Singapore to Penang on the Orient Express.
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There's something about traveling by train. And I don't mean modern bullet trains that zip through the countryside faster than most cars can. I mean old trains. The ones that blow whistles and move slowly over old railway lines.

It must be nostalgia. Though it all seems like a blur to me now, I do recall childhood train journeys to the beach and countryside. In those days, it was the only way to get to the country. Provincial highways and airstrips were still uncommon and car and plane rides were not yet the preferred way to travel.

For sure, those train rides of the past were slow, unreliable and after the second hour on board - rather uncomfortable. But it all seemed magical then. Cutting through rice paddies, sugarcane fields and rural villages always made a city kid like me giddy with excitement. Somehow, train rides take you through a place - up close and more personal than any car or plane can. And that's what gave me the idea of traveling through Southeast Asia on the Orient Express - a luxury train built to recreate the experience of train travels of the past.

The Orient Express is familiar to anyone with a passing knowledge of luxury travel. But I suspect most of us have come to know of the Orient Express from the Agatha Christie novel and movie adaptation "Murder on the Orient Express". The Orient Express where Hercule Poirot famously solved the murder mystery on board the train traveled across Europe. Now, the same company that runs the legendary train service, the Eastern and Oriental, have introduced the concept to Southeast Asia for those travelers looking to enjoy the same legendary experience and history.

The route I chose was the Singapore-Bangkok leg of the journey. It takes three days with full stops in the Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth stations in Malaysia. Three days on a train in this day and age is no joke, but I was looking forward to see if, indeed, train rides are still the idyllic and magical journeys I've always remembered and reimagined them to be.

It turns out that they somehow still are. The highlights:

Train Stations.

Every train ride begins at the station, obviously. We hardly notice these stations anymore, but when we allow ourselves to - they tell us so much about the country's history. At least as far as old train stations are concerned.

The Tanjong Pagar train station in Singapore is one of these. The station has seen better days and it's always empty now that travelers prefer the convenience of bus rides and air travel. Beneath the atmosphere of neglect is a long and interesting history preserved in the colonial building.

From the imposing sculptures to the striking murals that adorn the station walls, you'll discover what was once the most important railway line for the British this part of the world. The murals and sculpture all depict themes of industry and agriculture for it was here that much of British Malaya's prized commodities like tin, rubber and palm oil were taken from the hinterlands to the port of Singapore. In fact, the railway line the Orient Expresses travels on is little changed from that used to transport cargo and laborers in colonial times.

Interestingly, an existing treaty between Malaysia and Singapore states that Tanjong Pagar station is still a part of Malaysia and this is why you clear Malaysian immigration in Singapore. Right past the immigration counter is the platform where the elegant Orient Express waits for passengers to board.

The Kuala Lumpur station is even more grand than that of Tanjong Pagar. It will be just about time for dinner when the train stops at KL. Passengers have enough time to explore the station grounds and, indeed, it's worth getting off. The station is built using the colonial architectural style common in British India. Even at night, the towering white building is majestic. It is one of the main attraction in KL and passengers get a rare view of the building right from inside it.

Service the Eastern and Oriental way.

I've taken trains all over the world but none of that prepared me for the kind of service the Orient Express provides. Right from the beginning. Every passenger is assigned a compartment steward - which is more like a personal butler. They usher you on board and on to your compartment for a quick tour of the room and its amenities. Just like a hotel. Your butler is on call 24/7 and the mostly Thai staff are as gracious and gentle as the best Bangkok hotels can offer.

Your butler makes sure you have nothing else on your mind except enjoying the journey. He lets you know when and where to dine. He takes your passport, fills out travel documents for you and does much of the immigration work as well. Best of all is the sight of the butler for breakfast and afternoon tea. This is one of the highlights for me - the knock on the door at 730 in the morning - just as the sun is rising over the view of forests and plantations in your window. A European breakfast of bread, cereal, yogurt and coffee is served with elegant silverware in your compartment and you can't help but feel really special.

The Train Compartments.

There are three compartments to choose from. The Presidential Suite, naturally, is at the top. It's huge by train standards with generous space for two adults and a couple of visitors. A large and comfortable banquette can be folded out into a wide bed at night. The suite also comes with a full-sized desk and separate dressing room, en-suite toilet and bath for privacy and convenience.

At the bottom end is the Pullman compartment. It's elegant enough but quite tight for two when the beds are folded out at night. During the day there's just enough space to enjoy staying inside and watching the view passing through the window. This may be entry-level but it comes with its own toilet and bath.

