Your feedback on my first book has been really helpful in deciding how to approach writing A Bridge Even Further. I wanted to keep all the detail of my experiences of the individual trains, but also to share a bit more of my life off the rails. Trans-Siberian Adventures was a bit of a whistle stop trip, whereas my journey to Singapore has allowed me time out to explore in many places along the way, and I have included some of these ‘off piste’ activities, some quite bizarre!

In some ways the experience has been easier than my first book, but in other ways it has been much harder. My expectations have been higher, and I have had to push myself further, not just as an adventurer, but as a writer. They say writing really does get better with experience, and I hope that my second book is received as more rounded than my first. Ultimately what I think doesn’t matter; it’s all about what you think.

I also wanted to improve the look and feel of what I was doing too. A Bridge Even Further contains more detailed maps than my first book, and also some amazing illustrations of the bridges by my great friend Mark Hudson. I hope you like the front cover, which was designed by Colin Brooks. I chose a design that incorporates a photograph of a train on the Wang Po viaduct travelling from Kanchanaburi to Namtok, the final working section of the ‘Death Railway’.

The one thing I have not quite yet solved is being able to include photographs of any real quality inside the book without making it cost a fortune to print. I plan to link my book to photographs and source material here at my website, more of this to follow. Think of it as the ‘Director’s Cut’.

I have been playing adventurer’s catch up for the last year or so. After making four big rail journeys on the trot, I wanted to get the trilogy written before the next serious adventure. I have already started writing the third book, with a personal objective to finish it this year. More on this in the months ahead, but it is about my incredible journey to Tibet by train in 2016.

Whilst I have been able to take smaller scale trips whilst writing, I now long for the next really big one; and of course one which I can hopefully write an interesting book about when I return. I have just such a journey in mind, but it will have remain a secret for now in case someone does it before me!

As I have discovered, writing a book doesn’t just happen. Not only do I have to endure the at times crippling process of love then hate of my own writing, but others have to read it too. Fortunately I’m blessed with a great team around me, and this has helped me improve every aspect of my work. I would particularly like to thank my editor Caroline Petherick for her support. People often ask me what an editor does and if they need one for their book. My answer is that to publish a book without an editor would be total madness. Caroline not only corrects my grammar and punctuation, but she proof reads my work and checks the consistency of facts – names, places, people, dates. It would be embarrassing to have to reveal how many errors she finds, but I don’t think I am alone amongst other authors. We all need a second pair of eyes.

My thanks also to Olga Tyukova for handling the design and look of this website. I feel through simplicity and clean design it helps me communicate much better what I’m up to.

I hope you have a chance to read A Bridge Even Further. I would love to hear what you think!

I’m writing this a day after my arrival – some time to decompress from the ups and downs of train travel. I know that not everyone loves the manic sense of order in Singapore, but I love it – more and more every time that I visit. If you know me you will perhaps understand why I like such a well planned and organised place.

Things go from one extreme to the other on this trip. I hopped off a dirty train yesterday at Woodlands, and one hour later I was sat in one of the most lovely suites I have ever stayed in. The shower room is the same size as we had in my dormitory at school (for 50), and the rose scented soap far nicer. Thank you Fairmont.

Technically there is another rail opportunity to travel further South than Singapore Woodlands, so I thought I had better do it in case someone else points this out – it’s the monorail link across to Sentosa, the party island South of Singapore. So I took the MRT down to the Harbourfront station and purchased a SGD 4 ticket (£1.90). Maybe I got about 2km further South in a pink train that travels at 20kmh and where the staff on the platform are trained to wave at you as you come and go. Its a stark contrast to the Cambodian Express!

This gives me an excuse to go and poke around the remains of Fort Siloso – the well preserved British gun battery overlooking the island from the 1880’s up until the end of WW2.

To travel any further you need a ship. I guess this is fair game though, as I did take one to cross the North Sea in December.. If I had another 6 weeks I could cross the Indonesian archipelago via PNG to Australia..

My plan from here on in involves no further train travel. I’m going to fly back to KL then hop on another flight to London, so I’m home for the weekend. Its strange that I’m flying (in just an hour) back to KL and that my flight from KL to London is actually quicker than my train from Butterworth to Singapore. But you don’t take a train trip like this if you are in a hurry.

