Glimpse of Backpacker’s Style
And so i went down under for the weekend, well not tat down, just somewhere underneath Malaysia – to the land of the lions and fast escalators, where the weather was really fucking hot.
Kinda did a more backpacking version this time around, well kinda equivalent to ‘economical’, ‘cheaper’, and ‘student’ version of traveling. Started with a night KTM train from KL Central, it was something never been tried b4, and it was actually much better than i expected.
There is a miniature mattress in place of the usual twin seats. WooHoo~! Sleeping on a train on a mattress is really something new, and yes i’ll say it again in my style – i lost my virginity to a train mistress mattress.
Apart from the occasional banging on the tiny side desk and bending of my left leg, it was actually quite comfortable. It would also be nice if there are ear plugs, not tat much on snores, but as ppl just walk by the corridor connecting door and not closing it – it could be really annoyingly noisy, especially as our beds were right beside this stucky, non-auto-shutting door. Oh and it’s indeed more spacious to spend tat extra few ringgits to get the bottom level bed, the upper level bed will make ur head banging the curvey roof of the train.
11 hours of journey with lotsa stops in between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore’s path, we finally reached the checkpoint. Took down our luggage and sleep walk thru the immigrations, and got up the train again, heading towards Tanjung Pagar station. We then proceed to our backpackers hideout, Inn Crowd.
We pre-booked the rooms beds for SGD20 per night per person, and boy, it was damn holy smokey backpacky style – and i loved it. My personal compliments to the staffs and management of Inn Crowds as they were prompt and helpful, after booking and upon checking in and throughout our stay there. Imagine a very personal looking email compose to u without even asking, few minutes after doing online booking, informing on the way to get to the inn, after knowing we are coming via train. It could be a template of copy pasting, though didn’t looked so, and it made me felt very taken care off, and yes i got turned on already, even before i came, here..
There are 17 beds in the dormitory, with a luggage area at the end of the room, with several good air-conditioners which is switched on from 5pm onwards. Though most of the time, there ain’t much ppl around the dorm – which makes whole loadsa sense to not switch on the air-cons. We were provided with the cover bed and pillow sheets, with a half-chopped blanket, and had the honour to wear it up ourselves, and i felt happy doing it as i can start to nurture my connection with ‘her’ tat is going to be my support for the nights.
The toilets are shared, with 3 shower rooms and 2 bowl shitting units. Though i gotta admit tat the toilet bowls units are way too ‘compact’ to have a normal human being, doing the shitting business in there. I’ve gotta stuff my both legs 45 degrees outwards towards the edge of the room, to have a decent ‘aim’ at the hole. It didn’t feel so good and i ended up giving up and went to the toilet in the main reception to do my business. And nope, it was a bit too indecent to post up my picture of the toilet and me.
The whole ambiance in the inn was a really refreshing experience, ppl are frenly and smiley, giving a good feel tat every1 could approach every1, well tat’s if u want to. There was even a fusbal table FOC but we were always too knocked out to kick table asses.
Breakfast are included and it’s totally self serviced. Breads and Eggs along with other basic spreads are provided. And it was my little humble egg frying skill tat gave me high urge in doing some egg frying session for buddies. Grab ur own pan and do watever style u want. And tat’s wat i call backpacking style to the core. Even washing up is DIY and every1 is very cooperative. If not, it is strongly believed tat this little chef man will turn into life and slap ur asses.
And it’s in this kinda mood, tat u could easily get to know other backpackers. It’s really easy to hook up a conversation, well tat’s if u want to. Try to practice on the timing to approach ppl, dun be like me, trying to strike up a conversation while this taiwanese guy is busy scrub washing his egg-burnt frying pan.
His wife though, seems more willing to take picture with me.. well of course she should, she initiated it. There were on a 3 days stop by in Singapore, on their way to Australia for a working holiday of 1 year. Ryanne had told me something bout this kinda things in New Zealand, on plucking apples and squeezing cow breasts, while traveling a bit around the country. Sounds like something to do for a change, something real damn uncommonly fun i reckon.
Even the ppl working there are very nice to talk with, as they seem to share the common interest in traveling around the world. Friendly? U damn bet. Backpackers help each other in ways tat makes a lot of sense, and this usually means direction wise, not physically wise u damn $!@#%$!#@!@# pervert. Those tat knows the way is always very willing to share it. Also got the chance to strike up a little conversation with Gerry Lee, apparently it was her last day working in Inn Crowd, wishing her all the very best in her future endeavors.
The only shortcoming in staying in the dorm would be tat horny ppl can’t be satisfied in the dorm – well it doesn’t affect me but kinda indirectly means tat sex business in Geylang would be better due to this circumstances. Or maybe ppl still take ppl back to the dorm but i really didn’t have the energy to take note of it in these few days stay.
And i can take swear tat weikiat, my buddy sleeping on the bed right beside me, didn’t have any ‘night activities’ in our time there. Not tat i know of tat is..
August 6th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Yes, there’s working holiday scheme in New Zealand too! I think for 2 years. Can work your way out of any kiwi/apple/strawberries orchards if you want! Hard work but fun!
August 6th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
The dorm looks nice, but the train didnt turn me on. :P
**cherryberry……..yummy yummy :D**
August 6th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Hahaha I love this entry bro. Very detailed and alot of useful info. I am definitely taking note of this place the next time I or any of my friends need a place to stay in Singapore.
