Planned trip on 23/10 to 24/10

My company compensate us by giving 1-day annual leave for the Deepavali on 21/10, so I last minute decided to use it on Monday 23/10 to go in Malaysia to KL and K. Selangor. This time again using my GPS to plan and guide me through.

The main attraction is to visit the Firefly Park at Bukit Belimbing (K. Selangor). http://www.fireflypark.com/ I bought a new camera with night mode specally for this trip and also the next coming major trip in early 2007. I don't want to regret later not bringing a better camera to capture the memories :) Sometimes you don't always get a chance to repeat certain events (I still regret never taken the horse photo Kota Bahru...damn...). It is the same in life, certain things once you pass it you can never retreive the moment, but at that moment, you did not think about this but you will regret later. Sometimes it could just be for the experience and nothing else, and althought we are often taught to treasure every moment we had but most of the time, it is taken for granted that it is always there and will be there for you the next time. It is not always so... (damn, why am I getting sentimental just by planning a trip...must be getting old liao...mentally..HA!)


As I surfed through the web, I happened to find another attraction in KL which I didn't know of existed, the Mines Resort City. It is dubbed as the "seven wonders of malaysia". You can read more about the place here http://www.mines.com.my/about.asp.

Seven Wonders of Malaysia

Sprawling over what used to be the world's largest open-cast tin mine. The Mines Resort City is home to the "Seven Wonders of Malaysia" including:

·Palace of the Golden Horses
·The Mines Resort & Golf club
·The Mines Beach Resort & Spa
·The Mines Shopping Fair
·Malaysia International Echibition & Showroom (M.I.N.E.S)
·The Mines Wonderland
·The Mines Waterfront Business Park


It has a huge shopping centre with a lake inside (yes, a lake which you can sail in...wow), an indoor theme park (Snow Town) and a Wonderland within the 150-acre man-made lake. It should be a very interesting place to visit. However, the Wonderland opening hours at night seems to clash with the timing of my firefly visit (1 hour ride from KL town) leh....got to either spend 2 night or squeeze both into the same evening....I will decide when I get there..

Then as I surfed I discovered another place, KLCC Aquaria at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). An underwater aquarium built based on the Journey of water from land to sea. You are supposed to go from misty mountains down majestic rivers, through lush rainforests and waterlogged mangroves; then dive deeper to navigate through colorful coral reefs and dive head on into the ominous deep blue sea (meaning in the way the sea creatures are presented lah, duh!). The entrance fees are RM 38 for non-malaysian. Although we got Underwater World in Singapore, will just go in for the experience ...The most come back and post to tell you say waste my $ , please don't go lor...

I am surprised that I didn't know about these 2 places in KL. When I made a search through the Virtual Malaysia website, I discovered more interesting places that could make a good weekend day trip to explore.

....after all, its only approximate 300+km from Singapore....hahaha...machiem like so near hor.....hahahha....

A&W at Taman Universiti (05.10.06)

While the Hornets are having dinner at Satay Celub, me and my friend check out the A&W in JB using my GPS. Duno is it sway or not, that night we went in by 2nd link, there was a power failure in Malaysia after 2nd link.

The highway after Singapore custom was dark, the malaysia custom was dark, the whole highway is dark, even the Pentronas at Geylang Patah that I want to pump also dark! Only Esso is operating, must be getting alot of business that night.

I got poor eye sight at night, somemore power failure and my low beam not working due to the HB4 bulb holder melted. I couldn't find a replacement holder at Autobacs, at carshop, scrapyard or electrical parts shop. They told me it come in one set with the wiring assembly, and the car scrapyard I went say only the newer cars using the HB4 bulbs; those they had were old cars using halogen. Luckily I am able to get them at ebay US but they will only arrive in a week time. *And while I thought I will be getting them this week, I just received an alert from ebay that the seller feedbacked that I haven paid, although I had done so. Just replied to ebay on this*

So instead of me leading, become my friend leading the way cos his lights are brighter and with him behind me he is actually blinding me. I just take over or signal when we are reaching a turn so that he knows we are suppose to turn. From 2nd link, we went through a stretch of 11km dark twisty country road. Duno whether dark becos power failure or there is no lamp posts...cannot see properly.

