Kampar trip.
I'm not sure if i'm not ready enough or what. But the info on internet are really very few about Kampar it makes me very nervous. It was a quite a confusing trip throughout the day.
So i started off the trip from one of my fav place: Penang. Island to be specific. In the morning my friend send me to Pengkalan Weld jetty. Around 8.00 am. Ferry from Penang Island to mainland is free btw. I thought i missed a ferry so i waited,then hop on to ferry, reach the other side's jetty at almost 9am.
I plan to check on the train at Butterworth but i can't find the counter at the station lol. Since it's still early in the morning, i can't find anyone to ask. So i just give up the train plan and move on to bus station. They're side by side, the train station and the bus station. Especially with the new construction, it's really side-by-side. It's used to be farther apart.
So i went into (cause it's an inside-building) counters area and ask for bus to Kampar from Butterworth. A staff told me there's no morning bus direct to Kampar. Only at 2pm or something. This one i think if i search enough, i can actually find the direct bus to Kampar. But since i'm kinda sleepy and doesn't want to wait at the bus station (they don't have comfortable seats, it's open-air place, and with that metal-bar seats. Just like the old bus station, though it feels cleaner & newer. And it is smaller actually). So i listened to the staff that told me to go to Ipoh bus station first, and later take local bus to Kampar. Though i'm not sure about the plan cause i never take Ipoh local bus. I googled about it but that didn't help much.
It started to rain and the bus drive off around 10am. The ticket cost around rm20? to Ipoh. I forgot about it.
Another tips for express bus user in Malaysia (i heard this from bus driver): never actually suggest a timing for bus depart. Instead of asking "is there bus at 10am?", asked "what timing available for morning bus?" If u asked the 1st question, they'll answer "yes available" though most of time it's not really 10am bus. It could be 10.30am, or 11am bus. They'll just said bus delay when the reality, that's the actual bus schedule. That's why ask the 2nd question. They'll tell you the right bus schedule, u pick whether to accept or not.
Back to my story. Ipoh bus station, the Amanjaya station for express bus. This bus station is well-build one. Feel like airport when first time being there (just because the arrival bus is upstairs and the departure bus is downstairs lol). But I've been in Amanjaya station quite few times, less-amazed nowadays haha!
I reached there around 12.30pm? I roamed around for atm machine but Amanjaya station only have bank muamalat(?) atm. I was so freaking sleepy at that time i took nap 1st on the bench, after around 10minutes then i start searching around and decided to ask the information counter if i can take bus to Kampar from Amanjaya.
As i expected, the staff in Butterworth leave the important piece of info (to get me buy the tix of course), that is: you can't take direct local bus from Amanjaya station. It usually depart from local bus station (forgot the station's name).
I sighed. Always trust gut feeling for this.
It's weird i didn't ask the info counter how to get to that local bus station. I went to HUGE Mydin opposite of bus station, to get stuffs for my AR and ready-stock for buka puasa/break fast (it was in fasting month yes). It's one of the largest Mydin I've been into. Like a large shopping mall.
Anyway, it feels festive season, raya season was approaching because there were so many families inside, with sales for raya preparation everywhere. You can even get rm29 baju raya, baju kurung. So tempting. (They even have testing-room for it).
I quickly went to stationery sections and bought my stuffs. Also grab mini-milo cartoon and bread. The process on counter took alot longer. The queue was long (there's a family infront of me spent rm400+ in single receipt. Person before that also exceed rm100. Imagine how long the process to scan everything. I waited almost 30minutes just to pay.
After that went to food court to organize my things. When i was just starting to do my work, i saw a local bus at the opposite side. I dunno where will it go but i just run for it. Asked the driver if i can go to Kampar via the bus, and he said yes, but i need to take another bus later at the local bus station (which i didn't get the name even after hearing it for 2nd time). This one cost less than rm2. Off i went to local bus station.
