Aha, Malaysia, arriving here by long-tail boat, a short hop along the coast from Thailand, there are no convenient roads nearby. As a penance I will whip a scar across my back, for having cheated, however, the boat ride was well earned, having cycled extra distance zig-zagging & exploring through Asia. Managed to carry the heavy bike+bags across a row of moored boats whilst they were jigging up and down in the water, plus hoist it up the ladder, phew! Then a search for an ATM & local currency, and we're off, cycling down the coast hard against the tropical shoreline, small roads and little traffic.
First Stop
Malaysia is extremely multicultural, more so than anywhere else I've been, including England. Three main social groups, Malays, Chinese and Indians. One guy talked loads of politics, made my head hurt, but an interesting lecture none-the-less, and good background information. Of Indian descent, he said always choose Chinese run accommodation for better deals. Staying at the town of Alor Star, it's strange after Thailand, a different feel, more stressed, cars zipping around impatiently, spending ages waiting to cross roads.
For something to do, I visited the tourist tower, revolving restaurant and all that. Foreigners pay extra, though the staff were friendly, enquiring why I picked there town as tourist stop over, as precious few do. Guess that's why then. And the accommodation for a bargain 20 ringgit, cheap for a developed nation. Love hunting round town, getting a feel and scouting for the best areas.
Chinese New Year continues (is it 2 weeks duration?), and I watched the 'lion dance' thingy, drums accompanying. The lion danced through the streets, stopping at each Chinese business/shop, dancing into the shop, performing a few rituals, etc... fun to watch. Interesting that the lion didn't go into many Malay or Indian places, but the whole community watched and enjoyed.
Gave the Island of Langkawi a miss, after reading unfortunately the budget accommodation has been bulldozed to make way for a golf course, he he he. Well, I'm all beached out from Thailand.
Penang Curry
Oh yeah baby, Penang, wonderful, staying here a few days, it's food heaven, one dish at a time, it'll take ages before moving on. It's a 'must do' place a complete contrast to the last stopover in 'Alor Star'.
The bike ride here was rubbish, took the medium roads, not the express-way. Trafficy, straight and boring. Passed a huge Tesco superstore 50km ago, an English supermarket phenomenon, strange to see it's tentacles reaching this far. Lots of roads signs for Le Tour De Langkawi, part of the the world professional cycle racing circuit, doing the whole of Malaysia, looks like I was just too late to meet them on the road.
Was keen to cycle Penang Bridge from the mainland to the island, a spectacular sight. However, I was stopped at the toll booth, trying to persuade the young ladies it was OK to cycle, until a policeman turned up and put and end to the matter. So a de-tour to the port, and a 10/15min ferry ride out to George Town, Penang. Lovely cycling around the old town where I settled on a guesthouse for 35 Ringits or 5 pounds a night, Broadway Budget Hotel, sandwiched between Little India and China Town the other, so what'll it be tonight, Curry or noodles?
And a decent room for change. Have been cutting back in the last few weeks, the last room having little light, no water or toilet, no electrical outlets, no air conditioning, which is OK, fan is fine. For bed bugs, I used a silk liner and insect repellent, mosquitoes were swatted. The outside toilets were pretty uh.... having a shave would've been a miracle. Yippeeee, and now I have a clean room, toilet, shower, big window and central location, o it's heaven, and I can wash all smelly clothes in the basin. Through the window you can hear an Indian music stall blaring out Bollywood tunes, mixed in with an 'elmer fudd' sounding imam calling the faithful from mosque.
Little India in China Town, Malaysia
Can be confusing, sometimes it's like being in China or India, let alone Malaysia. And if that wasn't enough, there are old British colonial buildings, from way back during the days of the East India Company don't you know, whato. An Indian Muslim mosque, next to a Hindu temple, across the road from a Baptist church. It's all here. Eventually Singapore overtook this place, and that's why there still lots of small interesting streets here, from the old days, whilst Singapore developed into a city of modern skyscrapers (after it bulldozed all the small interesting streets).
The streets exude character and charm, wander and you'll find the colourful and exotic, from Chinese dumplings to Bollywood music CDs, lots of small time traders. This is what I love about Asia, it's fun to be outside amongst all this activity, in England the environment is more sterile, you walk into a pizza hut and get cut off from the outside world, can't afford it every day. Here everyone can afford to indulge themselves at the food stalls, try this and that, look at what's being cooked, sit down together, fantastic.
A curious fact from the guidebook: when first colonized, the British commander fired coins from a big cannon, the aim being to get the locals to remove the undergrowth. Sad funny ha ha. Didn't see that one on Gardeners World TV programme.
