I am now 4 countries into the trip with 4 more to go, I guess that is half way. A full month will have gone by as of tomorrow; so in time it is only just over a third. This was my first bus border crossing. What a cattle herd and stampede. The bus drops you off at the Singapore immigration terminal. Everyone runs off and gets in line. They collect your travel card (filled in upon entry) and stamp your passport. Then the sprint is back on to the bus line. There are 5 different buses and supposedly 5 different lines, but people get on and go wherever. I wondered how people could get on any old bus if there were going somewhere specific. Well that is because the next bus is a 5min ride to the Malaysian immigration office. Another run off the bus, wait in line, fill out the entry questionnaire, passport stamped and back into another stampede for the buses. Although I have to say the second queue was less intense as people needed to get on their bus to their specific destination.
Johor Bahru bus terminal is dodgy at best. That was a unique experience. It was my first time in a semi-organized, utterly chaotic and largely overwhelming venture in a poorer nations public bus terminal (and I am guessing they only go downhill from here). It was a jumble of independent bus companies, taxi companies and private hires. They all wanted to know where you needed to go and all telling you in someway they could get you there, or at least point to another station/person that could.
