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There were not many people at the railway station when he arrived. It was only 5.45 am and the international train to Bangkok was only due to depart at 7.00 am. He had the habit of being early for whatever occasion; he just doesn’t like last minute surprises. There were some backpackers loitering around the dimly lit waiting area, mostly Europeans. There were a few stalls nearby which had just opened for business. He walked slowly towards one of the stalls, his knapsack hanging on his right shoulder. He hadn’t had anything since last night. He ordered a strong cup of coffee and he took a pack of nasi lemak wrapped in banana leaf, that’ll be enough to keep his stomach full for a few hours. After paying for his breakfast, he went to the nearby bookstore beside the station’s restaurant. There is a money changer beside the bookstore, probably own by the same owner as there was only one entrance to both the stores. He exchanged 500 ringgit for Thai baht, it should be enough for two week’s expenditures, he reckons. He still has1000 ringgit to spare until his monthly allowance is send to him.
He browsed through the morning paper after putting his knapsack on the train. There was not much of local news and he’s not interested in them anyway. He flipped to the foreign news section hoping to find some news on Thailand, the place he’ll be spending for the next few months. The situation in Bangkok is a bit tense politically, social activists and students were pressing for reform. (expand…thanom kitikachorn,students movement…a bit of history) Society seems divided into left and right wing factions. He made a mental note to stay clear of the internal squabble; it might be a sensitive subject to talk about when he’s in Bangkok. He’ll only be there for a few months, a semester to be exact after which he’ll be back to Penang for his final semester.
The train slowly pulled away from platform no. 2. The steel wheel making a squeaking noise as they rolled over the track.
posted by Ben Hass @ 6:22 AM
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