East Africa Trip 2025: Part III

Monday, 5 May 2025

Of course I could hardly sleep a wink. The coffee shop was not walled or glassed in so mosquitoes were free to fly and feast on us. It started getting colder during the night too. Finally just before 05:00, I got up and walked back to Terminal 1D. I performed prayers after security check then went through another security check.

We boarded the plane for Lamu - I somehow not only managed to fit everything in my bag but also lifted it up into the overhead compartment! But I removed my iPad, neck pillow and thick book of course - and landed about 70 minutes later. I followed the other passengers and went to the jetty where there were boat operators waiting. I boarded the public boat for the boat ride to Lamu island. The fare was KES200. I noticed the ground was wet and the boat captain confirmed that it rained early that morning.

People are so friendly in Lamu (and I had read that they preferred to be left to their own devices!) that they started coming and asking you to follow them. I asked one of them to help call my host, Sultwan, and he came within five minutes to show me to his place. We stopped at Tawakal office to buy my bus ticket to Mombasa for the following morning before going to his place. Of course it had to be at the very top of the building and only accessible by some narrow stairs.

I rested for a bit and ventured out after performing prayers. I wandered around the Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and it reminded me of Stone Town in Zanzibar. I visited the museum and found out that the island, just like Zanzibar, has an Omani influence. The museum entrance for foreigners is KES500 plus KES50 charge.

After the museum, I wandered along the corniche then the back streets and then went to find lunch. I had coconut rice and fish soup, then returned to my room to rest.

Tuesday, 6 May 2025

It rained again during the night and woke me up. I got up at 04:30, showered and performed prayers. I finished packing and left at 06:00 and Sultwan led me to the boat that would take me to Mokowe. As we were beneath the jetty, I only realised that it was raining when we went out into the open water and boy, were we drenched! There was some plastic covering but it was inadequate. We reached Mokowe and I grabbed my bag and walked to Tawakal bus.

The bus left at 07:06 and made many stops to pick and drop off passengers. We finally reached rainy Mombasa at about 13:40. It rained all the way and indeed throughout Kenya. I took a tuktuk to my Airbnb which is at a building behind Premier Inn. After getting directions from the locals, I managed to locate the building and went to the apartment on the fourth floor. Yup, such is my luck on this trip.

My clothes were all damp from the rain but the Airbnb host kindly allowed me to hang them in the corridor.

I ventured out at about 4 p.m. and walked to the railway station. A matatu driver helpfully explained that I could come anytime between 06:00 to 06:30 and get the bus or matatu to the Nairobi terminus. The fare would be KES300.

I turned back and dropped by a supermarket to buy some buns.

Wednesday, 7 May 2025

I woke up early for morning prayers then tried to sleep again but sleep was elusive. There was a blackout since 04:00 and by the time I left the apartment at 09:00, it hadn’t been restored. I walked to the Tusks at Moi Avenue before walking down to Fort Jesus, stopping at a few forex offices to enquire the rates. I met some over friendly locals who wanted to take me on a tour and I declined. I had to pay the entrance fee by card as cash was not accepted and I didn’t have M-Pesa. There was transaction fee and service charge, but of course.

Another chap brought me in and I was starting to feel annoyed. What does it take for a girl to be left alone? What made you think I craved company? And it turned out the tour would cost extra and I said he should have made it clear and transparent at the beginning and that I already mentioned at the start that I didn’t want any tour. I then explored the fort by myself just the way I like it. I’m sorry if I sound rude or snobbish but trust me, I love my own company.

I spent an hour in the fort then walked to Old Town. I really like walking in the narrow streets of old towns, looking at the buildings. And there were many cats too, to make up for the lack of cats I met the previous week.

I had lunch at a restaurant on Moi Avenue and had beef pilau and passion fruit drink. The woman who worked there kept touching and holding me and I told her slowly a few times not to touch me. I wonder if I’ve come to dislike being touched by anyone. I think I’m still ok if my schoolmates touch and hold me, well, some of them that is.

After a quick visit to the supermarket, I returned to the apartment to rest and charge my iPad. It had been a windy and hazy day today and dry for a change.

Thursday, 8 May 2025

It started raining after 05:00 and continued raining throughout the morning and better part of the afternoon. I was ready to leave after 13:00 but the rain picked up so I waited until it petered off again. I headed out at 13:45 and walked to get to the Likoni ferry.

This mzungu joined the locals to board the ferry across. Those in vehicles are allowed to board first. Pedestrians get to ride the ferry without any charge. It took about seven minutes to reach Likoni. I walked up along the main road and spotted a restaurant which happened to have fish briyani so I ordered a Una fish briyani. It was all right, nothing to shout about. It certainly didn’t taste like the briyani I’m used to, maybe they use different spices over there.

After that late lunch, I walked along the market stalls down to the ferry. I didn’t have to wait long before one arrived. Back on Mvita island, I walked along Azania Drive up to Mama Ngira Drive until I reached Burhani Garden then I turned and walked back to the Airbnb.

I had an early night as I had an early start the next morning.

Friday, 9 May 2025

I woke up at 04:30, had a shower and performed morning prayers. I then finished packing and left at 06:20 with Virginia, my host. I made my way to the railway station and I was lucky to get a seat on the matatu. We left at 06:33 and reached Mombasa Terminus at 06:58. We had to line our bags up on a plank and have a dog sniff at them, then collect the bags and have them scanned. Those of us purchased their tickets online must get proper tickets from the machines in the ticket office before we were allowed in. There was an ID check against the ticket and a body check.

I boarded the train at 07:45. The train left at 07:59 and we arrived at Nairobi Terminus at 14:09. We had to cross over the platform to get to the train for Nairobi Central and stations in between. The ticket cost KES50.

From Nairobi Central, I made my way by foot to the apartment I’d booked at Charles Rubia Road. The hustle and bustle, the dust, the dirt, the black fumes, the noise all hit me all at once.  After a one-mile walk dodging fellow pedestrians, peddlers and vehicles, I found the building. I had a bit of difficulty locating the caretaker but some locals helped me, Alhamdulillah. Finally I was in.

After prayers and a little rest, I ventured out again into the crazy atmosphere and went to find Quick Mart supermarket to get some food. I noticed street traders selling books (most likely pirated) which include Diary of a CEO, Atomic Habits, The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck, etc, priced from KES500 each. I was so tempted to buy.

