Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Day 6 - Taking a Train back to Kuala Lumpur from Hat Yai (Folding Bike Touring)

Good morning G2 Hat Yai!!! Our plan for the morning was to visit bicycle shops before we leave the town.
Nipping through the streets of Hat Yai with our wonderful folding bikes.
Our first stop ----- the great siu yok (roast pork) so much talk about it and at last I was there for it and thanks to my touring buddies for this recommendation.
Pretty ladies waiting to serve us.
How true it was heavenly delicious and we asked for more ...bearing in mind it was only our appetiser. Merely for a bite and more food places to visit...
One for hApPy HaPpY's album.
Sam with his ultimate food .... just look at his hApPy expression...it tells everything about it.
The food galore continued this time for a famous pork porridge.
Roger & the stall that serves the great porridge in Hat Yai
Be patient your order is coming soooon.....
It's time for photography & great food.....
Rich and delicious....
We visited 4 bicycle shops in Hatyai this was the 2nd one. Hatyai Mountain Bike.
We spent some of our Thai bahts here for some accessories. This was the only kind of shopping we did in this folding bicycle touring.
The third one is situated above a coffee shop.
This shop sells gorgeous stuffs and bicycles. I love this shop the most and would want to come back again. I have to borrow money from friendly loan sharks for some stuffs that I could not resist.
Kuay Teow Renua - Thai Boat Noodle is associated with Central Thailand and used to be sold in small boats. I find it very tasty and enjoyed the soup so much that I virtually dried it up the entire bowl (actually 1 took 2 bowls hehehe).
The eating shop is located at this street Thanon Preedarom.
Small shop but serves great Thai Boat Noodle.
Here we were at the entrance of the Train Station of Hatyai.
Time to bag our folding bikes and head for home.
 
Hatyai Train Station is a bit unique you can see people living in the station itself.

Immigration checking at Padang Besar with a short wait before we continued our journey on our home land, Malaysia. Our folding bicycles were left in the coach we just needed to bring along our luggage for the necessary clearance with the Immigration & Custom.
Our bicycles in the bags placed at the corner of the coach, remember to book your seat at No.15 (the last row) where you can sit next to your stuff.
Home sweet home after 15 hours in the train and a final 18km ride back to the house from old KL Train Station including a detour to Tititwangsa for my Maran breakfast. What a great adventure and I shall do more....

Sunday, November 03, 2013

Day 5 - South Thailand Bike Touring - Bus Journey (Surat Thani - Hatyai)

All set for another day.
We took a short ride to the Bus Terminal.
Breakfast at this eating shop just opposite the Bus Terminal.
I like the radish soup plain looking but awesome!!!
240bahts for the bus ticket Surat Thani to Hatyai
Fold & bag our bicycles and no more riding for the time being.
Time to re-board and continue the travel.
A look at the interior of the bus....it's a local bus but a long distance one some times with standing passengers, just don't get off from your seat unguarded it will be taken by others....hehehe.
It was a stop for a break for the driver and the passengers. The man in white was the bus driver.
Eventually we reached Hatyai...let's unfold & ride again.
It was drizzling but we moved on to check the status of train tickets going back to Kuala Lumpur.
Hatyai Train Station here we come.
Buying tickets for tomorrow unfortunately we could not get the sleeping berth .... all sold out.
I shall remember it as 5-11 eating stall as I noted her address.
A view of the entrance of the stall it is actually located near the train station and opposite a postal office.
Some took fried rice & tom yam some took fried rice noodle ...all food eaten in Thailand were palatable and none that we have rejected. We simply love Thai Food.
Another decent accommodation @ Somchai Road, Hatyai
Our dinner in Hatyai.
Steamboat in clay pot with charcoal flame.

Great and interesting food.

Weird but true .... this was the second appearance of elephants soliciting for money......
a view of the BBQ counter.
while our bicycles were safely parked outside the restaurant.
Our celebration for a successful adventure - Thanks to Sam Cheong, Roger & Michelle for a great outing.