12/11/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 20

Distance cycled: 48.3km from Johon Batur to Singapore
Average speed: 17.1km/h
Moving time:2h50m
Total distance: 2250km
Border X'ings: 2
Money spent: too much!

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Apparently there was a bit of an issue where we camped last night, the manager of the trucking business found out we were there and had a problem with the staff who allowed us to set up our camping gear where we did. I didn't get the chance to speak to the manager to sort things out and clear the air but at the same time the French guys and I didn't want to stick around.
The three of us set off in the rain onto the highways within the cities of both Johon Batur and Singapore so needless to say the day was not enjoyable.
After crossing the JB/woodlands Bridge/immigration control it was consistent traffic light after traffic light getting into the city of Singapore thus keeping my average speed at a dismal 17.1km/h.
Upon entering Singapore there was a noticeable difference in the upkeep and maintenance of the streets, buildings and greenery compared to Malaysia however the disappointing downside of this somewhat eye-candy was that the people we encountered on the road, both pedestrians and motorists were not nearly as friendly as the Malaysians - pedestrians just seemed to ignore us and rarely gave us a second glance and even at one point completely ignoring us despite our best efforts to get their attention to make room for us to pass on the bike path.
After a hearty and very expensive lunch at a hawker center (Asian food court) I parted ways with Thomas and Romain and cycled towards a hostel where I would be meet up with my cousin Victoria in 24 hours time.
Due to the lack of sleep I had last night because a damn annoying barking dog I crashed hard into the bed when I arrived only to get up for some food with a dude named Skyler before going back to bed.
I get to see all my relatives who reside here in Singapore over the next few days for my grandpas 90th birthday.
Oh, I forgot to mention, Yay! I did it. 2250km from Bangkok to Singapore!

Wet weather and entering Singapore

Having made it to Singapore

11/10/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 19

Distance cycled: 131km to near Johon Bahtu
Average speed: 20.9km/h
Moving time: 6h17m
Total distance: 2201km
Border X'ings: 1
Money spent: 18 Ringgit ($6)

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Just to follow up from last night. I was not ambushed by monkeys but I was rudely awakened by the sound of thunder, nearby lightning and intense rain. This meant I had to set up my tarp before I and all my stuff got drenched.
Today was mostly overcast and I was blessed to have direct tailwind pushing me southeast towards Singapore however as you can see by my average speed I wasn't flying this is because I met and joined two Frenchmen, Romain and Thomas, who were cycling the same way to Singapore. When I stopped for lunch I was informed by locals that these two guys were just half-hour ahead of me. I thought I'd catch them up and see what their story was and it didn't take me long. Thomas and Romain were both very slow but I stuck with them for the day finding a great place to camp on some cut grass in front of a bus freight depot where the people working there were happy to have us stay and use their facilities.
Romain and Thomas are both cool guys who I will join tomorrow to Singapore, they are somewhat new to the whole cycle touring adventure but they are managing extremely well.
One last thing before I crash out, I thought today was the 12th so ill be arriving in Singapore one day before I have to... Looks like ill be looking for a place to kip in the very expensive city.

Romain and Thomas from France

10/11/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 18

Distance cycled: 87.9km from Malacca to... 87.9km towards Singapore on highway 5
Average speed: 22.4km/h
Moving time: 3h56m
Total distance: 2070km
Border X'ings: 1
Money spent: 23 Ringgit ($7.60)

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Tired with a grin I cycled onward towards Singapore having to say "see you later" to Sally, for me it is never "goodbye" because that would imply I would never see the person again, and with the uncanny situations I fall into always running into people again and again it is more appropriate.
... Hmm... Today, what do I have to say about today... Flat, uninteresting terrain but cooler and overcast than every other day in cycling Malaysia....
...I am now camped in another palm tree plantation and i am now hearing monkeys surrounding my tent, they are rustling the branches of nearby trees... I suppose they are monkeys, but unlike many people I am deadly frightened of monkeys after having one jump on my head in Nicaragua and rip out one of my dreadlocks...
...lets hope I sleep well tonight.

