West Malaysia loop ride

Fail to plan and you plan to fail. I have heard this said so many
times in project management courses that it is starting to feel like
something people say for the sake of saying it. However, my own
experience with managing projects and teams confirms this saying.
Still having a plan is not enough. This, then, is the reason for the
shake-down ride.

The gang met up on a rare night that occurs once every four years (29
Feb) to see how they fare with some of the unexpected situations that
they may encounter on the trip…you know…situations like being
separated by traffic, getting lost, being worried about keeping pace
etc. This is an account of how that shake-down went.

As with every group ride, there needs to be some simple ground rules so we can handle unexpected situations safely and efficiently. The idea of the shake-down was to test how we interpret and execute these rules. Our ground rules were very simple:

1. Ride at your own pace. Many people have the perception that the most important thing in a group ride is to keep the pace. While it is important to keep the pace in general, this can become dangerous if keeping the pace meant riding outside of one’s ability. The fact is that we are more confident when we ride at our own pace. We become more tuned in to the environment, we are more aware of what is happening around us, and we can take the necessary precautions when unexpected situations occur. When we try to keep the pace and ride outside of our ability, we become flustered by the need to ride faster. This reduces confidence and increases the probability of making mistakes, mistakes which can sometimes be fatal. So it is very important to ride at our own pace.
2. Keep sight of the rider behind you – Most people will keep sight of the rider in front of them because they do not want to get lost. However, if the objective was to keep sight of the rider in front, it can very easily lead to someone trying to keep the pace in order to not lose sight of the person in front. This ground rule may seem counter-intuitive at first, but if we think about it, it makes perfect sense. When we ride in a group and everyone keeps sight of the rider behind them, nobody will really get lost. The lead rider will make sure the second one does not get lost, the second rider makes sure of the third and so on until the last rider. If anyone were to slow the pace down because they were not confident of a particular stretch of road, the whole group will slow down eventually because the rider in front will slow down, and the rider in front of that rider will slow down, all the way to the lead rider. Obviously, there will be times when we cannot see the rider behind, especially riding through tight bends. But the rider will eventually come into sight when we hit a straight or when we slow down our pace a little. This is the best way to keep the group together.
3. When in doubt, stop and call the lead rider. Murphy is a very good friend and we can always count on a nice friendly visit, especially when we least expect it. So even with the best ground rules and the very best riders, there is bound to be a time when someone does get lost. When this happens, it is important to stop and call the lead rider rather than guess where the riders in front are. It is a lot easier for the lead rider to stop the group, circle back and retrieve the missing riders this way, than it is when the people who are lost try to guess and make several other turns.

So how did the gang fare to these simple ground rules? Well, the first shake-down ride went rather well. We rode from Jurong all the way to Kranji without incident. Everybody stayed together and arrived at the first checkpoint. At this time, we decided to put the ground rules to a more challenging test. We released each subsequent rider some distance away from the rider in front. In the real ride, each rider can be separated by quite a distance both for safety and the fact that people ride at different paces. So we tried to simulate that environment here. In order to simulate an “unexpected situation”, I made a turn at the next junction and waited 10 metres into the turn. What happened next was classic.

Essentially, the entire group did not make the turn. The second bike obviously did not see me turn even though he had enough time to look ahead before I made the turn. This was too good to be true from a shake-down perspective as it presented us with the perfect learning opportunity. I expected a call from the second bike in the next few minutes. However, I did not receive a call for a good three minutes or so. At that point, I decided it was time for me to chase the group down and see what had happened.

I had thought that it would be a short chase. However, I had to ride through the entire stretch of New Tiew and still I did not see the group. It puzzled me when I reached the end because they must have made a guess at where I had turned since there was no way for them to ride “straight” at the junction with Lim Chu Kang Road. At that point, I made the call instead and found that they had taken a left turn and ended up near Ama Keng Road. After leaving instructions to rendezvous back at the starting point at Kranji, I proceeded back to wait for them.

The kicker came when they finally showed up…minus two riders. I asked where the other two riders were…and guess what…the rider in front did not stop because he wanted to keep sight of the rider in front…especially after the group got lost the first time round. The other two eventually made it back to the starting point safely. This classic situation made for a better learning opportunity than I could ever have planned for and I am happy that everyone had the chance to better understand what to do the next time something unexpected like this happens. In the debrief, we concluded that if the second bike had called earlier, we would have saved some time. If on the way back, every rider kept sight of the rider behind them, we would not have lost those two riders on the way back to the starting point. And that the important learning here is that we need to keep to the ground rules and never forget them.

The lesson for me that night was a simple one. Everybody makes mistakes. It is impossible to ride, or live life, without making a mistake. We would never enjoy ourselves if we did not allow ourselves to make mistakes. However, what is important is that when a mistake is made, we correct the mistake immediately, especially in the context of a group ride. This saves time, energy and anxiety. This keeps the group together and everyone will have the opportunity to enjoy the ride from beginning to end.

I feel satisfied with this shake-down ride. In the end, I had a good time riding with the gang. It was great fun…great conversation…and great learning.

Check back here often and follow along as we do the rest of the ride!

Some memories fade into oblivion, while others remain firmly fixed in our minds. The memory of the first WMLR is one of those that refuse to fade. It is strange how a simple activity – riding motorcycles – can bring people together and foster such strong bonds. There is a special magic in riding. Maybe it is the feeling of complete freedom, or maybe its the thrill of being away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life…or maybe…its just the coming together of good friends enjoying each others company. Whatever it is, I cherish the time we rode together…and cannot wait for the next one!

Well, I do not have to wait long. The next edition of the WMLR will begin very shortly. In fact, the date has now been set for 15-20 March 2012. The new gang met for the first time today and shared their experiences…and get this…there are nine riders! NINE!!! That is almost double the number who went on the ride last year! Cool! What is more exciting is the diversity in the gang. I cannot wait to share more about them in the coming days. So follow us as our journey unfolds!

Two weeks have passed since we completed the West Malaysia Loop Ride 2011 and life has gone back to normal…well…as normal as it can ever be anyway. So I had the gang over for tea yesterday to make up for the scones that we missed out on while we were at the Cameron Highlands. I got scones and cakes from Foster’s in Holland Village and we had a good time eating and chatting away. It is amazing how there is no shortage of conversation when friends gather!

As you can tell, the scones were popular…while everyone seemed to shy away from the cakes! Still, it was great to get together and enjoy this at an altitude that is relatively high (17th floor)…hahaha!!!

I sent out a few questions to the gang a week ago to get a gauge of their experience on this ride. It is something that I did the last time round that both helped provide a good closure to the ride, and to provide some ideas for the next time round. Here are their answers.

Alex (aka Intrepid)

Let’s start off with one of the busiest men in Singapore. Alex was with me for the last ride. It was great having Alex around as he is full of surprises and provided for much laughter at meal times. Never short of good lines and equipped with a healthy sense of humour, Alex is a joy to ride with. Here are his thoughts on the ride this time round. If you were wondering…yes…I forced him to reply by changing the questions completely from the last ride…hahaha!!!

