Malaysia - East West Highway

Kota Bahru to Tanah Merah – 52km

Kota Bahru is one of the most devoutly Muslim cities in Malaysia and we found the constant preaching and chanting, broadcast over loudspeakers in the streets, malls and the market quite intrusive. We were glad to be leaving, but before we checked out of our room we kept up our established tradition of leaving the room in a worse condition than when we had arrived. As Karen bent down packing her bags the mirror which was glued to a dressing table affair, fell forward hitting her on the head. Its a good job her head was there otherwise the mirror would have smashed into thousands of pieces on the tiles instead of just a couple. Still we will have to keep an eye on her for the next 24 hours and make sure she doesn't show any signs of head injury, (flashing lights etc).

At the Royal Thai Consulate, our visas were ready for collection as promised and the route out of town was slightly easier to navigate than the one in, as we took the route north over the bridge and turned west following the Sungai Kelantan river inland.

There is a huge amount of road building going on here with new over-passes and bridges being constructed everywhere. There is even a Tesco store right next to the highway.

The road was much busier than we expected and it was really hot again. The sun hats took a bit of getting used to. They are apt to get whipped off by the backwash from passing lorries so will need a bit of adaptation. Steve is already working on design improvements.

Habitations stretched along most of the road all the way to Tanah Merah. Our mid morning stop allowed us to sample fresh coconut juice drunk through a straw, straight from the fruit. The afternoon food stall theme was watermelons, great piles of huge ones for miles. Not being able to carry a whole one we stopped and asked a lady if she would just sell us a couple of slices. She cut two huge, sweet ones and then refused to take any payment for them.

Thanks to the sat nav we found a reasonable accommodation with bedroom / bathroom and sitting room for just 13 pounds per night. So by 2-00pm we were checked in and recovering from the heat.

Having brought a total sunblock lotion and stopped the anti-malarial tablets our hands were starting to improve.

Tanah Merah to Jeli – 58km

Today was supposed to be a short ride, about 45km. Continuing beyond Jeli would mean a further 86km hard ride to the next accommodation at Banding. We set off at 9.00am and rode a few km before stopping for breakfast at a roadside cafe. It was just across the road from an army base and there were four soldiers there. They didn't speak much English but we managed to have a conversation with them. As usual the first question was “Where are you from?”, the second “How old are you?” There are many military bases here, very close to the border with Thailand.

The road started to climb gently as the morning wore on. There was more forest and less habitation. Being Friday morning there was lots of traffic, mainly local young men in groups on their motorbikes.

After about 42km we passed the Jelita Inn which we had read about in another cyclist's blog. One of the staff at the hostel in Kota Bahru had recommended the Sri Terapong Inn in Jeli so we continued to try and find it. Nearing the town there was further road building, which confused the sat nav, but after riding round the whole place we assumed it had closed down. So we had to ride back to the Jelita. As there were no rooms with air con there we got a room across the road at the Jeli Inn but the air con in the only available room didn't work. In fact, when Steve investigated further it seemed that it was working in reverse. Ah, the joys of travel.

Jeli to Banding, 90km

An early start was necessary today for two reasons. First to avoid the heat of the day as much as we could and second to avoid meeting any wild animals up in the mountains. The alarm rang at 6-15am. It was still dark so we dozed for another 15 minutes. We quickly dressed and packed rolling our bikes out into the relative cool of the misty morning.

Retracing our tracks we rode past Jeli and stopped a few kilometres further on for breakfast at a road side stall. This was fast food. Chicken rice, pre packed in grease proof paper paper. It was tasty and we washed it down with mugs of hot tea.

The ride was rolling for about the first twenty kilometres. We passed through Kampung Gungong with its spectacular karst rock towering above the jungle and the river below it.

As we started our long climb, we kept a look out for elephants, but apart from this sign and a few pieces of elephant poo, we didn't see any. By now the sun was well up. Fortunately there was a fair covering of cloud. Nevertheless, the heat was relentless and we were sweating copiously and drinking similar amounts of water. We finally reached what appeared to be the top of the climb. A sign 3km earlier had announced a rest area and cafe, but when we arrived it was another of Malaysia's great gestures with nothing to back it up and it was closed. We sat and ate dried apricots and nuts and drank more water.

Dejected we continued onwards through rolling hills. Within minutes we did find a cafe that was open and stopped for our lunch. Feeling refreshed we forged up more hills. We clearly hadn't reached the top. We drank more water, and sweated more tears. After another two hours climbing we finally reached the top at approximately 1070 meters. There was a cafe and a great view from the top, but the haze made photos not very good. We needed more sustenance so stopped for a bit of Western respite in the form of a beef burger each. If we're not careful we will soon be clucking as our diet currently consists of rice, chicken and eggs. A few people stopped and talked with us about our adventures.