Man, the interior of the train has been the same throughout the years. I had the top bunker once, and dude, you bet I hated every second spent up there. I couldn’t lie down with my legs straightened, neither could I sit up with my back straightened. It’s like confining me to a 1m x 1m cubic glass.
And the shaking inside the train, the noise when someone opens the door… how to sleep wei! But I had fun going around peeping into people’s curtains muehehehe
“…i got turned on already, even before i came…” Hahaha… knn damn it u damn horny
And the mini-sized toilet bowl… If you had to do a 45-degree with ur legs (90-deg in total lah between left and right leg?), I think I’d better just squat, like something a male is not supposed to do while peeing. But given the size of the damn hole I think it’s less ‘messy’ that way, if you know what I mean… hahahhaha.
It’s a great experience u got there bro. The working holiday thing I am damn interested now wei! And who cares about geylang bro, we always stick to ‘mainstream’ girls… not ‘mainland’ girls… u know what I mean. Although I must admit the geylang chicks are damn hot la…
August 7th, 2008 at 3:24 am
cc, ah the working holiday stuff is really grabbing my attention.. does really sound like some good getaway moments from routine life.. and i guess u got it right, hard work but fun!
ryanne, well the train, it’s well.. how shud i say it, not really meant to be a luxurious experience :) wat about cherryberry?? plucking them? making milk out of them? squeezing them? :p
narrowband, wow bro ur comment could make me compose a new post!! hehe.. u bet i really recommend this place and tat’s why i want interested ppl like urself to know bout it.
Geez bro i can totally imagine wat u mean with ur train experience on the top bunker! I was at the bottom one and can’t really get myself decently stretched, and u! u panjang! how worrrr.. i feel for u in those moments.. u still having ur pervertic moments ei? peeping into the curtains? wat if ppl sleep naked huh?? it’s ppl like u tat make sleeping a little more worryfying..
bro it’s ur mind again not my hornyness.. :p and yes the toilet bowl was a disastrous moment. I did tried the squat like u mentioned, just i kinda.. kinda felt not confidently “accurate”, and felt a little shaky due to insufficient practices prior to this.. if u know wat i mean.. maybe u could be my toilet squating instructor?
ah wat’s with u knowing bout hot geylang chicks? 1 of the taxi driver actually shared his good ‘sexual’ experience with us 1 night.. and we got pretty turned off by it, though he was feeling high talking bout it.. he even told us the rate in JB and Petaling street.. saying tat he’s a guy too, with desires to be fulfilled, i kinda beg to differ, for tat few moments.. hehe..
August 7th, 2008 at 3:28 am
More info here if you’re interested.
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/workingholiday/
August 7th, 2008 at 3:32 am
cc thanks so much for the link! Aww it sounds so much more possible and realistic reading thru the info.. and u do sound really interested in it as well! :)
August 7th, 2008 at 3:33 am
I live in NZ so not so much for me. LOL
August 7th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
That is where exactly we stayed b4 for singapore sundown marathon!!!!! wat a coincidence!!!! nice n cheap place huh?
August 8th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
At first when you guys told me you are goin to stay at a backpacker hostel in Little India with the name Inn CROWD.. i tot “omg.. it muz be a very lousy and crowded place”.. but now.. it seem ok to me ^__^ Next time I will suggest to my frens =)
August 10th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
[...] me, a real backpackers’ accommodation should be something like this. The one we stayed in was totally below my expectations. I remember, however, the rates were super [...]
August 11th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
cc, ahhh.. tat explains, and still i’m grateful tat u shared this info!
CK wat coincidence! yup it’s nice and cheap and all tat is needed without all those extras and necessaries~!
Cybie, yup yup we were more than glad to have stayed in this place. A good recommendation to any of ur future visiting frens. Quite crowded frankly, but this is part of the fun!
August 24th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
hey jian,
just saw this entry. thanks for spelling my name correctly…ahem… ahaha… glad you had a fun time staying in the inn crowd. there are many hostels around the world that are modelled in the same way as the inn crowd, so you should try staying in them if you wish to socalise.
i tried the NZ working holiday visa too. you need to fulfill some criteria but it’s pretty easy to obtain. NZ is fun to visit and i’m sure you’ll feel right at home with the weather. no red hairy balls though.
August 24th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Gerry! gotta say, it wasn’t easy getting ur name right.. inn crowd was indeed a nice place to be and i’ll surely be going there again the next time i check out spore. Good to know tat there are many of these sorts around the world, kinda bored of staying in hotels etc those kinds.. u did the NZ working holiday?! geez tat is really way up high on my future agenda~! hmm, guess i could survive with red hairy balls.. heard bout some yellow shorter hairy balls aka yellow kiwis? Hmm, they could substitute the red ones.. thanks for dropping by!!
November 13th, 2008 at 10:59 am
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July 15th, 2009 at 9:07 am
I wanna know did you guys have any problem with the New Zealander English acent? It’s just not the same as other English accents like Australia. :D SOmetimes I just didn’t understand! XD
August 1st, 2009 at 6:46 am
Hey Jian,
Looks like you guys had a great time. I remember those trains; hard to get to sleep on those beds! We’re planning a trip to go through Europe backpacking. I read you’re posts & am ready to go!
Alex P.
October 27th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I’ll agree with this with more intensity..NIce post of some pictures..Very nice and very interesting one..We have to do those good things we had and nature…