1. What is the one word that best describes the WMLR2011 for you?
Enjoy

2. Describe your most memorable experience in the WMLR2011.
It must have been the moment when I saw SA overtake LPG on our way down Gunung Brinchang. At the back of my mind, I was thinking that she can’t be overtaking at this juncture, it was likely due to a “faulty brake”. To my relief, when I turned the corner, I saw her still on her bike at the other end of the slip road which probably served as a safety runway when her bike rolled down the slope.

3. What did you learn about yourself in this trip?
That I really love riding, especially on the long haul.

4. What did you learn about the others in this trip?
Although coming from different backgrounds, ages and riding styles, we were able to accommodate each other throughout the trip. Most importantly, we took care of each other, enjoyed our rides (the main reason why we participated in the WMLR2011) and most of all … that all of us returned home safely.

5. What aspect of the trip would you like to see changed in the future?
Nothing in particular. Perhaps we can push a little further by clocking in 3000km instead of just over 2000km, or maybe travel further North into Thailand (but for that, the name WMLR will become irrelevant). [Ed: Don’t be so sure, Alex!]

6. Would you do it again? Why?
Yes, I would probably do it again if time permits. I would do it again for the love of riding and for the good company.

7. Would you recommend your friends? Why?
Yes, I would, just as I recommended LPG and SA for the WMLR2011 this time around. The reason is simple … “good things need to be shared with others”.

SA (aka swiftee)

SA was riding the smallest bike in the group, an XL200 dual sport, with tires that made her bike one of the most versatile in the gang. However, as most of the riding was on tarmac, it also made for the least comfortable ride. Riding a dual sport bike for such a long distance is a real test of will. I did something similar last year and could understand how much of a beating a ride like this can have on the rider. It was great to see SA completing the WMLR2011 without major problems on the XL200, a testament to the toughness of the bike and the rider!

1. What is the one word that best describes the WMLR2011 for you?
Wow!

2. Describe your most memorable experience in the WMLR2011.
Certain route we traveled (think it is route 66) it is really beautiful. [Ed: Yes, it was Route 66 heading up from Gua Musang to Jeli.]

3. What did you learn about yourself in this trip?
I learnt that Singaporeans (ok me at least) don’t really drive/ride that well, as the kinds of conditions they are used to are only about 15% of what you can possibly encounter.

About my bike:
Wow! This little bike is pretty hardy and capable. The only damage sustained was purely cosmetic (despite being whacked for 6 days straight). Rather comfortable in scrambler terms. And my high beam did not disappoint me. Thumbs up for Honda!

4. What did you learn about the others in this trip?
I met a fellow ‘satan’, lol! Don’t ask as this is a private joke.

Realized that our ages were 12 years apart from each other… this meant that there were 3 generations on this trip! Hehe.

Also learnt that we had “disco king” traveling with us, lol!

5. What aspect of the trip would you like to see changed in the future?
In my opinion, I feel that the gap between the bikes was a little huge in terms of speed and capability. Dual sports are not really built for going long distances at speed in terms of stability and ergonomics. However, due to my inexperience I did not really anticipate this situation. Next trip I will make sure that my bike is better matched with my trip mates.
(This is not to say you can’t go touring on a little dual sport, just that little dual sports will probably be happier with other little bikes). It’s best to match your companions’ bikes.

6. Would you do it again? Why?
Yup. Cuz otherwise what would I do with all the touring stuff I bought? lol!

7. Would you recommend your friends? Why?
Yes, trip leader was easygoing and responsible and everyone watched out for each other and was willing to make changes to accommodate other trip members when they needed to. Thanks Simon, Alex, LPG and Karl!

LPG (aka Lim)

LPG told me that this was his first long touring trip. Hard to believe at first as his bike was fully kitted out for a long road trip with those humongous boxes and that large windshield. It was great to see him enjoying himself on the rides and carving the corners with so much gung-ho. It was great having LPG on the ride as he was always around helping out with things that needed doing…including knocking on doors in the morning. Hahaha!!! Apparently, he had a problem with his carburettors during the trip which explained the less than stellar acceleration issues. I look forward to riding with him and experience his renewed Shadow!

1. What is the one word that best describes the WMLR2011 for you?
Shiok! (Is that a word?) [Ed: It is now!]

2. Describe your most memorable experience in the WMLR2011.
The most memorable experience should be going through the numerous twisty and windy roads, and the near misses …. hehehe!

3. What did you learn about yourself in this trip?

 

4. What did you learn about the others in this trip?

5. What aspect of the trip would you like to see changed in the future?
Nothing much. Maybe we should have spent less time at the petrol kiosks. Then we can get to the hotel before dark.

6. Would you do it again? Why?
Yes of course! I think this is the beginning of an addiction.

7. Would you recommend your friends? Why?
Yes. I would recommend this to anyone who loves riding motorbikes leisurely. The speed is just nice and the route was scenic.

Karl (aka karlmarx)

It is the rider, not the bike. I heard this countless times on the forums when folks would ask which bikes were best for touring. I have to admit that I had my worries when I found out that Karl would be riding a maxi scooter for the WMLR2011. Those small wheels would not go well with the huge potholes that we were going to experience. I was pleasantly surprised with how well Karl was able to keep up with his maxi scooter, despite the potholes, cracked tarmac, loss of a wheel nut and a cracked exhaust pipe! I cannot wait to see where he will go on his next bike!

1. What is the one word that best describes the WMLR2011 for you?
Fun!

2. Describe your most memorable experience in the WMLR2011.
Mountain roads.

3. What did you learn about yourself in this trip?
You don’t need the best bike or the best gear. Take away that limiting believe and have fun!

4. What did you learn about the others in this trip?
Different people different pace. Learn to accommodate.

5. What aspect of the trip would you like to see changed in the future?
Trip itself was well-planned. All credit to Simon. I think at the end of the day, it is not really the destination, but the journey. Glad to share this journey with Simon, Alex, LPG and SA. It’s been a good one.

6. Would you do it again? Why?
Definitely. Everybody needs an adventure once in awhile.

7. Would you recommend your friends? Why?
Yes. See answer to number 6.

Simon

1. What is the one word that best describes the WMLR2011 for you?
Fulfilling.

2. Describe your most memorable experience in the WMLR2011.
It is hard to describe the one most memorable experience in this ride. There were the beautiful and dramatic scenery around me, the fantastic roads with curves and bends, the warm hospitality of the staff at the Banding Lakeside Inn, the friendly assistance of the owner (Ah Peng) of the auto parts shop in Gerik, the solidarity and company of the gang, and so much more. The day that stood out most for me was when everyone rallied around with ideas to get that wheel nut fixed. It was a testimony of the togetherness that was forged in just a few days of riding together. The friendships built was my most memorable in this ride.