Big Bicycle on the way to Muar

Saying goodbye to Sally and hitting 2000km on this trip of SE asia

08/11/2013 to 09/11/2013 - Malacca, Malaysia. Randomly running into Mum and Dad.

Now what are the chances that out of all the places in Malaysia I would run into Mum and Dad here!? Walking down the main tourist street named Jonker with Sally who is a beautiful Chinese girl who checked into the hostel in the morning I spotted them walking in my direction; now at first I could not believe it and made me look twice where at that moment I ran up to them surprising the utter hell out of them. I hadn't seen them for 2 years since I cycled across Canada to see them in Toronto when they were visiting there, it really was a total shock for all of us.
I knew they were going to visit Malaysia before i would be seeing them in Singapore for grandpas birthday however I honestly had no idea where they were going.. Amazing no?
The three days I spent in Malacca were much needed as I wanted rest but also shelter from cycling in the searing sun over the past few days. I stayed in a hostel called Discovery and it had a rather lack of other backpackers except for Sally.
Sally and I spent quite a lot of time together, watching Thor at the cinema, walking about the city and enjoying many if the delicious tastes the area had to offer. It was time well spent with her including the last evening together in a much needed (in more ways than one) air-con'ed room.
Because mum and dad had plans to leave to check out other places in the area I didn't have much time to spend with them however Ill be seeing them again soon in Singapore.

Mum, Dad, Sally and Myself

Around Mallaca, Malaysia

07/11/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 17

Distance cycled: 107km from near port Dickson to Malacca, Malaysia.
Average speed: 22.7km/h
Moving time: 4h44m
Total distance: 1982km
Border X'ings: 1
Money spent: 60 ringgit ($20), 25 ringgit for some damn expensive suncream.

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I ate up the kilometers along the road parallel to the coast as the wind pushed me southeast.... Up until I was halted at the gate to an army base where I was directed to take the detour around.
On this detour I finally met another cyclist in this county, Axel from Germany who was cycling to Bangkok from Singapore, so after a cigarette, some advice sharing and some chitchat on the side of the road we parted ways.
It is always so great to meet with a fellow touring cyclist on these trips as we always have so much to share.
Other than almost running over a monitor lizard and racing a bus load ok kids into malacca today was uninteresting and massively hot.
I arrived at a hostel and checked in, I had a nap before heading out with a German guy for dinner and Durian, durian is a tropical SE Asian fruit and delicacy that stinks up every location you find it, it is well recognized by not only its stench but also it's extremely spiky putter skin. It's not to everyone's taste however I managed to get Howard (the German guy) and 3 other Germans who were curious by the fruit to try some.
Soon after we went for beer and food at a local hawker market till late in the evening.

Port Dickson

Axel, from Germany

06/11/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 16

Distance cycled: 82.6km from Kuala Lumpur towards the coast and Malacca, Malaysia.
Average speed: 19.4km/h
Moving time: 4h15m
Total distance: 1875km
Border X'ings: 1
Money spent: 15 Ringgit.

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I was willing to spend one more night in KL because of Ira but then I would hard pressed to reach Singapore in time to see the family; this and another reason however I won't go into it.
I spent the morning saying farewell to Ira and didn't set off till midday, the climate was cooler than usual with spurts of rain at times but getting out of KL was not enjoyable in the slightest. My GPS was trying so hard to get me onto the freeway but I refused to take the risk having to take very indirect roads almost in circles; at one point I didn't have a choice and had to get onto it which was delightful... Sorry I kent the other thing... Fucking frightening and damn right dangerous but soon I found the old highway to get towards malacca.
Nothing much of interest occurred today but one thing I will mention is that cycling with blue balls is agonizing, for those who don't know what 'blue balls' is about I suggest you google it and find out.
... Anyway when in KL I purchased a portable USB fan that I plugged into my battery bank to cool down when camping for the evening in yet another pine plantation and honestly it is a godsend! This should go on my website about cycling in SE Asia or humid/hot places that is if I ever get around to making it.
I'll make it to Malacca tomorrow where I'll spend a night and a day... Lets see what tomorrow has to offer. I now have to relieve myself... Goodnight.