I tried searching for dinner but in the end, decided to just have instant noodles for dinner. You can take this Asian out of Asia but you cannot take the Asian out of her. Haha!

Saturday, 10 May 2025

I woke up early for prayers and didn’t sleep again. I left quite late, at 10:20, and made my way to the National Museum of Kenya. Then I walked towards the University of Nairobi area and continued on to the City Market. I spent some time at City Market and bought some souvenirs there. Then I walked to nearby Jamia Mosque and the McMillan Memorial Library just next door to the mosque. This is the oldest library in Nairobi and the second oldest library in Kenya after the Seif bin Salim Library in Mombasa.

After that, I walked to Kenyatta Avenue and went to a few foreign exchange offices to check the rates. After changing money to pay for my stay, I walked to the Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Family, passing Kenyatta International Convention Centre. Then I continued to the Railway Museum, passing the Parliament along the way.

After wandering around a bit more, I returned to the apartment to perform prayers and rest. I couldn’t help thinking that I’d be home in two days’ time and that in 48 hours, I’d be preparing to rest to return to the office the following morning. Le sigh. I stayed in the rest of the day. It rained around 19:00 for a short while.

Sunday, 11 May 2025

I stayed in this morning and made good progress on my book. I brought eight books on this trip including a four-in-one Reader’s Digest hardcover compilation and had given four of them away - and the recipients were all delighted to receive them. I also finished packing.

After performing prayers (I’d asked the host for a late check-out), I checked out and left. I walked to a nearby Swahili restaurant selling halal food and ordered a beef pilau. It took at least an hour to be prepared. After paying for lunch, I had a chat with the cook who told me that he was originally from Lamu but had stayed in Nairobi most of his life and that he’d been to Indonesia for two months. He even remembered the word ‘Terima kasih’!

I then made my way to Moi Avenue to get a bus to the airport. One came shortly after but of course we had to wait until the bus was full first. The journey took more than an hour because of the stops and traffic. It started raining as we were approaching the airport which quickly turned heavy. It reminded me of walking in to Bujumbura Airport in the rain and I was praying that my clothes in my suitcase would remain dry. 

I made my way to Terminal 1B. The rain stopped but started again when I was safely in the terminal. I had a long wait and finish my book while waiting to drop off my bag. There wasn’t any prayer room at the check-in area so I performed evening prayers in a corner.

The check-in process was slow as we had to go through a document check first before we were allowed to approach the check-in desks. Some passengers were seen repacking their bags to adhere to the allowed check-in weight.

After clearing passport control, I went up to the gates and wandered around the duty-free. Our gate was changed from gate 11 to gate 4 barely an hour before our scheduled departure.

Monday, 12 May 2025

We took off late, almost an hour late. I declined to be served food that early in the flight and tried to get some shut-eye but of course sleep eluded me.

We landed at KLIA T2 at 15:50 and I quickly made my way to the baggage claim. I decided to perform prayers while waiting for the bag to be out and was pleased and thankful when it emerged just as I was approaching the carousel. Alhamdulillah.

I caught the trains back and reached home at 18:40. And that was the end of my East African trip.

The end

East Africa Trip 2025: Part II

Wednesday, 30 April 2025 

I woke up almost every hour and finally at 03:10. I quickly performed tahajud prayers then got ready to leave. I was down by 03:37. The apartment guard came out to accompany me. It was foggy but surprisingly not as cold as I expected it to be (I only packed a very light jacket). I had to go up again to use the WiFi to contact the shuttle company and was told they were running a bit late.  We finally left at 04:20. I didn’t know how the driver managed to drive in the fog where visibility was only five metres at best. After a hour or so, we finally drove out of the fog. We stopped a few times to pick up and drop off passengers and stopped for ten minutes at a restaurant to use the facilities.

We finally reached Kayabwe just before 10:00 and I asked a shopkeeper to help take my photos at the Uganda Equator. I noticed there was a similar structure across the road for those coming from the north of the Equator but didn’t manage to take photos at it. As almost immediately, I saw a minibus and boarded it after the conductor confirmed it was heading for Kampala.

It was a long ride to Kampala and we only reached the bus terminal at almost 13:00. A boda boda driver offered to take me for UGX5k plus UGX2k for my bag. Then along the way we had an argument because he misunderstood where my hotel was. I told him that it was not my fault that he misunderstood where my hotel was when i specifically had told him the hotel was in Katwe area. He wanted me to pay him UGX15k and I refused. In the end, I paid him UGX10k and he was about to comment but stopped when I glared at him.

After having my bag scanned by the guard at the ground floor, I had to climb up two flights of stairs to the reception. Don’t these people believe in lifts? I was then served by a girl who was vying for the slowest receptionist award.  After prayers and a short rest, I ventured out into the afternoon sun and walked up to where I could find moneychangers. After clean and orderly Kigali, I found Kampala a shock to my senses and mind you, I had been to a few African cities. Potholed roads, vehicles belching fumes, reddish brown soil… I kept asking myself what I was doing there and why the locals couldn’t improve things.

After changing money, I rode a boda boda to Kasubi Tombs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I almost shrieked out loud whenever the driver weaved his way in and out of the traffic and running the lights. After about 25 minutes, we reached Kasubi Tombs.

I had to sign in a guest book before buying my ticket. Foreign adult visitors are charged USD20 which I thought was steep. Girls aren’t allowed to wear trousers in the tomb so the ticket girl helped put a sarong on me. A guide then showed me the way and provided some background of the Buganda kingdom and kings. I spent about 40 minutes there before leaving. 

I rode another boda boda back to the hotel then walked a bit around the hotel to find dinner. I’m not sure why the hotel was even built there because there is a lot of hardware business and shops around. I couldn’t find any supermarket and in the end, bought a 1.5-litre bottle of mineral water from a small shop below the hotel. No food stalls, no restaurants, nothing. Good thing I packed some bread.  It had been such a long day that I dozed off around 10 p.m.

Thursday, 1 May 2025

I woke early for tahajud and didn’t sleep after morning prayers. I lingered in the room, showered and only called for breakfast after performing dhuha prayers at 09:00. I then ventured out almost reluctantly and walked to the train station. It was drizzling lightly when I left but stopped when I reached downtown. I was a bit dismayed to find the train station closed. I then walked up the hill past Victoria University to the old-fashioned National Theatre with the Parliament Complex across from it. Then I walked up a bit and turned into Nile Avenue and walked down to the Independence Monument.

