Day 34 - 36 Nov 18 - 20 Kangar

Kangar is a small town but not without its charms. I didn't think so at first though. Buoyed by my earlier encounter at the padi field gerai near Air Hitam I came crashing down shortly after arriving in Kangar.

My research on the internet revealed there was at least one hotel - the Federal - in town and it took me just a few minutes to locate it. When I rolled up near it though, there was a group of (from a distance at least) sinister looking people seated at the steps leading to the lobby. Thinking the hotel may cater to a lot of foreign worker types, I decided to try a hotel just a few metres away, which looked very new and had a Porsche parked in front for heaven's sake.

Now to be fair to the Federal, some of the hotels I've stayed in on this ride have indeed catered to 'foreign worker types'. The one at Butterworth, for example, was clean and neat, even if the fact the reception was behind a large iron grille and locked metal grille gate gave me pause.

Anyway, the other hotel was full, so back to the Federal I went.

The people gathered at the front turned out to be a mix of locals and Thais. They seemed harmless enough and when I looked out the lobby, I saw them inspecting my bike while keeping a discreet distance.

The girl at the front desk said they were full, although she hesitated and turned to the man next to her before telling me that.

Now, a couple of times on this trip I have indeed encountered situations when I had an inking the hotel wasn't actually full, but for reasons best known to the front desk, they simply didn't want my custom. I have no way of knowing for sure of course, but this case was the most suspect I'd come across.

So I asked the man if he knew of any other hotels around the area and before he suggested the one I'd just been to, I said I'd already asked there. He replied that he didn't know.

So I asked again - were there any hotels in Kangar?

He replied he didn't know if there were any rooms available anywhere.

I was getting exasperated. I knew he knew there were other hotels around, but for some reason he seemed reluctant to tell me. I couldn't figure out why - if he didn't, as I suspected, want my custom, then there should be no reason not to suggest an alternative. So I tried again - I didn't ask if there were any rooms. Just whether there were any hotels. I was getting very short and direct with him and he knew it.

And the idiot gave me the same answer.

So very slowly and very clearly in a voice that implied 'Listen to me very carefully, you idiot' I asked him again 'I am not asking you if there are any rooms. I am asking you if there are any other hotels in Kangar.'

Finally he said there were some hotels, and I caught the names 'Kangar' and 'Ban Cheong'. So I asked where they were and he waved his arm in a general direction - good enough for me.

Before I left, I gave him a withering look and told him 'Of course I don't expect you to know if these hotels have any rooms available. Why would you know that? I merely want to know, since YOU have no rooms, whether there were any other hotels I could enquire at. THEY would know if they had any rooms.' And then I walked out.

Idiot.

I found the Kangar hotel. It sat above a 24-hour KFC outlet. I kid you not. Why would Kangar need a 24-hour American Fast Food joint? I would soon find out...

The hotel sign had the telephone number so I called from downstairs and they said they didn't have any single rooms but I could have a larger room for RM 79, and yes, my bike could be brought upstairs. So I did, all the while giving a mental middle finger to the idiot at the Federal. That's why your hotel looks old and grubby you fool. Grrrr....

The Kangar may be small - just 10 rooms - but it certainly wasn't old and grubby. I was greeted warmly by the lady who'd answered the phone, and a very nice fragrance indeed. Not from her, as I discovered, but from a Lampe Berger burner on the counter. The room was comfortable and the only minus point was the electric sockets being stuck in a corner so I had to stretch my power cords all the way in order to be able to use the laptop in bed.

Why do so many hotels have this issue? Anyway, no other complaints and my 2 (soon to be 3) days passed happily.

Now, back to KFC...

I arrived on a Saturday night, and after a short roam around, found I wasn't really keen on eating anymore local food - at least not what was available in the few stalls open. So KFC it was...

I wandered off to the bus station the next morning and Lo! And behold! There is a direct bus from Kangar to Singapore! More than one in fact, and I can put the bike below! So now I can get back by Wednesday night! I celebrated with a Nasi Kandar lunch near the bus station.

I know now why Sunil's been putting on weight. These darn Nasi Kandar meals can be very heavy indeed... But also very yummy...

I discovered that Kangar is deadsville on Sunday. Almost nothing is open. Almost no shops, no restaurants, no coffeeshops and besides the few stalls near the bus stand where I had lunch, no stalls either.

So for dinner I had KFC again... For variety, I had the Dinner plate this time (3 pcs of chicken, a bun, coleslaw, mashed potato and a drink). Last night I had had the Snack Plate (2 pcs of chicken, a bun, coleslaw, mashed potato and a drink)...

Because of the pressing need to sort out my transport, as well as a rising need to have a day or two of rest, I decided not to go to Wang Kelian. I would miss the Sunday Market which Wang Kelian is famous for, but it could not be helped. I would go to Padang Besar on Monday instead, thereby completing the South - North journey as originally planned.

Monday night - I will post the details of the Padang Besar trip separately - and the girls in the hotel mentioned Kangar Laksa. Well, I tried. I honestly did, but the darn stalls were closed! What could I do? This most definitely isn't Sungei Petani!

So I had KFC again... The Maxx Meal this time (1 Zinger burger, 1pc of chicken, with an extra order of coleslaw).

This is my first trip to Perlis, and I found I like the state. Well, with the exception of that idiot (middle finger mentally raised) in the Federal Hotel. The people seem quite casual - many women were without the hijab and even those with, were frequently seen in blouse and pants rather than the Baju Kurung I've bceome used to seeing in Perak and Kedah.

I also noted some racial mixing - one coffeeshop in particular advertised Hailam food and had a Chinese proprietor who did some cooking sometimes, and two other Malay cooks. Very unusual.

But very gratifying.

I will post pictures later as I have this morning still to walk around.
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