Me at the Twin towers, KL, Malaysia

05/11/2013 - Kuala Lumpur

I knew I couldn't stick around KL very long as I really needed to continue cycling towards Singapore but I was desperately in need of a days rest and some time to see the city.  I met up with Ira who as I mentioned in yesterday's post I had met in two locations in South America to come with me around the city to hit up the highlights. Ira from Finland is a beautiful girl who I fancied very much and although I was so incredibly damn exhausted from the past few days of strenuous activity and having not slept because of bed bugs I pushed on trying hard not to loose focus on the matter at hand (her) and simply pass out. In a way I succeeded and got to see the things I wanted to see about the capital of Malaysia including the magnificent two towers at night that was lit up better than any Xmas tree at Christmas. We had many different dishes in many places around the city that were all good - really you cannot go wrong with the food here, and by 'here' I mean all of SE Asia but once in a while I stumble across something I haven't had since i was a kid, here they call it ABC which is shaved ice with different sweetened syrups and condensed milk - that brought me back.  Chilling with Ira at the hostel that I later moved into was great too as we got along very well where we spent the evening chatting.. amongst other things but were limited in the actions due to being in a busy dorm room. I could be outright blunt about the details but its fun beating around the bush when writing this.  Edit. Reading over this I was being pretty blunt. Haha

Batu Caves

Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur

04/10/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 15

Distance cycled: 122km from Sungai Besar to Kuala Lumpur
Average speed: 23.9km/h
Moving time:5h05m
Total distance: 1792km
Border X'ings: 1
Money spent: 50 ringgit including a hostel dorm bed in KL

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Mango nectar in my thermos along with tailwind pushing me towards KL made my day today. I still put in a great deal of effort to get to KL as quickly as I could and I made great time however getting closer to the center of the city I encountered (like all capital cities) frightening roads and crazy drivers. I was almost run off the road a dozen times but eventually I made it to the main hostel district to find a hostel to stay at.
I know I keep on writing about how small the world is and how often I run into people I met in different places around the world and today was no exception; Ira, a Finnish girl I met in two places in South America a year and a half ago just so happened to be walking outside a hostel when I arrived.
Unfortunately the hostel was fully booked and I had to go elsewhere but later in the evening where I ran into Sarah and Alanya (from Penang) I joined them all on the rooftop terrace of the hostel for a chat but avoided the overpriced alcohol.
Because I travelled 400km from Penang to here over the past 3 days I was exhausted and was in dire need of rest.
I spent the evening not sleeping due to being raped by bedbugs... I just wanted a decent nights rest.

 

03/11/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 14

Distance cycled: 150km from some pine plantation to Sungai Besar
Average speed: 22.2km/h
Moving time: 6h41m
Total distance: 1670km
Border X'ings: 1
Money spent: 40 Ringgit ($16)

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What a overly draining day. I can barely keep my eyes open now after covering such a vast distance. Sunburnt and exhausted in my hostel room surrounded by my hand washed laundry in the hopes it will be dry for tomorrow lying down on a comfy bed with the fan circling on max above me now writing this; I will probably fall asleep.  Again the terrain was flat and uninteresting with massive heat and narrow shoulders however I was at the receiving end of many kind gestures from the locals. For the three times I stopped for food today I was approached by kind locals who were generous enough to pay for everything I ate and drank; I suppose they just wanted to get to know what it was I was doing on a bicycle and of course I didnt mind telling them. I couldn't stick around long as I needed to collect up the miles so that i would be in KL tomorrow, so thank you very much. Even some others who I met along the way were kind and wanting to chat - it was a great day in respect to this and I'll re-enforce the fact that the people here in Malaysia are so friendly and in no way have I been frightened to meet the locals or camp in the most obvious of places because I know I would never have a problem.. Traveling Albania on the other hand is an example of quite the opposite. When cycling past Sungai Besar my head was spinning in circles (much like the fan above me now) this was due to exhaustion and hunger, I would have liked to cycle another 20km but it started raining and I wanted to spend the money on a cheap hotel to get some decent rest for the evening. Speaking of which, I want to sleep now! So, goodnight.

Where I camped last night

KL…257km