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paginabezoeken sinds December 2002 | |
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Beginning March 2008, from KL to Chennai (via Singapore)
Geplaatst op Wednesday 07 May @ 03:51:27 GMT+1
Onderwerp: Around the world in 8 years
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 This story has been translated from dutch into English by google, so there might be some grammatical...eum, incorrect sentences.
Beginning in March, I spent two days in Singapore. Here after return to Kuala Lumpur I fleww to to Chennai (India). Getting back of my car was a nightmare that I have sworn never to repeat. That means that my plans will rigorously change. Was quite ill and lay days with high fever between rice and sugar cane fields Everything is better now and I am back to enjoy India.
The bus trip to Singapore was the first time in two years that I am a long journey by public transport made. Was at a quarter to 9 in the Putraya bus station and was attacks by bus recruiters. Now I know they tells you everything you want to hear, so with a "I think there's no word true of what you say ' I was taken by one of those guys through the bus station. Yes, the bus was now says the guy, but it myself when I went to the counter questions showed the bus until 10 hours to leave. Left the man thus are looking for another bus company. There are 100 of them and half of them has regular buses to Singapore. The man was nervous walking behind me, he saw his commission run away. Suddenly he knew a bus to remember who really would leave NOW nervous, and he followed me to the bus platform. As he was walking he was writing a ticket to the organization and the stairs to the platform arrived he pushed me the ticket in his hand and asked me 35 Ringits. I knew that the bus expense was 30, so was his 5 his commission. Had no problem with that extra 5 to pay, but I asked him first in joining the walk to the bus. He did not want to but could not refuse because I had the money in my hand. Downstairs arrived he pointed to the bus. Nice bus he says, nice bus. I ask the driver where that bus goes, somewhere elses place. No no, says the guy suddenly, the bus will look like this, pay me so I can turn away. I say that I do not pay until I see the bus. It took another fifteen minutes before the bus came. I ask the driver wether he went to Singapore or to Bahru (the town on the border with Malaysia, and then I would have to change buses and I would like not). No, Singapore, he says, at 9 pm (it was already 10 over 9 but ok). I pay the Man his money, get on the bus, completely empty yet, find a seat and go sit on the 5-hour journey. Great chairs, I have to say, nice air conditioning, nothing to complain about. Except that the bus left only for 10 to 10… drove away.
Ad, Leonardo and myself, talking away, time flew
In Bahru arrived, you understand it surely, a very nervous man shouted, the people who go to Singapore to leave the bus immediately.. Quick quickly fast, says he. So still had to change in a local bus, great, public transport in Asia is generally expected and unexpected oddities. Fortunately, the other bus was near so it was a quick change… quick quik quick. Took ofcourse 10 minutes before that bus drove away, why I had to run as fast was a mystery to me.
After 2 minutes drive immigration of Malaysia. All out of the bus, walk to the top, get a stamp and get back on the bus and back in 5-minute drive over the bridge to Singapore. Out of the bus again, in another building, staircase and……. 1000 people were already queuing for the Customs of Singapore. Took long before that it was ready. Another bus was ready, and it got off in Little India, looking for a Hotel. After an hour walk and 8 hotels, I had only the answer "everything is full hearing. The backpack began to be heavy and when I get a bit more expensive-looking hotel was I chose it. However, 70 euros for one night, but the room was very luxurious. Flatscreen TV, nice bed and such.
In the evening to Ruffle area, walked around the port. Singapore is very beautiful, with countless terraces by the waterfront restaurants and bars. Very nice, and, of course, certainly not cheap. Singapore is expensive, in this kind of place is it, as in western countries, twice as expensive. But very attractive. Furthermore strolled past the parliament building and a beautiful old church until I sort of a fair came against. A kind of HCC fair, only with computer stuff. Well, you know me , I am gone….