We hoped for a long downhill, but were not optimistic that there would not be more ups and downs. As it was our prayers were answered. We swept downhill for almost 30km on a smooth snaking road reaching 50kmh through dense green jungle passing colourful flowers, butterflies and a group of monkeys. The lower we got the higher the temperature and humidity.

At the bottom was the Temengor hydroelectric reservoir which has the Belum Rainforest Resort on an island in the centre. After sweating up a 1:5 drive to the hotel reception we decided it was beyond our budget with cheapest rooms 338RM a night. On the banks at the other side of the lake was Banding Lakeside Inn, a fairly new, large hotel. This is also built on the top of another steep hill, this time with a 1:4 incline so by now our clothes were floating off. They had a special offer which meant we only had to pay 130RM for a room with a balcony overlooking the lake and a bath (good for washing the clothes).

After a quick shower it was straight into the infinity swimming pool for a relaxing slow swim then back 'home' to do the washing!

Banding to Gerik - 42km

A long day in the saddle yesterday coupled with a comfy bed meant that we didn't get up until about 7-30am. As we checked out, Steve realised that he couldn't find his cycling glasses. A look in all the bags, around the room and up the steep drive yielded nothing. Neither had they been handed in at reception. Despite one final look around we had to head off without them.

By now it was 9-00am and the sun was well established with only slight cloud cover, not even a breeze to cool us. Turning out of the hotel driveway towards Gerik, we were straight away into a long and slow gradual climb for the next 8km. Thankfully there was some shade provided by the trees at the side of the road. Sadly we still didn't see any elephant.

From the top we had a slow descent for the next 20km and we couldn't believe it could be so easy following yesterday's long downhill. Throughout this time there was not a single roadside food stall, so we had to eat the emergency biscuits with water.

The ride through the valley was beautiful and when there were no cars around it was also very peaceful. We had been riding through the rain forest for approximately 100km and are surprised that Lonely Planet makes no mention of this amazing jungle and the reservoir at its centre.

Finally we came into a more inhabited area and found a shack at the roadside with tea and banana fritters. From here it was only another 10km to Gerik. We had only travelled 42km, but to go further would have added another 68km through probably hilly terrain, so we decided to call it a day and stay at Gerik. It was clear that we were back in an area of more Chinese population, which meant beer. We found the Avana hotel, which was recommended to us by the nearby Chinese restaurant owner, snoozed for the afternoon and listened to the afternoon thunderstorm.

Later we strolled through town to find some food. Being Sunday evening, all the Chinese restaurants were closed. There was a small food stall that looked popular. As usual they could only offer 'chicken rice' but it was the best fried chicken so far, served with fried chicken blood (a bit like black pudding).

After the meal we went to the supermarket to replenish our food supplies. There was a big marquee on the market place and a lot of people sitting on chairs in front of the stage. Then a car stopped and unloaded a group of very attractive young local girls in traditional costume. There was obviously some event going on so we hung around to see what transpired. A lady persuaded us to take a seat so we went to the back so that, as the only white people there, we wouldn't be conspicuous. The area began to fill with what seemed to be the whole population of the town.

The MC

A man who spoke very good English came up to us and insisted we move to the front. He was the local radio presenter who was the MC for the event. His opening introduction involved telling everyone who we were and what we were doing and everyone applauded. After that we watched the girls doing a traditional dance. Then there was a raffle and the final of the local talent contest 'Gerik Idol'. We managed to escape after this to get to bed, ready for an early start tomorrow.

Gerik to Baling – 60km

Gerik is a bit like Thornton(-le-)Dale – the spelling keeps changing. On the map it is written 'GRIK' and on some of the road signs, but on others it says 'GERIK'.

The alarm went off at 6.30 and by 7.15, just as it got light we were on the road. It had rained overnight and the clouds were still low so the air was fresh and cool. The first 20km was gently rolling along a forested river valley with many traditional timber stilt houses. One of these was the home of a famous Malayan, Penghulu Wan Teh and we rode up the driveway to get a photo.

Just before the serious climb started we stopped for tea in an attractive road side cafe. The clouds had now begun to lift and it was warmer. The road was very quiet with little traffic and delightful scenery. This was the most enjoyable ride so far in Malaysia. Despite this there were constant reminders of how fragile this beauty is. Some of the hillsides were bare due to logging and there were landslips. Other areas had been cleared of the natural rainforest and were planted with young palm trees. There was a massive open-cast tin mine and finally, at the view-point just before Baling we could see the remains of a once massive mountain, now reduced to a few exposed rocky pinnacles, like a rotten tooth.

The tine mine was Kelian Intan and it was here also that we got our first view in Malaysia of  Hindu temple.

