Now ordinarily that would be unremarkable. But this is Malaysia. Outside of KL, Penang and (maybe) Kuantan, public transport is non-existent. Not just "poor": as in without private transport there is no other way to get around.
Which probably explains the 9 year car loans in Malaysia. (Yes, because that's the only way for people to afford cars)
At least these days there is the option of Grab and the other local grown one.
Yes, there are people who have been born and grown up in Kuching that have never taken public transport.
There is actually a live tracker for the Kuching hydrogen bus, and it actually works! So I waited at the Satok bus stop, when the time came, (which was about 11am) it actually showed up.
From Satok it goes over the Satok Bridge, to the Sunday Market, and back to the other side of Satok, and up Jalan Muhibbah to Kampung No 4.
Still plenty of wooden houses in the Kampung, or as they call it in Australia, A$220,000 worth.
Yes Australian houses are made out of wood, and they cost so much.
The bus is actually quite small: 20 seats. However for frequent routes that's the type of bus to use, rather than a big bus that can only do reduced frequency.
About half an hour after getting on at Satok, and looping through the Satok Kampung's, the bus arrived at Open Air Market.
Takes about 5 minutes from Open Air Market to Sarawak Plaza/Tun Jugah Plaza area.
Left hand side of the bus interior
The bus goes as far east as the Cat Statue at Padungan.
While on the bus, I discovered a design flaw: there is a complete lack of buttons at the rear to ring the bell to stop. Yes, it doesn't stop at every bus stop, because it is a bus, and if no one is getting on, and no one rings the bell, it just goes on.
Those sitting at the back need to clamber to the middle of the bus to ring the bell. Very poor design.
Where the wifi comes from. The bus wifi actually worked, and backend is provided by Digi.
The bus then stopped outside Riverside; that seems to be its terminus. Everyone got off. This was about 11.45am. I asked when would be the next bus. "next trip pukul satu" 🤦🏼♀ (Next trip is at 1pm)
I wasn't going to wait one and a quarter hours for the next bus, so I decided to start walking to Satok.
Sarawak River very fast flowing after the morning's rain.
Ducked into the Chinese History Museum. Was pleased to see that the exhibits are still well maintained. The screens, audio functions, interactive exhibits still work, nearly 10 years after its refurbishment opening.
This is new: They've retrofitted Song Kheng Hai in the Chinese Political Leaders section of the Chinese History Museum
Screen and displays still working after nearly a decade!
Yes it is sad that in Malaysia it is noteworthy.
If you try and access http://www.museum.sarawaknet.gov.my, it doesn't work. That is because sarawaknet.gov.my is a internal DNS in the Sarawak State Government intranet.
Try https://museum.sarawak.gov.my/ At least it has HTTPS.
What agenda?
Sign of the times: can now buy cat food in the traditional by the kilo at Gambier St
In addition to the usual human food
Reached the Saujana Car Park, and saw this.
🤔
The bus was running, some passengers are on, but no driver was in sight.
I suppose no one steals buses even in Malaysia.
The bus driver eventually came on.
Bus driver acts as a conductor also. RM1 to Satok.
And we're off! My lucky day! Didn't wait too long.
And by noon, I was back at Satok.