3. What did you learn about yourself in this trip?
I learnt that I could actually troubleshoot and fix things…hahaha!!! It would have been nice to have Tony MacGyver around though! More importantly, I really enjoyed exploring and sharing my explorations with people around me. That I found great fulfillment in bringing joy to others, and that I am very fortunate to have the support of the ones I love back home to be able to make this trip.

4. What did you learn about the others in this trip?
I learnt that everyone had something to offer regardless of experience and background. That every contribution made the trip that much better. Sure, we all had our low moments. Getting cold and wet, losing our cool, getting discouraged by our progress, worrying about our bikes and our abilities…but more important, that despite all of this, everyone pulled together to make it an enjoyable, safe and successful trip. I learnt that this spirit, above all, was what made this a great ride.

5. What aspect of the trip would you like to see changed in the future?
Every good plan can be made better through the benefit of hindsight. In this case, a better assessment of range will need to be done for future rides. It would be much better to arrive at our destinations with enough energy to enjoy the place. This would definitely be something to look into for the next ride!

6. Would you do it again? Why?
Absolutely. The opportunity to explore and make new friends is truly refreshing. It broadens my view of the world and allows others to share in my passion. I believe this is a part of my calling in life…to share my explorations with others and to empower them through this.

7. Would you recommend your friends? Why?
Certainly!  I believe that everyone can benefit from a trip like this. It is a great opportunity to learn and grow…and to enjoy what the place has to offer. It is an experience not to be missed!

Thank you for your patience with the blog. All six days are now complete and the only thing left to do is the video. So watch out for it!

Update (14 March 2011): I am having a lot of difficulty getting the video up due to technical issues. I wonder why it is so difficult to do this in an age where video is so prevalent. In any case…look forward to it being done this week!

Day six. The final day of the West Malaysia Loop Ride for 2011. We decided that we would sleep in a little later this morning and so breakfast was planned for 9am. I normally did not take breakfast in hotels when I am in Melaka…good food is in abundance there if you knew where to look. Still, we met at the hotel restaurant for breakfast this morning.

The entire theme of this resort is rustic village charm. I really liked the simple yet elegant look of the place. Breakfast was the usual buffet fare. I usually did not enjoy Mee Goreng (Fried Noodles) for breakfast…but this one was exceptionally good! In fact, I had a double helping! Hahaha!!! We had a relaxing time reminiscing about the days that had gone before…and discussing our options before leaving Melaka. We decided that we would check out after breakfast and head for our second breakfast before leaving for Tuas. Hahaha!!! We sound like Hobbits!!!

The place simply invites you to relax and so we took a leisurely stroll back to our rooms.

I really liked how this place was right next to the sea…and would have loved to lounge on this the entire day with a book and a drink…and a special someone!

I was greeted by the same sense of tranquility everywhere I turned!

We got back to the rooms and started packing…and then got the bikes ready to go. It was really great that we could park our bikes right outside our door!

Our ride today would take us about 240km through two states: Melaka and Johor. We would be riding on Route 5 mainly until we hit the Second Link Expressway new Gelang Patah.

The checkout was just as smooth as all the other hotels we were in during the trip…in fact…they were all a lot smoother than many other hotels I had been to. We headed towards Melaka town for our second breakfast. I decided to give the gang a mini riding tour of Melaka so we headed through many of the smaller streets as we rode towards our second breakfast destination.

I don’t know about you but I have a special place in my stomach for a good kopi-o-kosong and kaya butter toast. This was my simple childhood breakfast…of course…I had Milo when I was younger! So when I tasted the coffee and toast at Juat Lye, I was floored. It was the absolute best toast I had!

Not only was the toast good, we also ordered prawn soup noodles which everyone enjoyed. In fact, some of the gang proclaimed this the best prawn soup noodles of all time. Hahaha!!! Be sure to pay this humble little coffee shop a visit the next time you are in Melaka!

We headed off after breakfast for the second part of our little Melaka riding tour, covering the areas of Melaka on the other side of the river. We rode through the streets with the red shops, the big old church, the museums, the Mahkota square, Bukit Cina, Portugese Square and many more. No photographs unfortunately as I was shooting video instead!

We headed down south after visiting Portugese Square along Route 5. We covered many different towns along the way. The ride was generally uneventful. I could sense that everyone was so used to each other it was easy riding all the way. We did make a wrong turn at Pontian but that was soon corrected. Route 5 was pleasant but was a little less fun now as it was straightened and widened at some stretches. Thankfully, we still had that nice little stretch of plantation road getting from Pontian to Gelang Patah!

We arrived at the rest stop just outside Gelang Patah at 6pm, giving us sufficient time to take a break and get back into Singapore by 7pm. We gathered for our final Teh Tarik…some fun and jokes…and then it was time to take that group picture at the end of the ride.

I am really proud of the gang for completing this ride. While we covered a similar distance to the ride last year, we were challenged by the tougher roads and the mix of different bikes. We covered highways, cities, towns, villages, mountains and even some small stretches of really bad off-road conditions. We had a bike with brakes failing, one that was missing a rear wheel bolt, one that was so heavy it took three attempts to overtake a truck…and riders who were touring for the very first time. All in all…kudos to the entire gang…I am really proud of you…and it was a real joy touring with you all.

I started the trip with my odometer at 98256km. I saw my meter reset to zero while I was in Melaka and ended the trip at 100259km. This worked out to a total of 2003km! The West Malaysia Loop Ride has done it again!

See you next year!

The plan for today was for us to take a long ride of almost 480km of a combination of mountain and plantation roads towards Tanjung Kling in Melaka. However, as we had some bike problems over the last few days, and the fact that we had late arrivals over the first three days, I thought it was a good idea to simplify the route so we could get to Tanjung Kling with daylight to spare for a day of exploring in Melaka. The rest of the gang agreed to this and we headed off!

The route for the day would take us about 350km via the main North-South Highway (E2) cutting through Kuala Lumpur. We would be passing through five states: Pahang, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Melaka! While 350km is not short, the fact that we could do it at highway speeds meant we should be able to cover the distance in fewer number of hours. I was eager to get going!

So off we went down the Cameron Highlands, stopping at the town of Ringlet for our breakfast. Ringlet is the first town on the way up to the highlands if you ascend via Tapah. There are a few blocks of shop houses along the main street and we stopped at one of them for breakfast. It was simple Chinese fare and I had…

…yup…Dry Curry Chicken Hor Fun for my breakfast. Hahaha! I was really having a curry fixation for this trip! Actually, I found that I was having more curry than usual…I wonder why. Hmmm…

Anyway, we got going soon after breakfast as we had quite a lot of miles to cover. Going down the highlands proved to be extremely fun…though we were going a little slowly for the sake of safety as we were trying to avoid the same problem as yesterday at Gunung Brinchang. It still made for a fun ride though. The curves and bends were inviting and each one was a thrill for me! We Eventually made it to the bottom and I stopped for a breather. As we chatted a little during the break, we realized that I had stopped right across the road from a Gurkha Camp! Wow!

