Nuts and Bolts

Made Kuala Terengganu the state capital and another of Malaysias uninspiring cities. Bland concreate buildings with that lived in feel about the streets that makes the excperiance of being part of them so rewarding. The industery surrounding the town mainly oil has turned it from the fishing village to an eye sore with the usual lack of consideration that has effected the surrounding landscape. Power lines and refineryies have replaced my plantation and simple living people.
Having a rest day here nuntheless, been clocking too many big k days just lov’n the ride, sceenery moveing at an ideal pace along flat sunny roads and I remind myself to rest and refuel. No excuses for not eating well plenty of food stalls along the road serving up the local fair direct and I’m always enjoying something new, chilly fish, curries and a sartay thats the bomb.
Clocking 80/100km a day up the coast road, bodys holding out fine it just always takes me a few days to settel in, not push so hard and fiind my rythem.

The south was really cool jungle full of simple living people, monkeys and eguarners but with the population and industery in the north the traffic increassing and the raods are a little less scenic. Everydays a new and I alweys find something that keeps me smilling be it a side excersion into some crazy little fishing village or the eclectic market that forms around any Moqsue. The people are so friendly and I get to meet lots of them on the street and with every meal. All interisted in what I’m doing and keen to assist, we have little chatts most speek some english and we get by. Through the market I am the spectical, every eye turns to me and my bike as I wheel it through the labrinth of stalls, bright silks, fish and fresh produce. They don’t get much tourisum along the hiways most travellers heading for the island resorts the only westerners I’v seen were bacpackers in Mersing but its ok I’m getting use to it, I smile and play it up their always good for a laugh.

Enjoying the ride on all counts with few complaints, my panniers are failing me and I got the squirts this morning but that’s the bulk of my complaints section miner in the sceem of things and I ride on looking forward to tomorrow.

On The Road

Singapore was good place to start I think the pace of asian culture will inevitablyt set a newbi back a step, fast and furious but I love it the size and diversity of such a place it just took a few days to get into it. English is the state language but most peoples second, Chinease, Malaysian and indian all in make it the economic kingpin of asia. It makes me laugh that Australia can boast its Multiculturalism in the wake of Crunnella, it just seems so normal here that it doesent need nameing. An Epic city but i was keen to get on the road. Taking a ferry across the Straights Of Jahor and onto the Malaysian paninsula from the endless city state to the jungels of Malaysia in half an hour, cool this is what I'm after. The road flows north and I find my rythem, the roads are good with a wide shoulder frequented by the 125 moterbikes a stapel and drivers are concious of slow moving traffic they give me plenty of room, rubber necking. It always takes a few days on evey to tour to get useto the fact that you are a spectical and a crazy one at that. But thay are lovley people and wave with a big Halloo! I stop at the stalls on the side of the road, there are plenty food, fruit and suger cane juice, a great pick me up. We get by with my bad english, (sorry about the spelling people) and their eys go wide when I point to Bangkok confused that I would want to travel solo, I dont think it's somthing they really get very social and family orientated. I point to what the boy at the tabel is eating and she brings me over a bowl, crushed ice covered in a golden syrip, milk and and small green worm'e things' pea flower I'm told. Cold & sweet just the thing for the 50K's aheah I'm lov'n it, remberber Chandol for next time. I have my tent and will make camp of the road in the abundent palm plantations tonight I dont plan on making the next town theirs no need to push it I'm just warming up. The wind is on my back and I realise I am wearing a beaming smile all is good On The Road, thankyou for the insperation Jack Karouack.

It Had To Start Somewhere

Prpoposing to go bicicyle touring begs the responce from the "nay" sayers outthere and there are many, "why would you want to do that","your crazy" or " I'm going that way do you want a lift" but they will never know the satisfation that comes with making the top and rolling down the other side. Yes there is the realization of the sadist within that enjoys the up hill slog, burning calf mussels and sweat not to mention my brass (the bridge to your ass) but these are all par and parcell of that larger thing the journey. I never really iddentified with the cycliest (I don't own licra shorts) more like the flenuer, the traveller lacking the destination but enjoying the process, cycling allows me the time to travel slow.
I have looked at a map but it's hard to decide on a route, "just head north", avoid the traffic and keep to the west coast of Melaysia seems like the go, avoid the bussy hiways and KL and try and find my rythem. Lacking the cycle tourer self propeltion commitment there is agood rail system through Thailand where I may avoid the southern provinces and help me make Bangkok by the end of April.
Singapor today a good as any place to start (TigerAirways cheap $244 return) A modern self consuming constructionan that I am kinda keen to get out of. Impressive skyscraper archectecture and harbour I need to buy a camera so you may appreciate the number and size of the cargo ships.
It's good to be on the road.