Skyline of Singapore
The next day, I really tourist attractions go. The beautiful Chinese Thiang Hock Keng Temple, the island on the southside by cable car and strolled what downtown and in Little India. Singapore is in itself a pleasant town, very Western ofcourse, with an efficient, modern subway. There are pavements and pedestrian crossings, there are benches to sit on and the traffic is fairly normal.
Singapore is, as everyone knows very clean. But I really seen litter, even people who road crossing at red light (a major sin), even once a guy who peed in public (an old man with a weak bladder). Also saw beggars here and there among shelters or bus stops saw sleep. Furthermore, Singapore is without atmosphere reasonable, I think. Chinatown has nothing to the huzzle and buzzle of most towns China, no streets where your short of eyes and nose impressions. Everything is somewhat sterile and well regulated. Little India also seems in no miles on India. Everything is neatly, brused clean streets. Here and there burn the incense and shouts the Bollywood music, you can see many faces in Indian restaurants but there remains.
This is all obviously good if you reside there, but for me as a world tourist is the somewhat boring. Hence, they Singapore have invented another hobby;
In Singapore they have developed the shop-til-you-drop to a fine art. The number of shopping centres, downtown is certainly unimaginable. It is so much that it is often easier to step through shopping centres go from point A to B instead of to come along than outside. So I walked to the Metro station and followed the signs MRT, I was let through long corridors with shops run, I think half hours long. Many of these shopping centers are built against each other so you without you realize you from one in the other runs. It is really unbelievable what's for sale here. And certainly not always cheap, but the newest generation.
If he had to wash his hands, it would be a dayjob
The lunch was Kaya toast and coffee. Kaya toast is very good. They roast a whole slice of bread. Cutting that by the middle hereinafter (so you have two toastjes gets thinner still, in itself very clever) and oil there than a kind of gunk of coconut (very sweet). At the moment that you order, which suits them warm slices, take cold thin slices of butter and if you then bite it melts in your mouth …… oooooooooooooo so nice. That is, together with the rotti Canai, certainly one of my favourites.
Had seen the IT fair two tiny full pc'tjes seen, and had to Ad and Susan saw that they used their laptops as GPS, and I wanted to too. So, after much looking bought a small PC with Windows XP, which crashed at least not normally (windows vista does every five minutes).
Back to Kuala Lumpur was the opposite story for two days there. Besides, the surprising how a bus, in many parts of Asia, leaving so slowly, hoping an extra passenger to catch. Bit engine reving, then stop it, just pretend to drive away, stop, round driving, stop it. That loss of time, they now turn to catch up by super hard drive. But I think deprived them so much fuel that it is all very 'not pay' so to wait.
In Singapore it was clearly other. Half11 we go 11, and half 11 went as well. And promptly at half past 4 in the afternoon I was back in Kl, in my old Hotel (comfort), and even in the same room.
The flight to Chennai on Thursday and on Tuesday, I still had not Visa from India, so I went counter for the third time direction embassy. After explaining my flight, promised the girl that they would attempt the same day to arrange a visa. Could not believe my ears. At first everything is so difficult and now suddenly they would simply try. When I at the end of the day came back, I had a 6-month double-entry visa.
Is me that there is a lot of money exchange offices in KL. That must seem worthwhile. Find it strange that if at any corner of the street is a ATM (ATM), where you also with a foreign card take currency simply. Is me suddenly that there is to this exchange offices often Afrikaans-looking men with great deal with money. Mmmm, is that our development money?, I think of black. Oops, black… money?
4 different people asked why, in Malaysia, the moped rider to wear his jacket backwards. remains a vague sight. Unfortunately, I got out of four times questions also four times a different answer. Against the Sun says the first. Against the wind says the second. The third am sure it against dirt and animals, the fourth says that these people are lazy and if their shooting jacket. Well, all four answers, I think vague and not logical. Who knows? Competition ?......