The rest of the journey for the day would be made on the North-South Highway. So it would be a day of rather boring riding given that the highway is a series of relatively straight and flat and wide roads. So I amused myself by mounting my GoPro to point towards the rear and left of my bike and tried to take some photographs of the gang riding…again…hahaha!!!

So this is Karl on his Kymco.

It sure looks like Karl was enjoying his ride today! He had a smile on his face…hehehe…

Here is SA on her XL.

Sometimes a lighter bike can be difficult to handle on an expressway with a speed limit of 110kph. Most of the trucks were going by so quickly that they created huge wind blasts which can throw a rider off their line now and then. So it was a handful to handle.

Here is LPG on his Shadow.

It does not matter from which angle a photograph was taken. A big bike is a big bike and the Shadow was the biggest and heaviest bike of the bunch. While this made for great stability at speed, it also meant that there will be a struggle on acceleration for overtaking. Still…I thought LPG had great fun!

Here is Alex on his Steed.

It took me quite awhile to catch up to Alex on his Steed…and I was not going slowly! He must have been having such a great time he forgot to look at his speedometer! I think that Alex secretly likes to open it up and get his groove going at speed! More power to ya!

Since the camera was mounted on my bike, it would be tough to get a picture of me on the bike…so here is a compromise…

I took this picture a little later from the rest actually…but hey…I did enjoy my ride…especially with all that power on tap with Anker…it was great fun!

So anyway…we were riding down the North-South Highway for quite awhile and I thought it was time for us to have our lunch break. It was a sunny day…just like so many of the other days…but now that we had just descended from the highlands…it felt a lot hotter than it did before! So a break was definitely in order. We stopped at the rest stop near Tanjung Malim for lunch. It was one of those places where you could sit very close to where you parked your bikes…to top it off…they had these fans that blow out a spray mist to cool the place down! Super!!!

I had a simple lunch of Nasi Lemak Bungkus (pre-packed coconut rice Malay style) and some Kueh (cakes). It was a kampung style lunch…and it was yummy!!!

And if you were wondering what is inside that Nasi Lemak Bungkus…well…wonder no more!!!

It was not much…but what it was…was FANTASTIC! That chili was super spicy…the rice had a light aroma of coconut…and the texture was superb! Lunch was dispensed with relatively quickly and we started getting ready to move on. At this point, the rest had to fuel up so we could get to Kuala Lumpur as our next fuel stop. Anker, on the other hand, had more than enough. So we waited while the rest had their fill.

From here, it was going to be a quick dash down to Kuala Lumpur. I gave instructions that we would meet at the toll booth as we entered Kuala Lumpur and that we would have one rider taking up the rear at all times. This would usually be Karl or Alex. So I was up ahead to start. I stopped at a place near Rawang as I saw this very nice landscape.

After my brief stop, I decided to take up the rear and told Karl (who was riding at the back at that time) that he could move ahead and meet up at the toll booth just outside Kuala Lumpur. So I was riding with SA from here on. The ride was nice and smooth…very pleasant and relaxing.

We caught up to the point where we saw Alex and LPG stopped at the side of the expressway just before the exit into Jalan Kuala Selangor. To my horror, SA turned into the exit and proceeded all the way down till the end. She told us later that she turned because she thought Alex and LPG were acting as “markers”…unfortunately…they just chose a less than ideal place to stop. Hahaha!!! Anyway, at this point it was impossible for SA to turn back. She was at the wrong end of the exit, Karl was way ahead, probably close to Kuala Lumpur, and Alex, LPG and me were stuck here at the other end of the exit. I instructed Alex and LPG to catch up with Karl while I helped SA get back onto the North-South Highway. So we split up at that point…thank goodness we had our Sena Bluetooth Headsets!!!

So while the other three were heading towards their rendezvous point, SA and I were trying to look for our way back to the North-South Highway. Unfortunately, this was no easy task as there was no simple place to make a U-turn. So we kept going until we found a suitable place to stop and try to make plans with the rest. We were already half and hour or so into riding when we found a place to stop. So I made alternative plans with the other three to meet at the Restoran Jejantas near Ayer Keroh instead. This would give us time to catch up with them as we found an alternative route towards the North-South Highway. I tried using the Papago GPS system on my iPhone 4 to guide me back to the highway. Unfortunately, it died less than five minutes into the ride. So I had to rely on road signs and luck. Thankfully, we eventually made it back onto the highway…woohooo!!!

We had to stop for fuel near Sungai Besi so that we had enough fuel to get to Tanjung Kling. So we fueled up there. At this time, I had a call with Alex and they were a little confused as to where the Restoran Jejantas were…so they stopped at the rest stop alongside Seremban. We agreed to meet up there instead since it was a lot closer than Ayer Keroh. So we pushed off. I received a call from the Shah’s Beach Resort where will be putting up for the night not long after this. I thought they just wanted to confirm if we were going to be there…but no…the call was to inform us that a water supply pipe had burst and that the water pressure was very low. They wanted to know if we were still interested to get there. Hahahaha!!! Bummer indeed!!! Since the group was separated at that time, I could not give an answer immediately. I agreed to return their call an hour later. After a bit of riding, we met up with the rest at Seremban. At that point, we all agreed that we would stick with the plan as long as we had water to shower tonight and tomorrow morning, regardless if it was from a pail or a shower head. so we headed on towards Melaka. From here on, it was a smooth ride all the way until we exited the highway at the Ayer Keroh exit and had a break at the Petronas just after the toll booth.

The good news was that it was still bright at this time…so in a way…we achieved our objective even with all the detours! However, everyone was feeling the effects of the long highway ride and the heat. We decided to head for dinner before we get to the hotel for the night. So we headed to Capitol Satay for some Satay Celup. This place served the best Satay Celup in town and there were many photographs of celebrities on their wall. Alex had a field day joking with the staff too! And we all had a merry time!

We had another one of our feasts that night. Did you know that you could eat for free if you beat the record for the most number of satay sticks eaten in one sitting? The current record holder ate 201 sticks of satay there!!! My goodness!!! Our combined total did not even come close at just below 170 sticks…and we still had leftover food on some of those sticks!!!

You can see that the street is practically empty except for this store…and there is even a small queue…on a Monday night!

It was a good dinner and everyone had a good time. Even the staff enjoyed serving us and laughing along with Alex’s jokes. So we walked back to our bikes and headed for the resort. This last 17km of riding for the day turned out to be another really pleasant one. Riding in the night air along the coast was quite special…and I really liked Melaka too! We eventually got to the resort and were assigned our rooms.

