I pondered the whole night before bed on what to eat for breakfast and shortlisted a couple of options. After being awaken at around 6am by hotel guests who spoke loudly again, I had to re-evaluate my options as most of them would not be opening until 9am. I decided on Yi Jian Xiao Mian (壹見小麵) again since it opened at 8am and not far from the hotel.
8:30am, I was seated in Yi Jian Xiao Mian and placed orders for 3 dim sum dishes: mixed filling chee cheong fun, shrimp dumplings, egg-plant stuffed with fish cake and a cup of kopi-o kosong. I tried not to eat too much as I intended to go for some coffee later at a cafe before check-out.
Before heading back to Milano Hotel to pack my stuff, I detoured to Kluang Bus Terminal, hoping to get the schedule of Johore Motor Bus 56. I found the unmanned counter of Johore Super Express on the second level with a schedule for the Service 56 to Ayer Hitam and Batu Pahat at 20-minute intervals — but, I heavily discounted it. I had waited more than 40 minutes at Ayer Hitam when coming to Kluang.
What would be the best time to move between towns? Between 12pm to 2pm. Because check-out time at Milano Hotel was 12pm and check-in time at the hotel in Batu Pahat was 2pm. This would minimise the time that I would need to carry my backpack.
10:30am, after check-out, I deposited my backpack at the front desk and went off to Kaki Lima Cafe in Kluang's longest lane of street arts but it was closed from 2nd to 4th April. The dessert shop in the same lane, Old Alley, was not opened yet. Since I was at the arts lane, I checked for new artworks.
I ended up in Kluang Rail Coffee again with another cup of kopi-o kosong, half-boiled kampung eggs and another of its bun bakar series — bun sambal.
It was time to set-off. I picked up my backpack from the hotel, bid goodbye to the staff and made a beeline for Kluang Bus Terminal.
A Johore Motor Bus 56 was already waiting in the bus bay. I boarded the bus with my ManjaLink card in hand but the card machine was spoilt and I paid RM6 for the RM5.60 fare to Batu Pahat without change. In Malaysia, small notes and coins were king!
Seated in the motionless non-air-conditioned bus was like simmering in a sauna with sweat pouring profusely throughout the whole body. It lasted for 10 minutes till the bus departed at 12:15pm.
Goodbye, Kluang!
Once the bus started moving, the heat was blown away. The bus sped towards Ayer Hitam, arrived at 12:53pm and departed at 12:55pm — it was basically touch-and-go. At 1:55pm, Johore Motor Bus 56 ended its journey at Batu Pahat Express Bus Terminal — it took 1 hour and 40 minutes from Kluang.
I walked past Restoran Nasi Pakistan No. 1. I had tried their lamb shank before and was hoping to try their sup tulang merah (red bone soup) but it was closed for Ramadan. Room.V Boutique Hotel was just beside the restaurant.
I checked-in to the hotel, noted that the window of my standard room was facing the road — not what I would like. After putting down my backpack, I went out to look for lunch.
The nearest eating place that I could think of was the Glutton Street (贪吃街) along Jalan Pengkai, about 100 metres behind the hotel. The sup kambing stall that I had wanted to try was closed during Ramadan too. Long Yee stall (龙意瓦煲鸡饭) was still opened so I went in for their claypot chicken rice. It was a delicious delicacy for just RM8.
I took a short walk around the area, keeping my eyes peeled for interesting shops or cafes. There was not much to do or see in this part of Batu Pahat, just to eat, sleep, and eat again.
I also went back to the bus terminal to check on buses to Muar. The same Mayang-Sari counter — which I used to go to Pontian on my last trip here — had buses going to Muar at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm and 6pm. No pre-booking required. I just needed to be at the counter to buy the ticket (RM5) on the desired day, before the desired time.
In Malaysia, bus terminals were the best place to get information — accuracy aside — as they were either not available online or published in Malay only.
Then, back to the hotel to shower, rest and plan for dinner. I decided on Soon Ji (阿顺饭店) for its pig organ soup and noodle, since Google Maps indicated that it would be opened till 8:30pm.
At 7pm, I left the hotel, walked to Soon Ji, it was closed, walked back to Glutton Street and settled at a prawn noodle stall. Many locals were eating at the stall.
Before I could decide to go for dry or soup, the stall owner told me “last bowl”. I readily accepted and he prepared for me a dry-style prawn noodle with generous amount of prawns and a bean curd skin roll. As I ate the last bowl of prawn noodle for the day, there were still more locals coming to the stall, only to be turned away. Yes, the prawn noodle was really good and cheap.
A short stroll and I was back in my room at 8pm. I got kissed by a mosquito in the night and gotten a big and itchy bump on my arm. I hoped it was not from an Aedes mosquito. Mosquitoes and dengue fever were another problems that worsen during the hot season.