A traveller's reflection: Route 12: Day 01

My Travel Journal

"There isn't much I haven't shared with you along the road and through it all there'd always be tomorrow's episode" - Elton John

I started traveling around the world since early 80s when I had the opportunity to combine business trips with vacations. Then later when my rezeki is in abundance, there were numerous other trips along the way for vacations, most of the time with hubby and the kids when the timing is right. I have also started to compile the journal and photo-pages covering almost more than 45 years of world wide travel. Some destinations I visited just once, others many times. Many of those places are the obvious famous places people would like to visit but some, the casual traveler doesn't even think to try. I have placed links to my travel at the side bar of my personal page, My Life Reflections, and will be updating them from time to time.

My wish is to continue my travel and complete circumnavigate the globe, insyaAllah…

Friday, 2 May 2025

Route 12: Day 01 - Hatyai

"Logic will get you from A to Z. Imagination will take you everywhere...”

(The start of our Route 12 trip)

Day 01: 18 April 2025 (Friday)
Route: Kuala Lumpur - Hatyai
Distance: 530 km
Hotel: Hatyai Golden Crown Hotel

We had roti canai breakfast at Restoran D'maju. By 8.30 am we started driving northbound and stopped at Petronast Simpang Pulai to refuel.

(A heavy Mamak breakfast)

(A clear sunny day)

Earlier we planned to have an early lunch at Warung Ikan Bawal Kelapa Sawit in Juru. Unfortunately, the queue was long and the seats under the tent were too crowded. As it was near Zohor time, we drove direct to Masjid Muhajirin Seberang Jaya, a short distance away. While hubby performed his Jumaat prayers, I took a light nap in the car.

(Masjid Muhajirin Seberang Jaya)

After, we drove to Ida Mee Udang at Sungai Dua for a late lunch of nasi and mee goreng udang.

(Ida Mee Udang Sungai Dua)

(A late lunch of mee and nasi goreng)

As I was yet to performed my solat, we stopped at Hentian Plaza Toll Hutan Kampung for prayers and comfort break.

(Hentian Plaza Toll Hutang Kampung)

We refuelled full tank in Changlun and changed some Ringgit into Bahts. By 5.30 pm we were at the Bukit Kayu Hitam/Sadao border. Malaysian border crossing was smooth eventhough there were many Malaysian cars. At the Thai border, passengers had to get off the vehicle and had their passport checked and stamped at the counters in the Immigration building. There was a long queue at the Custom Clearance counters as there were many Malaysian vehicles entering into Thailand at this time of the day.

(Malaysian Immigration Checkpoint)

(Thailand Immigration Checkpoint)

Arrived in Hatyai around 7.00 pm Thailand time. Checked in Hatyai Golden Crown Hotel at Rm120/night. Walked to the phone shop to top-up our local Thai sim card. We had murtabak daging for dinner at Khaled Restaurant next door. Later we went for an hour of strong foot massage at Four Season Reflexology. Met a group of eight Malaysian from Segamat having their foot and body massages too. They travelled all the way from Segamat to Padang Besar by ETS.