I will write a few trailing posts on the trip – planning, travel agents, resources etc.

Time to start planning the next one.. Kasakstan? Vladivostok? Harbin? Lhasa? Not sure where to yet. Any suggestions welcome!

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog. Off now for an icy Tiger by the pool..

Train number 1 from Butterworth to Singapore is known as the “Rakyat Express”. Its a 14 hour daytime trip leaving Butterworth at 08.00 and arriving at Singapore Woodlands at 22.00 the same day, and my final train trip of this journey.

06.00
An early start by taxi to Georgetown to catch the ferry back to Butterworth, then a short walk to the new station platform. Almost every train station in Malaysia seems to be newly built. The train is shunted into the station at about 07.30 ready for an 08.00 departure.

I’m travelling first (premier) class and there is one carriage of this, a restaurant car and about seven 2nd class coaches, most newer than the first class one I’m in. I’m sure it was once nice (in the early 80’s) but now its knackered. Its Korean built, like the Thai train I was on last week – this time by Hyundai.

Anyway, this is my home for the day, so I need to make the best of what I have. It looks like most people are going to Ipoh or KL. The guard inspects my ticket and smiles as if to indicate he’s got another madman on his hands. He tells me I’m going to be here for the day and I nod and smile back.

08.00
Now with an engine hooked up, some flag waving, whistle blowing and tooting of the horn we trundle out of Butterworth’s rail head and onto the main southbound line.

11.30
Bored, so I open my packed lunch from the hotel to add a dimension of excitement to the morning. Have I lost my train mojo? I think its hard to settle in as its too a long journey for a day train, but too short to be a sleeper.. Maybe I should have just gone to KL today?

14.00
Arrive in Kuala Lumpur. Everyone gets off apart from me and a family at the other end of the carriage. They clean the train, wash the windows, then let embarking passengers board. The carriage quickly fills with a Taiwanese tour group, I’m assuming bound for Singapore. 14.15 and we are off again.

15.30
I opt for a late lunch from the trolley service – fried rice and sweet black coffee for RM 8 (£1.49). Time for a film – “You Only Live Twice”. It sounds like an Alan Partridge “Bondathon” doesn’t it?

16.06

We pull into Pulau Sebang and the population of Taiwan in my carriage gets off – not sure what the draw is of this place, but its quiet again.

20.20
Pretty chilly on board so I have raided my suitcase and togged up. Less than two hours to run. Time for another film – “Zulu”. Amazing no matter how many times I have seen it. Note to self – must find factual book about Rourke’s Drift.

21.04
Arrive at JB Central and have a Malaysian immigration check – the officer hand writes an exit note in red pen in my passport – very old school.

21.45
Cross causeway into Singapore and get off at Woodlands CIQ. Processed in a way you would expect in Singapore – quickly, efficiently, and with courtesy. As a visitor I love Singapore. Taxi to my hotel who could not be more prepared for my arrival if they had rehearsed it. More of this in another post.

22.30
Ice cold pint of San Miguel in tapas bar opposite Raffles. It’s another “Ice Cold in Alex” moment. I feel I should be celebrating my train achievement but I’m a bit tired. My train trip finished on a train that I didn’t love, but that’s life on the rails.. I’m sure I will be back in touch with the bigger picture tomorrow!

It’s all very old school, and I’m sure if I spent very long here I would begin to think Great Britain still had an Empire. If you are travelling on my route and you have a big bag (or better still a trunk), this is the place you need to get out your Panama hat and linen jacket..or better still, a pith helmet! The hotel even provides a batman, who is charming and wears a black bow tie.

I don’t have too long to linger here though, as Ian from The Tropical Expat blog is taking me out to show me round – and interview me – he tells me as we drink a cheap but cold beer at a nearby roadside den.

Dinner is hawker centre style, where we both end choosing Syrian food (that tasted great) washed down with icy Tiger. Beer here is quite a bit more expensive than the last couple of countries I have been in, and I’m adjusting to this – a big Tiger here costs at least RM16 (£3).

