Hiding in Taman Negara

With most of the preparation errands out of the way it was time for me to hit the road. First stop was Taman Negara since it was something I wanted to do for a long long time now. Did you know that Malaysia has The Oldest Rain-forest in the World. 

Entrance to Taman Negara - National Park Malaysia 

The ride was nothing spectacular but peaceful once I left the highway, but a disappointment for I though riding into the jungle would be exciting but ended up riding through farm estate such as palm oil until I hit the Taman Negara pit stop town. The forest reserve was on the other side of the river and this little settlement here serve as a gateway for tourist to stay, eat and stockpile for the trip.

First thing that caught me off guard was that there was no ATM here and the amount of money I brought along ... RM 300 was not enough to secure any tours ... the popular 2 days 1 night tour was RM 230 plus RM 70 for two night at Agosto Hostel and that was all I had. I will have to do it on my own this Jungle adventuring.

First day when arrive I was greeted by the cheerful Kak Ayu. Hostel life was like hostel life but this time around it was a bit more weird since I was from Malaysia traveling in Malaysia so most guest will from time to time will seek for advice about Malaysia which I don't really know ...

Do you know if there is a bus from Taman Negara to Perhentian Island ... ??

Ummm ... I dunnu I rode a bike here ...

Cool you ride a bike here !!! .... Do you know if I just show up in Tioman would there be a place to stay or should I book in advance ?

Errr ... ask google ??

Whats the best way to get from here to Kuala Lumpur ....

Ride .... :)

But apart from the technical information which I am dumbfounded .... I could give many bias location to visit and things to do in Malaysia .... haha

Jungle Tracking in Taman Negara & Canopy Walks ...

Taman Negara was one of the easiest Tropical Forest to enter and wander alone without a guide. Park entrance was RM1 which last for one month and if you bring a camera of phone that would be another RM5/month 

Park Ranger HQ in Taman Negara 

The arrangement was like a three layered difficulty where the first layer encompass area nearby the Ranger HQ with gangplanks for walkway and cleared path making an obvious human trail felt nothing like an untouched rain-forest. 

Gangplanks Walkway Trail in Taman Negara 

If anyone asks if i met any large animals/mammals in the rain-forest my answer would be yes ... there are these species named humans, very loud and moves in groups of 10 to 20s but sometimes you find the more adventurous one wandering alone.

The second layer beyond the first was much more tranquil and leaves the gangplanks walkway into a small dirt path carved out in the forest by constant hikers. I preferred this one but tracking alone can be scary for every noise in the bushes and trees could mean i was dinner .... the third is of course cutting deep into the rain-forest, do not attempt without a local indigenous guide. 

Deeper in Taman Negara the Gangplank Vanished to a Tiny Dirt Trail. 

Also, everyone goes to the canopy walks ... for RM5 you get to walk among the treetops of the Jungle. 

Taman Negara Canopy Walk

Hiding Huts in Taman Negara (Bumbun)

Apparently no wild camping is allowed in the rain-forest reserved as the animals roam the land at night and may be dangerous to people hence the Hiding Huts or Bumbun are constructed by the Rangers at stretegic points in the jungle for overnight observations. It cost RM5/month to go overnight in one of the Huts. 

Hiding Huts in Taman Negara 

In the huts there are only bunk beds made out of wood and that's it. No lights, no electricity, no water, no toilet, no nothing ... you bring your own sleeping bag, food and water but no open fire cooking is allowed. 

Hardboard to Sleep in the Hiding Huts 

I decided to try for Bumbun Chegar Anging which was about 3km away from the Park Ranger Center but there was catch ... you needed to cross the river ... “cetek je” the ranger said ... its shallow water you can walk across it he said.

Armed with sleeping bag, food and water I made my way to the river crossing point .... that's a huge river ... laid down my stuff to test and see if I could cross the river .... no way ... unless i was prepared to be fully soak ( no issue ) but also all my stuff to be fully soak ( food, sleeping bag, phone) .... nope so I headed for Bumbun Taping instead just a few hundred meters away from Bumbun Chegar Anging but without needing to cross the river. 

River Crossing ... Looks Shallow but .... 

Needless to say it was boring ... apart from chilling at the river bathing and watching the water flow and later reaching the hut and waiting for night to fall, I saw no animal. Thou there was many jungle sound to appreciate that was all I could do, listen. 

My Provisions for one Night in the Hiding Huts 

The hut could take up to 8 person but for that day .... I was the only one there .... alone in the jungle .. 

