Jan 31 - Having already bought bus tickets online (KL-Ipoh for three people was 65 ringgit) it only falls upon us today to get to the bus station on time. Google Maps is a real mess here when it comes to getting on and off the tramlines, because it can’t deal with all the walkways and other accesses that have been installed. Instead, it turns a 2 minute escalator ride into a 10 minute walk down another street and back on the other side. Our estimated one hour ride to the TBS bus station in the south of KL reduces to 30 minutes in practice.
TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan) is the main hub for long-distance buses in/out of KL. For such an important place, it is really quiet, with everyone standing politely in line for their tickets. I have only a file on my phone, which I take to the counter and show to get printable boarding passes. It is only with these QR passes that we can scan our way into the departure lounge. For some reason, many buses are late today, including ours. Finally embark (no extra fees for stored luggage, and no baggage handlers, they just open the hatch and we do it ourselves). The road north of KL gets quickly into rainforest and sheer limestone cliffs, exactly the sort of scenery one can see all they way from here to northern Vietnam.
Moment of panic as we pass Ipoh and appear to be heading toward the next city. But veer off the highway at a bus terminal about 10 km from the town center. Like TBS, Malaysia prefers to keep the long distance bus terminals far away. Fortunately, there is a local bus that services this station and costs a total of less than a dollar to use. We take this creaking, bouncy bus into town, then another to get closer to the hotel.
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