There's an excellent hawker centre at the esplanade, a long stretch of road for walking beside the seashore. A hawker centre or food centre is the name given to open-air complexes in Malaysia and Singapore housing many stalls that sell a variety of food. Seems penang food equals culinary heaven, an incredible variety; Indian, Chinese, Malay, Thai and fusions, there's so much on offer it's difficult to get your head around. I'll just work my way through the guidebook recommendations. Laksa soup, nasi lemak, rojak and chee cheong fun are excellent. And this is the best place for beer, just 10 ringgits for a big bottle (1.50 pounds), and that's cheap compared to other places, even buying from a shop is more expensive, but, then I don't drink as much as some;)
Keep Riding
Meanwhile, some dude has broken the world record for cycling around the record, doing 18,000 miles in 195 days, details here, an average of 92 miles or 147km a day, strong stuff. It's gotta be tough without taking any real time off, a great challenge none-the-less. With all the publicity maybe lots of other people are going to have a crack, you have to be a fit nutter who doesn't want to stop, but wow, what a glory record to have.
Met a New Zealand couple fellow cycle tourers at the internet cafe, keeping an eagle eye the bikes as they tapped away, and I could understand why after they'd had their passport stolen at the last town. David, a local Malaysian cyclist is coming up to help out and guide them to his home-stay bicycletouringmalaysia.com, where they are invited to Indian wedding, sounds good. Also, just arrived in Penang is the guy doing touring the world on a penny farthing bike, details here, we met in Cambodia going opposite directions.
Happy New Year Again
A massive festival for Chinese New Year, streets closed off & stages set up with entertainment including tai chi, kung fu, dragon dances, drums, dragon boat racing and food stalls, running well into the night. Great to see Muslims, Indians, Malays, Chinese and tourists together. Wow, it's been Chinese New Year for the last 2 weeks, was this was the finale?
After a year of abstinence from mainstream media, I subjected my pure zen-like mind to "Rambo 4" at the cinema, and suddenly have an the urge to drive fast and punch someone, maybe a figure of authority from Burma, or just anyone, can't think why? Another year on the bike would clear my mind.
Had to re-adjust the pedestrian walking style as car traffic here is more western, tricky to get used to after the more relaxed driving of Thailand, Laos, China... Suddenly you have to run as suddenly a car pulls 4G's around a sharp carve. And accelerating towards red traffic lights, etc... enjoying the acceleration for its own sake, haven't seen this kinda of behaviour in a while, since Iran.
Demands for my Safe Return
Eventually I will, gut wrenching as it is, be returning to the UK. Here is a list of demands:-
- Turn up the central heating up at the aircraft exit gates, it's not easy coming from a harsh tropical beach climate.
- After having seen the sun, or having felt its effects everywhere from France to Singapore, the UK comes as a sudden shock where the sun can disappear for weeks. All I'm saying is please add some UV lighting at the baggage carousel, just to help with the initial shock.
- Please fix the "Baggage Handling System" at Heathrow, well done BAA.
- Mobile noodle carts on every side-walk, affordable social eating with good quality food, plastic chairs/tables are fine and add a certain mystique.
- An import of far eastern women, Chinese, Lao, Thai, whatever... and a program of resettlement of our Wayne and Waynettas to Antarctica. This might mean a major evacuation of the High Wycombe area, but that'll help with house prices and traffic...
Blazing Saddles
I'm spending way too much time off the bike, so I've made a slight alteration. This is the perfect setup for next year's assault on the round the world cycling record and I'm gonna knock the crap out of it. Also, an ideal set up for my good cycling buddy Keith.
Penang Hill
Penang Hill, a 5.25 km cycle ride, rising to 890 metres altitude, that's an average gradient of 1 in 6, that's steep. Many of locals walking/up down including a few cyclists. Sweeping views of the Island and an ABC-Special, a mix of sweets, peanuts, jelly and ice cream mixed with shaved ice cubes.
Meanwhile, Lindsay has arrived in Penang, a fellow cycle tourist, previously we crossed paths crossed in Turkmenistan.
Continuing South
It's good to join some fellow cycle tourers, Lindsay and Nichola, who are making a dash for Kuala Lumpar where Nichola ends her trip. After leaving Penang the roads got busier, still lots of brilliant wild scenery, the Cameron Highlands and vast areas of palm trees, used for margarine so I'm told. We had a go at the express way, service lanes being ideal for quieter cycling, however, the police threw us back onto the trafficy main road. Thankfully, we ended up on a minor road heading into Taiping, famous for silver mining and the Tescos superstore on its outskirts.