Observation View Point from the Hiding Huts 

Hardboard for a bed was sore but other than that very peaceful at the hut ... Early morning I walked back to the hostel but along the hike back I heard some noise and movement in the bushes but could not see what it was ... I think it was some-kind of animal ... a dog or wild boar would be my guess ... never really see it but it sure scare the hell out of me.

You know walking alone in the jungle was nice ... until you feel that you are being tracked by something .... when all the noise of birds and jungle sound suddenly goes silent .... shit shit shit ... but what can I do .... just slowly keep going following the trail .. I got out ok ... and that's the end of my Taman Negara adventure ....
Travel on: Aug 2018

The Beginning of the Motorcycle Journey

29 July 2018, Today was the official day I leave Singapore. Gave up the keys to my room in Tiong Bahru back to the landlord in the morning and with my bag packed I headed for Johor through Kranji. The surrender of a place to stay in Singapore felt like the true beginning of leaving and starting the journey but somehow knowing that I have to go back home to KL and would have to run errand such as packing, permit runs, etc etc, the beginning is does not feel the same as the last two trips


I don't feel like the trip really kicked off this time. Unlike the last two trips, when I check-in to the airport and get my boarding pass and crosses the gates ... I knew it was the beginning of an adventure but this time round the start is more obscure, so blend in like I knew it, but not really since most of the time its only a memory or a tale talked so much to friends and family.

We don't visit our own country much i suppose. It goes for all different country as well. Guess it does not feel justified spending so much time and money for something no different than back home. That's whats it feels like when visiting kampung after kampung ... I know this ... I understand this I think, but actually every place is a new place, but just not that out of our comfort zone, hence it is not as interesting as when I was travelling in south america. I spend so much time visiting one town to another that is so identical like a kampung to a kampung but never felt bored overseas and yet I get the feeling that I will feel this way in Malaysia ... sigh

Crossing from Singapore to Johor was a breeze as I planned and I avoided the major crowd and skipped the jam. Across the border and stright up grab to the condo to meetup bluey. Alas the battery was dead, just a few days i had hoped the battery would survive but it was totally flat. Only hope now is to recharge it by riding it else it would cost me another RM 180 to change.

Very fast I felt this was solidatary .... riding alone and checking into the gateway hostel to Tioman Island, I wonder what I was doing in Mersing. It was a small town as expected and the only reason people seams to come here is to get out to the island which cost extravagant ammont of money. Yet I am here just cruising by and staying longer not knowing why.

This journey is going to be so much different from the last two trips. Somehow I know there will be more time alone than anything else ... 

My Hopes of Getting a FIA Carnet De Passage En Douane – Malaysia

So some background info for most would not know about this mysterious Carnet De Passage En Douane (CDP). Short version, its like a passport for the vehicle travelling overseas. 

Long version i will leave it to https://www.riderchris.com/info/carnet-de-passage-malaysia/ which was the main source of information for me anyway. Thanks Chris.

Anyway, technically i do not need a Carnet if i was to only go South East Asia for they were not recognized in these countries but then again, these days and age and especially in SEA, somethings are like the US currency ... its not official but once the people understand the system, they use it.

So based on many forums, private facebook overlanding group, some personal message here and there, it was known within the small community of crazy people like me who wants to travel by their own vehicle, although its is nor formally recognized, the Carnet is understood and sometimes used by the custom officials in Malaysia,Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam so if i have one ... i basicly have Bluey’s passport all set to go.

Not official but good enaugh to cross over without hassle. Or what i was thinking is ... better to have some sort of papper than empty handed trying to cross a border with a motorbike.

Time to get a Carnet ....

It all started on Tuesday morning 7 August 2018, it was time to get to work and kick off all the red tape item so i can set off for the trip ... my estimate was, I would need 2 weeks to sort out everything before I am on the road again. So down I went to Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) to enquire information for application of Carnet De Passage En Duoane 

Automobile Association of Malaysia 

Searching the place at Shah Alam was easy enaugh with google maps and once there, the reception desk immediately directed me to thrid floor and Ms. Woo. So i guess this was going to be stright forward and not wandering around like a lost puppy.

I met Ms. Woo which was a charming lady with load of adventure stories. I mean kinda expected it since if you do Carnet for a living ... only the crazy idiots and the big dreamers go for those stuff and Carnet was not something people think of unless you try to do overlanding in loads of countries.

Before we begin i got a warning .... No more Carnet to Issue they said.

Huh ??? what .... ?? means what ??

So apparently they run out of stock for the Carnet Booklet and wont be able to issue me a Carnet unless the new stock comes in.