Then just for the languages wiz among us,
Tera Mekasi means thanks,
Salemat Jalang's is bye,
Polisie is police (wouldn’t have guessed),
Koppi is coffee,
Parang, is clever,
and awas means… ..?
And finally to remember (a Ringit is euro22 cents):
A litre of diesel in Malaysia costs 1.58 Ringit
bottle beer (0.6 litres) costs 14 Ringit (Muslim country, expensive versions)
Bus from KL to Singapore (5 hours) 30 Ringit
Coffee in a local tent between 80 cents and 1.5 Ringit
Coffee at Starbucks or other foreign chain between 8 and 12 Ringit
Food tent in the street between 3 and 8 Ringit
Roti Canai apiece between 0.7 and 1.5 Ringit
At 6 am hours in a dark and wet morning in Kuala Lumpur, I stood outside my hotel to airport direction to go. I could per monorail and then train, but decided the piece monorail by taxi to do because otherwise I again a minute or 10 had to walk due to the switch from monorail train. Public transport is well regulated, except the change from one system to another. All systems are built separately thus do not connect directly to another system. So you have monorail, subway, light rail and train. The train to the airport cost 35 ringit, which I knew, and the taxi driver asked me for 15 to the station. But, says ie, I bring you all the way to the airport (60 km) for 70. Well, that is quickly decided. That taxi driver probably thought that I was in a hurry and drove with 120 km/h on loose. He also took a very strange way, because if ever there was an airport board direction, hit it off the other side. I asked him why and he told me that he took the route with the lowest toll. And that is the route that the government workers take. They mostly live in a particular district, and the highways to and from that area toll charges less than any other. Thus the government biased its own employees.
Nice at the airport on time, checked in, so far so good.
KL has a beautiful airport, I could only complain you nothing except that there are no wireless network available. It is there, but you have to weird things to get a password, and that I had no intention of doing int in the flight to Chennai was further smooth but what is' bumpy '. Was on a typical Indian territory on their way welcomes. Anyone who's ever flown knows how it is just after the landing. There will convey if you want Please remain seated until we are out of the runway and the aircraft standing still. But Indian people continue to be Indian people haha. So the wheels had not yet touched the ground or en masse was anyone on the hatch to open their handlugage to do. A steward got angry and screamed "where you want to go in gods name? Will I get the door open, then you can jump. " That had the desired result…. For 5 seconds, because stil breaking on the runway was the other half of the passengers on and began to handlugage discharged. The steward gave up his efforts and clearly sighed and sat down. Welcome to India…
After finding an affordable hotel (195 rupees) in the Egmore area, I went to the agent who must get me my car. This oet, such as Ad called him, was a real Indian man. Seated behind his desk, he gave orders to dozens of employees bored while he was on his mobile phone calls made play of which I was not in the utility.
The first says that Mr Kumar that he me a newspaper article must show. I frown my eyebrows and ask him how the case. He says, yes, it is important for you. I get equal suspicion, whether good or bad news. The boat sunk or something? He laughs a lot, and find the right paper page, which folds open and there, among many other articles, a large photo of two foreigners. A man and a woman. The man is shaved bald, and the picture, you could, if you look quickly, I think that was I. In itself a compliment, the man was certainly 15 years younger than I am. When I asked for an explanation says Kumar, these people have on their cars to arrive from Kuala Lumpur, and when the police inspected the car they found a Rocket-launcher. So my question is, says Kumar, are you that. I bursts into laughter, whaoaoaoa, how can you really stupid. Kumar, I can assure that I do and that I am not, as far as I know, no rocket-launcher in my car yet.
He told me that my car is currently in Colombo Sri Lanka, and the expectation was that he would be here the 18th. Declaring it in would take one day he thought. I took it all with a pinch of salt, some had already heard stories about this Mr Kumar. But the 18th or the 15th, three days later, and on a stopover in Colombo they had never had it in Malaysia.