The A&W is in a Petronas station. The food is ok ...I dun really eat A&W that much even before they close down in Sg. Later we choose to go back by JB and surprising, althought it looks very confusing on the GPS, it is actually easier to go there by JB as there are lesser turnings. Straight all the way from JB towards Pasir Gudung, then a left turn somewhere, twisty roads, another left turn, and A&W is on your right.

I prefer root beer plain as the ice cream makes the drink thick....

I went for the A&W partly becos the next day (that is today) I had my left bottom & upper wisdom teeth removed due to the lower one decayed. Must eat before I suffer for the next few days keke...

my tooth..still can't believe she pull them out using manual force....

you don't feel the pain but you can feel the force of pulling...

Day 3 - Kota Bahru & Home

Day 3

I woke up at 8am. Very troublesome using the wash basin at the corridor. I got to make 2 trips, one to brush my teeth and one to wash my face, becos there is no space to put all the things. Luckily my room is nearby. It feels weird to be washing your face and brushing your teeth in the "public" area although I make there is nobody around before I started. I prefer to do everything behind closed door, more privacy. Most of the guests had checked out or gone out.

I thought all had gone out but Bob was still around. So I chatted with him while checking out my bike parked downstairs. He offered me a cup of coffee and a curry puff. That curry puff became the only meal of the day until I reached home around 1am. As I looked out the window, I saw a traffic warden checking on the clocking machines (like in Hongkong shows..) Seems like a few cars parked overnight and did not put enough coins cos kena summon by the warden. Kota Bahru don't use coupon, use coin machine one.

Very interesting.. call me suaku lor...u also never see b4 lor...

We talked for a while and he recommended to try out the few islands for exploring the next time I come Kota Bahru again. He has a tourist guide certificate which can bring visitors around Malaysia. I wanted to explore Kota Bahru so bid him good bye and he passed me a local map for directions. I forgot to ON the GPS nagivating system, so was wondering why it didn't show me the directions. I followed the directions given by Bob to the Central market but still got lost the moment I left the hostel area (aiya...used to it liao). As it was still early and traffic is light, I decided not to wear my riding jacket but brought it alone incase I wanted to go further away.

Kota Bahru town, look no differences from the other towns.....

I passed by an area which could be the Chinatown of Kota Bahru as I saw all the chinese restaurant and hotels with chinese names. There was also alot of chinese hawkers along this road. With the GPS, I located the Central Market easily. It looks no differences from our wet market; dry stock and wet mixed together but at different storeys. First storey is wet market; 2nd storey is the dry stocks and 3rd storey is selling shoes, silverware, clothing etc. The stall holders are almost all females from what I observed. The guys are just sitting around chatting or leaving on their motorcycles after purchasing.

From external.........

1st storey

2nd storey

3rd storey

At the carpark, a policeman and few people gathered to see me push out the bike. Guess they dun see big bikes around town (I didn't get to see any big bikes around while Im there.) and especially ridden by a gal....kekeke.....Paiseh sia...but act blur lor...

I was looking for the World War II memoriam but I couldn't seems to find it using the GPS. After riding round n round, I ended up at the jetty near the Royal Malaysian Custom... then I ride out and discovered that the Padang Bank and the memoriam is just behind the Custom. I went round the area 3 times and I didn't discovered it?!

forgotten what is this place...

The only picture I managed to get of myself on the bike, by placing the camera phone on a bench and using the timer. Bo pian, I dun speak malay and I doubt they understand english...and what if they ran off with my camera....?! Got a few stares when riding around town, but who cares...Im here to enjoy myself...so act blur lor....kekeke...something I learned on this trip..act blur and act lost....you dun feel paiseh when people staring at you while pretending to be busy searching for directions. Actually, most of the time...Im really lost and looking for directions...hahaha....

As I had lost my way for a while, my fault for not "locking ON" roads, I decided to make a last try for the 24m long Sleeping Buddha and hopefully to see the padi machine again. It was almost noon and my plan is to leave by 1pm if to reach Singapore before midnight. Luckily it was easiler this time and I found the temple easily (ok...I admit I miss the entrance again and had to reverse the bike abit....) I couldn't understand why I didn't see it the previous time I went pass. The temple feels like you are in Thailand instead of Malaysia land. Anyway, Kota Bahru feels abit like Thailand, lots of rural area mixed with urban areas. And you get to see muddy padi fields instead of lots of trees and plantations. Now I feel abit regret that I didn't try to go down and pick some rice stalks.....

I had been to the Sleeping Buddha at Thailand in 2001

Im a snakey.....

