Day 906 12th January 2019
Kota Bharu
I got up at 9 and had tea with pink fruit and orange.
Then after a rest I went out at 12.30 in search of a place to repair my trouser press-stud. At the market ladies with sewing machines pointed towards a Chinese place, but there wasn’t anyone there. Then I found a tailor, who sent me to a haberdashery shop for a new press stud. They had some, but not the right size, but I realised I can fix it myself. Then I hid out of the rain before going to the tourist office which was closed again. So I bought a peanut pancake and went to sit by the river watching a fisherman not catch anything and ate my pancake.
I returned to the trade fair I’d been at yesterday and saw a football game on the next pitch so after an iced tea I went to investigate. There was a 16 team tournament being played on one pitch with nine players a side on a full size pitch. Only six minutes each way but a lot of ground to cover.
Football tournament
The teams were all car fanatics and belonged to owners clubs. It was at the quarter final stage so I picked a team to follow, the FLOC who were next up and they won on penalties. I followed them all the way to the final. They had to move from the AstroTurf to the arena grass pitch, at which point the heavens opened and I took refuge watching a local style of wrestling under cover.
Watching the local style of wrestling while sheltering from the rain
In the semi final my team won with a great goal and I stayed to watch them go on to win on penalties. The pitch was heavy and there were many puddles and some comedy action.
My team won the final on penalties
Then it was back to the hostel for a shower before dinner of pork at a very grumpy restaurant and then onto the stadium to watch an evening of Thai boxing.
Thai boxing at the stadium
Hostel bk backpackers. 30 ringgit.