Had need some time to kill in Chennai. Big city, warm and very rainy, despite that the rainy season here in a different time. The first few days but spent walking in the city. Not that there is much to see, but India sniffing takes a lot of your energy.
On Sunday, a friende (Kesevan) along 200 km from here who live and I still know 3 years ago. It is a real country boy, as 80% of the Indians. He works in a pharmacy but does nothing to further his life. As with every visit, he brought a friend with it, an Indian never comes alone. They wanted to see the beach, because that they had never seen. Yes on TV they said, but not really. So we have to go to the beach. Chock Full 'O with people as on Sunday, everyone was around the water on the sea around staring.
Staring at the sea...
A few brave went swimming, but most were not and probably did not know how. The friend of Kesevan also wanted the water. He took of his clothes, minus his underpants and walked to the water. He was a good swimmer Kesevan said, and that he was also very much, in no time ie was very far from the waterfront. We beckoning him to come back, ie therefore did, but while he walked on the side was a police agent (lady) with a long bamboo stick and gave him just two wattles. And not just hits, but with full force. Without warning, without saying what, in all this because she felt that he was too far from shore. Squirming from pain he walked back to the beach, followed by myself, my mouth still open astonishment. He would still suffer from this for a long week.
Because they both have never seen a shopping centre had, I treeted them on a visit to Spencer Plazza. This is a shopping Centre, but India style. But, and this I must say, it is clear that India is going hard forward. A shopping mall with escalators, which is the first time that I have seen in India. And there were even some shops in that very beautiful. Modern and good lighting. Even a KFC and Domino's pizza. Wow. The two looked out their eyes, they like to see for the first time of their lives on an escalator to see shops full of electronics and such. After an early dinner, I have them back on the bus back home put, I was clear by. There is little for that kind of people, as if they were only half a brain content. But obviously no less nice.
Second remarkable encounter was just before my Hotel. I wanted a nap, and when I just started to drift there was drum sounds and screaming. Of course awake, I decided to have a look. On the other side of the road, in a shanty town, were two men on drums to cramming while some other men to the dance. Was so even watching, no idea what festive fact, when one of the men appealed to me and after a lot blabla took me to a house 30 meters away. Without warning, I suddenly stood eye to eye (mmm, not entirely correct pronunciation) with a dead guy. Located on a table, just on the street, the corpse of an elderly man of 60 years who had died that night. In his regular clothes only laid hands on his chest, he was dead , whith streaked with white paint on his head, while his family around him sitting (especially women) and the men to dance. Children played around there, nobody cried, it was really a cheerful bunch. It remains a rare experience.
And if it takes longer than expected, then it takes even longer. What I had not taken into account is that in the weekend of March 22 Easter. Includes Good Friday. Would a Hindu country should not be a problem, but let course exactly in Chennai many Christians live. The government was closed from Friday through Monday. The ship finally came on Wednesday night, on Thursday became the flatrack unloaded, and unfortunately, only on Monday, the paper could only be cleared. Again 3 extra days to wait so.
Jesus is still on the streets here, even received some blows and whipping. Notice also the drunk guy in the background ..
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Jesus is still on the streets, and received blows ie, even whipping. Notice also the lavelose man in the background ..
Because I had seen Chennai, I decided to see the weekend at some friends in Sumaitangi to go, who had already called and they said that I had to come. Friday morning, after placing the crowns on my molars, there were two Indian country people to pick me up. These are real farmers, was first time in this city are giving 150 km from their village off. They had already heard of Kesevan Spencer plaza that was the bomb was, so to entertain them a little, we should first go to that large shopping mall. The sea had never seen them, so that was the next visit, followed by a visit to a temple (where I could not enter). Then on to the rural village. It suddenly began to rain heavily. After an hour's wait in my hotel remained like a rainburst and decided we still have to go, but with the train instead of the bus. In this kind of weather rain, many streets blank and that road traffic would sometimes hinder train has less difficulty. The auto-rikshaw towards the station rode most through knee deepen ponds, water which is across Chennai, even if it's raining hard. Although this happens countless times per year, the sewer system and the water flows are not sufficient to take care of all this water.