This bridge links to Kota Bahru town, the motorcycles are using the walkway as shortcut, one direction one side; so I also follow lor..

After this I went back to the hostel to pack my things and prepared to leave Kota Bahru. Maybe its a Sunday so traffic was still light. I choose to travel along the east coast from Penarik to Kuala Terengganu. Along the way, the houses and surrounding is like at the country side by the sea. I did not see the sea at all although the GPS indicated Im right near to it. But I can see alot of coconut and palm trees and the land there is mostly sandy soil. I saw many cow and goats along the side of the road and encountered twice of the cows and goats crossing the road. Bo pian, got to siam and give way to them..

they chose a blind corner to cross, almost hit them... almost miss the scene as I got to stop the bike, take out the glove then can take picture on the phone...after that I rode without the glove for a distance hoping to catch more..

I also saw the beware of horse sign and I did saw a horse grazing among the bush as I passed the sign. Was thinking whether to go down and take a picture but I saw people coming and paiseh wait they thought Singaporean so suaku never see horse.

Along the way, I saw alot of these "keropok Lekor" signs and shops. Saw from the Lonely Planet that they are fried fish and supposed to be very famous product but I did not stop to take a look cos not interested in the food. I stopped at Kuala Terengganu to visit the Mosque Tengku Ten aka Floating Mosque as it looks like it is floating on the water at high tide as I had read. A very striking white building.

Kota Bahru and Kuala Terengganu has alot of colourful mosques and public buildings as I noticed. Very bright and attractive. From Kuala Terengganu, I went pass Marang, Dungun, Kemaman. Along the whole journey towards Kelantan, you will pass by town area then suddenly country side then town area again as you went through the several towns. Country side is totally nothing by the side, only beaches or a few houses scattered around the road. The road is actually quite smooth and nice to ride. Got some gentle corners and little traffic. You feel very relaxing riding here, don't feel tired at all.

stopped for a drink..

Refinerines I saw along the road...

Just after Kuala Terengganu on the way to Kelantan, I met a lone ZX6 or 9 Malaysian rider (forgotten liao since so long). He commented that my Bandit is a good touring bike (happy sia!). He had went back Kuala Terengganu hometown and was going back KL by Route E22. I was going by Route 12, so we ride together for a while until it started to rain and after I stopped to put on my raincoat, I didn't see him again.

It was around 6+ but the sky was still sufficient bright so I decided to speed up while it is still bright. I think I went up to 140km/H. As it turn dark, I started to have problems. Malaysia road don't like to have lights along the way so it was pitch dark all around. Throughout the journey,I am hiding behind the windscreen, lying flat on the tank to escape from the various insects that committed suicide on my windscreen and visor. It was so disgusting that at the custom, the officer take a look at my bike & visor and just look inside the box and let me go. I still could not understand why people like to hang their helmet on the mirrors. If you ever ride into Malaysia at night and see what collected at the back of your mirror, you would never ever put your helmet on the mirror again. Yucks!! Halfway through I regretted not going back by E22 as the route is like never-ending in the dark. E22 is much farer in terms of distance but I can make up for it in speed. However, later I found that my choice is not that bad too, you can really cut on the distance and time if you dare to go fast..

Luckily I had adjusted my low beam and high beam before I went on the trip so I can still see the road if using high beam. But when cars from opposite side is coming, I cannot judge whether are they staying on their lane or cutting into mine. So I keeping going to the left when I see opposite cars coming, incase they cut in and I can't siam. A few times I almost went off the road in the dark as I was going fast and it happened to be a gentle right corner. I got to keep flashing my high beam when all the cars in the same direction are far behind me to warn opposite cars not to overtake into my lane. Opposite cars like to overtake into your lane when they see you are the alone vehicle and sometimes they took up the whole lane and expect you to give way to them instead. There were also a few times I encountered lorries or motorcycles with no brake light at all. Suddenly you see something moving infront of you and then you go near to discover it was the back of a lorry or motorcycle. Very dangerous which I dun like.

My route took me into Yong Peng town where I couldn't find a Right junction that is suppose to be there on the map and it would bring me back to the highway. After making 2 U-turns and still cannot decide which is the correct junction, I decided to reset the GPS and go back by Johor Bahru. The time estimated would be 30mins faster than initial route.

