Friday 20 May 2016

CYCLE TOURING SINGAPORE (2) & MALAYSIA (3)

 


SINGAPORE (2) & MALAYSIA (3)
1 030 Kilometres – 36 Days
13 April – 19 April 2016



78 Singapore (2)
40 Kilometres – 6 Days
13 April – 19 April 2016


 13 April 2016 – Cape Town, South Africa – Singapore (by plane)

Although I didn’t get to see everyone and didn’t do everything planned, it was time to say goodbye to friends and family. I departed lovely Cape Town for the long flight to Singapore via Dubai and Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The flight wasn’t too bad as long-haul flights go, except it came with a 6-hour layover in Colombo. Moreover, it happened to be Tamil New Year and a public holiday in Sri Lanka. As a result, heaps of free fruit, tea, coconut milk and rice cakes were offered. The rice cakes were lovely, especially since they were served accompanied by a very potent chilli paste.

 

14 April - Singapore

The next day, my flight touched down in Singapore, where I was instantly transported into a foreign culture. I drew a few expensive Singapore dollars, bought a SIM card, and hailed a taxi to the Tree in Lodge Hostel, a well-known hostel amongst cycle tourers. SK, the hostel owner, cycled from Finland to Singapore a few years before and has ever since hosted cyclists from around the globe. I was impressed that he waited until my ungodly hour of arrival and was ready to assist in carrying my bicycle and panniers inside. Of course, this may not sound like a big deal to anyone. Still, once on a plane that many hours, I always disembark, half disorientated from a lack of sleep and exercise. SK’s assistance was thus highly appreciated.

 

15 April

The following day it was nearly midday before I surfaced and headed down the well-organised Singaporean streets and suburbs to Chinatown. A place where I found an authentic Chinatown. Albeit squeaky clean, it offered the usual abundance of delicious food and strange dried items—from seahorses to flying lizards. I loved how the old Chinese shophouses had been renovated and were still in use, making a colourful picture against a backdrop of modern skyscrapers. With a stomach full of pork pau and dim sum, I returned to the hostel to assemble the bike and get things organised to cycle north, as it wasn’t going to happen on its own.

 

16 April

I emerged to a roommate announcing a free tour of the parliament house and quickly downed a cup of coffee and took off. Once again, it became an enjoyable day of fascinating history, jaw-dropping architecture, and delicious eats. An amble along the banks of the Singapore River took me past fascinating pieces of art, tourists enjoying the riverside restaurants, and past busy Singaporeans rushing to and from work. Later, I returned to the hostel, to collect the tripod for a few night shots. Things didn’t quite pan out that way, as I chatted to two cyclists who had just arrived. We had a few beers, and it became a social evening.

 

17-18 April

I was warming to Singapore and stayed two more days. Firstly, to look for a new laptop, as mine was slowly packing up (in the end, I decided against it). Then, at sunset, I walked to the waterfront and snapped a few bad hand-held shots of the laser show. Why is it that I never have the tripod when I need it?

 

19 April - Singapore – Johor Bahru, Malaysia - 40 km

My last day at the Tree in Lodge Hostel arrived. My path led towards the Woodlands checkpoint, and I met SK for a cold drink en route. Again, the Tree in Lodge Hostel staff was exceptionally helpful and kind.

Shortly afterwards, I crossed the border into Malaysia at the busiest (and most organised) border crossing I’ve ever seen. Malaysia was starting to feel like home! Although relatively early, I decided to stay in Johor Bahru as I’d never stayed there before. I found a room and searched for the usual (an ATM and SIM card). Johor Bahru was fast changing—from a seedy border town to a hip and modern city. Sadly, the lovely old quarters seemed to be losing character as the old shophouses made way for new malls and shopping centres.

Fortunately, I found a room in an area sporting plenty of typical eateries, where toothless men sat smoking and playing board games while sipping tea or Tiger beer. As the Malays know how to cook a decent curry, I grabbed a curry and rice and settled in for the night.


79 Malaysia (3)
990 Kilometres – 30 Days
20 April – 19 May 2016


 

20 April – Johor Bahru – Pontian Kecil – 60 km

My windowless room made sleeping late; the time was past 9h00 before emerging. The humid weather made my clothes cling to my sweat-soaked body long before getting on the bike. The idea was to take a smaller path along the coast. Still, Malaysia developed so quickly that the intended small road turned into a new highway. This left little other option but to follow the highway until a minor route appeared. The new road made comfortable cycling to Pontian Kecil where an inexpensive hotel lured me in. A short walk led to a supermarket to buy food and other bits and bobs, after which I hastily returned to the coolness of my air-conditioned room. Phew.