After that, I walked down and found myself in the shopping area. And my, I think half of Kampalans were out there. I couldn’t take it after a while: the noise, the chaos, the disorder, the bad roads, the dusty sidewalk. I just don’t understand how people can continue with the way things are instead of improving the situation. I hurried back and before returning to my room, made an attempt to find some lunch but apart from a street seller selling some samosas (which had been left uncovered), a small bread shop and some street vendors selling grilled bananas, I couldn’t find anything else so I returned to my room. I stayed in my room for the rest of the day and caught up with my reading.

Friday, 2 May 2025

The rain during the night woke me up. I got up for tahajud and morning prayers then finished packing. I checked out after breakfast, at around 10:35. I left one book with the girl at the reception and she was so happy to receive it. The rain had stopped by then. A matatu heading for Entebbe passed by barely ten minutes later and I rode it to Entebbe. The fare was UGX5. The 35-km trip took 90 minutes because the matatu stopped every few hundred metres to drop off and pick up passengers.

I walked from the taxi rank to my hotel. Part of the road was terrible: think red country road. The early morning rain didn’t help either. I reached Skyway Hotel about ten minutes later and checked in. After prayers, I ventured out to buy some water and food then went to Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa.

I returned to the hotel and stayed in.

Saturday, 3 May 2025

I was waken up by the heavy rain and thunders. After a while, the power went out (I had the fan on to dry my clothes). I woke up and showered in the dark before performing prayers. Power was restored shortly after so I quickly charged my iPad.  When I checked in, I was told breakfast was served at 07:00 but the dining area was empty when I checked. I was then told by another hotel staff that it would be ready after 07:30. And my transfer to the airport was at 07:45. I hurriedly ate my breakfast and we left at 07:55. We had to stop before entering the airport and I had to get down and go through security check before getting back into the car.

I got confused by the directions which wasted my time but I managed to drop off my bag in time. Thankfully the passport control was quick. I had to transit in Nairobi and was surprised when the crew remembered me - it turned out the crew which flew from Entebbe to Nairobi would also fly to Bujumbura with me.  I was not happy to find some idiot occupying my window seat but reasoned that I could get out more quickly if I sat by the aisle. The woman next to me was so annoying and irritating, she kept invading my personal space and shoving her arms about. At one point, I had to pick my glass because she was in danger of elbowing it into my tray and lap. Then she threw her used tissue into my glass. Hey, I could be wanting a second glass of juice, you bugger. I couldn’t wait to escape from her.

We landed at Bujumbura Airport and had to walk around to get to the terminal building. I had to apply for visa on arrival - I read this was possible but some sites said I needed to apply for one beforehand. I did try applying online but the cost was exorbitant (more than €100!) so I decided to just try get it on arrival. Thankfully it worked out and I had to pay USD40. The process was slow though. I glanced at the moneychanger and saw the rate was BUF2960 for every USD so when a guy came and offered to sell me BUF3000 for every USD, I took his offered and bought USD30 worth of Burundi francs.  Unfortunately, that amount wasn’t enough for some cabbies who insisted on getting BUF100k, arguing that my hotel in Kinindo is far from the city. I contemplated walking out until one cabbie called to me. He agreed to take me to my hotel for BUF90k. Then he told me the exchange rate in the city (black market rate) was BUF7,000-8,000 for every USD. I really didn’t get it. I find taxi fare costing USD30 to be exorbitant and now you’re telling me that I could’ve gotten more BUF had I changed my money in the city? But if I did that, how was I going to pay for my transportation into the city and beyond?

The ride probably took 20 minutes maximum and the tarred part of Avenue du Large suddenly stopped. The road continued but it wasn’t tarred. I was not impressed. I checked in and after a bit of argument with the hotel staff (finally I resorted to Translation app), I ventured out. The clouds were threatening. I found a small office that could change money but it couldn’t provide change when I wanted to break my USD note. I then walked to a hotel and while the hotel could change money with me, it didn’t have change for my USD note either. I turned back and returned to the hotel. Only a few hours in the country and I already found it frustrating. I also didn’t like the way the local kids came up and asked for money. If only you knew how much money I had to fork out to visit your country and found it less than interesting.

I returned to the hotel and it promptly rained just as I climbed up to the first floor to my room.

 

Sunday, May the 4th be with me

I woke up early for shower and prayers then ventured out at 07:35, I wanted to go to close to Lake Tanganyika, at 660 km long, the longest freshwater lake in the world. Despite my efforts, I could only look at the lake from afar. At one spot, I managed to get close to the lake but there were structural remains of some building in the lake (like they built something but the lake then reclaimed or took over). I also had my eyes peeled for a moneychanger. No such luck. The small office was closed today and there was no one at the hotel which I went to yesterday. I went back to my room after an hour and had breakfast.  I checked out after Dhuha prayers just before 11:00 and told the hotel staff that I wanted to stay until 12:15, i.e., after I’d performed afternoon prayers. I also changed USD3 with him at BUF7k to a dollar. I was determined to take minibuses to the airport. It started raining again but by the time I finished praying, it had petered off. I left and walked up to the minibus stand. The fare to the city was only BUF600.

I had to change minibuses in the city and had to ask directions before walking over to another nearby minibus station for the minibus to Maramvya. The fare was BUF1500 and I sat perched at a bench next to a plump local girl with her mother. This girl asked me for food. Really. I’m sorry, I’m such a snobbish visitor. But don’t you go asking for food from total strangers and especially from visitors to your country. Not everyone finds it cute.  It started raining again on our way. I went down at the roundabout outside the airport and walked in. Wow, I made it to the airport and the total fare was only BUF2100. That’s less than a dollar even if I had changed it at the airport moneychanger. WHAT THE HECK!

I went to drop off my bag and went through passport control. I knew the plane would be a bit delayed as Trip.com had emailed me earlier that the flight was retimed but I didn’t realise the delay would be pushed back again and again until one airline staff came to inform that there would be a further delay and that we could go to the restaurant for some refreshment. I then checked my emails and, heck, the ETD was 15:50 then 17:55 then 18:40.

We were allowed to order refreshment up BUF40k so I ordered an egg omelette and honey lemon tea. After my meal, I went to perform ablutions and evening prayers. Then we sat and waited and started smacking mosquitoes.

