It is easy to forget that one saying “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. This applies to me as well. 
The Boyfriend and I visited the latest Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) fair held at PWTC in March.
It was during this visit to the fair that the Boyfriend and I literally argued to schedule and confirm an island getaway sometime in May. I know very well that I am due for a much needed break, but the planner in me cannot accept me agreeing to go for the holiday to a place I know nuts about and not knowing what to expect during my stay there. 
The keyword here is compromise, so I gamely surrendered in agreeing to a holiday to Lang Tengah Island.
Now, the Boyfriend have long wanted to visit Lang Tengah Island after his Younger Sister’s holiday there. The good reviews he received of that place piqued his interest in wanting to go there. I know my Younger Brother had visited Redang Island a few years earlier with his group of friends, and he also had fun in the sun there. Both our siblings have gone to the islands for holidays, so now it’s time for us to go on our own adventure to the islands.
We went home from the MATTA fair with a package for 2 persons from the travel agency recommended by the Boyfriend’s Sister. And the waiting began.
The Boyfriend decided to take it on himself to making sure this holiday will be a fuss-free getaway for the both of us, so he went all out to making sure that the logistics is taken care of. To get to the islands, we first must get to the jetty. And that was on the other side of the peninsular. So the arrangement and tickets was purchased that we will be travelling by Transnational bus from KL’s Putra Terminal (beside PWTC) to Kuala Terengganu Bus Station. And from there our travel agency will arrange to transfer us from the station to the jetty.
On the day of our departure, we packed our bags and the Boyfriend’s Dad (Mum & Sis in tow) was super nice to drive us both to KL’s Putra Terminal (beside PWTC) to take the bus which will bring us to the East Coast of the Peninsular, to the town of Kuala Terengganu. Thank you Uncle! 
The bus terminal was full of people taking advantage of the weekend to travel to the East Coast. Some were heading back to their homes in the East Coast (especially students studying in the city), some were holiday makers such as us. Note that with the crowd, it was hot and crowded and humid inside the terminal. Easing oneself is a challenge as well, as the toilets are RM 0.20 per entry but with the big number of people, there is a long queue snaking into the wet cubicles. 
We waited, and we waited, and when the bus came, we loaded up our bags into the bus’ luggage hold and approached the bus conductor to confirm our attendance (yes, they have an attendance list of who’s travelling on the bus). It then dawned on us that there was a change of bus schedule and the bus which we are suppose to board will not be going to our destination when the conductor told us that we’re not on the list. We quickly pulled our bags out of the luggage hold and waited some more.
The ‘correct’ bus is going to be late by 1/2 hour. When the bus came we were in for another shock. We booked for a 2+1 seater executive coach but what came to pick us up was a double decker, 2+2 seater coach. The seating number which we were provided with was not applicable and we were informed that it was free seating. From what we heard being mentioned by other passengers, it seems the load of 2 buses was merged into 1 bus hence the ‘bigger’ bus to accommodate everyone. But after everyone got onboard, it seems 2 more passengers did not have seats (from the talking going on in the bus). Estimation fail.
Got comfortable downstairs just behind a luggage hold compartment set inside the bus. The bus left the terminal around 10:20pm heading eastwards using the Karak highway. Hoping that our ‘adventures’ will end once the bus left the terminal, guess it’s not to be.
The seating arrangement in the bus is 2 seats on the right side and 2 seats on the left side of the bus, hence the 2+2 seater. The Boyfriend and I were seated on the 2 seats on right side of the bus and to our immediate left 2 seats is a Pakcik sitting by the window and he was travelling alone. A Middle Eastern lady came by and sat beside the Pakcik after asking whether the seat beside him (the aisle seat) is taken. I saw the lady waving goodbye to a loved one, presumably her husband at the station before the bus departed. I initially sat by the window but it was very cold sitting there as the blower was ill-designed to blow directly at the seat below and cannot be adjusted to blow elsewhere. Changed seats with the Boyfriend and I sat beside the aisle with the lady sitting on the opposite side.
All the cabin lights inside the bus was switched off except for one small light above the driver to help him see the meters in front of him. With all the lights off, it’s only natural for all the passengers to be sleeping throughout the journey. I snoozed, but hardly slept as the bus was rocking around when it went over uneven roads. Being the blur me, on one of the instances where I dozed off and woke up, I jumped when I turned to my left and found a huge white snoring cloth draped over ‘something’ beside me. 
Looking closer, I found that the lady sitting beside me was asleep, and she draped a thick pale cream shawl over herself. She sat there sleeping very stiff and straight, and that shawl was draped over her front and over her head! And I thought I saw a ghost sitting beside me! I’ve heard too many stories of ‘dirty things’ being sighted along the stretch of road which we were on and I somehow scared myself with my own imagination going into overdrive. The lady continued to sleep throughout the journey in that straight and covered manner.
The bus stopped at an outskirt R&R somewhere nearby Kuantan for around 30 minutes (stretch legs, toilet break, eat, whatever else) before continuing the journey and reaching Kuala Terengganu at 5:30am.
Lesson learnt: For a more comfortable journey, fly, instead of taking the bus. 
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