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The next stage of our journey was by sleeper-train from Bangkok to Butterworth, then a super cheap ferry (24p each) from Butterworth to Georgetown, Penang (an island off the west coast of Malaysia). When I say 'sleeper' train, I use the term loosely. What an adventure. We arrived to find our seats well and truly taken over by a couple of girls who had obviously done this trip before. They had packed enough food (a lot of it very smelly) for a week on the train, they had plugged their mobiles into a socket in the corridor which meant the door wouldn't shut, so the air-con wasn't effective. They had fleeces and blankets, which we were later to discover were a must. The attendant ushered us over to another compartment. After a few snipes about our fellow passengers - smelly food girls and the Malaysian family with no less than 6 children under the age of 7 who subsequently delighted us for 22 hours with screaming and crying. We were embarrassed to be offered two large bags of crisps by smelly food girl and had to have a rethink about how mean we had been! I had to finally face the fact that I would have to visit the toilet, fingers crossed it would be a western-style one and not an asian "squat and go". Paul joked that it would just be a hole in the floor that went straight onto the tracks, how prophetic. You could watch the world go by beneath you... or rather watch where other people had 'gone' before you.... We ordered our evening meal (which came at 7pm) and breakfast (at 6am !!!). At every stop - by stop we mean heavy braking then a lurch like a learner driver - a bevvy of locals piled in to sell various snacks and drinks before we took off once more. Then a violent lurch by the driver and off we went. The evening meal was strange yet pleasant then at 8:30 pm it was time for bed... apparently!?!? The attendant set up everyones beds (we both had top bunks) as all low bunks were taken. We escaped to the buffet car and had a giant beer each. When we got back at 09:20 everyone was in bed with curtains shut. (see the photos) We got help to construct our ladders and clambered up to bed. Through the night we grabbed naps between screaming babies, bone shaking train jerks, stop/starts and the carriage door noise. As per usual I couldn't stand the freezing air conditioning which was just by my feet. The lights were all left on too. For Paul it was a squeeze with his bag of gadgets sleeping next to him. Paul awoke bleary eyed and strolled the corridor at 05:00 by 05:50 we were concerned where we would have breakfast as our table was in the lower bunk (occupied by Smelly-food girl). The food arrived regardless, so we rushed to the buffet car to eat our 'cheese and ham toasty and fries' - and ended up eating our 7 cold fries and sweet cheese/ham sandwiches with apple garnish with a sense of surprise and disgust. We retired once more to our 'pod' which was now 2 seats and relaxed ... until the children awoke. Paul gleefully attached headphones and listened to Darwin Deez and others in his own little paradise while several westerners got annoyed by the kids' shenanigans. After naps-stops-jerks (forward AND backwards!?) we arrived at the Thai/Malay border around 09:20 fearing the worst as around 40 people disembarked to pass through immigration. We were through the Thai side in a few minutes and as quick on the Malaysia side then back to the train (now with a Malaysian Engine at the front) for more of the scream-fest, accompanied by 2 of the teenagers singing along to Justin Bieber's 'Baby Baby' over and over again.... until finally the Aussies complained. At 13:55 we sailed into Butterworth, with containers and industry all about, at last!
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