We finally boarded and took off around 19:20. I knew we flew over Lake Tanganyika because there was a dark expanse of space below for a brief while - such a pity the flight was delayed and we couldn’t view the lake. We landed at Kigali at 20:00 and I ran to make the transfer. I was boarding the same aircraft again 25 minutes later.

We finally landed in Nairobi at 23:15 - due to the time difference (Nairobi is an hour ahead of Kigali and Bujumbura). I wanted to spend the night in the airport but no one was allowed into Terminal 1D. The guy manning the door suggested I go to the coffee shop so I trudged there and joined a few other fellow flyers.

To be continued

East Africa Trip 2025: Part I

This trip was planned towards the end of last year. I reluctantly decided to fly AirAsia because there’s a direct flight to Nairobi. When I heard that Kevin had to endure a 21-hour bus trip from Nairobi to Kampala and remembering how I had to wait for ages for the bus to depart in my previous African trips, I decided to fly certain routes. The route became circuitous when I read that the land border from Bujumbura into Rwanda is closed due to dispute. Work in the new department meant I couldn’t finalise my trip as early as I would have liked and it was only in mid-March when I started to frantically book accommodation and buying the flight tickets within the region.

Unlike previous trips, I decided to start assembling things to bring a week before departure (clothes were only packed in the evening before departure).

Friday, 25 April 2025

I left the office at 15:17 and made my way to KLIA T2. I dropped off my bag (checked in bag weighed 10.1 kg but my carry on bags were not light). I then made my way through passport control and security check and even stopped midway to buy ticket to watch The Arsenal in Singapore in July.  The flight took off at 19:15 and having performed ablutions earlier, I performed prayers just after take-off. I was lucky not to have anyone sitting next to me although that didn’t really help when it came to attempting to sleep. Le sigh.

We landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 23:15 and boarded a bus to the terminal. Passport control was quick, only the bags came out late. I then made my way to Terminal 1A for the following morning’s departure. Alhamdulillah, the guard let me in despite my flight being hours away and I spent the night in the terminal. No one bothered me, Alhamdulillah. If only I could manage some shut-eye!

Saturday, 26 April 2025

I finally gave up on sleep and at almost 05:00, went to the washroom to perform ablutions. After morning prayers, I dropped my bag off and went through passport control. My next flight was at 07:30 and I did doze off for a short while before I was waken up for wet towel. A simple breakfast followed. I would have attempted sleeping again, only we were flying over Lake Victoria then and I was wide-eyed in amazement and wonder.

We landed ahead of time and the immigration process was intense for non-Africans. A Caucasian man at the next counter was asked to go to another counter. The Asian girl ahead of me whom I overheard informed the immigration officer that she worked for an NGO had to contact her friend before she was asked to step to the counter the Caucasian man went to. I’d experienced all this ‘stepping aside’ at passport controls before all over Europe and beyond so I was prepared to endure the same. To my surprise, I only had to answer some questions (where did I work, what was the purpose of my visit, where would I go after this etc), my passport was stamped. I did wonder what the immigration officers would say if told that I was a pensioner and no longer working like Kevin.

I’d read that there’s a bus to the city but when I asked around, I was told there was no bus or motorbike today because of Muganda, some community clean-up that takes place every last Saturday of the month. I finally negotiated with a cabbie to bring me to Belle Africa B&B and he quoted me RWF30k. We were stopped twice by the police asking what we were doing out on Muganda day. We finally reached the B&B after about 30 minutes. I paid USD10 and the balance in RWF in the end. I managed to check in early, Alhamdulillah, but the B&B staff didn’t seem to speak English. 

I ventured out at almost 14:00 and walked up to the centre. I walked all the way to the Belgian Peacekeepers Memorial where ten Belgian peacekeepers who were killed during the 1994 genocide before turning back. I bought a three-litre bottle of water and hauled it back. I met a girl in the B&B restaurant and paid for my room in USD.

I tried reading at night but the room light was too dim. Anyway, I needed sleep. The restaurant/bar (I didn’t notice any menu) was throbbing with noise.  

Sunday, 27 April 2025

I was woken up during the night by mosquitoes circling and singing in my ear. I covered up myself with the bed sheet but that made it hotter. Finally I got up to perform prayers.

I left at 06:50 and walked down to Nyabugogo Bus Park to find Trinity Bus schedule and fare. It was cool then. At the Trinity bus counter, I was quoted RWF20k which is the fare to the next stop after Kabale. Kigali to Kampala costs RWFf25k so of course RWF20k fare was steep and Kabale is just across the border. Rembo, a Trinity Bus staff, advised me to travel instead with another company, Cross Country, and that he would bring me to the office the following morning.

I then went to browse the Nyabugogo vegetables market then crossed over to Nyabugogo Modern Market. Not many stalls were opened despite it being or maybe because it was a Sunday.

I returned to my guesthouse and had breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised to have it ready when I got back at 08:15 because you know, Africa time means they have a very relaxed attitude towards punctuality. I rested after breakfast and in mid-morning, ventured out to Kigali Genocide Memorial. Don’t trust Google Maps when it said the terrain was fairly flat because it wasn’t.

I arrived at the Memorial about 35 minutes later (after a few stops of photo taking). There was no entry charge but visitors are encouraged to make a donation of USD20 minimum. I gave away my RM50 note. There was a documentary and then we were led to another building with exhibitions of the history and origin of the genocide. Basically it just reinforces how wicked colonists are. In Rwanda, the German colonists introduced race to keep people distinct from each other and then the Belgian colonists used race to solidify their presence.

I left just before 14:00 and walked back to my room to rest. Spent the rest of the day indoors. There was again noise from the bar downstairs but not as bad as the previous evening.

Monday, 28 April 2025

I woke up early for prayers. After a quick shower, I finished packing. Breakfast was a bit late today at 07:10 and I quickly packed half of it before finishing the rest. I left at 07:40 and walked down to Nyabugogo Bus Park. Despite my bags, I arrived just before 08:00. After locating Rembo, I followed him across the road to Cross Country office but we were intercepted by some people who knew Rembo and who convinced him that their vehicle was ready to leave. Well, it turned out that we ended up waiting for an hour before the vehicle was full and even then, the man behind me was adamant that he would not let additional passengers in to squeeze beside him as he’d paid RWF7k to sit comfortably. I was lucky to have arrived early and I sat next to the driver. The driver was an Ugandan and he drove on the right.

