The Struggle of Walking in Brunei
July 19th. The day has finally come to pack up and leave Brunei.
Starting from the Comfort Inn, I quickly realized that walking or cycling through Brunei is practically playing on hard mode. The traffic is absolutely insane. I decided to throw in the towel on walking this stretch and fired up "Dart" (the local ride-hailing app) to get a lift close to the border.
A Quick Cultural Lesson on the Road
My Dart driver was a super friendly guy, and we got to chatting on the way. He dropped some really interesting cultural knowledge on me.
Did you know that every restaurant here—even global fast-food chains like Jollibee—is strictly required to display their name in Jawi script alongside English? It totally explains why Jawi is everywhere in the city.
Also, this guy wasn't just driving to make a living; he was saving up for a special trip with his wife. I really respect that kind of hustle.
And here's something wild he told me: petrol in Brunei costs just around 0.53 Brunei Dollars per litre — roughly 60 yen. No wonder everyone drives everywhere.
Zero Cash and a Police Officer's Kindness
We made it to the border. Despite a bit of a line for the cars, both the Brunei exit and Malaysia entry processes were a total breeze. I was through in under 10 minutes.
Once I officially stepped into Malaysia, my stomach started growling. But here's the catch: I didn't have a single Malaysian Ringgit on me.
I found a tiny local street food stall and hoped they'd accept my leftover Brunei Dollars. No luck. I was standing there, hungry and completely broke in a new country, when a local police officer who happened to be eating there casually paid for my meal!
I couldn't believe it. Talk about a lifesaver.
Unexpected Encounters and Iban Rice Wine
Later, while I was walking down the road, a guy called out to me from his house: "Hey! Where are you going?"
I felt a good vibe from him, so I went over to chat. Next thing I know, he's offering me food, drinks, tobacco, and even a place to crash for the night. The hospitality here is unreal.
As evening approached, I realized I desperately needed to exchange some cash. There wasn't a proper sign for a money changer anywhere, but the wife of the man hosting me actually pulled some strings and had an acquaintance open their exchange shop just for me after hours.
The night just kept getting better. I was treated to some traditional liquor brewed by the indigenous Iban people.
It's a bit sweeter than Japanese sake and dangerously easy to drink.
We ended up at a local spot with food and karaoke. The locals there absolutely spoiled me, treating me to chicken and all sorts of dishes.
What an unbelievable first day in Malaysia. The warmth and generosity of the people here have completely blown me away. I need to get a good night's sleep to recharge—the real walking journey continues tomorrow!