Train travel was like so much in India, you come short with eye and ears for the many people who sit in it, the many vendors who walk past, the landscape that rolls past and the people who want to talk with you. After two brief bus trips I was back in Sumaithangi, the place where I was a number of years ago a few weeks where I had been in many "friends" had made. It was quite extinct, one said by the many rain, but I saw a lot of boarded up houses and suspect that this village has been listed dead. Many people who move to the city, drawn by financial interest, while in the village is really nothing, and there also is a highway running through the middle. It was already late, so that was equal sleep. The half family went on the ground so I had a bed, I felt guilty, but there was little to change. It was the bed is not more than a few wooden planks with a blanket as mattress, a few hard cushions, black from the dirt. Used my own cloth as top sheet. And so I spent a reasonable sleepless night in the village of yesteryear. Beasts ran every few minutes on my body, the bed was uneven and sticky. But you adapt, the people who live here know no different.
The next day it is 5 a.m. to get up. I do not know why, because it goes a little sitting around hanging until light to the word. Washing is not done, as it is "too cold". But, at nine o'clock, after a cup of warm milk, direction pool (read large deep pit), bathed lovely and delicious. In the afternoon to Walaja on the moped of the neighbours and hung around in the afternoon, and eaten of course. The amounts of food that came to within discarded word is unimaginable. Breakfast is at 11 am, it's very late. Idly, which is a kind of fermented rice pancakes. You are then in the curry to mix and is often eaten for breakfast.
Then comes lunch at 3 pm, but I was still full from breakfast. Dosa, crispy pancakes, rice flour, curry and of course what other curries, a sort of donut but savory and a few other small things. Super tasty. In the evening they went 'all-out', and had purchased a kilo of chicken. That cost 80 rupees per kilo I heard, an amount that absolutely can not miss, but for the white foreigner, all little bits scraped together, no effort is too much. I had a continuous' I am ful ' feeling and do not understand that the people here are so thin. This assuming they always eat as much.
Sunday with the bus back to Chennai. That went fairly smoothly, three hours later I was back in my hotel room, ready to get back to get my car on Monday.
But India has never been as you expected. For 10 at hours a.m. I sat in the office of the Mr Kumar, but he came only for at 11 hours. When Leonardo also still did not arrive due to heavy traffic roads came days (and probable late departure) started the day well. The waiting time is spent trying to get insurance, but I did not succeed. Indeed, the assurance that I already had proved to be completely worthless. This is India.
Quickly taped the window, if it started to rain the damage would be tenfolded
I could not look inside the car, had to wait for the customs who had to inspect. That would come at 2 o'clock. Sure. 3 pm, nothing, four pm, nothing. For a quarter past 4 a phone call from Mr. Kumar, the agent who arranged. That came with a nice notice that the shipping company wanted an extra $ for unloading my car. $ 2000 !!!!. when the Customs would ever come today, I still could not take the car. SHIT. What a bunch op cheats here in Chennai, those guys are really crazy. First, they are almost 2 weeks late, then they damaged my car, and then ask them another ridiculously lot of money.
After the Customs finally came at 5 o'clock, looked and inspected in each box and crany of my car checked, they wanted to take our passports to the Customs office. That is unacceptable for me, but also for Leo, and after a lot of talking back and forth after two hours decided to passports themselves to get to the customs office, of course completely on the other side of the city. Then sadly returned back to my hotel in the evening. These are among those days you experience on a trip and where your fears come thru. Days long as you will continue to be days that hell. With a large beer in my stomach yet delicious sleep.