A fine sidetrip to Kuala Kangsar, known as the royal town, the sultan's palace is set amongst well groomed parks, colourful shrub, manicured trees, fresh air with good views. We found the first rubber tree planted in Malaysia at the back of a police station. Rubber was big business during the days of the British Empire when Europeans made their fortunes. Those days are gone, jolly shame what, but you can still the grand villas dotting the roadside, and imagine enjoying a gin and tonic out on the veranda. We came across Kellies castle, the unfinished mansion by a Scottish rubber baron, which sounds kinky.
Next stop was Ipoh, where there was a political rally outside our hotel window, lots of flags with a rocket logo, strange symbol for a political movement. Yes, it's election time here in Malaysia, yawn. A walk through Ipoh to look at the train station (well its something to do), a colonial masterpiece of East meets West. There's no life on the sidewalks like most Asian towns, perhaps its too well developed, wide roads and lots of cars going places, a little soulless.
We dined at Malaysia's oldest bar, opened 1906, colonial era for the workers of the tin mines and rubber plantations. The man at the bar was a character, having worked here for 61 years since the age of 12, and now doing 7 days a week because he loves the place. When Lindsay said he came from New Zealand, he got very excited about the New Zealand rugby team having being here in 1962. There's been a few Christian churches and influences from the west, bla bla bla... And as ever, that's intermingled with mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples. One school I cycled past, even had a rugby pitch, haven't seen that since France.
Traffic lights aren't efficient, in that there are long waits when the road is empty. What is truly amazing, after having ridden through China, Thailand, etc.... is that no-one jumps the red lights, but we do because it's we've been trained in China, Thailand, etc... vehicles rev up as they anticipate the lights switching to green, unlike China, Thailand, ... And I miss chickens running across the road... I miss China.
Could have headed inland to the Cameroon Highlands. This put me off, here's an email from a German cycling couple:- "We told you that we would cycle to the Cameron Highlands on the new road. You recommended to start early in the morning. So we did. We started in Ipoh at 6am. 5 km after Simpang Pulai we had a terrible experience. Three young Malayans stopped us, they were on 'motosikals', and robbed us totally. They were armed with heavy wooden sticks. They took everything!! We lost our passports, all our money, all the credit-cards all our luggage. We could save our life and our bicycles. Please recommend in the future other foreign cyclist not to use this road. We are sure that the bandits will do this again because they were so successful. We are now on Langkawi to cure our souls." - All the other countries were safer including China and Iran, strange stuff.
Bidor and we had to try durian fruit, an acquired taste, perhaps similar to 'vomit flavoured custard', and the taste lingers still after several hours. The jungles roll over the hills, primeval looking, as if a bontasuraus dinasour is about to rear its head up over the trees chomping on a mouthful of leaves. The guest-house owner insisted I was from Northern Island, because the British passport cover mentions it, he just wanted a unusual guest, so I said I was from Belfast. You'd have to have been there.
Amusing
article about a man who planned to walk from the UK to India penniless, and in the name of peace, was forced to turn back in Calais after locals accused him of being a "freeloader". I too ride in the name of peace, please send your donations, much needed for Australia & the Americas, and not working for a living.
Kulur Lumpar
Sprawling capital city, staying at the cheapest dive in Bukit Bintang district, the Bitang Guesthouse, well there's free coffee, relaxation area and a welcoming Indian restaurant next door. The streets are chaotic, clogged with cars, overly cluttered pavements and rain once a day. The rain starts suddenly and the crowds run for cover, being British I walked.
Saw the petronus towers, two gherkins joined by a piece of string, took a lift up the nearby KL Tower for a grand view of rain squalls approaching the city. Happily there was a small park in which to unwind, where I was offered a fake watch just once, unlike Chinatown where you hear "Rolex sir?" every 5 metres. Lots of shopping malls, very upmarket 5 star affairs, an average of one handbag for sale for every 10 square metres of marble flooring. Don't come here if you have a shopaholic partner, but was fun to observe. I even saw some fellow travellers taking photos of designer handbags.
As I sat by the gherkins I was approached by concerned relative who had a family member about to move to England, could I go visit the family and answer questions? Nope, somewhat suspicious, and this was confirmed when another group of people approached with the same story. So I stood in the middle of square and opened the guidebook playing the virgin tourist, all I got where fake rolexs again. Well, there was nothing better to do, and theres only so many shopping malls a person can take. Later, I heard the "worried relative" was the number one scam for robbing tourists.
