I packed the bag quite late, and continued packing also today after work before departing to Johor Bahru to board the train to KL. As usual, although I have prepared to travel light, but I still worried about missing a few items. So I went out quite late, due to wrong estimation of time needed and availability of transports.

I initially plan to hop onto Singapore Johore Express at Queen Street to cross to Malaysia side of border. As I left home at around 9pm, I felt that its service might have stopped as it’s late now. I should have took MRT to Kranji and transfer to cross border bus, although it takes about an hour just to reach Kranji MRT station itself. But instead, I took SMRT bus 985 where I alighted at Upper Bukit Timah Road opposite Bukit Timah Plaza. From here I have to transfer to another bus 961 to get to Kranji where I can transfer to another border bounding bus or bus 170 to get to Woodlands custom.

The worst thing happened now, and it’s what I always hate most about public transportation in Singapore. The bus didn’t come quickly when I needed it most. I waited more than 20 minutes for either bus 170 or bus 961 to arrive, yet none of them appear. Finally 3 buses number 961 arrived together at once.

I have tried to take taxi to Singapore custom instead, but no luck, as now Wei Heng had arrived in JB. So no choice I boarded the bus 961. Luckily, may be the driver knew he was way behind schedule, he was driving as fast as possible. But the distance is still far enough that when I reached Kranji bus stand, it’s already 10.45pm. Without much choice, I quickly boarded a taxi and asked the taxi driver to speeding to custom. I paid RM 10 for this taxi ride, as the taxi driver didn’t have small change, and I didn’t have any small notes.

As I walked towards Singapore Immigration Departure Hall, I can saw the train’s passengers was alighting the train and walked to clear the immigration too (The train’s railway is below the overhead bridge that linking Woodlands Checkpoint departure hall, arrival hall and Woodlands Checkpoint taxi stand). So now it’s a rush between the train and me to get to the JB train station.