 

21 April - Pontian Kecil – Batu Pahat – 70 km

The day must’ve been unusually hot, as a lady by motorbike handed me an ice-cold “100-Plus” sports drink. This kind gesture was highly appreciated, and the drink went down rather well. Later, a Malay man stopped, gave me a bottle of water, and offered me a ride to Batu Pahat. However, he must’ve considered me a madwoman, biking in the midday heat and refusing a ride.

The Warmshowers host contacted the previous night never responded, and the Garden Hotel had to do that the night.

 

22-23 April - Batu Phat – Malacca – 100 km

My digs included breakfast, which came as a surprise. Then, following a good plate of fried rice, the way led north to Malacca past plenty of stands to quench my thirst. Even though scorching I soldiered onwards. Bustling Malacca was home to Ringo’s Foyer Guest House and Warmshower host, Howard. The place was a cool hostel where cycle tourists could overnight on the roof terrace free of charge.

The next morning, a jog along the river revealed a whole new perspective of Malacca. The sweltering weather made me appreciate my rooftop spot, which offered a slight breeze.

 

24 April - Malacca – Lukut - 75 km

The high humidity left me drenched before even getting underway. However, the day offered pleasant coastal riding. A humble stand provided breakfast at a fraction of the price in touristy Malacca. One could tell the day was unusually hot as even Muslim ladies were swimming – burka and all.

Seeing all those ladies in their wet burkas must’ve been a tad too much for this conservative society. No sooner had I left the coast and I came across a man masturbating by the roadside.

The oppressing heat made me opt for a pricey homestay, but it was worth the price for the powerful air-con.

 

25 April - Lukut – Puchong – 80 km

My early departure was due to the heat, and I made my way to Peter’s place in Puchong and looked forward to seeing Peter and his family. Luckily, the day offered comfortable riding, partly through palm oil plantations and partly along a busy road past the Malaysian Grand Prix circuit and airport. At Peter’s I was welcomed with a cold beer and a warm pie. What luxury, as there’s nothing worse than a warm beer and a cold pie.

 

26 April-1 May – Puchong

Peter put me up in an apartment, what luxury. So I decided to fly to India to collect the stuff I’d “posted” 3 months earlier. Seeing the parcel never left Kochi Post Office; I’d no choice but to retrieve it myself. The box contained all my “valuable” items, i.e. sleeping bag, tent, stove, etc., and thus worth my while to collect. The flight prices varied daily, and as the best-priced one was in 5 days, I’d a few days to lounge about. So little was done apart from going for a morning jog and walking to the shops to get foodstuff.

 

2 May – Puchong, Malaysia – Kochi, India

Peter kindly drove me to the airport at the ungodly hour of 3h00 as my flight departed at 6h00. The flight was an uneventful 4-hour one and we arrived in Kochi, India at 7h00. Kevin’s Homestay once again became home for the next few days, and I went in search of my parcel, found intact at the post office. The reason for the non-sending was listed as two-fold. Firstly, an item contained “batteries” (maybe referring to the solar panel, which couldn’t store energy) and secondly, due to an item containing “powder”. Could it have been the instant noodles? The parcel was returned due to security reasons, and I wasn’t refunded the postage.

With all my goodies safely in my possession, I rushed to my favourite steamed momo restaurant.

Being May, Kochi appeared slightly forlorn in the depressing heat. Virtually all tourists had gone, and long-term tenants had already departed in search of cooler climates elsewhere.

“What are you still doing here?” someone asked, indicating the tourist season was over. Even the fishing boats in port seemed sadly abandoned in the midday heat. Fishermen, half lying, half sitting, were lethargically watching flies crawling over their meagre catch. The usual colourful clothes on display looked faded as they slowly flapped in the breeze. How vastly different in comparison to the high season. Yet, even amid the heat and humidity, India remained my favourite place to linger. Maybe it’s the madness, the contrast, the craziness of everything. While looking at the incredible amount of plastic pollution, I noticed someone knitted covers for the tree branches behind me. I thought, “This is indeed incredible India”.

 

3-4 May - Kochi

A free day in Kochi gave me time to discover all it offers despite the heat. In the process, I bought a suitcase as lugging around a massive box proved difficult.

Then, off to the washing area, where laundry was done by hand in big concrete tubs, wrung out and hung on a twisted rope line; no pegs were needed. Finally, all items were neatly ironed in an old-fashioned way using oversized cast-iron irons filled with coals. How nothing gets lost is one of India’s countless mysteries.

Again, the contrast in India left me speechless. At times things can be incredibly green in this polluted country. The clothesline, made of coconut husk, isn’t simply green, but considered one of the strongest. The line is twisted, and corners of the laundry are slipped into the twists, making pegs unnecessary. How clever.

