On The Train (Dreaming of a Cycling Adventure), June 11, 2012

Last two weeks we were in Kuantan and on the way back I purposely took the road less traveled by going through Tg Lumpur on route 138, turning left on route 3 to Pekan, cutting inside at Pekan on route 82 that took us along the mighty Pahang River on our right to Segamat down south on route 12. While driving I felt the urge to really travel like we used to in Malaysia again. I was dreaming of driving around Malaysia again but this time from Bangi up north to Padang Besar along the west coat, across the west east highway to Kelantan, down all the way to Desaru Johor, going across to Tg Piai and back up to Bangi. 

We stopped at Segamat for our late lunch of asam pedas. Then taking route 23 to Tangkak. Ever since Nilai 3 sprung up to be what it it today he have not been to Tangkak for awhile. Still I was surprised to find it as busy as before. We inched slowly out of Tangkak, entered E2 going north to only get out at Jasin. From there we drove slowly up to Umbai to meet up with the rest of my children for our night of ikan bakar feast. 

While browsing at Popular Book store at Kuantan Bejaya Mall I chanced upon a book written by Sandra Loh, Pedalling Aroung the Peninsula, of her cycling experience around the Peninsular Malaysia with her friend Mak. I finished reading it over the weekend. In fact I read her blog about it as well. My traveling bugs went overtime on me and I could not stopped from thinking about it. Now apart from driving around Malaysia for the third time I am contemplating of touring Malaysia on my bicycle as well. Instead of touring from one end to the other I am actually thinking and planning to do it state by state. Actually really touring each state inside out after one another. Well, maybe I have to do it over certain duration and not in one go.

On The Train (Not yet, still waiting....), May 30, 2012

The Malay proverb says, ‘Ku sangkakan panas hingga ke petang rupanya hujan di tengah hari.’ Loosely translated as, ‘I thought it is going to be a sunny day but it rains at noon.’ Meaning, I thought the good thing will last for quiet awhile but it just hit me in the face. 

Yes! I am talking about KTMB Komuter train services. The last two mornings we were back to old trains and now due to, yes, technical problem the service on the Seremban line is delayed. 

You could guess that I am in a sardine can now, albeit a new spanking one.

On The Train (It is a pleasure...), May 28, 2012

It is a pleasure going to work as well as home now. Whatever timing I choose I most probably will get to board the six-car myKomuter train now. The good surprise happened last week going to work where at 0632 the six-car train showed up at the station. I thought initially it was just for the day. A one time deal but it keeps showing up each day after that so much so I concluded it is to stay. Alhamdulillah. 

You bet less complaint from me? Well, there is always something to complain about LOL. This is what expected and soon the new normal for KTMB. They need imrpove a lot more. At least I could witness less of stress on the train now. With Ramadhan approaching it is a blessing for us. 

Being the school holidays I can hear children chatters and parents scolding them to keep still he he he. Although most got to stand still they are doing it smiling now. Well if they are not tired that is :). 

I better stop praising KTMB too much for now for fear of them getting over their heads LOL. I just hope the other new trains show up from China.

On The New Spanking 6-car Train, Apr 18, 2012

I guess I was already expecting the worst when an announcement come on air to say ‘ Tren yang dijadualkan berlepas dari Rawang pada pukul 6.50 petang telah dibatalkan’. As usual I went to the surau first. As soon as I was on the platform as usual I booted up my laptop to do a bit of work and conscious of the fact that even the 6.car train coming form Rawang was running late. As if something was holding it up somewhere. Announcement after announcement indicating the current location of the train confirmed my assessment. I continued to concentrate on what I was doing. Eventually the train came at about 8.35pm and we departed smoothly. I keep on at my laptop until we reached Salak Selatan when the train stopped dead and I knew we were in for a waiting. Same issue as before, power supply problem and today we had to wait for almost half an hour before the train powered up. While waiting the lights even went off couple of times and I heard cursing from almost everywhere on the the train. 

