The old-world charm of rail travel hasn’t faded. The adventure begins the moment the train door clamps shut.
The most thrilling e-mail I’ve sent so far? “Sorry, must dash, I’ve got a train to catch.”
It was the last e-mail I was going to send for three days and I was giddy with delight as I tapped out the words.
My rail adventure started the moment I entered KL Sentral – observing who came, who went, what they brought, what they said, how they moved . . .
There was even that train smell. Not body odour (although this can be an unfortunate part of the experience), but the smell of dust burning from the friction of heated rails.
Catching a train: A train ride is relaxing and comfortable. — KTMBSo far, all my overnight train journeys have been made in bunks – sitting up is for airplanes and buses. My eight-hour trip from Kuala Lumpur to Jerantut in Pahang, the gateway to Taman Negara, was no different.
“You young people move up. Let us old folks have the lower bunks,” bellowed a lady who came rolling in with three matching suitcases.
My newly-made friends and I obliged, dutifully shifting our packs to the top bunk. Top deck or bottom, the soft sleeper was a charming way to travel. The bed was clean and all made up. Smokers puffed away far from the sleeping area.
Hardcore backpackers who wear their painful train rides like a badge of honour would have been utterly disappointed.
The platform soon echoed with the shrill sound of whistles and, right on schedule, Ekspres Wau took off.
Eight o’ clock is hardly my bedtime, so I made my way to the events coach which was reserved specially for our group of 80 media representatives, KTMB staff and Radio Malaysia DJs.
Plastic flower garlands were tacked to the ceiling, the chairs were suited up in batik prints and – the ultimate give away of a party that’s about to happen – a karaoke machine had been set up majestically in a corner. The crowd began to trickle into the carriage and before long, one dangdut song after another floated through the air.
After an hour and forty-five minutes of seat-warming, I left before a determined chap could butcher yet another heart-wrenching ballad. Wandering off, I reached the dining coach, where a group of teenage boys were nursing coffee while discussing stocks and takeovers!
Come on! Be 18! Slouch around and joke about the people walking in! Talk about girls and 30 Seconds To Mars! You’ll have your entire life to dissect the Wall Street Journal!
The conversation was too bland to even bother eavesdropping on. The heat in the dining coach was unbearable. The only way to reduce the temperature was to open all the windows, but when I pried it open to let some air in, the noise level was deafening. I didn’t stick around for long.
Back at the sleeping coach, there seemed to be a democratic consensus of lights out. I decided to join the majority and scaled up my bunk. Sipping sleep-inducing herbal tea from my thermos, I screwed in my earplugs and jammed my backpack between the wall and myself to forestall any theft.
It was a real effort to hang on to the bunk, let alone sleep, because of the vibration, and when the train turned, thrusting me in all directions. I took out a book but read nothing. The night sky kept me awake.
Before I knew it, the train had slowed to a canter, and then halted. I stepped down, feeling a tinge of envy watching people get on.
So what if the bunk was a tad snug? And so what if the toilet refused. Throughout the journey, I had gazed at unforgettable sights, met amazing people and enjoyed the constancy of a dependable system of transport.
Rail trip
Ekspres Wau runs everyday at 7.55pm from Kuala Lumpur to Tumpat.To visit Taman Negara, hop off at the Jerantut station. From the train station, it is 18km to Kuala Tembeling Ferry Terminal, the departure point for boats to the national park.
Permits are required for entry, camera and fishing, and the fee is payable at the park’s headquarters in Kuala Tahan, a two- to three-hour boat ride from the Ferry Terminal.
Rail passes can be purchased at the following railway stations: Singapore, Sentral Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru, Butterworth, Port Klang, Padang Besar, Wakaf Baru and Penang Ticket Office.
For more information, visit www.ktmb.com.my or call (03) 2267 1200.
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