Ian invites me back to The Penang Club for a drink where we discuss rail travel. The Penang Club was established in 1868 as an expat enclave in a very Victorian sort of a way. It retains this feel today, albeit now amidst a very different Penang. Like me, Ian is into the adventure of big rail journeys, so a good chance to compare notes. If you would like to read the interview, here is a link

When I get back to the E&O I contemplate going to “Farquhar’s Bar” for a nightcap, but decide against it as I might not be able to stop myself saying things like “Stop throwing those bloody spears at me!”..

06.52
I wake early, as before we hit the border the Thai restaurant carriage will turn back for Bangkok. Mr Grumpy converts all the sleepers back to seats and refits bedding ready for the next use. My purser sets up a table in front of me and advises me that my “full Thai” breakfast is inbound.

No problems to report in the night other than using the toilet, which is so wet that it might have a leech problem. I wish I had bothered to unpack my Crocs for this leg.

07.33
We have reached Hat Yai Junction. Other than Clapham, I always thought stations called “junctions” sounded quite glamourous (perhaps I’m mainly thinking “Bhowani”). There is much fried chicken coming on to the train from the platform, but seemingly little demand. I hope all those chickens didn’t die needlessly.

07.52
We have done an emergency stop and the guard has been hopping all over the outside of the carriage. Its quickly declared unserviceable. We think it might be the brakes. There is a mass exodus to another carriage that I hope its going to Butterworth. I have tried to enquire about our destination, but my new carriage guard wears an iPod so you cannot communicate with him. Come back Mr Grumpy, all is forgiven.. Anyway the carriage I was in 10 minutes ago has quickly been removed and shunted off. We are back under way.. I do a deal with a local currency trader in the carriage and learn he is actually an off shift Thai train driver.

08.35
We arrive at the Thai – Malaysian border station of Padang Besar. Everything comes off the train and we enjoy a short walk through Thai and Malaysian formalities.

The usual stamping of passports (no visas involved for me this time). Malay customs does a full search of my bags – I must look dodgy. Bit surprised I didn’t need to complete any paperwork – let’s hope that doesn’t present a problem leaving..

09.20
A rather clapped out looking KTM locomotive is attached to our two carriages (still running as the “Special Express”) ready to head south to Butterworth. The new guard on the two carriage train welcomes me to Malaysia.

The scenery on this journey has been great, but mainly spoiled by dirty and steamed up windows. Good train photography involves not just trying to shoot through dirt and reflections, but also missing telegraph poles and wires (unless they are there as an artistic touch of course!)

13.30 (local)
Once I remember to adjust my watch to GMT +8, I realise that we have arrived in Butterworth on time. Then it’s a short walk and just a half hour across on the local ferry and I’m in Georgetown, the colonial capital of Penang. Cost RM1.20 (30p), return.

I’m stopping here for a few days and will check in before my next rail leg on Monday – The “Rakyat Express” to Singapore. “Singapore Woodlands” to be precise – almost Singapore.. I’ll explain next week.

13.30
Bangkok Central Station is “old school” and pretty small, so despite a resident army of a few thousand protestors waiting to mobilise in the concourse, it was easy to get through. I was expecting to see an Army presence here but it’s clearly not a target, as the protestors have vowed not to close the railways.

No security, no ticket checks and straight onto the platforms. Then behold, there at Platform 5 – the “International Express” (aka “Special Express”) was already there and waiting, more than an hour before departure.

I should perhaps explain that it has this slightly glamourous name as it is the only truly international train route in Thailand, travelling daily down the coast to the Malaysian border. Here just two second class sleeper carriages go over and continue down to Butterworth. I’m in one of those – coach 3, berth 18 for the record.

The design of the carriages is functional but a bit odd – they are in fact originally Korean, but I’m not holding that against them. The air conditioning seems to work well and they look quite clean, despite their age. My biggest problem is that there is no big luggage storage spaces, so I’m going to be public enemy number one unless I can come up with a cunning plan.

The way it works is that the two seats convert at night into open plan upper and lower bunks – quite spacious. My interpretation of the seat numbering is that even numbers are the (bigger) bottom berth and odd numbers go up top. The lower berth actually costs a little bit more on this train.

