tutoring in English and trying to learn more about Islam so she isn’t just believing what she was trained to. All this while working six days a week and traveling home by train 2 hours 1 time per month to see her big family who run a restaurant in the border town of Sungai Kolok. She was so friendly and she asked her father to drive us a mile or so to the border so we didn’t have to bother with a taxi. So so kind, I appreciate her so much.After the border crossing and dropping our bags, we went straight to lunch. But, not ready language wise and Google translate was helping only a little. But such a cute love bug. And a very kind owner who actually phoned a friend who spoke better English to help us order. I was proud of myself. Lots of things at the restaurant were eel as the protein, so I got spicy soup with ramen-type noodles with eel. It was quite good, and a mix of familiar and unfamiliar.Zarah got a fish in a lime sauce that was delicious. And some veggiesKota Bharu had some great street artAnd a very cool museum Istana Jahar, displays of wedding ceremony elementsAll the things preparing for and ceremonial welcoming of a new babyI was struck by this: the prince or princess is not allowed to touch or walk on the ground until they are about three years old or “when they are deemed ready”. Then they have a whole “earth stepping ceremony” to be sure they will be ok once they do.Royal boatThey had a whole huge area that was a weapons museum. This is the chief among them: the keris. It is used for ceremonies and people with status and sometimes said to have mystical powers. Like if the owner stabs the footprint of their enemy, the enemy will die. It certainly looks like a very painful and effective weapon no matter what you believe. Also Istana Battu a former palace with many royal items displayed. It stopped being used in the 1960’s. But had a good history of the Sultans of Kalantan. The current one had photos visiting the poor and the disabled and doing good things to better the people of the state. I may be wrong, but I think he is currently serving as the head monarch of Malaysian government. Rule (head of military and signs off on prime minister etc) passes every four or so years to a different head of a state elected by all the state rulers.Two days in Kota Bharu was to rest up so we could ride the “jungle train” or east coast rail line that is through some more remote land and stops often to serve small towns. It will be decommissioned in a couple years, so we wanted to see what we would see. The train leaves at 4:10am. Pretty cool to watch the jungle wake up and be all misty. Lush and beautiful , and impossible to get without my reflection…It was pretty neat in my sleepy state. Very very small towns along here. And then the palm plantations start as you go farther south. Palm is very complicated, very efficient to grow. But often done exploitatively and without regard to maintaining habitat for Orangutans. Look for the RSPO approval on packaging.
Kuala Lipis from the train station. Some nice old buildings. And lights still up from New YearsReally cute if you don’t have to carry your backpack wherever you go. And then a very bumpy taxi ride to Taman Negara. And a jungle much more immersive than the train. Be sure to turn your sound on…
Jessica Wandering 
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