My return flight to Malaysia departed at 23h30 and thus left a considerable amount of time to kill. At 80 rupees the airport bus made more sense than a 1,200 rupees taxi ride. But being India, not all went according to plan. Soon after departing, all were refunded their 80 rupees and told the bus was caput. So I teamed up with Bianca, from Switzerland, and we hailed a tuk-tuk, and off we went in our “air-con Ferrari” in bumper-to-bumper traffic, making it just in time to catch our 23h30 flight. There’s never a dull moment in India.

 

5 May – Kochi – India - Puchong, Malaysia

AirAsia is a budget airline and I mean BUDGET. They didn’t even offer a glass of water; the mere fact the toilets were free came as a surprise. Still, I wasn’t complaining; it was simply fascinating. We landed smoothly, and the airport train took me to Putrajaya Central, where Peter waited. Following a few winks, I slowly gathered my stuff, ready to resume my quest. By evening a spectacular storm broke over Puchong complete with dramatic lightning.

 

6 May - Puchong

The previous night’s storm made a fresh and perfect morning jog, past municipal workers mowing lawns, leaving the smell of freshly cut grass in their wake. Past the lake and the new MRT still under construction, past the lady selling fried snacks, and I enjoyed the familiarity of what has become my morning jog. My last day in Puchong was spent doing laundry and packing my few belongings, finding I suddenly had a whole bunch of extra stuff.

 

7 May - Puchong - Kuala Selangor – 73 km

I’d breakfast in the company of Peter and Alice and knew I would miss them terribly. Still, it was good to be on the bicycle and cycling along rural paths. Towards the end of the day, the Melawati Ria Hotel came into view and offered tiny but cool rooms. At the reception, I met Saras, a teacher from Puchong, who promptly invited me to join them on a firefly trip. We boarded a tiny rowboat in bucketing rain and surprisingly had real good sightings of fireflies.

 

8 May - Kuala Selangor

With a fair amount to see in Selangor, I donned my running shoes and headed out the door. First, in the direction of the nearby small Nature Park. Unfortunately, the area wasn’t for the fainthearted, mosquito-wise, and I’d to step up the pace a tad and made my way out the park with swarms of eager mosquitos in hot pursuit. Once outside the park I dragged my, by then, weary body up Bukit Malawati, a small hill where once stood a fort, captured by the Dutch in 1867 and recaptured by the Sultan in 1873. The only remains were part of a retaining wall, a few cannons, a poisoned well, a 200-year-old Angsana tree, and a bedrock believed to be used for beheading traitors but highly likely utilised by the Sultan as a lookout over his stronghold. Although the outing was more sightseeing than running, it remained fascinating.

 

9 May - Kuala Selangor - Melintang - 75 km

Early morning the tarmac was already baking in the sun, but I filled my water bottles and went in search of rural routes, of which there were plenty. These small secondary paths through palm plantations were quiet, with practically no traffic, only the occasional small kampung and playful monkeys darting across the way. Interestingly, these Selangor silvered langurs are born sporting orange fur while the adults are black. The fur doesn’t change colour until three to five months after birth. The young are cared for by females communally and aren’t weaned until 18 months, even though the biological mother stops lactating after 12 months. How fascinating.

Pantai Redang was home to a wishing tree and sported branches entangled by red ribbons. One could buy the ribbons, knotted both ends with coins, and throw them into the tree to make a wish. I threw one lying on the ground and wondered if it would have the same effect.

My chosen path continued across countless rivers, crammed by fishing boats, past ornate Hindu temples and small villages until Melintang. Almost 16h00, the usual food carts were already in full swing. The smells drifting across from these stalls was enough to make me call it a day.

 

10 May - Melintang – Setiawan – 60 km

The stretch between Melintang and Setiawan turned out uneventful as it didn’t offer any rural paths. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have stopped in Setiawan was it not for me leaving my laptop charger behind. To my shock and horror, I learned there wasn’t a charger available for my brand new laptop. How on earth do they launch a new laptop without providing the necessary support? All my ranting and raving didn’t make one iota of difference and certainly, wouldn’t make one fall out of the sky.

Contacting the Kuala Selangor hotel to inquire about the charger was a priority, but the answer was negative. A subsequent phone call revealed the charger was indeed located. Happy dance. This was expected to be the happy ending. Unfortunately, the saga continued as no direct bus ran to Kuala Selangor. The sole bus option ran: Setiawan - Kuala Lumper – Klang – Kuala Selangor, a 2-day overnight journey, returning the same way. Phew, best to sleep on it.

 

11 May - Setiawan

Packing a small bag of necessary items, I made my way out the door, mentally prepared for a long bus ride, but midway opted for a costly taxi ride. At 500 Malaysian Ringgit (App. $125), the fee was nearly the laptop’s price. On the positive side, I would be back the same day. This was likely not the best option, but the deed was done. In the process, I became the proud owner of the costliest laptop charger in Malaysia.