We were assigned rooms that were pretty close together. They gave each of us a pail in case we had problems with the water. Hahaha! It was really nice that they gave us a discount though…so we all felt pretty good about it. The rooms were modeled after a traditional Malay village house…and I really liked it!

As you can see, I could park my bike right outside my front door! My apologies for the weird colour cast!!!

My very favourite feature of the rooms were the veranda at the back. Each room had one…and each one had two easy chairs and a coffee table. I sat outside with the gang that night and had a great time chatting, debriefing…and finally eating that corn from the highlands. It was a nice time.

I had a great shower that night. The water pressure was not that bad after all. I took a walk around the resort and sat out on the veranda after my shower and enjoyed the sea breeze! All in all…it was a fantastic day of riding…great adventure…and a perfect end to the day!

It was really nice to have a good shower at night and clean up after a long day of riding. Somehow, the sleep is also better. We decided to start early since we would have to ride up to the Cameron Highlands as we wanted to arrive before nightfall. So breakfast was fixed for 8am. I woke up this morning to this view just outside my window and was floored by a sense of awe.

What amazed me was that it was pitch dark last night…and it was a scene to behold this morning. I decided to take my time and watch the sunrise. I have always enjoyed a good sunrise. I remember waking up extra early many times, especially when on holiday, just so I could watch the sun rise on a foreign place. The sunrise always held a special place in my heart. I was not disappointed!

I kept vigil at my window until the sun finally popped over the top of the distant mountains. That was worth the wait!

Breakfast was the usual hotel buffet spread. They served quite a number of different things but the one that caught my fancy this morning was the Nasi Lemak. So I arranged a plate for myself.

I was hungrier than I thought I would be given that we had such a late dinner the night before…so after wolfing down the Nasi Lemak, I had some toast and coffee…and then I was ready for the new day of riding! The ride today will be about 300km, the shortest so far, and will take us through the states of Perak and back into Pahang. While the journey is short, it will include many ascents and descents on curvy roads with tight corners. I was really looking forward to it!

The folks at the Banding Lakeside Inn really liked motorcycle groups for some reason. They were out in full force when we were preparing to leave and wanted to take some pictures for their website. We obliged and arranged the bikes so that a useful photograph can be taken. While waiting for some of the riders to be ready with their bikes, I took the opportunity to test ride Karl’s scooter. I had never ridden a scooter before till that point and was curious how it would handle, especially in the tighter turns and steeper inclines that we would encounter on the highlands. I found that his scooter was not lacking in power…but was a little difficult to control, especially on a turn. Karl commented that there was a rattling sound that was present this morning that was not there earlier. So we spent some time investigating this sound.

We eventually found the problem. The rear wheel on a bike is usually secured by a bolt that runs through the axel with a nut at the end to ensure that it remains steady, and to ensure that the wheel bearing does not fall off. We discovered this morning that Karl’s scooter was missing the nut and the sleeve that covers the bearings were rattling loose!

While we did come prepared with a rather well-equipped toolbox, this was no ordinary nut. So we had to decide at that point if we should ride on to the next town or get a tow truck. We eventually decided that it would be impossible for the nut to have fallen off just the night before, given the fact that the sleeve which was loose did not fall off as it was blocked by that grey bracket on the right. That means Karl was riding this bike without a nut for quite awhile! AMAZING!!! So we decided the best thing to do was to ride to Gerik and see if we can get this fixed while we get SA’s bike a change of motor oil since it was a single cylinder bike.

The ride turned out to be a very pleasant one with long sweeping bends…nothing too challenging…just a lot of fun!

We were riding at a lower speed now that we were alerted to the situation with Karl’s wheel nut. All of a sudden, I saw a new member in our gang in my rear view mirror! Can you spot him?

As usual, I sped ahead at one point so I could take pictures of the individual bikes as they rode pass. I did not realize that I would be captured on camera as well!

Looking at this picture made me realize why the folks were looking at me from their cars as they drove pass. Hahaha!!!

We eventually arrived in the town of Gerik which is located at one end of Route 4. I searched the shops on both sides of the road and eventually found a motorcycle repair shop. I was hoping they could change SA’s motor oil…and get Karl’s wheel nut replaced.

The oil change was done relatively quickly. Unfortunately, they did not carry a nut suitable for Karl’s bike as it was too big. We were advised to look for it in a shop that services cars. So I went up the road with Karl in search for such a shop. We did find one eventually…unfortunately, they did not have a suitable nut as well! The person in the shop assured us that there was a much bigger motorcycle shop in the heart of town and that we should proceed there instead.

We eventually found the place and it was quite a big motorcycle shop…especially for a small town like Gerik!

That was the good news…the bad news was…they did not have a suitable nut either! Sigh. After a few calls to our mechanics back in Singapore, we decided to look for a replacement nut at a hardware shop instead. By the way, Alex and Karl were speaking with this uncle who drove the truck that you see in the right of the picture. He was transporting new bikes to this shop and they were bringing the bikes down by hand! Without any winches…or ramps! Guess what they were chatting about when I took this picture? Well, Alex was looking for a pair of sunglasses as it was rather glaring that day…and this uncle was wearing a pair that you could put on over your prescription glasses! What a strange place to chat about sunglasses!

We headed off to look for the hardware shop since we did not have any luck here…and we eventually found an auto parts supply shop.

This shop – Ban Lee Leong – was started by the current owner’s grandfather. It has been around for many decades over three generations! The owner (Ah Peng) was a super helpful fella. Not only did he help to measure the bolt to find a suitable nut, he lent us a brand new spanner so we could tighten the nut! If you need auto supplies when you are around the area, be sure to look him up!

So now that we found the nut, we realized we were had to move the grey bracket so that we could screw it onto the bolt. That meant we had to remove some very stubborn bolts to get this small repair job completed.

A small group of people stopped to see what was happening. It was all quite a scene! What made the replacement a little more difficult was the fact that the bracket was HOT!!! Eventually, we got it sorted out…and Karl bought that brand new spanner from Ah Peng. Way to go!!!

I started looking around the place while Karl was testing the bike out with the nut in place. The shops were generally constructed out of wood given the age…not something we see much anymore here in Singapore.

We continued on our journey soon after this as we had already been delayed for more than an hour! Our next stop would be for lunch at Kuala Kangsar. The ride towards Kuala Kangsar was a rather hot one…so I stopped the gang after crossing a river for a water break. This bridge looked huge with really elaborate street lamps!

We parked our bikes at the rest stop here right beside the lake…under the much welcome shade of some trees.

It was a really warm day and I remembered finishing an entire bottle of mineral water here…and still feel hot! But you know…a hot day is much better than a wet and rainy day! We eventually arrived at Kuala Kangsar and found a shop that served lunch fare.

Make a guess what I ordered for my lunch???