That time i learned it's Amanjaya territory there. All this time i drive using highway to get to Amanjaya station i don't know how's the neighborhood look like.
The bus driver pakcik told me when it's time to get off, and there i was in local bus station, seeing all the pink-colour buses. In the bus i read a blog about the bus number to Kampar. I try to search for the counter.
While I was hovering around not sure if i'm on right place, a staff asked me where i want to go. "Kampar" is said. "Bas belum sampai lagi, nanti panggil la. Duduk dulu la", he said, sort of. Errr pakcik, adakah saya kelihatan seperti tak sabar atau ni kali ke 10 saya bertanya? I'm not even local, no need to throw random fit at me thank you. But my reaction was rather confused than mad.
So i just sit there waiting with others. Around 2pm at that time. The weather was crazily hot,plus the bus engine heat. Bring you own fan or something. Bus to Kampar arrived, i get on.
I heard a not-nice thing from the staff's mouth. Which could lead to rusuhan kaum if it's not involving very old uncle. I just shake my head. Why you need to hate when life's to short to love. Different races can also be kind and love each other ok. Malaysian please.
Journey to Kampar took about an hour. I love this route the most. Usually i just drive/being in bus on highway, i keep wondering to myself how it feels like, how it looks like living near the hills, lots of green tree, so nice to eyes. I have the answers at that time. It is nice, the feeling. I smile when i remember it.
Approaching Kampar area, it's looking more like pekan lama. Oldtown. I reach destination and i feel like i was in a faraway place, a place very new to me. I've been living in Sg.Petani for years and it's TOTALLY different in Kampar town. The old bus station, old shop-buildings, people cycling around.
I refer myself to my trip to Melaka, but it's not close too. That authentic feeling Kampar town gave me. Like i'm 20 years going back from current time zone. Oh Taiping town also gave me this vibe once.
I walked around to see if i can find any surau/masjid. It's a very small pekan i already cover half of it in 10minutes. An uncle greeted me saying "nak ke mana la tu jalan-jalan tengah panas macam ni". I was wearing my serious face during that time (because it's HOTTT) but smile immediately upon that greet. I guess it's not familiar sight, a person, alone, wandering around walking in this small pekan.
Tak terkeluar pulak nak tanya pakcik kalau ada surau berdekatan. So i decided to do jama' ta'khir later. Gather zohor & asar prayer and perform during asar.
I waited for Sharon to pick me up,so later i can go to train station 1st to buy ticket back to sg.petani (there's a train station few kilometers away from the bus station. That's why my original plan was to take train instead of bus because it's a direct train to Kampar. Though the journey would take longer by train. Maybe.). I called KTMB call centre to ask for the train ticket availability.
1am, at next day after 12am strikes. After Sharon picked me up at 4pm, i bought train tix. RM15 for economy class.
I settled my business in Kampar (the road trip was beautiful!) i regret not taking pictures in UTAR, it a nice campus.
During my trip back, i regretted taking economy class for the train. The seat area is very small. A kid slept at my supposed seat, and i have to keep changing my seat. So problematic when u consider the timing. 1am or 2am ok.
I can't even sleep. Much more when the person besides me is a male. I feel like sinner. Never take ktm economy class train to north-south ever again.
Traumatic.
Spend a little bit more money for that long journey. I'm backpacker at heart yes, but i still would spend more money on this matter. Unless I'm seating with my friend,besides me.
Reached Sg.Petani almost 7am. Train stopped at Butterworth for too long. I should just perform my subuh prayer at Butterworth if i know it would be that long. But ask the staff 1st, how long the train stops, if want to go for toilet or prayer at Butterworth station.
That's all for my Kampar trip. I concluded this trip: tiring but meaningful one. It brings me back to my travelling feels i haven't had for long (especially interacting with local for info), backpacker style, learning to trust my gut feeling more, makes my heart flustered for exploring new places and enjoying nature at it's best. Until next time. -yanaliyana-