Baling is a small town by the side of a river which runs against a massive karst rock cliff. There was a marked difference between this town and those that we had travelled through in the East, with more liberal attitudes and dress due to a larger population of Indians and Chinese. There were not many accommodation options, just a couple of cheap hotels in the centre, so we opted for the slightly better one on the way out of town.

Baling to Georgetown – 85km (total 16,707)

Today we had to ride to the east coast harbour city of Butterworth to catch the ferry to Georgetown on the island of Penang. It was a bit of a mystery how far it actually was. The sign on the outskirts of Baling said 96km but the sat nav said 75km. The road numbers on our map were different from those on the road signs. It was also not clear at what point the road became a Free-way and whether we could ride the bikes on it.

The first 15kms was through small villages with numerous small roadside stalls selling food and drink. Then suddenly there was nothing except palm plantations, the few roadside vending stalls were all closed down.

We kept following the signs to Butterworth and the E15. Closer to the coast the signs showing the distance to Butterworth had been blanked off. We passed through a huge new town development at Desa and from there the traffic increased dramatically. There were lots of lorries, some carrying nauseating loads of stinking animal carcases and all spewing black diesel fumes over us. The road was narrow and the surface rough and pot holed. We did get onto the E15 after 54km and found that, as we had read, it had a separate motorbike lane but we turned off at the first exit to find a quieter route along the K118 and 119.

It was actually easier than anticipated navigating through Butterworth and to the ferry port. The fare for both of us and the bikes was only 3.60RM (75p) for the five minute ride.

Within 5 minutes of arriving here, cycling through Little India, we were in love with Georgetown. Like a miniature version of Singapore but louder, more colourful and more intimate with its fusion of Chinese, Indian, Malay, Japanese, Armenian, Siamese, Burmese and Indonesian culture. Many of the properties are in the old Georgian style, thanks to the time the British were here.

Searching for accommodation took us to Chulia Street to check out the Stardust as recommended by LP. Just behind it was a newly renovated old house called Chulia Heritage Hotel which had a 'petite' room for 85RM a night. Cramped room but queen size comfy bed with crisp white sheets, spotless bathroom, free Wi-Fi and TV. We booked for three nights.

Perhentian Islands and Kota Bahru

Perhentian Islands

We had booked into the 'Watercolours Paradise Resort' on Perhentian Besar for two nights. Our first two choices of accommodation on the island were fully booked but this one had good reviews and was cheaper. It also had a dive shop and was reputed to have a good restaurant.

The next morning we brought ferry tickets from an office near the jetty which also had garage space where we could store the bikes. Then it was a case of sitting on the jetty waiting to get onto a boat. It all seemed a bit haphazard, but eventually the man on the gate beckoned us and we got onto a boat with three other Europeans.

The boat journey over to the islands was 'exhilarating' (Karen), 'uncomfortable' (Steve). It was a speed boat and as there was a fresh wind it bounced over the swell, landing with a thud each time. At the island a smaller boat came out to ferry us to the resort. We had a 'garden view' room, one of three rooms in a small bungalow set at the edge of the jungle. The resort was well run with friendly staff and the restaurant lived up to its reputation with good food and reasonable (for a holiday resort) prices. They even had beer.

In the morning Steve went for a dive. He was slightly disappointed, as the coral here in the South China Sea is not a patch on the reefs at Negros Oriental and there was not such a great variety of fish. There has been a lot of damage to the reef from rising sea temperatures and fishing but on several snorkeling trips we saw evidence of regeneration and some lovely patches of reef. It was thrilling to see large shoals of fish of all sizes from about 1cm to 30cm as well as sharks, small rays, barracuda and moray eels.

On the last day we got a water taxi to 'Turtle Bay' about 10mins ride away. This bay has no resorts on it and is an important turtle egg-laying beach. Visitors are only allowed there until 3pm each day to prevent the laying turtles being disturbed.

On the beach were the tracks of two turtles who had laid eggs the night before. It was like a beach out of a tour brochure, warm white sand, clear turquoise sea and impenetrable jungle surrounding it.

Kuala Besut to Kota Bahru - 58km

All too soon it was time to get the ferry back to the mainland. This time there was a Malaysian family with a small child on board so the boat went much more slowly. Unfortunately the engine didn't seem to like this and one of the engines failed half way back. So it went even slower after that.

Back on the mainland we had our first taste of the local delicacy, Nasi Kerabu. Blue rice with dried fish, pickled egg, bean sprouts, diced herbs and coconut, a strange combination of colours and tastes. The late departure meant it was very hot and the sun was relentless. We had both developed sore, blistered patches on our thumbs and index fingers which could be a linked to the doxycycline we are taking as an anti-malarial.