Can you figure this one out? It is a dry curry chicken hor fun dish with Yong Tau Fu! I enjoyed this very much though some of the others preferred the food at Gua Musang. Hahaha!!! The keen eye would have spotted a hot drink on a hot day…I ordered that because Mr Alex said earlier that a hot drink was better on a hot day…I was keen to try out his theory…but the results were inconclusive. Hahaha!!!

There was a shop selling spectacles and sunglasses just next door and some of the gang went over to look for that specific pair that the truck driving uncle was wearing. Eventually, Alex, Karl and SA bought one each!!! Wow!!! They were so thrilled with their little find too! We headed off after that towards the town of Batu Gajah. We stopped again after a long ride through some nice curvy plantation roads for another water break near a huge road sign. In reality…we had to stop because I wasn’t sure if we were heading in the right direction…but don’t tell anyone that! Hahaha!!!

It started to drizzle soon after this junction and I stopped so people could decide to put on rain gear. I decided to ride without as it was still rather warm…however, I did put the rain cover on my tank bag and stowed away my camera. Fortunately for me…the rain only lasted one minute. Yup…ONE minute. So I had a nice and cool ride…while the rest…well…let’s just say they were very happy the next stop was not too far away!

Batu Gajah was a mining town. An English gentleman used to run a mining company way back in the early 1900s and decided he would build himself a home here. He got married and had a son. He decided then that he would extend his home…which was a mansion at that time…into a castle. This was originally named Kellas House after his home town…but eventually was known as Kellie’s Castle as his name was William Kellie Smith. It was quite an impressive looking structure…though it was left unfinished due to a personal tragedy.

Kellie’s Castle is a tourist attraction today and there were quite a number of tourists while we were visiting. Fortunately, there was ample parking space for our bikes!

I decided to stay out while the rest ventured into the castle…someone had to watch over the bikes, no? Hahaha!!! So here are two of the gang…all set to explore this magnificent structure.

I had the opportunity to take a number of photographs while waiting for them. I saw quite a number of people taking pictures at this sign.

The gang was busy looking around outside the structure and taking pictures…here are some by SA.

Here is one of the wing.

You cannot really have a castle without a tower!

After what seemed like an eternity…the gang entered the castle proper…

…for quite a long…long time…and I got bored. So…I took pictures of how I setup my GoPro Hero camera.

This simple camera is quite the little powerhouse! In fact, many of the pictures on this trip were taken with this humble looking gadget. To top it off…it does not even come with a display!

One of the other visitors was attracted by the Shadow and requested for permission to take a picture with it…so I said…OK!

The gang eventually re-emerged and we headed off to our final fuel stop before pushing up towards the Cameron Highlands. By now, the gang had their rain gear stowed safely since it was such a pleasant day. Of course…it started to rain…HEAVILY!!! Thankfully, the ride was a short one and we did not get too wet! We all put on our rain gear…again…at the petrol station and got ready to move out as the rain subsided. At this point, the zipper on my jacket decided to fail on me…sigh…just as we were getting into cold territory too!

Fortunately, it was just the zipper at the end of my right sleeve. After confirming my directions with one of the very knowledgeable and friendly pump attendants, we headed off towards Simpang Pulai.

It was a good thing I spoke with the attendant as his directions were very clear. Turn left at the first traffic light, then turn right towards Simpang Pulai (away from Pengkalan), and then head straight up towards the highlands…and take another right when you are on top towards Tanah Rata. I usually get worried when instructions included so many turns but was relieved when I saw this sign a few kilometers after the first left turn. His instructions were not only clear…but accurate. Woohoo!!!

The journey up to the highlands would be a mere hundred kilometers. Not exceptionally long by any standard. However, it would be a hundred kilometers of bends, corners, inclines and declines! It was excellent for riding!!! I just love mountain roads!

My shadow got longer as we rode up higher and as the sun got lower.

I would challenge anyone to tell me this is not riding heaven!

It was time for a break about an hour into the this ride and I chose this clearing which afforded a nice view of the Titiwangsa mountain range. You can see the road leading up to this point from the other hill.

It was a nice, safe and relaxing place to stop our bikes for a breather before the final push.

We were caught momentarily in traffic when we continued on after the break…

…but that just provided for extra fun riding!

It got progressively darker and colder as we continued towards our final destination for the day…and it was dark by the time we got to the town of Tanah Rata.

The guest house that we were putting up in – The Eight Mentigi – was new. It was setup just eight months ago. So there were no signs on the main road for us to follow. A search on Google Maps showed the guest house located in a place with no roads. So I explored one road after another…until I saw this…

The street to the right was paved…the one to the left was not. I took a guess that since Google Maps did not register a road…it must be somewhere along that unpaved street…and eventually I found the place about 50m in. We parked our bikes, locked our bags in one of the rooms, and promptly headed out for a much deserved steamboat dinner!

It was really interesting too to see so many police vehicles…including these fantastic VFR800 bikes parked on the street outside! It seems the Sultan of Pahang was going to visit the highlands on Sunday (27 Feb) for a game of golf!

We found this steamboat place just two minutes walk away for steamboat.

Since we were all cold, tired and hungry, I ordered us a feast!

It was great to have a steamboat dinner in a cold night! We took a stroll after dinner in town and chanced upon this…and you know you have stumbled on a major tourist spot whenever you spot this!!!

After a nice stroll…and a spot of shopping for sweaters, we headed back to our guest house for a much needed wash and rest. Unfortunately, the water pressure in my room was very low…and the water was cold! So I had to shower in Alex’s bathroom. Thank goodness he was still awake! Still…I had a good shower…and then fell asleep while downloading my photographs onto the notebook. Oh well…so much for blogging!

We agreed the night before that we would meet at the lobby, ready to ride, at 7:30am the next day. I wanted to start off early because we had another long day of riding ahead of us. It was good to see that most of us were there at the lobby on time. Unfortunately, one of the gang did not wake up because the morning call he requested never came. Oh well…it was a budget hotel after all. So while LPG went to knock on his door, the rest of us got busy talking…and taking pictures.

I was not able to show you much of the hotel earlier because we arrived at night. Now I can!

The Green Park hotel lobby looks rather unspectacular…but at least we get the choice parking space!

The rooms that we had were located across the small road from the lobby. So we had to cross over the night before in the rain. It was quite funny because we were resting outside the lobby with our helmets off. But we had to put them on again just to get to our rooms!

Our rooms were almost all the same kind. So each person’s room was one level above the last! Good thing they had an elevator!

As this was a budget place, breakfast was not included in the price. In fact, the hotel did not serve any food at all. So we headed out for breakfast after checking out. The breakfast place was just a minute away, tucked away in a little corner shop. As usual, we pulled up right at the front of the shop and parked our bikes.

This place served noodle and rice dishes. It was simple, honest, home cooked stuff. The lady who took our order was also the cook! She was a little shy when she saw my camera raised and pointing at her…so she tried to move behind the glass!

I ordered Ban Mian with Ikan Bilis. It turned out to be rather delicious!