We arrived at Katuna/Gatuna border post at 11:55 Rwandan time (Uganda is an hour ahead of Rwanda) and had to go through health check first: we were made to sanitise our hands (the lady officer who was there sprayed our hands liberally), had our temperature taken and I had to produce my yellow fever certificate. Then we had our bags scanned before queuing up to first depart Rwanda and enter Uganda. I also changed the balance of my RWF for Ugandan shillings.

Kabale is only half an hour from the border post and I walked from the roundabout where I went down to my accommodation at an apartment at Mutambuka Road. A supermarket staff kindly called the apartment owner and five minutes later, a lady showed up and brought me to the apartment which was on the third floor. So I huffed and puffed with my bags up the stairs. The unit overlooks Kabale Secondary School.  After performing prayers, I went out to find an exchange office. I then hired a boda boda driver to bring me to Lake Bunyonyi. The fare is now 10k one way (he initially asked for 15k). In the end, he brought me around, brought me to a friend’s place, took me out on a brief lake canoe trip, then brought me to a place where we had a birds’-eye view of the lake and its islands. It was breathtakingly beautiful. We then returned back and I paid him 25k for his guide service.

After walking around - I came across three Caucasians - I bought some water and walked back to the apartment. The street noise wafted up. I was surprised to see the ground wet later as I didn’t realise it had rained. The forecast was that it would rain tomorrow hence why I decided to visit Lake Bunyonyi the same afternoon instead of tomorrow.

Alas, the WiFi connection got cut off pretty early so I lost connection to the online world.

Tuesday, 29 April 2025

I woke at 03:45 and remained in bed. Woke up at 05:20 for prayers. Tried to WiFi router again, it still didn’t work. It was foggy when I looked out. Whoa, I only packed a light jacket for this trip.

The fog cleared up around 09:00. I finally ventured out at 10:00 and walked up to Kabale Mosque which I saw while riding the boda boda to Lake Bunyonyi the afternoon before. Then I returned to my room but not before asking someone to help contact the apartment owner. He said he would come in half an hour.

Walter showed up about 45 minutes later and gave me options on my next trip. I could either ride the bus the following morning at 08:00 and stop at Kayabwe, or I could take the shuttle which leaves at 04:00. Both options would mean finding another transportation to continue on to Kampala. He advised me against taking the night bus which was what I planned to do as I would reach Kayabwe around 03:00. Whoa. I told him I’d go with the second option i.e., taking the early morning shuttle. He said he would contact the company and let me know. He also fixed the WiFi toggle and showed me where to press.

I stayed in and finished my book. There was power outage that afternoon which lasted until 18:00. Walter messaged me saying he managed to get me a seat for UGX40k and that the shuttle would pick me up at 03:40. I had to go down and get someone to help pay for the shuttle in advance.

I went to bed at 21:00 but had a very bad night.

To be continued

April Showers

It’s been a challenging month so far work-wise and I’ll be honest, I’m not really enjoying myself. Didn’t take extra leave for Eid as I was saving my leave then the gas explosion happened and I was roped into a task force.

Genocide continues, the world watches on and does nothing. Then there’s the tariff brouhaha and condescending remarks on Chinese peasants.

Arsenal frustrated and thrilled me at the same time. We only managed to draw where I thought we should win. But we also beat holders Real Madrid both home and away. It’s been a season with injuries to key players and we really should’ve done better last summer.

I’ve been coughing, it started with throat discomfort which turned into a dry cough. I lost my voice but couldn’t take time off work. Not that I’m indispensable but I didn’t want to let my team down especially when I’m a newbie too.

Well, April Showers will not last so here’s praying all the challenges we face will be over soon too. Ameen

Cambodian Trip 2025

I bought Malaysia Airlines Flypass in end-November 2024 and decided to revisit Danang, Chiang Mai and Phnom Penh. I originally wanted to visit Danang in March but the dates I chose were not available so had to switch to Phnom Penh. I had to add on a bit more on top of the Flypass for fuel/tax/charges.

My sister has a Cambodian contact, a Cambodian Muslim Ustaz whom she and family had visited before and has continued to be in touch with. Ustaz Rani usually contacts my sister in Ramadan asking if she could help collect some funds for the local Muslims and my sister obligingly helps collect and transfers the funds. This year was no different. As I was going to Phnom Penh anyway, I offered to bring over the funds with me. We then decided to collect some clothes (new and preloved), batik and pelikat sarongs, women’s prayer attires, shirts, etc. I also bought a suitcase to store the clothes in. Alhamdulillah, my sister managed to collect substantial amounts and transferred part of the money to Ustaz Rani a week before my departure (the local Muslims are really destitute). I topped up the balance of the money with my zakat and converted into USD to bring over.

Saturday, 15 March 2025

We left my sister’s house at 07:00 and arrived at KLIA T1 35 minutes later. I quickly made my way to the bag drop counters. The line was dealt with efficiently. We then went to use the facilities where I found two rings near the hand dryer. I went to the Information Counter to ask where Lost & Found was but because it was at another floor (Level 2, if my memory serves me right), I asked if I could just leave the rings there and if the lady at the counter could help instead. She made a big deal and snapped photos of my boarding pass. I was made to feel like I was guilty for finding those dang rings. I hurried to have my boarding pass scanned and then went through the e-gate.

We took off slightly later than scheduled and landed at 09:50 local time. My last trip to Phnom Penh was back in 2009 and the city has really developed since then. I hurried out of the plane to the arrival hall and completed the e-arrival form before going through passport control. It was then when I discovered that the accommodation I’d booked months ago in Battambang had double booked and they had to cancel my booking. I was furious and quickly searched for an alternative accommodation. Alhamdulillah, despite being very last minute, I managed to find a hotel room.

Ustaz Rani was already waiting for me with a banner with my name on it. He quickly recognised me and approached me. I asked him to wait a bit while I finalise my hotel booking and messaged my sister. Then we went to the car (his brother-in-law’s car) and drove into the city. The traffic was really heavy then and it took us 40 minutes to reach Al-Serkal Mosque. I wanted to perform prayers here and prayer time was less than a hour away so I caught up with my Quran reading.

After prayers, the men dropped me at VET Bus Station. After thanking them, they left for Kampong Cham. I’d previously researched the minibuses that offer services to Battambang and was even about to pay for one only to have my payment rejected. So it was quite by accident that I discovered VET Bus company and after reading the reviews, I made up my mind to purchase ticket from VET Bus company instead.