 

12 May - Setiawan – Taiping - 90 km

“How old are you?” and “You must be very strong.” are two typical remarks in this part of the world. My usual reply is I’m not doing anything remarkable, seeing women give birth naturally. That is strong and brave! I’m simply pedalling a bicycle—not pushing a baby out of my vagina! There is no comparison!

Taiping made a short cycling day but I’d no desire to push on to Panang, an additional 80 kilometres down the drag. During the day, I met two Belgian cyclists nearing the end of their year-long cycle journey from Belgium to Singapore. They looked fit, lean, and tanned—but most of all, happy. Though they were looking forward to seeing their children and grandchildren, I was sure they would miss their life on the road. We chatted a while before continuing our separate ways.

I pulled into Taiping, thinking I might give the zoo at night one more try, this time, tripod in hand, but the weather came in and it started raining, and nothing came of my nightly visit to the zoo.

 

13-17 May - Taiping – Penang - 98 km

It was late morning before pedalling out of Taiping, as I didn’t fall asleep until the early hours of the morning. Fortunately, the day was overcast, making effortless riding to Penang. Not that one wasn’t sweating buckets, but at least it wasn’t under the scorching sun.

Penang was meant to be a quick in and out to arrange a Thailand visa. But, being Friday, meant waiting until Monday to hand in the passport and hopefully receiving it the following morning, making it Wednesday before resuming my ride. In the meantime, a budget room at the Love Lane Inn was as bare-bones as they came, providing only a mattress on the floor. The price, however, reflected the lack of amenities.

Soon the famous street food got underway, and I rushed to my favourite food stand and gulped down a good dose of exotic eats. Then, after making a copy of the passport (needed for the visa application), I returned to my mattress on the floor.

In the morning I donned running shoes and set off to discover the area on foot. First to the water’s edge, and then along the promenade, past the old fort and heaps of old colonial buildings, some renovated and others still waiting in line.

One could hardly call it “running” as I was merely chugging along grimacing, gasping for air, arms flailing wildly. Taking all that effort, I should’ve moved at quite a pace but scarcely moved at all. It’s extraordinary how others can make jogging look so comfortable. Drenched in sweat, I returned to my mattress, only to find no water in the shower due to a broken pipe. The lack of amenities made me load up and move around the corner to another, and considerably better joint at the same price. At least I’d a bed, bedside table, writing table and two chairs, as well as a “shower inside” but toilet still outside.

Following my morning run, I met up with Rickee Lee, a native of Penang and fellow cycle tourer. We had breakfast together and jabbered on about all kinds of things. It’s amazing; the awesome people one meets while cycling.

The following day, a bus took me to the snake temple situated along the outskirts of town. The temple is quite old and was constructed in 1850 by a Buddhist monk. Surprisingly, the snakes weren’t in cages but slithered at random. One had to tread carefully as these Pit Vipers were everywhere. After a few pictures, I made a hasty retreat.

Finally, Tuesday arrived, and time to collect the passport containing a new two-month Thailand visa.

 

18 May - Penang – Alor Setar - 103 km

I just about had enough of the negativity in Southeast Asia. If one more person told me I was too old to cycle, I thought I was going to fucking punch them in the face. I look old, but, Christ, I wasn’t 100 years old. All the “How old ARE you?” said with a lifting of the eyebrows was getting on my droopy tits. I guessed I could’ve donned a burka. One would swear the right to ride a bicycle was strictly reserved for the under 25s. Rant over.

I didn’t get underway until 9h00, but the day offered pleasurable biking and the weather a pleasant 30–33°C. My chosen route followed the main road past a multitude of eateries selling interesting snacks and drinks. The area further revealed huge high-volume buildings used for farming swiftlet nests. These edible nests are made of solidified saliva and used in soups, an immensely popular, albeit expensive, dish.

The rainy season was fast approaching, and paddies fields were prepared for planting. This labour-intensive job made me appreciate every grain. Alor Setar (Alor Star) was reached in good time. The Comfort Hotel was easily the most affordable in town. There was no “bathroom inside”, but the bicycle could be inside, and the communal bathrooms were sparkling clean. The conveniently located night market behind the hotel, provided easy pickings.

 

19 May - Alor Setar, Malaysia – Hat Yai, Thailand - 106 km

There wasn’t a single “How old ARE you?” on this day. I guessed my aura clearly stated, “don’t even think about it”. The 60 kilometres to the border was uneventful, and the crossing into Thailand, was easy-peasy. Then followed the usual SIM card/draw money thing, and a further 57 kilometres cycle ride spat me out in Hat Yai. The area around the railway station came with a plethora of inexpensive digs. Park Hotel turned out quite reasonable at 350 Thai Baht (app. $10) for a sizable room sporting wi-fi and a bathroom.