The road into Kota Bahru was very busy and there were roadworks causing problems on the way in. The sat nav once again took us the wrong way up a one way road but eventually we found a hotel within our budget. Just as we began unloading the bikes a man came up to us and suggested trying the KB Backpackers next door which has just been refurbished and had rooms for 20RM less.

That evening we walked down the road to find somewhere to eat. All three of the suggestions in Lonely Planet had closed down so we joined another couple, also armed with their Lonely Planet and found a good Chinese which served beer.

Kota Bahru Central Market

The next day was set aside to get our Thai visas. After doing the paperwork and handing in our passports we spent the rest of the day sight-seeing which was even more tiring than cycling in the intense heat. The Central Market was interesting and colourful, food on the ground floor, spices and herbs on the first and traditional clothing and crafts on the second. We brought a couple of woven 'Coolie' style sun hats to wear on the bikes to keep the sun off our heads.

Istana Jahar

The Istana Jahar Museum was an attractive building and had displays and explanations of various Malay rituals. After that we went to the the old Bank Karapu building which now houses an exhibition charting the history of the 1^st and 2^nd World Wars and their impact on Malaysia. Later parts of the exhibition talk about the periods of rule by the British, Japanese and Thais as well as Malaysia's development into a modern multicultural, Islamic state.

Malaysia - Terengganu

Cherating to Dungun – 103km

Today the flat plains with their endless palm plantations were left behind and in their place small steep sided hills covered in forest and regular glimpses of the beautiful coastline. The road itself was still relatively flat, weaving its way between the hills and over some impressive wide rivers. Within a few kilometers we entered the state of Terengganu.

At the village of Kajal we turned off the main road to explore the beach side. There were many fishing boats and nets along the beach and lots of little fish spread out on mats to dry in the sun.

The fishermen invited us into their shed where they were boiling the morning catch of tiny fish in large vats then putting them into wicker baskets to cool before they went to be dried.

Kampung Baharu demanded a photo stop and some more water. Further along the road a group of motorcyclists with a police escort came towards us. They were followed by a huge convoy of about 1,000 young Malaysian motorcyclists who all pipped their horns and waved to us. They were taking part in a government campaign to try to educated young motorcyclists about safe road use called 'Ride it Right'.

The sun was "scorchio" today and suntan lotion was splashed on liberally. We stopped for an ice lemon tea at a roadside cafe and found to our delight, banana fritters. A plate full plus two teas for only 4 MR. We chatted to a young Malaysian who had two mountain bikes and two road bikes. He'd done a lot of cycling around the country and gave us advice about the offshore islands and cycling the East – West highway over the mountains. The most important part of this was how to avoid the wild elephants.

Travelling through Kerteh we passed the extensive Petronas oil company offices. The whole coastal part of the Terrengganu seems to have benefited from oil money, from the cars to the housing. The roads are better maintained dual carriageways with hundreds of trees and shrubs in pots and manicured grass. There are miles of fancy lamp posts with coloured lights strung between.

At one set of lights there was a large bill board advertising Emerson – “Consider it Solved”, Steve's old company. Further north was the industrial area and we rode for 5km past refineries, oil terminals , chemical complexes and power stations. Steve was reminded of his visits here in the nineties to the Esso (now Petronas) Oil Terminal.

As we approached Dungun, the skies started to blacken and the wind got up. We needed to find accommodation quickly before the afternoon thunderstorm. The centre of Dungun is very run-down and the two town centre hotels were closed down. Another was now a museum. Eventually we ended up at the Mayangsari Resort hotel just as the heavens opened. Steve negotiated to try to get a reduction on the room price of 120RM. Eventually he offered a room with no hot water for 90MR, who needs hot water in this climate.

The room was in a block right at the back of the complex. We just got in in time before the downpour. It was a typical Malay hotel room, built about twenty years ago and had no maintenance since. The outside paint was covered in mildew and mould. The door paint was peeling off. The walls were grubby and had various holes and electrical wires poking out. There was just a bed and a small table with a black and white telly on it. The 'wardrobe' consisted of four coat hangers hung from the curtain rail. There weren't many other guests but they were keen on karaoke and kept us awake with their out of key and unidentifiable renditions of famous songs.

Dungun to Kuala Terengganu – 82km

Dungun used to be a thriving town with a large iron ore mining industry. Since that ended in the 1970's the place has become a sleepy backwater. As we crossed the bridge over the river we could see the effects of the mining on the surrounding hills, denuded of trees and soil. On our right was the old town, run down and dilapidated.

About 4km along the road there was a nice looking guest house called Johanne's Villa which was a much nicer overnight option than the Dungun resort for just 30MR extra. We checked out the room which were large, air conditioned and well furnished.

Until the 1960's,this part of Malaysia used to have a large population of leatherback, green and hawksbill turtles. We stopped to visit the turtle Information Centre in Rantau Abang. It is heart breaking to realise that 50 years later their numbers are so depleted that they are critically endangered.