The park was good with families out doing healthy activities, the swimming pool especially, lifeguards in berkhas and children splashing around in full length orange suits. And a fine cricket pitch at Merdeka Square, a relic from the days of empire, a mock tudor pavilion, a fusion of east meets west buildings and skyscrapers, yawn. There's no relaxing in Kulur Lumpar, too much rush in too little space, and traffic choking the streets. Go to Singapore, Bangkok for your stopover, even Hong Kong. I did succumb to shopping for electrical gadgets, but was put off by higher prices, Singapore will be better. By comparison, Chinese cities had the same urban densities, but were far better organised and comfortable to explore. The guest-house is good so I'll stay a little longer.
Melaka Hippy
A night arrival, we ended up at the Discovery Cafe with a supply of free beer from the visiting Carlsberg reps, the trick being to mention you just cycled here from England. chuffed to have unusual long distance cyclists staying, plus a great blues band, word around the bar spread and congratulations forthcoming, we're kinda blasse about it.
Waved fellow cyclist Lindsay off, as he wants to get to Singapore quickly, park his bike then scuba diving in Thailand. My plan, after all the cycling, is to hang out somewhere cheap before prices double in Singapore, and I'd scouted out a superb guest-house the day before. So I pretended to set out for Singapore in order not to upset the nice owner, oh the guilt as handed me a pack lunch, generous, but I really had to save money in order to afford an apple Ipod in Singapore. So please stay at the Discovery Cafe, oh I don't feel so guilty.
Meanwhile, been looking at flights to Heathrow, as must pick up the career at some point. Tempted by Australia, save it for later when can cycle confident of work situation back home. A year is so terribly short for a holiday.
I really like the Travellers Lodge, the best Malay guest-house so far, with communal areas, interesting fellow guests, the place to hang-out. The town has picturesque tourist areas, old European churches, and colourful rickshaw bicycles if you're seeking a certain je na sa qua. Around the next corner, another shopping mall pops into existence. The guest-house is the saving grace, best in Malay so far.
The mainstay of Malay life, getting out at the weekend or any free-time appears to be shopping malls. It's a dominant theme along the west coast, the place to go. Kids hang around, people wander through, it's like all the open spaces, parks, whatever have switched to window shopping. And its all cars here, no one walks anywhere, expect malls. The most 'western country' since leaving Europe, its a shame, however the new hobby of mall studies is enlightening. The so called undeveloped countries have lots of small holder stalls and markets which are far happier, people smile, there's no stress, everyone is friendly. By contrast here, the shop workers look so bored, people shop to fill a spiritual vacuum. After a year spent without big shopping centres, it's very noticeable.
Its been impossible to miss the election, flags and supporters all over, so here is the breaking election news: The result was the coalition's worst electoral performance in the 51 years that it has governed Malaysia following independence from Britain in 1957. The stunning electoral upheaval was the outcome of simmering racial tensions, income disparities, inflation, rising crime and anger against the enrichment of the ruling elite. More breaking news: Japanese traveller staying at this guesthouse had 300 dollars stolen, plus another guest, a German lady, the victim of a bag snatch, being dragged along the ground by a moped. Nasty bruises, black eye, all valuables taken.
Melaka to Singers
And finally the open road again, the usual palm tree covered hills, however the traffic is a real pain, getting progressively worse going south towards Singapore, 10 lanes of traffic and hard tropical downpour. However, I did enjoy whizzing along with the mopeds dodging in and out of the stationary traffic. Strangely, no mention of Singapore on road signs, a symptom of Malay-Singapore relations. Palm trees litter the hills as far as the eye can see, great stuff. At Batu Pahat temptation got the better, a decent hotel where my room had its very own toilet, carpeted floor, breakfast and the mornings newspaper slid under the door, absolute bliss. I couldn't face another formica partitioned coffin room.
Johor Bahru, bustling border town where Singaporeans come to party on cheap booze, and shop. The town has a jaded reputation which I haven't seen. The highlight in riding here was seeing a huge Iguana lizard on the road side, unfortunately dead, a casualty of the traffic. Safe but, little space for relaxed cycling as there has been every country since cycling from England. Strangely, the traffic is most similar to English A-roads, zip zip zip meow, lorries tailgating followed by held up cars, overtaking when they get the chance, it's a developed country after all, over-developed is a better term.
Overall Malaysia was worth it, but I'm not coming back, if you fancy this area of the world then Thailand/Lao are more relaxed and tidy. My extended stays in Panang and Melaka were enjoyable, and the multicultural makeup of Malaysia an eye opener, worth seeing.
The 1km causeway to Singapore is outside my window, you'll find me in the moped lane tomorrow, and that's the next blog...