And when will that be?

No idea was the reply. *roll eyes*

I could already see all the problems popping up in my head and all the hassle i would have to do to make this trip work, but also at the same time my head was running all kinds of scenario and alternative travel plans ...

The boon and bane of having such flexibility in travel but still it was a f*cking stab to my heart that the Carnet was not available now ... with no idea when it will be available ....

Sometime this year i asked ???

Dunnu ???

Early next year ??

Dunnu ??? It's out of her hands ..... and apparently mine too ...

If inside my heart i wanted to scream and started bulldozing like a anyone would do in Singapore, i kept a super cool composure thinking that yea sure i can make do with anything that comes my way.

For an hour Ms. Woo kept talking, taking me through the procedure of Carnet which mostly i already knew thanks to Chriss details post (link above) ... interlace with the instruction was stories, stories of how people had no idea of the inner working of Carnet and would come to her only to have their dreams blown away.

Some stories i remember was

A group got a Carnet and started their travel but during travel only got entry stamps and no exit stamps ... so their big bucks deposit is stuck since it was half done ... good luck to them

Some joker got his licence and immediately bought a bike and came to get a Carnet for he wanted to travel tomorrow .... no go for that one as well

Another thought the deposit is determine by the owner and not AAM malaysia, so a BMW deposit would be roughly RM 55000 ... awww ... no money for deposit ... dreams cancel ...

Funny thing was ... all her stories and information was already expected by me and so i was really good to go .... minus the fact she does not have the booklet to give me...

How long is the waiting list ???

Very long ...... f*ck ...

Never did think it was that popular ... guess i am not the pioneer of crazy.

So there it is ... I am stuck now ... no Carnet unless by some miricale the booklet stock arrive and all the waiting list has other commitments that i get to jump queue and by the merciful Ms. Woo would still remember me, I would get a carnet within this few months.

I am more or less f*cked .... sigh

So i have a few options left ....

1. Wait ... and PRAY .... Hope that by some Miricle i will get a Carnet in the next one month ...

2. Time to visit all the Embassy and get the permit one at a time ... so much red tapes to cross with this path

3. Just risk it ... start the journey ... reach the border and somehow ... somehow ... continue my journey .... 

to be continue ......

Riding With The’ Gang to Taiping

The Bike Gang Parking Spot in Taiping 

I procrastinated in writing this post for a few months now for i am afraid. It is very seldom that I write with people that will read this post and somehow the fear or judgement or the call of bluff if I hype up the story or tweak it a bit may be exposed. Oh well ...

So to tell it properly i have to start from the beginning I guess ...

( This will probably be a long post since I am lazy to break it to segments )

The Gang

I first knew Kim & Bijan through a comment left on my blog. Apparently they were looking for information on border crossing around South America and they stumble upon my blog, so that was the beginning. I was back in Singapore working and they were still on the road but we kept in touch and a year later I met them in person in Dec 2016. Time sure flies since then.

If the one reason I am still blogging till today is definitely from all the amazing people I have met through the blog and not for the hope of Google Sense advert ever giving me money. I earn USD1 a year currently on the blog through advert and with a USD100 minimum pay-out, I guess I need to live to a hundred or something. Still I have hope ... haha

Early 2017 we meet up again exchanging stories, having fun reminiscing travel experience and each with their own twinkle in their eye probing subtly each other plans for the next adventure.

Kim: No money now la have to work .... work ... sigh*

Me: Yep yep ... plans and dreams not important now ... time to zombie mode and work and safe for the next trip .... we discuss again next year ok.

Early 2018 and the meet up was more exiting this time round. Even before I asked, I could see the eyes shines brighter and the smile much wider.

Bijan: Ooi what's your plan ?

I got my bike d .... planning to travel South East Asia, time to see my home backyard properly. Paiseh go so many places in the world but never really seen home-ground South East Asia.

Alas time changes everything. Kim got a sudden job offer in Dubai leaving Bijan alone in her plans to go back to South America riding. I could only smile. We were all traveling again in our own way and that was so much fun than zombie working. The excitement, the danger and the ever ongoing subtle jest to up one another that you gonna miss out big not joining me on my own trip.

While Bijan trip will be the most obvious get go adventure with everything to look forward to minus Kim, mine had unlimited potential since South East Asia is so near I could practically detour and change plans and if lucky or fated enough maybe end up in Europe through the mind boggling silk road .... possibilities but I ain't thinking this time round ... we’ll see ...