It was hot again and the road continued straight and flat. There are always stalls at the side of the roads. For quite a few miles there will be unused ones then suddenly there will be a whole group of them, all selling exactly the same things. Today it started with sweetcorn, boiled in large vats over a small wood fire, the counters piled with raw corn and soft drinks. A few miles further and it was fresh fruit - pineapples, dragon fruit and durians. Then we moved to sweets, crisps and roasted nuts. Finally, there was a whole village of craft shops.

At lunchtime we saw another police escort coming towards us. This time they were escorting a group of school children who were cycling from their home town of Kuala Besut to Kerteh. They were very excited to see us and insisted we join them for a group photo.

After lunch it was even hotter and the wind which had cooled us in the morning had dropped. The road passed through a lot of traditional Malay villages with wooden long houses on stilts. At Chendering we stopped briefly to visit the famous 'Floating Mosque', built on the shore of a lake. Like the hotels, it could also have done with a coat of paint.

Terengganu was a town of great contrasts. Large concrete blocks of houses, offices and hotels, smart promenades along the river and beaches, but in between traditional wooden village type houses with dirt yards holding cockerels, ducks and chickens.








There is a tiny China Town on the river bank with beautifully painted ornate shops and more ramshackle houses and warehouses.

We managed to get a nice room in a newish hotel called Ming Star for 100MR and it had a WARDROBE! It was so nice and the beds so comfy that, after the best nights sleep for weeks, we booked in for another night. On our day off we planned to do some sight seeing but learnt that Friday is not a good day to do much in a Muslim country. Most things are either shut all day or closed from 12.00 till 15.00. It was a scorching hot day so a good idea to not be cycling.  The central market though was open and we enjoyed walking around looking at the veg, fish and meat stalls.

As it was the Muslim holy day, many of the men headed for Friday prayers at the mosque. Some of the young men rode up and down on their motorbikes dressed in their colourful, silk suits and traditional hats.

In the scorching afternoon heat we climbed to the top of Bukit Puteri hill, which is the old fortification where the sultans defended themselves from attack. We had a great view of the Maziah Garden.

Kuala Terengganu to Kuala Besut – 112km

Getting out of town proved quite a challenge. The sat nav directed us the wrong way down a one way street and we took a couple of wrong turns so we'd done almost 10km before we were over the Trengan River.

There was a good view of the Crystal Mosque, part of the Islam Civilisation Theme park from the bridge. This theme park has 21 small scale reconstructions of famous muslim sites from around the World, such as Spain's Al Hambra, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and the Masjidi Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

It was a cloudy morning and after an overnight storm the air was cooler. Coming out of Terengganu the road was very busy but after about 20km it was quieter. At our first cafe stop we met a Malaysian couple from Kuala Lumpur who spoke very good English. They were taking part in a horse riding endurance race that evening.

Later we met a Belgian couple cycling south on a short supported cycling trip. As the day wore on the clouds cleared and it got hotter. We rode hard to get to Kuala Besut, ready to catch the ferry to Perhentian Besut in the morning. We found a friendly Chinese hardware shop that also sold beer. The owner advised us where the cheapest Chinese restaurant was which sold beer. The town is small and not a lot to endear it, so after a lovely dinner and another beer it was early to bed.

We stayed at the Nam Hotel, which was a budget place. The bed had strange thick patterned sheets that looked reasonably clean but did have a few black specks that could have been bed bug doo. Our fears were unfounded and we didn't seem to have any bites in the morning.

The “bathroom” was about 1m wide by 1.5m long. The wash basin and toilet cistern were loosely attached to the wall. The shower head just sprayed over the whole room and drained out through a half blocked grating in the floor. The washbasin was plumbed in, the drain outlet going neatly into the wall, only to reappear coming out of the wall near the floor. The result being that the waste water just bubbled back all over the floor. The space was so tight that as Steve squeezed out of the bathroom, he bumped into the washbasin and water started spraying up to the ceiling. We promptly handed in our key, and left to catch the ferry to the Perhentian Islands.

Malaysia - Johor and Pehang

Singapore to Desaru – 81km

Today was a day of changing plans:

Plan A: There is only one road route for cyclists out of Singapore and that is over the busy bridge north to Johor Bahru. The alternative suggested by Lonely Planet is the ferry from Changi, in the north-east of Singapore Island, to the south eastern Malaysia peninsular. The problem is there are two ferry points and two different ferries, one for cars and one for passengers and we didn't know which was which.. We would cycle from Cheun's house to the car ferry and then up to Kota Tinggi.

