Last month, I travelled by train, the 1,500 km (900 miles) km from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia to Bangkok, the Capital of Thailand. Stopping off along the way, the six train trips took 25 hours 35 minutes and it cost me $US72. The longest section (by time) was from Surat Thani, the jumping off place for beautiful Koh Samui up to the lovely resort town of Hua Hin. I chose to ride this section in a brand new Chinese-built First Class sleeping car. Scheduled Departure: 23:57 Arrival: 06:26 – 6 hour 29 min ride Total distance: 300 miles / 1,671…
Protect yourself: Robbers tell how they snatch
A new video produced by Thong Lor police in Thailand graphically illustrates how easy it is for thieves to snatch phones, bags and valuables. It is useful viewing for tourists irrespective of where your destination is. Based on confessions by real suspects with advice from the police, the video explains how you can reduce the chances of being a victim. It is well worth the first two minutes 22 seconds which are subtitled in English, of the three and a half minute video. There are three things that make a crime possible, according to Thai Police:…
Trust and travel
Trust is a commodity that is breaking down or under attack. I see posts that describe people who don’t agree with us as traitors. I had someone comment on one of my posts telling me that I am a ” liberal snowflake” whatever that means. (I don’t think the term translates into Australian)! Someone else on the same blog told me that my “right wing bias” was showing. I must have hit the right note! We currently spend time telling kids to be who they want to be and we trust them in their choices.…
Like a Mirror: Airline survey gives telling data about US Air Travellers.
Last Tuesday, some great stats came out about the state air travel in the USA. For example, the number of Americans flying last year hit a new record with forty-nine percent of the population taking at least one air trip. That does mean 51 percent of the US population did not fly in 2016. Eleven percent of Americans have never flown, down from the year before. I find it astounding that one in ten Americans have never been inside a plane for an air journey. Eighty-nine percent of people took less than five air trips last…
A 2nd Class Thai Train ride is almost 1st Class! Surat Thani from Hat Yai
Last month, I had five train journeys which took me on an epic rail voyage from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok. As part of this week-long ride, I had two Second Class train trips with State Railways of Thailand. The first was from one of the southern most cities in Thailand: Hat Yai (E on the map below) 292 kilometres (181 miles) up to Surat Thani (jumping off point for Koh Samui). Scheduled for a 16:23 departure this four-hour eight-minute train journey in Second Class comes with a meal for nine US Dollars! The other Second Class train…
YOU MUST wear your seat belt on a plane- Graphic warning as to why
I noted on my last Air Asia flight, how much disregard was shown for the seat belt sign with passengers chatting in rows and aisles and wandering up and down the plane even while we went through turbulence. If you have any family members or friends who still believe wearing the seat belt in a plane during turbulence, is optional, show them this post. Last week, Canada’s Transportation Safety Board gave a very strong reminder for passengers to wear seatbelts in their report on Air Canada flight 088 . I am always fascinated by air turbulence stories and this…
English vs American English
“England and America are two countries separated by the same language” George Bernard Shaw As an Australian who speaks yet another form of English, it is a constant source of bemusement at how the English speaking world can pronounce and spell words so differently! On top of that, we sometimes name the same object very differently. Grammar Check have put this guide together for 63 words on the differences between “proper English” (as my 3rd grade teacher used to say) and American English. A good marketing tool for the company! There are some additional ones…
Challenges on the Malaysia/Thai Border- A Rail Journey through Asia Part #2
Padang Besar to Hat Yai, State Railway Thailand (SRT) Third Class Scheduled Departure: 18:00 Scheduled Arrival: 18:10 1 hour 10 min (time change at border) Total distance: 35 miles / 60 km There is now just one State Railways of Thailand train that crosses the Thai/Malay border. All previous trains no longer operate. This may change again, of course. In an ideal world, the Malaysian Railways electrified line that goes to Padang Besar should be extended all the way to Hat Yai, allowing the Express Train Service to run between Kuala Lumpur and Hat Yai. Immigration and border procedures should be conducted on…
A place for everything-Pack to Remember
When packing, have the same place for everything. Each time, put everything back in the same place. Having passport, money, in the same place makes things easier. It speeds up packing. It reduces searching and rummaging. If your bag is tampered with, then you will know if anything has been taken -and what it will be. Related Posts 113 of my free Travel Tips! Forgetting stuff Reducing Lost Luggage Problems Great Luggage App– compare luggage between airlines Travel Tip: Don’t Check in baggage
Unveiled! Now, counting down for 787-10 first flight
Despite being in commercial service for almost six years, it was only in the last six months that I finally got to fly on a 787. Now I have flown five flights with four airlines on both the 787-8 and 797-9. There are now 326 of the 787-8 and 186 of the 787-9 flying, an extraordinary delivery schedule since the first delivery. The company is now delivering 12 a month. Boeing has outsourced production of the Dreamliner to speed up the process. Parts of the plane are produced across the globe and assembled in the Everett or South Carolina.…
Recent Comments