Kim thou tries to boost her own spirit up saying she would visit the middle east more easily now, its nearer to Europe and South Africa, holidays are still possible like riding in Oman. Under constant rebuke from me and Bijan to get Kim as jealous as possible, the pout on Kim mouth was priceless.

Bijan: Enjoy seeing mine and Edwin post on Facebook ya travelling :P we will keep you entertained.

Me: Yep ... and after a year when you save up all that money working, we will be broke and watch your travels.

So no chance to ride together ... @#$% ... hence Taiping was the outcome of the discussion and by some luck we all mange to squeeze out time from our busy schedule to make it happen before each of our big trips were to begin.

The Bikes

Two Big Girls & a Small Bluey .... 

I rode bluey back from Johor to KL just to join up with Kim and Bijan on the trip to Taiping, but that first long ride nearly wreck my body. So many pains and aches on my butt that i had never experience, so when Kim called and said they need to delay the start by one day i was secretly overjoyed. A message back to my boss forcefully extending my holiday by two more days was a given.

Me:- Bluey ( Demak D7 125cc )

A local Malaysian made bike, Demak was not well known and last i heard (2018) rumours that the company closed shop. I choose that bike for many reasons i guess ... 

1. It was whoopingly cheap at RM 2900
2. Its below 125cc which means i can bring it into vietnam without issue
3. Its super easy to self maintain (i no longer service at the workshop .. DIY)
4. Malaysian made babe

Bluey at Sekinchan 

Bijan:- CMC Italjet Buccaneer 250i

Frankly i admire the beauty of this bike. The engin power, the fuel inject system, the lovely sound or a puring cat ... Bijan offered me to test ride the bike many times as it was within my licence class of 250cc, i think she could almost see my drool of wanting to try it but i had to say no .... somehow i felt if i test ride it and knew what i was missing, riding bluey would never be the same

Bijan's Ride: CMC Italjet Buccaneer 250i

Kim:- CMC 400 cc

This power-horse from china and looking at Kim riding it i wonder how she manage to ride it as well. The bike was way bigger than her. Still have to admire a lady rider. 

Kim's Ride: CMC 400

The Ride from KL to Taiping

Kim: We did not really plan the route to Taiping, we just pole-pole along the way there is it ok with you?

Pole-Pole which is pronounce as poh-leh-poh-leh was a word Kim pick up somewhere along their travels around the world which means chill, relax, slow-slow, or along that line.

Me: Sure, in fact that is a must ... heck I pole-pole from JB to KL 350km took me 12 hours .. that's 30km/hr. So which road do we take to Taiping I asked since we were sitting down in Uptown Damansara eating breakfast at dawn before the journey

Kim: We thinking north-south highway all the way to Taiping.

Apparently their version of chill riding and my version was totally different. How the hell do you chill ride on a highway? So I suggested a route I knew ... the Sekinchan - Teluk Intan - Lumut - Taiping coastal road which was the old coastal kampung road. Luckily they bought the idea and we were off with the first stop aimed at Sekinchan.

Start Your Engines ..... Vroom .... 

Throughout the journey their slow pace was Bluey MAXIMUM SPEED. Oh how I came to knew bluey so much better now thanks to Kim and Bijan. Bluey has a top speed of 117km/hr on flat road and best cruised at 70-80km/hr but with these two I was forced to go 90-100 km/hr else be left behind. Heck sightseeing is hard when you travel pass 60km/hr

Cendol stops, coconut stops, paddy fields stop, photo stops, lunch stops, silently I apologies to bluey for the abuse at every rest point and hope that bluey does not overheat before we reach Taiping.

Title: Bijan Taking Photo of Kim 

Title: Before the Big Photo Taking Session 

Last stop before Taiping was Burn Chendol, and looking at the clouds there was signs of rain on the way. Time to ride everyone ... no more stops, we meet at the hostel ok. Bye bye Edwin both Kim and Bijan said with a smirk on their face. So I got one more treat after chendol i guess, the Malaysian call it “Makan Asap” eat my smoke .... within seconds I have lost both the girls

Slow ride then I guess, but looking up ahead I could smell the rain coming. Stop at the side of the road to change gear to wet weather outfit then almost instantly it was the tropical rain, the big droplets that completely soak everything, good thing I suited up fast I guess but now I could only go at 30km/hr since visibility is very poor.

It rained all the way to Taiping and when I reached the hostel, I was told no girls on bikes have arrived yet .... cheekily I send a message to Kim .... ooi why so slow ... never did get a reply but half an hour later the sound of Vroom Vroom Vroom started echoing at the front door of the hostel.

