The "Train"

The word "Train" is in quotes for a reason, it's because riding the train is an experience I wouldn't wish on anyone, well may a few people, but not a lot.

As some people might know, I have recently started a new job in an international call center, The office is in the heart of K.L. and the only reasonable and affordable way to get there is by public transport. It really does make more sense than driving, there is the cost of tolls ( RM3.60 each way) then there is the
cost of parking (RM4/hr or RM36) and the cost of fuel, conservatively (RM8/day) that ads up to about RM51.20 per day and I didn't add the cost of insurance, road tax and the psychiatrists bills. The train on the other hand is a little less than the cost of the toll, RM7/day. Malaysian companies average our salaries out to 21 days per month so we are talking about RM1075/m ($358CDN) in a car. The train works out to RM147/m ($49.00CDN).

I forgot to mention how long it takes it takes, the train works out to about 1 1/2 hours, this is pretty conservative, I tend to leave early incase the train breaks down (this happens at least once a day) In a car it takes about 2 hours in the traffic, the only advantage is that I don't smell like "Train stink" when I get home, I only smell of my own stink, I don't use the air con, that costs more money, ok, I'm kidding about the AC.

The train ride is interesting, I take a commuter train from the station closest to my place, that takes me to the central station where I get on the Light Rail Transit that I take to a station a 5 minute walk from the office.

This is a short video I took getting on a train going home.

I survived the encounter, but just.

If you watch this video close, you'll notice that the people waiting to get on the train only allow a small path to let the people off the train. Before the trains arrive there is a message saying to let the passengers off before trying to get on, I can't imagine what it was like before they started telling these people to be courteous. I have had someone try and steal my wallet, my bag and even an umbrella, sometimes because there are so many people on the train it is impossible to stop someone. The worst part for me is the fact that no one tries not to touch you, they just all assume that there's no where for anyone to go so they might as well be cosy, in fact a little man fell asleep against my shoulder, I insisted he buy me dinner since he already slept with me. I have had little old ladies who are probably cute little grandmothers when they aren't trying to impale you with an umbrella because you won't move farther back, they don't care that you are up against a wall. I tried to give a sense of what it is like in this video, but it really doesn't show it well. This video is from inside the train, I was really trying to show just how packed in people are.

Nasi Lemak

Every morning, I see this nice lady at the LRT station set up at the top of the stairs, she sells curry puffs like little pizza pockets with a curry filling, very yummy,  nasi lemak which I really don't like because I don't like coconut milk which the rice is cooked in (I think). Nasi Lemak is very popular for breakfast but also eaten as a "Snack", the "Pyramids" that Nasi Lemak is packaged in is made from a banana leaf and usually brown paper. I mentioned before that Malaysians love to eat, this is typical at train stations and these ladies, I am told, make a good living selling food like this to commuters.

I want to share something but there is no smell-o-vision available and I really wish I could post the smell. When I get home after work I have a smell that clings to me, my shirt and even my lap top bag. My sense of smell is very bad and I don't notice it until I actually get home and into the shower. It's not something I even considered before taking a train. 

The train service is a little, how can I say this, buggered. The trains come when they come, the schedule is just a slight suggestion and there are no where near enough trains to handle the traffic, I read somewhere that close to 2 million people take these trains every day, and I believe it.  I'm sure they were on the same train as I was on my way home tonight.

More about transportation later, I'm off to was again, the train smell is lingering!