My fear that the train will stop again after Kajang materialised. Luckily we did not have to wait long this time. Once and for all they have to get to the bottom of this. If not it will be the same story with the next shipment. No use of having 40 new trains if they are going to suddenly stop mid journey.

On The Train, April 13, 2012

This is my first piece this year. Oh no I have not stopped complaining about KTMB Komuter services as I nowadays more or less do it live via by FB he he he. Despite the new 6-car MyCommuter services has been just ok. Nothing to shout about really. The faces are happier now. Nevertheless KTMB has a lot to do still. Now Ia m in the old one - packed and hot with the aircon barely working. I am late because I waited out the rain at the office today. It was really heavy and I sincerely thought I had to wait longer.

Not only this tin ikan sardin is hot and stuffy, it moves like a snail as well. The Rawang - Sg Gadut line was also problematic today. SInce morning all I heard announcement after announcement pronouncing delays. Ok it is time to bring the new tracks from China! LOL

Now our train is being asked to wait so that the Express train can pass us.

On The Chaotic Train, Feb 2, 2012

Another chaotic ikan sardin day on the train going home today. Inconsiderate Malaysians abundance dispelling certain hope of culture change. As soon as the train arrived at KL Sentral most on the platform forced themselves in blocking those disembarking. Hot tempered voices were naturally heard form both ends of the coach KTMB should get it done with the testing of the six-car train and deploy them quickly. It is getting worse before it gets any better. Yeah, maybe it seems good for me as I have something to write about but looking around me this it is stupid and stupidity at its best.  If not for my family I’d opted for a late train home.

An indian lady is talking to her boy friend, I think, on the phone next to me and I could hear everything. It is not hindustani movie kind of conversation it is about the train service, commuting to work, promotion and difficulty of securing a loan to buy a car. Well, the bank is trying to ensure affordability. A Malay lady standing in front of me is fanning herself frantically which I benefitted as well. The train is getting hotter now and Serdang came with a reprieve anticipating a lot will disembark. 

Only a slight relieve and Kajang station we wait. 

About half of the commuters disembarked at Kajang and being replaced by noisy school children going back to Bangi.

Well, a day in the life of Ghaz and Bond on the train :)

On The Train, Dec 29, 2011

Today is my last KTMB Komuter ride for the year. Tomorrow a longer ride on KTMB’s Intercity up north and that is going to be my first during daylight. Another excursion that I am looking forward to eagerly. He he he Talk about a train nut or a better term foamer. 

I forced myself into a 1950 train home simply because I want to be home a bit earlier. As expected a decent ikan sardin now but I am seated. 

I was bored big time with nothing seem to interest me so I made a fool of myself being a nuisance on somebody’s FB he he he. I sincerely do hope the person would tolerate my foolishness he he he. Anyways, I am getting closer to home and the train was instructed to stop before entering Kajang. 

On The Train (Big Brother is Watching), Dec 28, 2011

Now I routinely takes the six-car train to go home. Not only I am assured of getting a comfortable preferred seat I am also assured, insyaAllah, to get home without a drama fairly quickly. But a lot of commuters do not realise that the six-car train is equipped with CCTV to help the driver to monitor the comfort level of the commuters. A young couple or a group of young kids got to know about this in an embarrassing way yesterday. I was sitting and doing my usual thing when somewhere between Serdang and Kajang the driver came on air with this announcement,

‘Para penumpang sekalian sila ambil perhatian bahawa keretapi ini diawasi menggunakan CCTV ini supaya kami dapat berusaha memberi keselesaan kepada semua penumpang. Pengumuman ini terutama ditujukan kepada penumpang dicoach tengah, coach C, supaya berkelakuan baik. Kerana perbuatan kamu diperhatikan.’ (The driver repeated this in English, he tried very hard and I applauded him for trying, but it came out wrong.)