Next day to the office of Mr. Kumar. His story about the high costs was to say the least very on all sides. We suspected a partnership between Kumar and Sricon shipping to take just a little money from the poor to attract foreigners. Annoying is that you bent over to the gods. They have all your papers and although they remain happily discussing the excess amount, they radiate a 'then you do not pay, you still go on with the train' message. They have you by the balls and they know it, and they take good advantage of it. We therefore sent to the office of the shipping company Sricon. All this with that in mind as we did not get now our car and motorbike could not get there tomorrow, the bonded-warehouse would be calculating a heavty rental. I am sure also that the amount would be sick. The shipper, Sricon shipping, a certain Mr Sudaka (I hate that name) was quite resolute. Hey, those are the costs, I have already put down some price what (it was now only 27000 rupees for me) and that was it. If I am not paid, I had no car. Leo, whose motorbike costed him 1000 USD , refused do not have to pay and told them to keep the motorbike. He would buy a new engine in India buy. We are threatened with a lawyer, we have begged, cursed, it helped all that little.
My horn had not survived
There rest than just one thing, pay and see if you can later reclaim. So, my account was 27000 and 19000, 46000 rupees, or 736 euros. This together with the Euro 4000 which I have paid in Malaysia, this is one of the most expensive expenditure on my journey ever. Quick in a taxi to the bonded warehouse, auto cleared, (which lasted another two hours) and at 7 o'clock I was parked in the Youth Hostel in Adyar, south Chennai, and I could go lick the wounds, to carry out repairs and my car back into a habitable status.
In the meantime, Leo had the game of "Keep the motorbike, see if I care”, . He had a much better negotiation position than I played in the Ready to his account, just like mine absurd was high, down. He paid for the total clearance only 16000 rupees, say 300 euros.
After thorough inspection showed only how badly they had treated my car. I suspect that for the transportation of the port to the 'warehouse', a ride of about 30 km, an excessive high car used. This is the total amount of the whole (my car, the container floor and then add the transport car) above the permissible. Hence every tree and every electricity or other cable at the front of the car hit. And then there but a thick branch between trapped and your roof falls. As with the Germans their satellite antenna and one of their roof rails off was rammed. On the front I missed in many places the paint, which was beaten off by branches or power lines On the sides sat here and there some thick scars, but who can I probably still cleaning away. On the roof there were deep scratches, which are no longer able to polish away, there must be a car spraypainter to repair the damage to recover. Fortunately, the plastic so that it does not rust. That I could not say of the metal construction on my cabin drivers. Also there were the branches and cables took some paint off met, and here was the rust has already begun, because I had so quickly to what to do.
A day later, I drove to Walaja, a village where my car between the rice paddies parked there, quietly, to the restoration work to work, some reflection on the future to do tax returns to do and what other activities. Unfortunately, even now my plans thwarted, this time by my own body. Started with a pain in the throat, and a day later a mild fever, which resulted in three days high fever. When I saw 39.5 on the thermometer began I still have to worry, could it just be malaria or dengue fever. Such high temperatures, that's not normal for me, never had, so it was a bit anxious. Everything in me body did naturally pain. Decided still a day to watch. There was nothing of work coming out of my hands, the whole day was half unconscious sleep and the fever dropped not really. Next day, under the influence of a combiflannetje (that is a combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen pill) to the hospital in Walaja. At its an Indies. Building looked nothing like a hospital matter, people everywhere, on chairs, on the ground, as if the war was, and then came within white guy Jansen was right when I first turn, the local had to wait. I was not so unhappy about that, The ever-friendly doctor did a quick investigation, listened to my lungs and came after only two minutes to the conclusion that I had a severe flu. He wrote 4 drugs, which I incidentally all four just myself with me have (Paracetamol, amoxcillin, Cetrizet and a cough syrop. At 12 o'clock I was back in bed.
But the next morning I still had 39 degrees fever. Stil slept well, , from 8 pm to 7 am, 11 hours. From next day it went uphill, although it took a while before i had my strength back. But, at this Point now, I am all fit and ready to enjoy my India…
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