Thailand Borders 22: Kuala Lumpur

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail..." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

(Braving the flood in Alor Setar)

Day 22: Sunday, 01 Dec 2024
Route: Hatyai - Kuala Lumpur
Distance: 526 km (7:42)

Buffet breakfast in the hotel.

(Our second day here)

(A good spread of buffet breakfast)

By 7.45 am we checked out and headed out of town south bound. Our first stop was at Bung Nut Halal restaurant in Lang Suan but it was closed. Next we visited Masjid At-Tauheed Lang Suan. The halal restaurant near the mosque has moved to the PTT north bound, 2 km from the mosque.

(The morning sunlight on our faces)

Clear blue sky all the way towards south)

(Follow the road signage)

(Bangnut Halal Restaurant in Lang Suan)

(Closed for a month, according to a neighbour)

(Masjid At-Tauheed of Lang Suan)

(The mosque has a new paint)

Bought keropok at a traffic junction from a boy from Nara. He informed us that Hatyai is still under water and all roads leading to the city center are closed.

(Many halal eateries along Route 41)

(The surau at Bangchak, formerly Esso at Surat Thani)

Stopped for lunch at PTT Halal food court in Thung Son. Solat break at Masjid Darus Saadan about 40 km from Phatthalung.

(Having lunch at Warung Pak Ju, Thung Son)

(A simple lunch to last till dinner)

(Masjid Darussaadan Tha Pracha, Patthalung)

(Performed our solat jamak here)

(A mosque complete with amenities)

(Pristine clean kampung mosque)

After prayers we drove direct to Sadao. There were less traffic on the road to the border. Rain has stopped and it was sunny in Hatyai but certain roads leading into central Hatyai were still closed. Flood water has subsided on the route to the border but we could see some houses in the lower area were still submerged. In Dannok, we bought some nuts, raisins and fruits from a Muslim stalls then headed to the border.

(Teepee PTT at Na Not, Khuan Khanun, Patthalung)

(Last minute purchase at Dannok)

It was already dark when we cleared immigration and custom checks at both border control checkpoints. The officers at the border told us that a stretch from Jitra to Kepala Batas on the PLUS highway is flooded and closed. Traffic had to detour and use an alternative road to get to the other end of the highway. Even a few stretches of the alternative route was flooded and could only be accessible to heavy vehicles.

(Clearing Thailand Border crossing)

(Alhamdulillah, we are back on home ground)

(Flood situations in Jitra and Alor Setar)

Our reliable Bigfoot managed to brave the flood waters and got us across to Alor Star town. Before we entered the highway, we stopped at Roti Canai King Restaurant for dinner. The roti sarang burung and curry was tasty but the service was extremely slow.

(Small vehicles waiting for the flood to subside)

(Bigfoot braving the flooded roads of Alor Setar)

(Clear road to the PLUS tol plaza)

(Dinner stop at Roti Canai King

(The service is extremely slow)

(A light dinner for hungry tummies)

The journey towards south was smooth although the traffic was quite heavy. Stopped at Simpang Pulai R&R for jamak Isyak/Maghrib and a cup of hot steaming coffee and snacks. We had been on the road for more than 20 hours and our bodies need to have a rest. Stopped at Hulu Bernam R&R for a quick nap while waiting for Subuh. After freshening up and prayers we continued our journey and detoured to Elmina R&R to have a heavy breakfast of lontong and teh tarik.

(Solat and coffee break at Simpang Pulai) 

(Continued our journey after solat Subuh in Hulu Bernam)

(Breakfast at Elmina R&R Southbound)

(Tasty lontong, a must have when we are here)

After 23 days and 6,854 km on the road, on 2 December 2024 at 10.00 am, we finally arrived safe and sound at our Bidara house. Alhamdulillah...