West Malaysia loop ride

Day Two began early — or rather, dark. I had stayed up late the night before writing up the blog, and by the time I got to bed it was already 1 a.m. But somehow, I still woke up at 4… then again at 5. At that point, I decided I might as well get going. I slipped into my morning rhythm — journalling quietly before getting ready and heading downstairs to meet Tony and Alex.

We rode out for breakfast, navigating the weekday morning rush hour of Kuantan. It was a slow ride through heavy traffic, but we eventually found our way to a little spot tucked deep inside a residential neighbourhood. If it wasn’t for Google Maps, we’d never have found it.

The place was called Sin Chun Curry Noodles (新村咖里面) — a tiny stall nestled in a row of terrace houses. They served old-style curry Yong Tau Foo noodles, where you pick your ingredients and they combine it with curry gravy and noodles of your choice. I had mine with kway teow — and it was glorious. Comforting, spicy, rich. A fantastic start to the day.

After breakfast, we hit the road and made our way north toward Kuala Terengganu. It was a relatively straightforward ride — wide, open roads, mostly straight, with occasional long bends to keep things interesting. Traffic was light, the weather hot, and the ride smooth. We stopped for a quick petrol break to cool off, especially since Alex’s Harley was the thirstiest of the bunch. I grabbed us some ice cream — a welcome little treat in the heat.

Eventually, we reached our homestay for the night — Homestay Cik Phua, tucked away in Gelong Bilal. The kampung itself was unique, with many small streams running through it — a quiet, flowing presence that set it apart from other villages we’ve stayed in. It gave the place a distinct character — peaceful, refreshing, and a little unexpected.

Once we settled in, we headed to the Mydin shopping complex for lunch. It had an old-school feel, but the air-conditioning was very welcome. We found an outdoor food court and spotted a stall selling Nasi Kandar. All three of us ordered it — biryani rice with a variety of curries and dishes piled on. The real magic of Nasi Kandar, of course, lies in the mix of gravies — done right, it becomes a flavour bomb of the best kind. This one wasn’t perfect, but it still hit the spot.

After lunch, we wandered through the Giant supermarket. I spotted some nostalgic favourites, like rows of Sunquick orange juice concentrate — something I hadn’t seen since childhood. There was also a fantastic array of spices, some whole, some ground, all laid out in bins. The smells were amazing — and then came that unmistakable scent of dried seafood. As a kid, I hated that smell. But now? It reminded me of home, of my mum and grandma cooking. These ingredients bring depth to dishes — and now, maturity has taught me to appreciate that.

We roamed the fruit section, laughed at something called a Sarawak Pot (none of us knew what it was — but it amused us enough to snap a photo), and eventually returned to the homestay to rest.

We washed our riding clothes, and unfortunately discovered that ants had gotten into one of the tables… and into Tony’s helmet. Watching him rinse and flush out the entire helmet with water was a sight to behold. It was practically a waterfall coming out the other side. Meanwhile, we found some Kiwi shoe polish and Tony gave his boots a good shine — they looked amazing after.

Later in the afternoon, I took some time to install a little upgrade to my panniers. It’s something I’d usually get help with, but today I decided to do it myself. I added internal netting compartments, which now give me extra space to store small items. All three panniers are now that little bit better. Feels good.

As evening came, we rode out to Chinatown — a unique part of Kuala Terengganu, considering it’s a Muslim-majority city in a Muslim-majority state. We’ve been here before, but this time I wanted to try something new. We ended up at Golden Dragon Restaurant, a humble place that served up four delicious Chinese dishes at very reasonable prices.

We wandered around afterward, stumbled across a lively night market, and soaked in the sights, sounds, and smells of street food. I tried something called Popiah Carbonara — it sounded strange, and it tasted… well, interesting. We spotted a shop called Rasa Happy that served cendol, including a version with durian. We didn’t go for that one, but it was cool to see.

Eventually, we returned to the homestay to wind down. The day had been full, but not rushed. Meaningful, yet relaxed.

Oh yes…I also washed my windshield. It was such a rare occurrence Tony felt compelled to take a picture.

And somewhere between the walking and talking and eating and laughing, we started thinking about Day 3. Originally, we planned to head to Bukit Mertajam to visit the Harley-Davidson dealer for Alex’s headlamp issue — but as luck would have it, we managed to solve the problem ourselves.

So now, the plan is to head westward, across the Titiwangsa mountain range, toward the town of Gerik. It’s going to be a long ride — maybe six or seven hours — winding mountain roads that are both beautiful and demanding. But that’s what makes it exciting.

“There’s something magical about arriving somewhere new on a motorcycle — even familiar places feel different when you ride in.”

There’s something magical about arriving somewhere new on a motorcycle. Even in places I’ve been before, like Kuala Terengganu, riding in always makes it feel different. More immediate. More alive.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. That’s the best part.