The journey from Ipoh, Malaysia to Hat Yai, Thailand took about 6.5 hours. We are stopping here for a couple days on our way to Phuket. There were six people on the big bus; four passengers and two drivers. About four hours into the ride, I had to use the bathroom. The driver pulled over at the next toll station. Kenric and I had to cross the six-lane highway to get to the bathroom. We survived.
Lee Garden Hotel
After arriving in Hat Yai I was really tired so we decided to dine in a sit-down restaurant. We went to the Lee Garden Hotel as recommended by our hotel’s staff. The huge Chinese restaurant was completely empty except for three servers, the lady singing on stage and the guy managing what looks like a Karaoke machine. She had been singing even though there were no customers.
We were the only customers there for about 45 minutes. There was another singer and they took turns singing a few songs in Mandarin and Hokkien (a Chinese dialect) each. A group of about ten people that span three generations came in. Of all the empty tables in the restaurant the server insisted they sit right next to us. The grandmother walked the baby who was happy to smile at us.
Unlock The Door
While walking back to our hotel, the many street vendors tried to get our attention in Malay, Chinese and English. It felt odd to me. Back at the hotel, we signed a waiver so that housekeeping could unlock our sliding door to the balcony with a key. Now, the hotel is absolved of responsibilities should there be theft or damages to our stuff. We’re on the 11th floor, so I think the latch on the door will do just fine.
Price List
The hotel has many signs prohibiting, among others, durian, dogs, drugs and smoking. The room has a Qibla which is an arrow on the ceiling that points to Mecca, the direction towards which Muslims should pray. There is also a detailed list of how much each stolen item from the room would cost. Lucky for me the big TV is free.
Map of Places Visited
Lee Garden Hotel
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Lee Garden Hotel7.005740, 100.471697
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