Oh well, enough about food!!! The ride today would take us about 420km and through three states: Pahang, Kelantan and Perak. The roads today promises to be filled with curves…including Route 4 which spanned across the Titiwangsa mountain range. I remember that this was the best leg in the last ride and was looking forward to it!

So after filling the bikes up with fuel, we headed out towards Kuala Lipis. This ride was over a nicely paved road that provided some simple bends to help warm us up. So while we had a nice road with no turns coming up, I sped up and got ahead of the gang and dismounted, hoping to catch them with my camera as they rode pass. I had barely enough time…and my camera was in the wrong setting…but I manged to grab a few pictures.

Here is LPG on his big and heavy Shadow.

SA on her capable XL.

Alex on his trusty Steed.

And Karl on his surprising Kymco!

I also took the opportunity to ride behind the group just to see how they looked riding in convoy.

The road opened up nicely and it made for a fun…and relatively fast ride. The colour of the trees made me feel like I was riding in autumn…except it was warm!

There were only a few cars and the occasional truck on this stretch of road…very nice indeed!

And the occasional animal grazing at the side of the road.

We arrived at Gua Musang before long…and settled on this shop on the extreme left of the picture for lunch. As usual…we parked right in front of the shop! Gua Musang is famous for her many caves and attracts a good number of caving enthusiasts. The railway station is right at the end of the road.

I decided to try an old favourite for my lunch: curry chicken hor fun!

We had a good lunch today. The food was excellent! In fact, many of the gang really enjoyed the lunch at Gua Musang. They were still talking about it for the next couple days when I asked about their favourite food during the trip. Hahaha!!!

We headed off along this same road after lunch and promptly rode into a village. I realized something was amiss once I made the left turn at the railway station…but the road looked so fun I decided to carry on for a little while before making a U-turn. Hahaha! I think the gang must have enjoyed that little “getting lost” feeling too!

Once we got out of Gua Musang, we headed towards the town of Jeli along the only road that headed directly north. This stretch of road turned out to be really fun! Most people would have heard about Route 66 in the United States…but how many know about the Route 66 in West Malaysia? Well, we rode this road so now you all know!

It turned out to be a really enjoyable road too!

This road is ADDICTIVE!!!

Dramatic clouds add to the experience…

…and I could not resist stopping when I saw this on my right as I passed a small clearing on the road…The rays breaking through the clouds illuminating Gunung Stong was spectacular and breathtaking!

We stopped here for quite awhile…resting and taking pictures…but there was still a long way to go before our final destination for the day!

The original plan was to stop at Gunung Stong for our break. Unfortunately, we were falling behind time and still had quite a long way to go. So we pushed on towards our final fuel stop at Jeli. The rest of the road to Jeli was a nice contrast to the earlier part of Route 66. While the earlier stretch was filled with fantastic sights, the later stretch took us through small villages in the late evening hours. I saw many children playing outside their homes, folks chatting with one another, enjoying a relaxing time with family and friends. This sight filled me up with warmth. I remember riding through at a steady pace just so I could savour every minute of the serenity of village life. It was too sacred for pictures!

We arrived at our final fuel stop at Jeli and filled our tanks just as the light started to fade…and it became really dark just as we started off onto Route 4 to cross the Titiwangsa mountain range. This stretch was extremely fun last year when we rode across in the mid afternoon…but this time round…we were riding in almost complete darkness. With visibility cut to the range of your headlights, the fun road became treacherous very quickly. It was a game of “high beam on”…”high beam off” with the oncoming traffic. Strange too that there was so much more traffic at night than during the day! I was just glad that I had my spot lights installed because they really lit up the road, making it a lot more enjoyable!

I had a scare midway through Route 4 as my bike cut off when I did one of those “high beam on”…”high beam off” maneuvers. Every time I switched my spotlights on, my bike would cut off. Fortunately, the bike came back to life when I switched the spotlights off. I wonder what the problem was…I suppose I will have to get that fixed when I get back to Singapore!

We made a stop at the top of Route 4 just like last year for a break. The difference this time round was that we could not see anything! We were debating if we should have dinner at the stop or when we arrived at the hotel…it was already 9pm at that time! I decided that pushing on was the best thing as we were all getting tired. So we did.

The rest of the way to the hotel was smooth. I lucked out as I saw a wild elephant at the side of the road! One friendly hotel staff later told me that there should be more elephants hiding behind the trees where I spotted mine as they are herd animals. Wow! Just imagine! Riding on a road, in the pitch darkness, and seeing a herd of elephants! That would have been so cool!

One other thing took my breath away in this final stretch when I looked up to stretch my neck. The entire sky was filled with stars…and I mean the ENTIRE sky! These were not the kind of faded and soft stars that we get in Singapore. No. These were bright, beautiful and bold stars that lit up the sky. It was as if somebody had installed LEDs in the sky and switched them on just as I looked up! This made the late night ride through Route 4 special…it was the best display of stars I had ever seen in my entire life…seriously!

It was 9:30pm by the time we arrived at the Banding Lakeside Inn at Tasik Banding. I was a little disappointed at what I saw when we first arrived as the place looked rather ordinary. What made this place special was the staff. They treated us like we were special customers. They offered for us to park our bikes in the front porch, they rolled out a trolley to help us with our heavy bags, they had the kitchen open for our dinner, they adjacent rooms for all of us so we could be together, they smiled and talked with us at every opportunity…man…they sure knew how to make me feel good about a place!

The room looked pretty good too! As we were in adjacent rooms, some had double twin beds, while others had a single king bed. I really liked the rooms…and especially the shower!

We had dinner at the hotel restaurant that night as Tasik Banding was really in the middle of nowhere. The food turned out to be pretty good!

We had dessert too!!!

In case you were wondering…dessert was Sago Gula Melaka. A traditional Malaysian dessert made from sago flour and palm sugar…and it was YUMMY!!!

Overall, it was a day of fantastic roads, spectacular sights, delicious food and warm welcome. What more could anyone ask for?

Coffee, tea and the butterflies. They all have one thing in common…a sleepless night. Last night was one of those. I found it hard to sleep because of the butterflies. Despite a relatively difficult rough night, I woke up this morning even before my alarm rang. So butterflies or not, the trip was upon me.

I do not know why but Murphy always shows up when I had the best of plans laid out. Perhaps my plans were not that great? The day started with me struggling with the two heavy side boxes I had packed for the ride. It took me an enormously long time just getting them mounted on the bike. I guess I should start working out! Soon though, I was heading out the door to the meet up point at the Caltex station along Woodlands Road.

Riding to the rising sun can be spectacular. This morning was no different. My ride was refreshing and invigorating. The air was crisp, the traffic was light, and Anker was responsive. It was as if he was more eager to get started than I was!

As usual, I was the first to arrive. By this time, the sun was already up.

The others started to arrive shortly. LPG, followed by SA, then Karl, and finally, Alex. After some final adjustments, and a quick briefing, we headed off…and the trip officially began!