My ticket cost 1210 Baht (£22) for a 23 hour journey in the bottom berth of a sleeper. I think I actually paid over the ticket price, just to get it issued early and delivered to my hotel, but it’s still a great deal. In passing, seat 18, my seat, is I think the perfect seat – in the middle of the carriage, so a smooth ride, and with four 220v sockets close by – the only ones in the carriage.

I have noticed that the second class carriages going to Butterworth are of more than one type. Carriage 3 looks newer, maybe with wider seats but less luggage space, but I suspect this is pretty random and nothing you can do about it when booking.

Breaking the mould for most Thai people, my carriage guard is so far completely miserable – he would almost be good enough to work on a Russian Railways he is so convincing. No help at all with my luggage issue, but at least he hasn’t thrown my bag off yet.

14.45
There are people moving up and down the train selling all sorts of stuff, but unless you speak Thai much of it is unrecognisable. A rather helpful purser has just offered me meals at my seat and the possibility of a beer later. I have ordered a full Thai breakfast with coffee (£3) for the morning at 7.00am, before we kick off border games. No one has materialised to sit opposite me, so my luggage problem seems to have gone away for the time being. I’m feeling better about this train as I settle in.
Mr Miserable (the Guard) is in fact okay when pushed and speaks a little English. My theory is that he perhaps wishes he was in the Army, and is practising looking as hard as he possibly can.

17.00
I’m in train travel nirvana again. The sun is setting, the purser has brought me along a big bottle of icy Chang beer (my favourite) and shown me the menu.

He even stops by to top up my glass every so often. This feels more like first class to me. I have the discovery edition of “Dark Side of the Moon” on full volume on my headphones whilst I watch the amazing views outside. I’m totally impressed with this train.

After a few hours I understand better the way our carriage is managed. Here is a snapshot of the team:

Carriage Guard – “Mr Grumpy” – inspects tickets, looks hard, walks up and down a lot, makes up bunks – white shirt and whistle.
Carriage Security – Para military man looking after immigration etc, lots of paperwork – brown shirt & .38 sidearm.
Carriage Purser – “Mr Helpful” – takes orders, deals with restaurant, serves you at your bunk – orange shirt & menu.
Carriage Cleaner – “YTS” trainee who does a though job cleaning as we go along – takes his job very seriously – bathrooms are kept immaculate – blue shirt & broom.

20.11

I have found the restaurant carriage (called, wait for it, the “Bogie Restaurant”) and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s teaming with life and characters. I have a four course dinner for 220 Baht (£4.50). There is really lively rock music and a party atmosphere here, so another beer is in order.

Just to spice it up even more, a charming but strangely tall woman has just sat down at the table opposite, and I’m fairly sure she is a “ladyboy”. What on earth would Alan Partridge do in this situation?! It’s all to much for me so I’m off to bed.

Assuming we safely pass through the FCO advisory trouble spots during the night, I shall update at breakfast. I figure staying awake isn’t going to lessen the very small risk of the train being hijacked or derailed by an IED.

I’m staying at the Shangri-La (an old haunt for me) – its a heavenly place, but at a price. A price so great that my dinner bill last night would fund the transport of no less than 80 people from the Cambodian border to Bangkok by rail. This is the moral and economic problem of switching from being a third class rail traveller to the life of a five star tourist.

The hotel has advised me not to travel far away from the lobby today (other than on its private boat). I wonder what their contingency plan is? – I bet that the men in very dark suits here have a good one. Perhaps a helicopter evacuation from the roof? Or more likely a big boat to take us somewhere safe.

I had almost forgotten that I don’t have any tickets for my next journey when an envelope arrived at my door from my agent in Bangkok with a ticket on tomorrow’s “International Express”, bound for Butterworth in Malaysia. Throughout this journey I have come to rely on local agents getting me the right tickets and delivering them to me when I arrive in new places. It’s been 100% effective and great to know someone is looking after things in the next port of call. I would recommend this approach if you want to work to a fairly fixed itinerary so you can get advance deals with hotels etc.