The bus left at 13:00 and we stopped en route for 15 minutes to use the facilities. There is a WC in the bus too but it was good to be able to stretch our legs. Oh, if you ride VET Bus, you’ll get a small paper bag of bun/croissant and juice and a bottle of water. The crew also offered hot tea or coffee which I declined of course, as I was fasting. We continued our journey and reached the VET office in Battambang at 17:50 and I walked seven minutes to Royal Hotel. The streets were not great at all with potholes and dusty.

I checked in and paid USD20 for my room (USD10/night for a room with fan). Then I went up to my room and before long, I was breaking fast. After that, I ventured out to find food for my pre-dawn meal the following morning. I found one halal Indian restaurant before turning back and taking another route. Finally found a vegetarian restaurant but it was about to close. I hurried inside and asked the owner if I could buy something for my pre-dawn meal. She took pity on me and prepared some noodles. Alhamdulillah. I then returned to my room, showered, performed prayers and then hit the sack.

Sunday, 16 March 2025

I woke up at 04:00 for prayers and sahur. I then went out for a morning walk at 07:30 before returning to my room. I even met and chatted with a local Muslim girl. The hotel owner had helped arranged a tour for me (I’d booked on Booking.com when I arrived; however, the guide contacted me to inform that he was down with asthma and couldn’t bring anyone around). I insisted for the tour to start at 08:30 because anytime after that would be just too hot.

There was some confusion at first and finally an elderly guide was assigned to me. We headed south for the Bamboo Train. I had to wait a bit until a couple arrived and I could join them on the train. We had to pay USD5 to ride the train (if I had chosen to ride alone, it’d be USD10). So we boarded to open air train and sat on a bamboo platform and rode it. We had to stop when trains from the other direction came and get down. The two train operators would then lift on of the platforms, set it aside and push the other train ahead before replacing the removed platform on the track again. We also had to stop a bit at the last stop to let a train pass.

After that, we drove north to Wat Samrong Knong. Along the way, we passed a Muslim area and I saw quite a few Muslims and also Islamic establishments, and mosques. Ustaz Rani had told me there were not many Muslims in Battambang and I didn’t believe him as I saw there were a few mosques outside the city on Google Maps. Anyway, at Wat Samrong Knong, I was first shown a building where female prisoners were held. This temple was taken over by the Pol Pot regime and where prisoners were held and detained and tortured. It was one of the ‘killing fields’ in the country. There’s a Torture House Museum that tells the tale of Cambodia's dark era of Khmer Rouge regime and how it was used as detention centre and torture house. There is also a Khmer Rouge memorial in the back besides the killing fields.

After that, we drove to nearby Ek Phnom Temple. There’s a USD1 entry fee to this Angkorian temple located on the left side of the Sangkae River. It is a Hindu temple built in the 11th century under the rule of King Suryavarman I. Although partly collapsed and looted by the Khmer Rouge, it is famous for its well-carved lintels and pediments. I spent about thirty minutes exploring the area and even climbed up and into the temple.

We then returned to the city stopping en route at a mosque. However, it wasn’t time for prayers yet (not for more than an hour) so the driver dropped me off at the hotel.

I met up with the driver again at 16:30 and we drove south to Phnom Sampov, yet another killing field. It was about half an hour away from the city. I chose to walk up instead of renting a motorcycle to bring  me up. There were quite a few visitors this afternoon. The views are amazing from the hill and the history is interesting. Many people, even young children, were murdered in the killing caves here during Pol Pot’s era.

I had noticed that the horizon looked dark and hurried down. I started walking faster and once I reached the ground, the winds started blowing. I quickly located my driver and after asking if I wanted to stay for the bats to which I said no, we left. The rain came down shortly after and it was heavy. The driver got down to bring down the covers; however, the rain and wind were just too heavy and strong that the covers wouldn’t stay in place and before long, I was drenched. I tried holding on to the covers so that they wouldn’t flap open but the elements were too much for me. I was grimacing throughout our journey.

We finally reached Royal Hotel and I paid the driver USD25. After breaking fast, I walked to Monorom Garden, the vegetarian restaurant, and bought fried rice for my sahur.

Monday, 17 March 2025

I woke up early for prayers and sahur. I then finished packing and had my shower. I checked out at 06:40 and the young tuktuk driver was at lobby. He then called out to the owner who gave me a krama, a checked Cambodian scarf. What a kind and thoughtful gesture! After taking a photo of them, I then thanked them and walked to VET office. It was there when I realised my bus was at 07:30, not 07:00. Duh me.

The bus came and we left on time. We stopped at the same pump station rest area as before for fifteen minutes before continuing on. We reached VET Bus station in Phnom Penh at 12:45 and I walked to Aurea Delight Hotel. I managed to check in when I arrived, alhamdulillah. 

I left the hotel at 16:00 and walked to the Central Market (Phsar Thmei). Completed in 1937, it has a high central dome. You can find fresh vegetables, fruits, seafood, souvenirs and gems sold here. I left after a short while and walked to the river. Then I walked to the National Museum and the nearby Royal Palace. There was some show there with young kids dressed up in traditional garb and parading with the girls donning very high heels. Really, at that age?! O know many adult women who would have problems wearing such high heels and someone is telling these barely ten year-old girls that it’s okay and feminine to wear those heels?  

I left and went to Surn Yin Vegetarian Restaurant to get some food for sahur. The restaurant quoted a different rate for conversion (it’s USD1 = 4,000 Riel but the restaurant’s conversion was slightly worse) and those who bought to go would have to pay for the container too. Then I discovered there was a halal restaurant right next door to it. Oh well…

I returned to my room and stayed in.

Tuesday, 18 March 2025

I woke up for prayers and sahur. I left my room at 08:03 and checked out. The staff wanted to check my room so I had to stay while that was done. I was walking to the bus stop for bus no. 3 to the airport when one passed by. I stood waiting for 55 minutes and not one single bus came. I was starting to despair when a Dutch bloke came. I told him I’d been waiting for 55 minutes and we decided to share a tuktuk to the airport. In the tuktuk, I discovered I had less than USD1 in local currency and told the Dutch bloke so. He offered to pay for the tuktuk in exchange of my remaining Riel. I thanked him profusely.