Kim & Bijan unpacked everything that was wet which was almost everything and went straight to the self service laundromat few shops down.

Kim: You need to chuck in anything to dry ?

Me: Nope ... thou my bags are wet all my clothes are dry ... plastic bag inside the bag haha.

Kim: CIS !!!

Taiping

Somehow the only two activity that we had in mind for the three days two night in Taiping was Maxwell Hill and Kuala Sepetang Seafood. Maxwell Hill was regulated by the government so the only way to get up was by paying the RM 10 jeep fee or hike up on foot. Lazzy buggers that we are, all paid the RM 10 to get a ride up. 

Maxwell Hill also known as Bukit Larut 

Some of the better roads at Maxwell Hill 

I for one almost regretted the trip up .... motion sickness plus one hell of a damm good driver racing up a barely 5 foot winding dirt path was almost enough to make me puke. Plus not knowing how long more I was to endure the torture for I had no idea how far the ride up is, it was a mind torture as well.

Somehow just as I thought I'm not gonna make it to the end, we were there ... up high on Maxwell hill where the temperature drop lovingly to 21 degrees or so I felt. Rest was all I did ... plus a bit of mental training to prepare for the trip downhill.

Every other time was spend wandering around Taiping with Kim constantly on the foodie app looking for new places to go eat.

Bijan: Ooi when did this become a food trip .... (grumbling of the weight she will gain)

While Kim could eat a horse without gaining a pound, I could eat consistently without getting full so paired up we were eating almost non-stop. Kim would order all the dishes she wanted to try and I'll take almost half and Bijan will grudgingly take a spoonful or two of the good stuff. 

Chendol

Rojak

Fried Banana - Goreng Pisang

Big Prawn Curry in Bread 

Halal Char Kuey Teow - Missing one Ingredient 

Popiah

Food was always the topic and one of the special memorable one would be the Guinea pig.

Bijan Or Kim: Did you try the Guinea pig when you were in South America?

Me: Yep ... its delicious, didn't you all tried it when you were there?

Kim: CIS ... we did not ... seram la when we see the thing roasted with all the feet and head still intact.

Me: I tried it at Cusco; Peru, nicely grill and all. Its the food of the king’s in South America you know. If you go into the famous church in Cusco, there is a painting of the ‘Last Supper’ and in the painting the main food shown was the Guinea pig and the wine was actually quecha a local alcohol drink. That’s Christianity localized for you here in South America, where they try to explain to the locals the best food and drink one could have before dying, that was what the local understood and painted.

Bijan: What does it taste like ?

(With a twinkle in my eye and a sly smile hidden away .... knowing that only Bijan will be going back to South America and without Kim)

Me: If you wanna know what wild boar taste like, not farm pig ya but wild boar ... babi hutan .. yea it taste like that

I knew that Bijan will never be able to verify the lie I just told .... (Sorry Bijan) .... and a few months later when she was back in South America, her three spoonful was the limit, with the rest left and rejected .... and the remark was it taste like chicken+duck+pigeon+rabbit.

Crap ... i may have just introduced a mental block saying it taste like the forbidden fruit PIG that she could not enjoy it.

The Ride from Taiping to KL

So the journey back was even more faster than the journey to Taiping. The girls now can no longer pole-pole at my pace hence lesser stops since I could not ask for a stop anymore ... heck bluey also started to complain at the pace with flickering headlights.

By the time we reached near Sekinchan, both my main and dim lights were blown, only the high beam was working. Over rev ... too fast

There was a few stops long enough to cool down bluey, one at Pasir Salak town which was a museum landmark now for the historical moment Malaya decided to go against the British rule and kill one of the envoy J.W.W Birch. 

Pasir Salak Museum 

Museum Ticket Office Guy: Two Ringgit please ...

Me, Kim & Bijan : Eh ... wait a second ... (begin the bargain, discussion, persuasion, Non stop berating, angkat bola, charming, jokes trying to avoid the RM 2 fee to enter the museum)

Naturally we lost and paid the RM 2 fee to enter the museum and was instantly greeted with air-conditioning. If only the ticket man said there was aircon inside in the first place, so much worth the RM2 to escape the heat for an hour we all agreed.

The other small stop was Beruas, a single street barely 300m long which said free museum. I could not remember anything inside the museum but it was a nice stop where we got this awwsome photo together. 

