Skipping the City Stretch for the Border
Today's a moving day. I'm heading to a new hotel much closer to the border.
Why skip walking this particular stretch? Honestly, the city center is just a bit too urban for my taste. Walking 20 kilometers through a completely car-centric landscape doesn't really serve my main goal: connecting with locals. So I decided to bend my own rules, grab a ride, and fast-forward to somewhere more authentic and local.
I used an app called Dart โ basically Brunei's answer to Uber. You punch in your destination, it shows you the fare upfront. Simple and painless.
Meeting Yazdi: A Window into Local Life
My driver, Yazdi, turned out to be an absolute legend.
He was the first person I've had a genuinely deep conversation with since arriving in Brunei. He listened to my crazy travel stories with a huge smile, and his warmth instantly put me at ease.
He gave me the full rundown on local customs โ the dos and don'ts, the strict alcohol laws, all the insider knowledge you won't find in a guidebook. Then, right around noon, something unexpected happened. The shops around us suddenly started pulling down their shutters, one after another.
Wait โ what's going on?
When an Entire Country Pauses to Pray
Yazdi explained: from 12 to 2 PM every Friday, almost everything in Brunei closes for Friday prayers.
And he meant everything. Aside from life-or-death situations at hospitals and essential operations at the airport, businesses simply close their doors. Faith takes absolute priority over commerce. Watching an entire society collectively pause its day for devotion was genuinely moving.
I physically crossed into Brunei two days ago. But honestly? It wasn't until today โ talking with Yazdi and feeling the quiet reverence of Friday prayers โ that I felt like I had truly arrived in this country.
Stocking Up for the Road Ahead
After checking into the hotel, I hit the supermarket next door to stock up on supplies.
Food is always the biggest wildcard on the road, so I grabbed plenty of oatmeal. I also picked up some effervescent vitamin C tablets โ the kind you drop into water. Gotta keep the immune system happy!
I might stay put here one more day. It's the perfect spot to get my gear โ and my head โ fully ready before the real journey continues.