The car ferry runs four trips per day 7.30, 10.00, 17.00 and 19.30, the passenger ferry only runs once there are twelve passengers to travel. The only suitable ferry was the 10.00 but with a 40km ride to the port, the first half being straight through the City centre where we were likely to get lost we would be pushed for time so needed a new plan.

Plan B: We decided to get a taxi to East Park and then pick up the cycle track which runs all the way along the coast, around the airport and into Changi. The taxi arrived promptly and we were almost at the park when the heavens opened and it poured in typical Singapore style – torrential. Time for.......

Plan C: The taxi dropped us at McDonald’s, about 2km further along east park so that we could shelter from the rain and have breakfast while waiting for it to stop. After 90 minutes and no let up it was obvious we weren't going to get on that ferry.

Plan D: Once the rain abated we rode up to the Changi Ferry Terminal to get the passenger ferry instead. Arriving there it was obvious that this was in fact the car ferry terminal. It was all closed up and no-body around to ask. Then we spotted a man in the ticket booth eating sandwiches. He must have been the cleaner because he seemed very confused about when the next ferry was suggesting three different times before settling on 15.20. As it was only 10.30 we moved to.....

Plan E: We continued up the cycle path to the other ferry port at Changi Point. This was definitely the passenger ferry. In the ticket hall we had to give our passports to the clerk and then wait until he had 12 passports before the ferry would leave. After waiting about 30 mins there were still only 10 passengers so we all agreed to each pay an extra S$2 fare to make up the 12 passenger total. We still weren't quite sure where the ferry went to but that just made it more exciting.

After 90 mins it docked at a small jetty right on the south-west tip if the Malaysian peninsular, about 50km further south than the car-ferry port. This meant a ride of about 80kms to get to Kota Tinggi and it was already 2pm, time for......

Plan F: There is a resort town called Desaru on the east coast about 35kms south of Kota Tinggi. Karen had spent some time checking out prices and reviews of the main hotels and they were all very expensive and got very poor reviews. The ride was mostly flat, through palm oil plantations and it was cloudy so pleasantly cool. We passed a couple of groups of weekend cyclists returning to Singapore and they waved and shouted to us enthusiastically.

Desaru was a place that wasn't a place, just five big self-contained resorts along the beach. After cycling past all of them we went into two to ask prices. The first was quite shabby but the second had recently had a re-furb and was smart with clean rooms and helpful staff. At 60 pounds per night it was relatively expensive but we had a huge room with a settee and a small patio overlooking the pool for not much more than a good camp site in Australia. It was crowded with local tourists, about half Chinese and the rest Malaysian Muslims. Despite most places being dry, we could get a beer here.

Desaru to Kota Tinggi – 50.5km

In the morning it was raining again but not heavily and it continued for most of the day. It was quite pleasant to ride in, keeping us cool but not making us wet. The road was busy with traffic but all the drivers were courteous, a lot of then pipped their horns and waved. All lorry drivers slowed down and gave us a wide berth, so different from Australia. There was not much to see, mostly more palm plantations. The road kill was significantly different, mostly monkeys with the odd huge lizard and some domestic dogs.

Eating is fun here. All along the road sides there are small eating places with a selection of various curries and vegetable dishes. You get a plate of rice then help yourself to the dishes on offer. The only problem is that although the rice is hot, most of the other things are only luke warm, worrying from a food poisoning perspective. Hopefully the generous addition of chilli stops the bugs. Tea is very popular here, usually served with sugar and condensed milk, a bit like a hot milk-shake.

Kota Tinggi to Mersing – 92km

There was no accommodation between Kota Tinggi and Mersing so we had no choice but to do a long ride. Steve wouldn't get out of bed until 7.30am so we didn't hit the road till after 9.00am. Today was our first real taste of riding in the tropics as the sun shone all day and it got very hot. The road was undulating which made for a pleasant ride with a few hot slow up-hills but loads of fast, cooling downs.

Riding along the road we were passed by a long convoy of soldiers in various vehicles. They were all dressed in jungle fatigues with jungle painted faces and lots of guns. The convoy turned off towards the coast. About 15 minutes later a single tank went past and in hot pursuit was a jeep driven by some obviously more senior soldiers. They began waving and signalling to the soldier in the gun turret to turn around, they had gone the wrong way. Good job it wasn't a real battle.

At lunchtime we met another couple of touring cyclists. Eva and Mike are from Germany and have spent the last 9 months cycling through India, Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Malaysia.

Later as we rode along the hard shoulder a man on a motorbike pulled up next to Steve and introduced himself. He was a policeman, on his way to work. He assured us that the police in Malaysia would assist us if we had any problems.

Mersing to Rompin – 78km

Mersing

Today's ride was flat all the way and it was very hot again. Turning off the main road we rode along a muddy river valley through the rainforest to the coast at Air Panan. The village consisted of a few scattered houses around a crossroads with sheep grazing at the sides of the unfenced roads. It was so like Goathland. There were some camp-sites here and a lovely beach in a quiet bay sheltered by the Seribuat Islands.