I have such a great view from my room that I’m going to throw a party here tonight. So far invites include only me, but who knows. I have found a store down the road that sells good cheese and wine. I’m not normally a cheapskate, but the pricing of alcohol in my hotel is just incredible.

Back on the rails tomorrow, for what I hope will be a comfy and fun penultimate leg. Fingers crossed it is a safe escape from this rather troubled place.

I’m on the twice daily “Cambodian Express” that travels between Bangkok and Aranyapathet, which as you might have read in my recent post, is very close to the Cambodian border. It’s also a train first for me – as I’m travelling in third class – here is a copy of my ticket to prove it.

This costs me less than 50 Baht (£1) for a seven-hour journey. Have I finally gone quite mad in a Colonel Kurtz sort of a way? No, there are only third-class carriages on this train. Of course, it’s just a local train to the locals, but the “Cambodian Express” is what us farangs sometimes call it, as it can have only one true long-range purpose – direct rail travel from the heart of Thailand through to Cambodia…

It’s quite a busy train with lots of stops. The carriage I am in has a toilet (of sorts) at one end and an open plan washroom at the other. The seats are benches and there are fans in the ceiling. There are severe looking metal shutters to keep the sun and any stray projectiles out. Armed railway police and ticket inspectors walk up and down, along with a ladies selling kebabs, chicken rice, fruit and shrimp paste. A sinister looking man wearing a camouflage jacket and Raybans stands at the end of our carriage with a walkie talkie in one hand. The kids sitting opposite me wear Colt firearm polo shirts and play aimlessly on their local android devices. Welcome to Thailand!

The smell in here is hard to define. Strange fruit being peeled, barbecued meat from passing markets and bonfires outside mix with an occasional vegetal stench. A slice of life on each platform – madman chanting, officials dressed in slightly too tightly tailored shirts with big calibre handguns and ladies selling a strange concoction of coke (a-cola) in a plastic bag.

I reach Bangkok in the evening and re-enact the end sequence of “Ice Cold in Alex”. The beer is a bit slow coming and I almost feel I have to explain why I might have a bit of thirst on. Fortunately, I don’t though, as just in the nick if time a lovely Indian lady sits me down and arranges a pipeline of draught Singhas to my table by the edge of the river. A great way to finish another leg of this journey!

This morning I took a fast taxi (a Lexus no less, “the Japanese Mercedes”) to the Cambodian border town of Poipet – two and a half hours away from Siem Reap. It used to be an eight hour trip until a new road was built a few years ago. I wished we had gone a bit slower, but we got there without any major incidents. There are pot holes on Highway 5 that could swallow a whole car.

Poipet has a reputation for being one of the worst touting and scamming places on Planet Earth, and I can now see why; but arriving from the  Cambodian side, I’m not high on the target list as there are no visa scams to bait me with (as of course I don’t need a visa to enter Thailand). The other way round and you are open to all sorts of stuff. If you are fan of the original Star Wars films, then Poipet is the real world version of “Mos Eisley” in Episode IV. I can’t remember his exact words, but even Alec Guinness tells Luke Skywalker that its a place filled with scum..

As I get out the car the games immediately begin and I am surrounded by people offering porterage and transportation – eyes down and focus on moving forward. The only problem with this otherwise effective approach is that after a while I realise that I have been so good at ignoring everyone, that I in fact I have managed to actually leave Cambodia without getting my passport stamped and visa de registered. A school boy error, so after comparing notes with a couple of Canadians in “no mans land”, I sheepishly retrace my steps and find a queue at the Cambodian exit for foreigners. I suppose technically I was re-entering and didn’t have a multiple entry visa to do this, but no one stopped me.
Between the two borders is a slightly bizarre strip of land with a casino and a few duty free places. I decided it might be a good place to have a comfort stop – a chance to see Thai men betting like there will be no tomorrow in a place that could have been anywhere in the World but Thailand, where I think gambling is against the law.

I push my bags up the road and over the bridge (actually in the traffic) for about 200m to the the Thai border. It is more organised here and there is a vague familiarity with forms and procedures, like you do on normal holidays. Out of respect for the King I have put on a proper pair of shoes today (my first non Crocs border in a while) and unsurprisingly there is not too much interest in me or my luggage, and after half an hour waiting, I’m in.