Beruas - Selfie Time 

Last stop was food! Tanjung Karang. The girls left me in the dust so many times that I now have no idea where they were or where we are to meet up. Just have to hope they remember our talks about food and Kim’s suggestion about Tanjung Karang.

I got there and parked at the Petrol Station and send a message wondering if I would get a reply or worst yet get a reply telling me they have reach KL already.

A few minutes later I got a reply and they were nearby having the same thoughts about food. So the last stop was this port side seafood restaurant at Tanjung Karang. 

Nuff said ...

I’ll miss travelling with a gang ... sure fill out all the void when one is bored and has nothing to do.

Trip back to Singapore alone was lonely without them and I had to brace a storm as well. Not as fun when you don't have friends to laugh at stupid things. 

Painful Heavy Rain on the way back to Singapore 

Post road trip

When I got back to work & life in SG, colleagues & friends was surprise i finally turn up since I did a last minute extension of holiday.

“ Oh your are back!!” was the general consensus, not sure if it was malicious or disdain or a sigh of relief to them.

I got interrogated on where I disappeared to naturally.

Me: Riding ... to Taiping .... and Back ...

My colleague & friends was suppressed, and thought I was crazy but somehow this should be the natural reaction. When they probe further and knew I was travelling with Kim & Bijan two general types of reaction came out ....

For the Girls
I sense they had this ave and respect for Kim & Bijan ... and a feeling of triumph that the girls could ride faster and better than me to Taiping. Kim & Bijan is a beacon for girl empowerment as I always told them even thou they never seam to think much about it. 

For the Boys

Boys will have the widest imagination ever .... so I'll just leave some of the memorable quotes

A: Did you manage to catch them ? (referring to me eating dust) You should have try to catch one at least ... he said with a smirk

I: You should get a bigger bike ... that's the only way to go ...

T: No wonder you so tired .... daytime riding bike, night-time dunnu riding what ..... (err ... )

Test Ride No.1 Bringing Bluey Back Home

Somewhere along the way I started calling my bike Bluey … whenever someone comment about how beautiful the bike is, Bluey become a ‘her’ but when the comment is about its practicality, the cheap price, the great old classic style where one can self-maintain the bike … bluey becomes a ‘him’, guess the non-gender like name of Bluey fits in a way 

My Bike Bluey - Demak D7

Its been 4 months now since I bought Bluey back in Dec 2017 and this was to be the first long journey I would take in a mini self-experiment before the long-term trip. The plan was simple … ride back home to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore via the old kampung road. Total distance about 355km via old road. 

I started the journey early in the morning of 530am from Tune Hotel Danga Bay Johore Bahru with the morning chill and the absence of heavy traffic. All was well till I started reaching the Senai-Kulai-Simpang Renggam old road. Old road is still good road in Malaysia, just mainly used for the neighboring towns commute and not really for the long haul. Only problem, there was minimal street lights … so almost impossible to speed up. 

Sunrise - Time to pick up the pace 

By sunrise it was time to up the speed and cruising at 70 to 80 km/hr, it was a lovely ride all the way to Ayer Hitam. It was maybe 1/5 of the journey completed, and I already started to feel body ache all over with fatigue in places I had no idea existed. Maybe I was hungry I thought to myself … no breakfast and lack of cigarettes might be the cause … 

Ayer Hitam Pit Stop for Breakfast 

Roti Kosong & Teh Tarik for Breakfast

Parit Sulong Pit Stop for 2nd Breakfast - I Pit stop many times really .... 

Nothing much along the ride home, plenty of stops every 20 minutes, smokes, drinks, eat, rest …. Going by old road from Ayer Hitam-Yong Peng-Muar-Malacca-Alor Gajah-Senawang then I hit the Lekas Highway all the way back home.

Total time was 11 hours … for 355km … immediately I got comments on my FB & IG …

--> Why you riding at 30km/hr??

I was exhausted! Simply not accustomed to Riding a bike for such long hours and distance. Still I was proud of Bluey … never disappointed me once. 

Bluey back home ... 

The ride home was a solo test ride and the plan was to join up with Bijan & Kim to ride to Taiping the next day. Kim called me that night for something came up with Bijan and our trip to Taiping had to be postpone by one day … while they felt guilty of the last minute changes, in my mind I was glad … coz I could not fathom how I would be able to ride to Taiping the next day with the amount of butt ache and exhaustion I was feeling…

Immediately after confirming the postponement of the trip I send a whatsapp message to my boss …. I need another two days leave I told him …

(One day postpone and I request for two more days of leave extension haha …. Coz I know I would need another butt

break once I get back from Taiping)