I quickly went to drop off my bag (it was light enough to be taken on board but I didn’t bring any ziplock bag for my LAGs). We took off on time and landed at KLIA at 14:50. However, it landed at the satellite building and I had to trek across the building for the bus back to the main terminal. I waited for my bag then went to perform prayers before going to the train station. However, I was stopped from entering the station - it turned out the trains were stuck at KLIA T2 and trains were not operating until the glitch was sorted out. I hurried up and made my way to the bus station. I managed to buy ticket for the 15:00 bus but of course it had to stop at T2 first (and I thought the bus came from T2). We finally reached KL Sentral at 16:00 and I took the LRT to Ampang Park where I had to wait another 15 blinking minutes for the bus back to Ampang. What a trying and tiring day!!!

So that was my return trip to Cambodia.

Nusa Penida Trip

I’ve been wanting to visit Nusa Penida for quite some time and even contemplated taking a boat from Lombok after buying the flight ticket there. However, after finding out that the boat ride would take four to five hours one way, I scraped the idea and bought another flight ticket, to Denpasar this time. I then started searching for rooms near the port and then on the places to visit. I booked a room in Denpasar and Toyapakeh at Nusa Penida, was offered another room at another place in Toyapakeh, searched further, cancelled earlier booking a mere few days before departure and booked The Cozy Bidara as it’s closer to the main road. Just before this, I also cancelled the Denpasar room and booked a room in Sanur as I figured it’d be better to travel on directly to Sanur after landing than taking an early morning cab to Sanur from Denpasar. 

I then bought fast boat tickets from Sanur to Banjar Nyuh Harbour and return from Banjur Nyuh Harbour to Sanur. A colleague who went to Nusa Penida on a day trip from Bali shared me a guide’s number and after a few days, he gave me quotation for a two-day trip (covering Weat and East Penida). Initially, he quoted me IDR7.5 million but after telling him that I’d make my own room booking, he quoted me IDR5.5 million. Which was simply just exorbitant! I’d searched for tours on Klook but it cost too much for a solo traveller. Somehow, Allah helped me come across a page offering car and driver for RM194.7 for a solo traveller for either West or East Penida so I purchased one of each. I’d have to pay for parking and entrance fees but after doing more research, I found it would still be way more economical than the earlier offers I saw on Klook. Syukur Alhamdulillah. It always pays to do some research. 

Friday, 7 February 2025

I left office and took trains to KLIA T1. I had checked in for my flight online and wasn’t too worried when I arrived at 15:37. I was surprised to find that the flight was bound for Melbourne which meant I had to go to the satellite building so I hurried over. I was boarding the plane before long and we took off on time.  We landed at Denpasar and I rushed out, earning some comment from an entitled elderly woman. I gave her a ‘whatever’ look and sprinted out. I had pre-booked a taxi via Booking.com and the driver told me that due to the busy airport, they could only wait a certain time.  I was out by 20:30 and after locating the driver, we made our way to Erwin’s Guest Room in Sanur. The guest house is located within a maze-like neighbourhood with very narrow lanes but we managed to find it, Alhamdulillah. It was 21:30 then and too late to find dinner.

Saturday, 8 February 2025

I woke up early and had a shower then performed prayers. A light breakfast was served at 06:30 (it was already light then). I left at 07:10 and made my way to the rendezvous place for Axe Stone boat. I decided to be adventurous and followed a different route and ended up being lost and tried to retrace my steps and Alhamdulillah, found another exit out of the maze. Alhamdulillah.

I registered at the Axe Stone counter then joined the other passengers to the port building. We then went through security and walked to the boat. We were given lanyards which we returned back to one of the staff before boarding the boat. The boat ride took about 45 minutes and it rained somewhere along the way. I had taken an anti-motion sickness pill during breakfast but the aging of the boat as we were disembarking almost made me nauseous.

I had arranged to meet the Klook local operator for driver at 09:15 and borrowed a bloke’s phone to contact the driver. We met up and walked out of the port area. Ok, the port area was horrible and I don’t know why the local authority didn’t improve the road surface with the port tax that they collected from visitors (Rp25k). We drove first to Kelingking Beach aka T-Rex Beach. Nusa Penida is hilly and the roads can be quite bad in some areas and very narrow with one-lane width so drivers have to drive carefully to navigate the turns and slow down when there’re vehicles from the other direction.

We spent about 45 minutes at Kelingking Beach - I actually went down the steep stairs until the steps stopped and you have to navigate the o my terrain) and climbing up again - before driving to Angel’s Billabong and Broken Beach. I paid Rp10k for parking at Kelingking Beach car park and Angel’s Billabong/Broken Beach (the latter two share the same car park). We left after spending about an hour there and Dhika (my driver) brought me to lunch at Manthies Resto.

After lunch, we drove to Crystal Bay. Again, I paid Rp10k for parking. I didn’t see the charm or beauty of the place. There were stray dogs (indeed there are too many stray dogs around the places we visited) and the sand was black. I couldn’t appreciate it at all and went to sit at a hut instead to let Dhika have some shuteye.  After an hour, I woke Dhika up and he drove me to The Cozy Bidara Guest House. I had paid for my stay beforehand. The guest house is quite near to the only mosque on the island and within walking distance of Banjar Nyuh port. I wanted to venture out for dinner and was not amused when there was a power trip just before Maghrib. Thankfully the room wasn’t too suffocating as I had switched to AC earlier. I then went out in the dark to find dinner and ordered bakso from a stall. The power came back on while I was having dinner. Alhamdulillah!

Sunday, 9 February 2025 

This morning, we set off at 09:00 and drove to the east of the island. It fined during the night so there were puddles in the roads. After 75 minutes, we reached Diamond Beach. After paying Rp10k for parking and Rp35k for entrance (receiving a bottle of mineral water in exchange), we made our way to the cliff overlooking both Diamond and Atuk Beaches. The view was spectacular. I decided to go down to Diamond Beach - many people stopped along the way down to take photos - before coming up again. My thighs were already screaming from the steps at Kelingking  Beach the day before and were in agony by then. But hey, this would likely be my one and only trip to Penida, right.

After that we drove to nearby location for a view of Raja Lima (a group of islands) and Tree House. I paid another Rp10k for parking and Rp25k (smd received another bottle of water), we walked down (yes!) to the tree house. There are actually three tree houses but the staircase to one was dilapidated while another was abandoned. You have to pay Rp75k to have your photos taken at the tree house which I didn’t feel like paying so I just took photos of the tree house sans me.