The ride to the Woodlands Checkpoint was uneventful. I did have a small mishap at the checkpoint though. You see, my boxes were so wide that I hit the cash card box at the immigration lane! How embarrassing! Thankfully, I did not hit anything else for the rest of the day! Hahaha!!! We cleared the checkpoints, and proceeded to top off our fuel at the Shell station that was just outside.

The route today would total about 460km, taking us across two states: Johor and Pahang. It would be quite a ride!!!

Riding out of Johor Bahru usually involves a lot of traffic. Especially on Route 3. However, we rode out on Route 1 today and it was a completely different experience. There was traffic, of course, but nothing like what you would get on Route 3. I was really glad I picked this route for today!

We headed up north towards the town of Kluang, a town that sits almost at the very center of Johor. The idea was to start off riding a little more slowly to adjust to each other…picking up the pace as we went along.

The ride was relatively uneventful…until one rider shot way pass a traffic light that was red! It sure scared the living daylights out of me at that time! I bet the rider had a terrible scare too given the kind of traffic we saw at that particular stretch of road. Thankfully, nobody was harmed. I suppose it was all part of touring on a motorcycle with friends. Things are bound to happen outside of the plan. The most important thing was that everyone was alive and well.

The way up to Kluang was fun but a little slow given that we were riding through many towns: Senai, Kulai, Layang Layang and so on. One small town – Renggam – stood out in my mind as it had a stretch of beautiful tree-lined road that provided both beauty and shade. We arrived at Kluang shortly after that and headed straight for the railway station. Of course, I turned into the wrong road (one road before the correct turning actually) and we had to make a U-turn. It was quite fun as Anker got his first taste of sand!

There was an old coffee shop at the railway station that supposedly sold really nice coffee and toast. Unfortunately, it was closed.

It was a really nice and old style railway station too!

So we headed to a little food store right next to the station for our breakfast instead.

This place was rather interesting. There was a bunch of bananas and a plate filled with boiled eggs on each table!

After ordering our food, some of us could not resist having an egg! I ordered a Lontong dish which turned out to be a little different from what we find in Singapore…and it was yummy!!!

The other folks had Mee Kari (which turned out to be similar to Mee Rebus) and Roti John (which was HUGE!!!)…and all were extremely satisfied with breakfast!

Alex and I purchased one of those Bluetooth helmet headsets and we tried to get them synchronized over breakfast. Unfortunately, neither of us really knew how to get that done. Thankfully, Grace was able to text the instructions to us and we got them paired up in a jiffy! We were both eager to try out the intercom system at proper riding speeds!

We headed off soon after breakfast for our next destination: Kuala Rompin. This leg of the ride was both scenic and serene. We rode through plantation roads that were long and undulating, flanked on both sides by lazy palm trees,scenic and serene. We rode through plantation roads that were long and undulating, flanked on both sides by lazy palm trees and kissed by the warm sunshine and a wide blue sky. It was MAGNIFICENT!!!

It was a funny leg for me too as one of the riders missed a turning…and later tried to overtake a truck quite a number of times before completing the maneuver. It was fun to ride out on such a nice day and be rewarded with little incidents like this to keep the atmosphere light-hearted. I was enjoying myself thoroughly!

I wanted to head to Kuala Rompin as I read about some of the places you can have a meal by the beach. We eventually found one and parked our bikes next to it. After that little encounter with the sand in Kluang, I was eager to have Anker experience more of this terrific terrain…so I ended up parking Anker in the sand next to the store…and everyone else followed suit! Woohoo!!!

The beach looked good from this distance…but even better up close!

And it was quite a stretch of beach too!

Another interesting thing about this place was that they did not serve soft drinks. So the gang had quite a bit of trouble ordering drinks. Coke ada? Takda. 100 plus ada? Takda. Eventually, I ordered Air Limau (lime juice) and quite a number of them followed suit. Hahaha!!!

And for lunch, I had Maggi Goreng. Karl ordered Mee Hailam…and the rest followed him. Hahaha! It was interesting no???

We headed towards the town of Muadzam Shah after lunch and then towards Tasik Bera. This stretch of road was filled with potholes which made the riding that much more interesting. The route was scenic though…but I was filled with the dilemma…should I look up at the beautiful scenery…or down to avoid the potholes!!???

I could not resist stopping for a picture at this milestone!

Don’t you agree that this place is rather magnificent?

Tasik Bera is a natural lake that is part of the RAMSAR convention. This also helped ensure the natural ecosystem of this freshwater wetland is preserved well, resulting in a completely rustic and picturesque. The place where we parked our bikes were filled with a sense of peace…with cicadas chirping away in the trees serenading us as we rested our tired butts. It was a huge contrast to my last visit here where the place was filled with holiday makers. Certainly a welcome relief after a long ride on pothole riddled roads!

Tasik Bera has a unique, rustic charm.

Love the sampans!

It is such a serene place.

We headed off towards our final destination after a good rest at Tasik Bera. This road would be a little easier to ride than the earlier stretch. Unfortunately, it started to rain…and rain really heavily too!!! So we put on our rain gear and bravely continued on. It was dark and cold and wet when we arrived at the Green Park hotel at the town of Temerloh. Too bad that it rained so heavily as the ride would have afforded us a fantastic view of Sungai Pahang! Well…I guess that will have to wait till the next time!

Temerloh is the second largest town in the state of Pahang and it is famous for the Silver Patin fish. This fresh water fish is found in abundance in Sungai Pahang and is THE thing to try for visitors. We had dinner along the river that night, in one of the shops that lined the shore…and naturally…we had Patin. We also had a lot of other items on the table. Unfortunately, I seem to have lost all my pictures for that dinner…so here is one from SA’s camera of the Patin dish, Tempoyak style!

Don’ t be misled by the simple look of this Patin dish. The flesh turned out to be firm and succulent…and that Tempoyak gravy was extremely flavourful! In case you were wondering, Tempoyak is really a very unique concoction. Read a little about it here.

EDIT: I found two pictures on my iPhone…so here is the gang at the dinner table with all that great food!

And a closer look at what the dishes were…Ikan Patin Tempoyak, Rendang, Chicken Livers, Chicken Curry, Spicy Tempoyak and Sambal Balacan with Ulam!

The Green Park hotel is a budget hotel with a difference. The difference was the size of our rooms…which were HUGE!!!

In fact, this turned out to be the biggest room for the trip! I met a group of TV3 folks at the hotel lobby after checking in. They happened to be there for some convention that week. It was nice chatting with them in a mixture of English and Malay. Hahaha!!!

I spent the rest of the evening (whatever was left of it) washing my clothes, showering, charging my gadgets, downloading pictures…and sleeping. Nothing very exciting. Oh yes! I got to watch an episode of CSI and 24 each…twice! They aired it one after another! Talk about repetition!