When I heard this I was not surprised but I almost laugh loudly LOL. And just now almost similar announcement was made but to say those sitting on the cabinet n the buffet car to get down :))). I would really going to make my day to be a train driver for a day he he he. I am all for this as sometimes some commuters just need to be told to behave. I guess they would be totally embarrassed being single out.

So the next time you are on the new train behave yourself.

On The Train, Nov 1, 2011

Yeah! it is Nov already folks. Even people on this train seem to be acknowledging the fact by going home earlier. 

It was raining today and I took the last of my umbrella in my office to walk to the station. While walking a man came from the opposite direction in the dark and when he was closed by he asked me the way to KL. I asked him where he wishes to go and told me LRT station. I said he was going the opposite direction and he should turn back. With that he just trotted away under the rain. I asked myself where in the world he came from in the first place. Jeng jeng jeng was I in a twilight zone? I continued to walk and arrived at the station without a problem :) 

The 1950 train came 10 minutes late but I just ignored the fact as I knew even in a normal condition the train will be late anyway he he he. Capacity was a bit tight when I boarded but I got a seat. I sat in between a Singh and a young man later I discovered disembarked at Bangi as well. The moment I booted up the Singh kept on looking at what I was doing so I camouflaged what I was typing. As it was raining outside everyone was a bit sullen looking. Some seated embarked on a journey into a never never land hoping to find enchanting summer dream on beautiful island somewhere. I as usual locked and hooked to my laptop and at the same time trying to be observant of my surrounding. looking at people around me I wonder how many of them are foamers like me? I am currently finishing a book about train services in the US and cannot but amaze by some of the similarity. Top of the list is the train is never on time. One of the premise of the book that I agree totally is the need to have public-private ownership in order to have a very good train services. The infrastructure cost is high and only the government could sustain and further develop it. 

The ridership of KTM Komuter is seriously increasing now. I cannot take fro granted that I will get a seat on my normal schedule anymore especially in the morning where now I have to ‘fight’ for one. Going home I can still have the option of waiting for the next one but going to work could be tricky. 

On The Train, Oct 10, 2011

It is October already!

The train is full of foreigners tonight. Seeing this a Malay speaking Chinese gentleman standing in front of me commented, ‘A lot of foreigners came to Malaysia to work. Malaysians are too lazy to work.’

True and not true. You judge yourself and I do not wish to start another debate on it. A guy next to me is reciting the Quran on his Samsung phone. A bangla standing in front of me keep on stealing a look at what I am doing and a row of heads looking at eternity probably complete with a dream or two. I can understand, you can get a good 20 minutes nap and rest if you can do it. Some people could not sleep on a moving train and a lot can, including myself he he he. 

On The Train, ( A Red Hot Ikan Sardin Day), Sept 30, 2011

If you are not a regular commuter or still not aware Friday evening is a Red Hot Ikan Sardine Day. To the newbies who intent to make Friday evening as their first attempt to ride the commuter you would not survive after the first five minutes and you would probably either;

1. Pengsan after five minutes
2. Your first five minutes on the commuter train would also be you last
3. You will be like me cursing KTMB endlessly
4. You will hate KTMB forever. Well I am ok with that LOL
5. You will hate train. Which I do not want you to

So, please avoid Friday evening and you will be doing me a favour as well he he he. 

It is no different today I am in one. I purposely left the office late and boarded the 2034 train, the type of train that I prefer not to board, home and as usual I got a seat. 

At KL Sentral the crowd is still decent but standing room only. 

Alhamdulillah it is also decent at Mid Valley and we can enjoy a nice cool ride home.

A good crowd configuration today as well, not dominated by certain age group or race. Which is one of the important ingredients for a good atmosphere for a nice ride for everyone. I can hear nice chatters around the coach, also the usual indication of a Friday evening ride. Commuters looking forward for their weekend break. Have a nice weekend everyone