Traveling along the roads in Malaysia we are constantly surprised by the differing standards of care. The roadsides generally are perfectly manicured, with teams of workers cutting the grass with strimmers and picking up rubbish. We have seen a men washing the crash barriers on the roadside and even cleaning a bridge with buckets of water and brushes. But in the lay-bys and beaches the rubbish is awful and there are plastic bottles and disposable nappies everywhere.

At Endau we ate lunch in a Chinese restaurant, a delicious meal of fish, green cabbage and fried bean curd washed down with china tea. Over the road, we spotted this garage. The name clearly defines the customers dream of having his car repaired on time.






As we arrived in Rompin, we could see a massive thunder storm developing over tho hills, rolling towards us with great streaks of lightening and had to seek shelter in another restaurant  and drink a couple of iced teas while the storm passed over.

There were two hotels in the centre of town, both of which were pretty seedy so we searched on the GPS and found an alternative, the Puteri Inn, which was better and also had a very good restaurant.

Rompin to Pekan – 99km

Getting up early is becoming more normal for us in order to beat the heat of the day. Today started cloudy and cooler and thankfully remained that way for most of the day. As the ride was long and flat full sun would have been unbearable.

The people here are so friendly. They all want to say hello and ask you where you're from and where you are going. Frequently you'll see whole families sitting under shades selling vegetables or fruit. The menfolk are usually in the local cafes.

Motor bikes splutter by with one, two, three or even more people on board. On one occasion we even saw a guy with a large monkey sat in front of him taking in the World as it rode by. We weren't sure who was actually steering.

We are learning more about what to ask for when we stop at one of the roadside cafes (a rather grand word for a very basic eating shack. The ice lemon tea with a little sugar is really refreshing whatever the time of day. It's really novel not knowing exactly what you are going to get to eat. There is no menu, just what they have that day. It is usually spicy (but not too hot) with rice or noodles and nearly always delicious. We are even getting used to eating rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

After 90km we arrived in Pekan and had planned to stay at the Chief's Rest house. This is a traditional wooden building on stilts with high loft ceilings. Unfortunately it was full. The alternative Melati Hotel also turned out o be full and we discovered that the Polo Championships were on in the town that week. After a quick look around the place we headed north towards Kuanatan on a busy dual carriageway and stopped at the Inderapura Lake Resort. Sounds grand doesn't it? It cost MR116 per night (about 22 pounds). It was basic. No restaurant, or even a cafe serving drinks. But it was clean and air conditioned.

That evening it was pouring with rain and we were hungry. We decided to get a taxi to one of the better restaurants we had passed on the main road. At reception were two young men. They were a bit perplexed by our request, as if getting a taxi was extremely unusual. One of them scuffled in a book and rang a number. After a long conversation in Malay he put the phone down and said “no taxi”. Accepting we would have to walk, and with the rain still pouring down, we asked to borrow an umbrella but the two in the stand were both broken beyond usefulness. Once the rain lessened we walked to the food stalls at the end of the road and had a good meal. The locals were fascinated by us and the girls serving the food were giggling and constantly peeping at us.

Pekan to Tasik Chini – 80km

Today we turned inland to visit Lake Chini which was recommended by Lonely Planet. After riding back into Pekan to get cash and supplies we rode past the Mosque and up the Sungai Pahang valley, through small farms and villages with small pockets of rainforest, many of which were being cleared to be replaced with palms.

At lunchtime we sampled the local delicacy of river fish cooked in a fermented durian sauce. We won't be trying it again. We were 'done' in this restaurant, being charged MR40 for our meal, (usually MR12). That will teach us to ask the price first.

Turning south out of the river valley the road began to climb up into the low hills. There was a thunder storm brewing so we hurried to complete the last 10km. After a long slow climb to the top of a hill the rain started to fall. We sped down the other side to Kampung Gumum and arrived at 'Rajan Jones Guest House' just in time to shelter from the really heavy rain.

The guest house is a traditional type long house with 10 simple rooms with just a mattress, mosquito net and a fan. Its owner, Rajan, speaks good English and charges just RM30 (6 pounds) each for half board. The meals, cooked by his wife, were delicious and ample. The village, described in LP as 'flower filled', disappointed us as there was so much rubbish everywhere and the lake side had broken and dilapidated picnic tables with more rubbish floating in the water.

The saving grace was that we were sharing the accommodation with two interesting couples.

Alexander and Andre are German and are travelling RTW on motorbikes.

Francoise and Jean-Claude are French and using public transport to explore Asia. We had a very relaxing two days with them all, exchanging stories and helpful advice.