I stayed in what is called a State compartment and it's only slightly smaller than the Presidential Suite and has pretty much eveyrthing the suite has although with a tad less space. What I enjoyed the most was the generous amount of glass. Wide and clear picture windows are the most important thing for me in a train compartment. Not only does this bring the landscape indoors; it also keeps you from feeling claustrophobic. I found myself mesmerized by the scenery passing outside. Trains bring you closer to the kampongs or villages, plantations and tropical jungle like no other type of commercial transport can. Exhilirating.

Much must be mentioned about the interiors of all compartments. You've seen the movies and the Orient Express compartments all feel production designed by Holywood pros: cherry wood panelling, brass fixtures, oriental carperts, hand-embroidered upholstery and teak wood period furniture all help to conjure images of the golden days of train travel.

Slowness.

Three days on tracks may be much too long for most travelers. Not for me. Slowness is a virtue in my book. These days traveling has become much like a sport: fastest is best. We take the quickest route to everything and we try to pack each day with as many things to do as possible. The unintended result is fatigue. So much so that the minute we arrive home we start longing for yet another vacation. Its crazy. On the train I found myself with time for reading, writing and yes, dozing - half-awake while taking in the slowness of Southeast Asian provincial life visible from the window.

Travel always makes me introspective and the slowness on board magnifies that. This unintended self-discovery unleashes profound thoughts and a part of your personality not often seen in your routine day to day encounters. This injects depth and eloquence into your conversations with others on the train (and vice versa). When the slowness of solitude ends, the slowness of conversations begin. And with it the sincerity and open-mindedness that comes from travelers from all over the world sharing the same train ride with you.

There are many opportunities to strike up conversations with other passengers. There's a reading room for those who prefer to read in the company of others. Also a saloon and bar where cocktails and snacks are served throughout the day.

Dining.

Those looking forward to such conversations or new transcontinental friendships will likewise enjoy the idea of sharing a table with other passengers. Since much of the journey is spent in the compartment, meal time is an opportunity to meet other passengers on board.

But the real highlight of meal time is the food. Frenc-style but with touches of spices and ingredients found in the Southeast Asian region. It's hard to imagine how such good food can come out of such a small and narrow kitchen on board. Unlike even first class on a plane, the food is cooked on board and always fresh. Not a single meal was bad or even mediocre. The meals were all fine-dining quality and so was the crystal and silverware.

The Eastern and Orient emphasize the dining experience and purposely attempt to recreate an old-fashioned feel. Fine wine and champagne are served and the strictly formal dress code for dinnertime adds to this old world elegance and refinement. The combination of formal dress and the dimly lit elm and cherry wood dining carriage with its crystal chandeliers makes everyone feel fabulous and romantic. No wonder the Orient Express is famous among lovers looking to escape the world for a couple of enchanted evenings.

The Southeast Asian Countryside.

It's a fleeting way to exerience this side of Southeast Asia and surely nothing beats trekking the backroads and jungles of the region, but for those who want to travel through the region and not necessarily in it, the Orient Express provides a wonderful backdrop for such a journey.

Whether in the privacy and comfort of your airconditioned compartment or in the open observation deck at the end of the train, there's no denying the thrill of watching the region passing by with the wind in your hair.

Because the railway line was originally meant to transport goods and laborers to and from the region's plantations and forests, the train journey continues to pass through these very same parts of Malaysia and Thailand. Of course, vast hectares of jungle have since given way to plantations and there are modern road networks and electricity lines visible along the way. But for most of the journey you are right up close to rural villages and jungles that seem little changed from the sepia toned photographs taken over a century ago. In some areas you can literally reach out and touch villagers and the overgrown branches of old forest cover along the raliroad tracks.

One such highlight is crossing Bukit Merah in Northern Malaysia just before sunrise. The train stops right in the middle of the raised tracks above the lake and if you get up early enough you can head for the observation deck to catch the first slivers of sunrise over the lake and the cool early moring air.




Penang.

Passengers not continuing to Bangkok have the option of getting off at Butterworth station across Penang Island. Butterworth was an important gateway to Georgetown in Penang where the British first settled and where a large Chinese community was established. The Orient Express makes an extended stop and all passengers are taken on a ferry ride across the Straits of Malacca and on to Penang Island where Georgetown is located.

I've written about Penang in an earlier post and it's a terrific opportunity for those interested in observing one of the most culturally interesting destinations in Southeast Asia. After a long train ride, Georgetown provides a wonderful break for when you begin to miss the vibrant atmosphere and rush of city life.