After pumping petrol, I decided to be lazy and just follow behind the faster cars and let them open the road for me. Somehow it was a very lucky move. Just after leaving the town, somewhere along the road, I suddenly saw the car infront braked and a series of dark shadows running across the car's headlight beam. I think a family of small animals just ran across the road from opposite lane to our side. I saw a large white furry animal lying on the road and by miracle I missed it. It looks like a large furry cat to me. If I had decided to lead the cars instead, I think most probably I would be the one lying on the road if they decided to cross while I was at the car position. It was that kind of either you hit it or you miss it. Totally no time to siam in the dark. So I thanks my lucky star and guai guai followed behind at 60+kmh speed. After a while, I can't take it anymore. At this rate, I dunno what time then I can reach Singapore and I haven reach Pagoh R&R yet you know. So I decided to overtake and lead again. It was like fast and furious in the night (yeah, I admit Im a speed freak sometimes kekeke). Soon I find the expressway.

Somewhere along the expressway, I was guai guai on the left lane when one car started to tailgate me. I got abit felt up, I on left lane & right lane no car you still want to tailgate me, ok lorI play with you abit. I also wanted to know how fast this bike can get away from cars who disturb you. The moment I crunched down and opened throttle, the speed hits above 200kmh quickly from 120, 140kmh. Above 180kmh the car started to lag behind. So its like catching lor, I slow down the car comes up again. I passed by a group of bike convey while running away from the car. As the GPS indicated that there is a speed trap infront, I slowed down and tried to see which clever guy try to play but the car was no where to be seen, cos I cut cut cut through the lane & the car cannot follow. Advantages of bike and without side boxes, haha.

I intended to go back by 2nd link but was thinking the bike so dirty better give her a good wash in JB first. As per usual, I couldn't find Crown Prince Hotel, think I missed by a street but when I come out was on opposite lane and Im lazy to do a U-turn, so I just go back Singapore lor. There was a jam at JB custom, forgotten that it is NORMAL and should had gone back by 2nd link although it is much farer. My GPS run out of battery halfway through while playing with the bike so I got no idea how much I traveled for this trip, as somewhere I had reset the wrong counter. I still feel very alert when I reached home although I had been on the road for 11 hours and no lunch no dinner at all.

***********

It was nice to pick up back touring after 4 years, I was looking forward to it but it was kind of boring to travel alone. Although I can change my plans and stop anywhere I like, I didn't stop to explore more cos Im the kind of touch and go people, more suit for scenery riding. Only with more people then I would follow to see see look look. With group at least you got some form of security. Hmmm.... I like the kind of flexibility that riding alone gives you. You do not need to wait until everyone is free to join then you can travel up. Sometimes I see people organise trips but due to poor response so they cancelled it. I mean you can just go ahead with the interested people. People will get disappointed when they are looking forward to the trip then the trip is called off becos not enough people. You wait and wait for next organiser until you become not that excited anymore. And when there is one, maybe you are not free. My bf is the type who happy happy can go up Malaysia or Thailand by himself. He is not worried that he would get lost and even if lost, somehow he is able to find the correct way back. I cannot, I confirm lost one.

With this trip, I wanted to explore more areas now than I got the experience of traveling alone and found it is not so bad or scary to go alone. But I will still be worried afterall Im a gal and I can't really speak malay. I check into the rooms must check every corner to ensure it is secure and locked everything. My next trip Im thinking of going Thailand, not sure where but hopefully with group cos I don't get a good feeling about going Thailand alone. I would like to explore Malaysia more and maybe another trip up Kota Bahru again. Got to quit my part-time job then can suka suka go up Malaysia during weekend, but that would means a shortage in extra $ to explore.

Im still very surprised that I finished this trip to so far and back without any incident. When I reached Cameron and Kota Bahru and lying on the bed, my thought was "wow. can't believe Im here" especially at Kota Bahru. Its like on the other end of Malaysia and it seems so far away on the map. Actually I took a very great risk by placing my trust on the GPS and ride up alone. If the map is not accurate, my paper map would not help much as I am not good at remembering the routes I had taken. So the GPS helps greatly in the sense that it shows you your location as you traveled, and how much farer away from the next junction so you can be prepared. I often missed the junctions as I cannot see and predict where is the junction. The only thing is the adjustment of the scale has to be correct so that the GPS can refresh in time and ensure that GPS shows the directions before your movement. With the GPS as a guide, I can travel through the towns like a local. It is that amazing to me. I did my homework, planned out all the routes and had back-up routes incase I couldn't reach my destination in time. If any breakdown, I got my tools with me and if worse case, I just need to call back Singapore and ask for Malaysian contacts.