The final step is to get a tuk tuk for the 4km journey to the Thai railway station. Needless to say there are many touts interested in discussing my travel plans. Perhaps a mini van journey to Bangkok or Pattaya? Haven’t I heard that there is no train to Bangkok today?.. Back to my game plan – keep moving forward, and eventually I find a lady selling ice cream and get her intel on where to find a non touted van. Word goes down the street and a couple of minutes later the deal is done – 100 Baht (£2) for me and my luggage to Aranyaprathet.

If all goes to plan just a couple of hours to wait for the arrival of the “Cambodian Express”!

All in all, a reasonable day’s progress on the travel front though. Good to be feeling well and on the move again!

My first day “on the buses”. Like a new kid at school I didn’t want to be late for the bus, so got up early and made my way to the implausible looking HCMC “head office” of Mekong Express. Anyway, no dramas, and I hopped on the daily 08.30 bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh. Its a 6 or 7 hour journey according to the timetable – visas, water buffalo and river crossings permitting..

I have set my expectations quite carefully, as there are reports of some very old vehicles and on board Khmer karaoke party jaming sessions that involve the whole bus and go on for hours. However on this bus it’s mainly Western tourists today and things seem pretty relaxed. There is in fact no karaoke, but lots of fairly violent Asian movies on show on the big screen at the front of the bus. I deploy my Bose noise cancelling headphones and catch up on some episodes of “Breaking Bad”.

Nothing very unusual to report today, but for the record, in case you want to understand how this route works – after about three hours we debus at the Vietnamese frontier. There is a strange system with our bus guide, who takes all our passports ahead of us to immigration. Our names are called at the immigration gate and one by one we walk through. But when they are all handed back mine is still missing – but it quickly reappears from another bus driver..

Back on the bus and then back off the bus again at the Cambodian side of the border. This time I’m using an e-visa which might actually be slower to process than if I had no visa at all. Anyway, after some fingerprinting and stamping, it appears my papers are all in order again. (Note – if you are doing this, don’t forget to bring a spare copy of your e-visa as they take the first copy away from you, but you still need a second copy for exiting the country). They call me back to redo my fingerprints again,  but then change their mind. I’m in. No one checks our luggage (which is still on bus) on either side of the border.

The currency traders are everywhere inside the (government) building, and as I still have some Dong left, I move them all into the Cambodian Riel at a rate of about 18000. I think that’s 15% less than my secondary trading operation in Saigon..

Whilst waiting for the bus I end up chatting to a Hungarian chap called Mihil, who happens to live in Edinburgh. The small world paradox all over again..

No one mentioned to me in advance that there was a free mini cruise involved in today’s trip, yet at about 14.00 we drive the bus onto a ferry to cross a fair size river. The ferry was packed and we sat on the deck in the bus with our door closed. I think if it sank it would be like a bus version of “The Poseidon Adventure”, as there would be no way out unless you had one of those special hammers, or possibly knew Gene Hackman personally. The Americans behind me enquire about the use of life jackets.

The scenery in Cambodia is subtly different – the trees look different, the dogs look different, there are flash cars as well as trashy ones. Only a hundred kilometres away and it feels far away from Vietnam.

Back at the FCC, the sun lowers in the sky. Some of the cliches are maintained and others are broken by those sat at tables around me. A young Cambodian man, with a short pony tail and dressed in shorts and flip flops, drinks a crisp Sauvignon Blanc whilst smoking a Marlboro on one side of me, whilst on the other side an Australian woman drinks vodka and bores a couple of people with unimpressive tales of how important she thinks she is back in the real world. The journalists have of course now all gone from here, but the Club lives on as a good place to share a drink at the end of the day. Last time I was here though there were people reporting live on heavy fighting with the KR in the North and sharing survival stories from “the temples of doom”.

I’m driven about tonight by nice guy called “Kia” – a Khymer Bob Hoskins type, who drinks tea outside whilst you go about your business – you can immediately detect a warmer and more protecting side to Cambodian men than you see in Vietnam, where women seem to do all the hard stuff.

No time to linger here – I’m off tomorrow “up country” – back on the buses!