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.

View 07NOV13 in a larger map

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.

View 06Nov13 in a larger map

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

View 04Nov13 in a larger map

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)

View 03NOV13 in a larger map

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

02/11/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 13

Distance cycled: 121km from Penang south of Taiping
Average speed: 22.4km/h
Moving time: 5h25m
Total distance: 1522km
Border X'ings: 1
Money spent: 40 ringgit ($7.50)

View 02NOV13 in a larger map

During our Halloween party the other day I lost my jade necklace that I found when cycling Vietnam all those years ago, I had used it as a good luck charm as it meant safe traveling over water that I interpreted it to mean safe travels overseas. Since I lost it, especially today I have had some bad luck misplacing many things. I left my tripod at the hostel and only noticed when I was back on the mainland but still on the ferry. I wasted a good hour having to return to the hostel to pick it up, I misplaced my lighter when seeking shelter when it inevitably rained in the afternoon and somehow lost my sunblock. I know all of these things are only minor but its really irritating when I loose things.  Over the past few days I haven't been sleeping all that well perhaps due to the air conditioned dorm rooms and today when I was really to leave Penang island I was dead exhausted from a minor case of sleep deprivation. Despite this however I had the wind on my back and was able to cover a considerable distance towards KL.  On the way I was flagged down by the warm showers host I was wanting to stay with as he drove by me, he insisted I spend a night at his place but because I am short on time I declined the offer. Reddie is of Indian decent and as it is Indian new year it would have been a great laugh in his and his friends company. Damn having time constraints on these trips!

This Typically means that the road is going to be more interesting… thankfully this time it was.