The bandit is a comfortable bike for touring. It has a thick and wide seat, which I refused to cut any of the seats to compensate for height issues and an upright position though in my case I was leaning slightly forward becos Im short. The windscreen is okay if you hide behind it but I need a taller one as the wind is blowing at my jacket causing it to pull against my neck. I did put a zero gravity sport touring windscreen after I came back. The comment were the same as given in the US/UK Bandit forum, "block alot of the wind blast but noise level increased greatly. Need ear plugs and a Double Bubble would be better in terms of noise reduction" However, I think I will stick to this one due to cost and waiting time of new screen. The bike is good in acceleration and is torquely, one reason I stick to upgrading within the bandit series. I would like to have higher top end, though I may not use it often but the kick is there. Seriously thinking about getting an aftermarket legal exhaust and jet kit for the bike.

One thing must mention about my bikes. All my bikes very pai miam, only the Bandit600 good life, own for 3.5yrs only went up Genting & Fraiser. The rest, Phantom 150 4months and Bandit 400 1 month after I got them I brought them up Thailand; Bandit 1200 2months went up till Kota Bahru on first trip with me.... There will be more to come...her COE finish 2010...hahaha..... I guess she will be the one to follow me go Golden Triangle soon if I can raise the $ and annual leave.

Day 2 - Cameron, Gerik, Kota Bahru

Day 2

I woke up at 7.30am as planned. Check out the room at 8am. Discovered that I couldn't start my bike at all. I thought it was the cold air..wah..so cold until cannot start..Bandits are known to be cold-blooded machine and difficult to start up in cold climate. I pushed the choke to the opposite direction "ON" and hey the bike can start. After a while, I decided it is warm enough but the bike die immediately when I push back to normal position. So I just ride with the choke "ON" to the nearest petrol station. There, I checked my oil level and discovered it was not visible through the view glass. I thought that was the problem. No oil so cannot start. Never mind, but 2 bottle of mineral engine oil and top up. Okay...still cannot start....Hmm....not oil problem so must be carburetor problem lor, since with choke can idle steady and without choke cannot. Never mind, play with the idle setting to raise the rpm so no need use choke. Also cannot. Heck lah, I am not going to waste time resolving this problem here...Since can move then ride with choke ON lor until reach destination then settle again. Later I stuck whole day here even worse. Throughout the journey I attempted to OFF the choke but failed. Bike will stalled at low speed. Aiya bo pian, ride like that lor.

And the best part, when I came back Singapore and go bikeshop change oil (I top up with mineral oil at Cameron remember?), I asked the owner to check for me. He take a look and scolded me

"With choke ON when engine hot of cos bike die lah!".
"No..no.. I ride whole day no problem, next day must turn to opposite direction then can start"
"You go check other Suzuki bike, choke off position is like that!"
"what liew!! So I been thinking my choke position is ON when actually its OFF ah?!"
"Ya lah, someone must had played with your choke. Or you go up Cameron corner left & right until gong liao, choke position also forget"
"How I know mah...I never need to use choke to warm up so if I turn to opposite must be ON lor!"

I was so embarrassed there. I had been thinking that my choke position is at ON throughout the journey. Must be someone played with my bike when I parked it infront of the Pub that night. Ride for so many years, choke ON what position also forget....! si bei malu sia!

Back to the ride. When I started going off it was 9am and very cold and foggy around the town. You can see the fog covering some parts of the buildings.

As I go further down it starts to get warmer. Simpang Pulai corners are more gentle and wide compared to the old Cameron road I went up. You can go at higher speed through these corners and road shoulder is wide enough to stop and take pictures. The view here is not much differences from the other side. I prefer the old Cameron route to the new one as I am more comfortable with low speed of 50, 60kmh as I got time to think about the corners. My reactions are not that fast at high speed.

My route takes me to Kellie's Castle, somewhere on the outskirts of Ipoh. Did not go in, go there look see look see burn petrol...haha...isn't that the purpose of this trip?

http://www.cameron-highland-destination.com/highlands-kellies-castle.html

After this, I went to the temples near the Pamelo stalls. There was a stretch of temples along this route. One of them is built within the limestone caves. I climbed up a long staircase to reach the highest point in the temple for the external view. Got to go pass a short stretch where there is no light, used my phone's light to shine the way. Kind of scary going alone. Heard that there is another one in Ipoh outskirts that can also climb up and look out. In this temple, there are alot of monkeys, duno whether wild from the limestone hills or keep by the temple. The next temple is supposed to have alot of turtle but I couldn't find any. Not sure if I had went to the wrong place.