On the Saturday we hoped to be able to go on a jungle trek with Rajan. He advised to leave it till Sunday as the heavy rain the day before would mean problems fending off the leeches. Instead we took a boat ride around the lake and up the river with F and JC. As we walked down to take the boat, we were accompanied by the pack of dogs from the guest house and surrounding houses. They had adopted us as part of their pack and they waited for us until we came back.

The lake is renowned for its lotus flowers which were just coming onto flower. The river was surrounded by jungle and we saw a few birds and a couple of pigs.

Later we headed across the lake to a small traditional village. The houses are basic and stood in stark contrast to the new community toilet block just constructed.

There was a small shack selling local crafts where we got the chance to pin Jean Claude to a target with a blowpipe.

Walking back up from the lake, we stopped at the village shop. It was difficult to find, in a non de-script building with a Buddhist altar in the doorway. We bought water from “the fridge” and beer, which is stored surreptitiously in a cupboard, (presumably to avoid insulting the majority Muslim population of the village). We bought their whole stock, 5 small cans of “probably the best lager in the World”.

Walking back to the accommodation we came across an interesting game, football over a volley ball net. the lads were amazingly adept at heading and high kicking the ball.

Rajan promised to take us all on a jungle trek the next day as long as no more rain fell. Unfortunately it poured again overnight so we were out of that place, leaving the leeches to feast on someone else.

Tasik Chini to Kuantan – 78km

After the climb up the hill out of Gumum the rest of the day was on the flat. At the first town, Paluh, there was a bakery and cafe where a man was making 'roti canai', a thin naan type bread, pulled out thin and wrapped around a raw egg then cooked on a hot plate and served with a curry dipping sauce – delicious.

The first 20km was along quiet roads but soon we hit the busy 12 road. There were lots of lorries which threw diesel fumes and dust all over us to combine with the sweat and sun-tan lotion into a revolting grey coating. The busy road had no hard shoulder so the riding was tense and tiring.

Turning onto the P2 the traffic was just as heavy but it was a dual carriageway and had a shoulder. for most of the way. Because it was Sunday a lot of the small roadside cafes were closed so we pushed on into Kuantan and found a Chinese where we had a great meal as well as a couple of celebratory beers.

Kuantan is a busy city where the car is king. It is difficult to get across the busy roads with few pedestrian crossings. There is a large mosque in the centre which looks beautiful at night with its minarets illuminated. We stayed at the Classic Hotel which was clean, had good quality bed linen and a big bathroom as well as a view over the river. The breakfast wasn't bad either.

For our evening meal we went to one of the outdoor food courts. As usual in these type of places there were several cats and a family of young kittens. One of them had some type of bilateral hip displacement (the nurse wrote this) which meant that it could only walk on its front paws. It was surprisingly adept at scuttling over the floor. The meal was spent feeding most of Karen's food to the cats and discussing methods of humanely ending the life of the little kitten, but we didn't have the courage to carry it through.

Kuantan to Cherating – 50km

After a lie-in, a visit to the post office and a ride around the park it was nearly lunch time and very hot. In the park we met a German man married to a Peruvian wife who spend their time in three counties, Peru, Germany and Malaysia and are also keen touring cyclists. We would have liked to spend more time with them as they had valuable information about Peru.

On the outskirts of Kuantan a flash car guarded by 4 police motorcyclists, two police cars and a bodyguard on a motorbike at its side went past. The person inside must have been VVVIP, we assume the Sultan of Pahang. Just past us the entourage disappeared into a plush palace with high walls, watchtowers and gold plated railings, manned by multiple armed guards.

The 3 road continues north, close to the sea. Again it was busy with lorries and tankers. There was a junction where the 3 was signpost left but we decided to go straight on, thinking that would be a quieter road. It was signposted 'Pelabuhan' and was a massive heavy industrial estate and oil drilling supply base / harbour where all the heavy lorries were heading. It was good to have the sat nav to get us out of there.

There are lots of large resort type hotels all the way along this part of the coast, many of which appear to be closed down. We headed for Cherating which is famous, in the monsoon season' for its surfing but at this time of year is a sleepy, relaxed resort town. There are more Europeans here than anywhere else we have stayed so far in Malaysia. The accommodation is mostly in wooden beach chalets of varying standards and equipment.

We settled for one at 'Villa de Fedelia' which has beautiful well tended gardens leading down to the beach and a couple of ponds with fish, lotuses and resident monitor lizards. It's so nice we stayed for two days.

Monitor Lizard about 1 meter long

The beach was lovely and almost deserted.  We swam in the water which was almost at bath temperature.

On our last evening, we went into the village for something to eat, selecting a fish barbeque place.  Who should we bump into but Francoise and Jean Claud again. So we ate dinner with them and then went for a few beers, spending over our budget - again!