I decided to stay overnight at Suria City Hotel because I have to take an exam there at 9am. 9am!! I definitely do not want to wake up at 5.30am in Singapore and start my journey across the causeway.
I’ve heard horror stories about Johor Bahru (JB). Coming from a small place like Kota Kinabalu meant that I believe every story about how horrible crime in big cities are. Yes, even the urban legend about a man getting his fingers chopped off so that robbers can take his car with finger print identification system.
Still a girl has to do what she has to do, so I went off on a semi rainy afternoon to JB on the happy yellow Causeway link bus from Queen St terminal.
City Square shopping centre is located just next to the Malaysian immigration centre, about five minutes walk crossing the huge new immigration building. So I guess that makes City Square a more “safe” place because you wouldn’t be walking on the streets and attracting motorcycle riding snatch thieves (paranoia!)
City Square is different from the bright shiny shopping malls of Singapore. There’s more space and the lights are dimmer.
I had Secret Recipe’s “Aussie Beef Steak” weekday set meal.
Tapioca, appetizer with scary looking chilli dip
Main dish and soup.
The soup was wonderful, so much mushrooms floating around and it was very creamy. However, the beef was definitely NOT a steak, it was boiled in some sauce. I want unhealthy fried or grilled steak!!!
After my meal, I had to rush to the hotel because latest check in time is 5pm. It was around 4.10pm when I called Sunlight taxi’s hotline. Another thing I’m paranoid about are taxis– either they overcharge you or sell you off.
HOWEVER!!! Sunlight called back to say that there was no cab available. Hello?! You’re a taxi company, shouldn’t there be enough taxis?
In the end, I had to go to the taxi queue and ask the taxi drivers whether they are willing to take me to the hotel. Taxi drivers can be very picky. One taxi driver told me that I can walk there but it might be dangerous. DUH!
In the end, I got on a taxi driven by a guy that doesn’t look like he will kill me and dump me on the streets. The ride was RM8.
I checked in. The lady at the counter was very nice and she gave me a room near to the lifts after I requested for one.
The room was quite spacious and very clean. But no bathtub!! I had planned to waste hours in the tub. Oh well.
I had bought a chicken burger from McDonald’s (RM3 only), that will be my dinner.
View out of my room
I turned on the TV and checked the programme schedule. Nice movies are on! Mermaids at 6.30pm and then 1408 at 9pm. Yeah!
There was a firework display that night. Trying to out do Singapore’s National Day fireworks?
Cute delayed shutter photo: 3 bangs
As I channel surfed, I remembered how it was like not being able to choose your programmes. With youtube and the internet, I’m so spoilt that sometimes I complain there is nothing to watch. With TV, even if there’s nothing to watch, you’ll have to stare at the box and watch whatever’s on, and most likely, you’ll end up liking the thing.
At 9pm, 1408 was on. I love Stephen King coz he makes the most simple things truly creepy. About a minute into the show, I realised that watching a movie about a haunted hotel room isn’t the best when you’re in a hotel room. But I really want to know what happens, so I watched the whole thing.
I had a scalp tingling moments watching it. Love it!
Took a photo of this, in case the scenery in the picture changes.
A note to mention, I happen to stay in room 404. No Chinese person would ever want to, but I didn’t realise it until half an hour into the movie. Oh well.
Yun Qing is a writer, improviser and curious person. She loves finding little adventures in life. In 2013, she went on a 130-day round-the-world trip. She wrote a book "Your Big Break" to help those who also want to go on a career break.
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