We were ready to leave but the car battery decided to die on us and after trying to restart the car with another car’s battery, Dhika decided to borrow his friend’s car battery. He borrowed a motorbike and went to his friend’s house. It started raining then stopped then started again. I sat in the car but it was hot and suffocating so I held my foot out to hold the door open, closing the door when it rained.

We finally drove back and I told Dhika to bring me back to my guest house. It had rained very heavily in west of the island and the lane leading to my guest house was submerged and I had to wade my way through. Good thing I decided to pack my old Crocs instead of Converse or Skechers!

After prayers, I went out to find lunch. I bought some titbits then waited to have a massage. Oh by the way, there was another power trip so I had to wait for the power to be restored before I could have my massage. I had chicken noodles for dinner then returned to my room. It started raining again in the evening.  

Monday, 10 February 2025

I left the guesthouse at 07:15 and walked in the drizzle to Semabu boat office. I had received a message reminding me to arris an hour before the boat trip and was not amused to find the office hadn’t yet opened. It started raining on and off and finally I went to wait at the port. The boat from Sanur was late and we only boarded at 08:48. We reached Sanur at 09:30 and I was so glad that I asked the driver to come at 09:45.  It started raining heavily just before I reached the car and I jumped into the car. It rained all the way to the airport. My flight was retimed from 12:00 to 12:15 to 13:20 and finally 14:00. I walked to the domestic terminal to find lunch then back to the international terminal. The rain continued.  After a gate change, we finally boarded a bus to the plane. The airline had some umbrellas for us to share. I dozed off and wa not amused to find we were still on the runway when I woke up. We finally took off and landed at KLIA at 18:15. What a tiring day!!!

And that was my trip to Nusa Penida.

Lombok Trip

 I was dithering if I should buy the ticket back in October, before I’d sorted out my work future. Then I thought, sod it, if I had to wait, nothing would ever get done so I went ahead and bought the ticket. I thought of taking a boat to Nusa Penida but the boat ride would take too long for comfort so I had to ditch that plan. I then looked for hotels and booked one in Senggigi, however, as the trip approached, I decided to stay in Mataram city instead. I managed to get a room at a guesthouse on Trip.com. Alhamdulillah. 

Wednesday, 29 January 2025/Chinese New Year

I woke up for prayers and packed after prayers before tackling outdoor chores. After cooking breakfast, shower, prayers and breakfast, I made my way to Cyberjaya where I would meet my sister and family for lunch. They then drove me to Putrajaya Sentral for my train to KLIA T1.  

We took off slightly later than scheduled as we had to wait for a group of umrah pilgrims. So we only landed close to 20:00 and it was 20:30 by the time I had cleared health check, immigration and customs. The driver, Endy, was already waiting and we set off for TNC Residence Syariah Guesthouse. The driver stuck to 60 km/hour, indeed no one sped over there and we arrived at the guesthouse at around 21:15. My room was basic with furniture that looked like it was about to fall apart. After checking in, I went out to find water. I walked up to Mataram Mall before turning back. The majority of the island population are Muslims so I was disappointed to find the locals patronising McD. 

Thursday, 30 January 2025

I ventured out after 07:00 to find breakfast and finally bought packed rice at a stall along the road to my guesthouse. They sure eat a lot of rice there. It was spicy, not my cup of tea.

Endy and I had agreed to meet at 08:00 and we set off at exactly 08:00 for Sembalun at the north of the island. It was quite a drive to get there, going up and down hills and we were even stopped at random by policemen (they stopped many people) who insisted on inspecting the car registration and insurance, etc.  

We stopped first at Kedai Sawah. It’s a big restaurant with dining area on the ground floor and a platform style dining space on the first floor, overlooking fields of vegetables and hills in the distance. I had a plate of fried rice, yet more rice, alas! And a mug of hot tea which cooled down quickly. It had started raining by then. We left after about an hour and the rain came swiftly down. It was so heavy and torrential that Endy had to drive very slowly as the fog limited visibility to about three metres at most. I’m not kidding. Was so glad that I didn’t include island hopping because it definitely would be a rough day at the sea. 

We somehow made it to Tiu Kelep Waterfall and I went down to the first waterfall with the guide. We decided not to go to the second waterfall as it required wading in the river and the heavy rain may cause fast flowing river water. We were about to head back when it started raining cats and dogs and everything in between again. We sought shelter at a rest place then decided to move on regardless as the rain may continue for some time and I sure didn’t want to be stranded there for long.  We left and drove back passing through Senggigi and stopped a a view point. The wind was strong there. We spent about twenty minutes there before continuing on. We reached the guesthouse at about 17:30.  I ventured out after evening prayers to find dinner.

Friday, 31 January 2025

I ventured out to the same stall to get breakfast. I was dismayed to find small ants had attacked the buns I brought from KL so I had to throw the rest of it away.  

Endy and I had agreed to meet up at 09:30 today and we set off shortly after. We drove first to to Sukarara Village where there was songket weaving and of course a big shop where the finished products were sold. I dithered if I should buy some songket for my nephew but the shop assistants laughed at me when I misheard them mentioning something so feeling offended, I left without buying anything. We then drove to Sade Village, a traditional Sasak village where 150 families still reside. I even climbed a platform for a bird’s-eye view of the village. I browsed at some sarongs but I felt like I was being made to feel bad about not buying anything. I know I should contribute to the local community but I’d already paid for the tour and I’m sure the village would receive some amount.

We then drove south to Tanjung Aan Beach and had to pass really bad roads to get there that made me wonder why the roads (you couldn’t really call them roads) was never repaired. We were rewarded with a beautiful view though. We spent about half an hour there then Endy dropped me near Merese Hills before driving off for Friday prayers.  I spent about an hour climbing and exploring Merese Hills. You enjoy a gorgeous view of the surrounding landscape from the hills. There were some goats and I some cow droppings although I didn’t see any cows up there. I had a great time going up and down the hills.

I went down and met up with Endy and we drove back to Mataram, stopping en route at the Islamic Centre. I performed prayers there then Endy asked if I wanted to buy any souvenirs. I thought about it and said no because I wasn’t going to check in my bag. 

I had chicken soto for lunch and ventured out to a nearby restaurant for dinner,

Saturday, 1 February 2025

An early start. Endy arrived before 07:00 and drove me to the airport. I paid him equivalent to Grab fare. The flight took off on time but the door opened too slowly so I missed the first available KLIA Transit train and was subsequently slightly late for my 15:00 physiotherapy.  So that was my trip to Lombok.