Morning exercise...

Lots of golden luohans in the pond.

Monkeys! Tourist feeding them with peanuts.

After exiting from the temples is the stretch of Pamelo stalls and a BIG pamelo.

Bridge that I crossed leading to K. Kangsar town

Clock tower in k. kangsar. Kota Bahru has alot of clock tower at junctions too.

I went on to Kuala Kangsar where I wanted to visit the Mosque Ubudiah. It was inside the Kangsar town, which without the GPS I would not had gone in. The mosque was very beautiful and majestic, golden in colour. From the internet, I know they allow visitors and the internal is supposed to be very beautifully fitted. I went there and tried to talk to a malay ice-cream seller and his customers. But they couldn't understand english and I couldn't speak malay. So I didn't dare go in until I saw a malay couple taking photos inside the compound.

Si bei swee right?! with my camera phone also can come out such nice picture or maybe my phone / skill is good....hahaha!!

Unfortunately, I reached at 12.40pm and visiting hours are over.

I continued further down to Palace Bukit Chandan. There seems to be some event going on. I saw a green & beach colour military (maybe private too) helicopter in the field outside the palace. There were many malay people dressed in gold and black colour. Even their wives are dressed similarly. I supposed they just finished some sort of meeting or what. The entrance guards waved me away, not to stop there and after I moved further down and stopped, I saw police escorts on motorbike and car. The guards lined up and saluate the outgoing car and played a short farewell note on their horns. I wonder if I had not moved away what would happened if I take a picture there.....keke.. I tried to catch them on the other way but the convoy had disappeared. Maybe went back to the Istana further up near Mosque Ubudiah.

I guess this is the VIP car being escorted...

Next, I continued on to Gerik Highway. I could't find the big GERIK sign along the whole route 4, suspected to be at the Gerik town which I did not go in. Along Gerik Highway, the scenery is very beautiful. The roads are also wide and long enough for high speeding corner. I didn't stop much along the way except to take pictures. I saw alot of the elephant & cow crossing signs but did not encounter any animals. However, along Terengganu I saw cows and goats walking across the road like they own the road. Even saw a horse sign and SAW the horse but was shy to go back and take pictures. Wait the malaysian thought singaporean so stupid never see horse before must take pictures.

I stopped at Petronas and take my first drink and my "livita" of the day. I had been pumping and go and visiting the various places that I forget to stop for a drink. When you are dehydrated, you get restless and cannot concentrate on riding. You just want to rush through everything.

After I left the petrol station, I saw 2 Singapore bikes along the route, a Suzuki GSXR and a red bike which I think is a VFR. They zoomed passed me and I could only get a short look at the red bike that it is a FW plate. Much further down the road I saw another 2 bikes, not sure same group as they are going even faster that I couldn't see what plate.

GPS showing the estimated time of arrival. Quite accurate right?

My destination is Petronas Bukit Bung where I would decide where to stay for the night depending on what time I arrived. I passed by the turn off to the Thailand custom, as usual go too fast to stop, before reaching the petrol station.

At the station, I pumped and had my usual "livita" and a drink. A malaysian driver asked me where I was from in malay. I can only catch "....singaporean....*nod my head*....satu orang...*nod my head again*..." There was an interesting episode which I failed to captured. A horny cock (I mean the feather type) was chasing this poor white hen around the station. The white hen was flying up everywhere even my handlebar to escape the horny cock. The cock managed to catch the hen 3 times and sit on her before having his way with her. By the time I take out my phone, he had finished (that was fast) ..After that he was no more interested in the white hen.

wah seh...almost all the way leh...proof that Cameron's twistys are fun!

Dun play play hor....

I checked my tyres and I think my bike had fun playing corners too. I had just changed to R1 tyres (190 rear). Very good for cornering. By the way, I had thought of a new name for her(bike), Princess Darkness. Can call her Princess or Darkness (sound like your highness...keke). Initally I wanted to call her balck beauty as it the story book. My bikes are all female, so all can be my partners in crime...haha...previously all are known as Silver cos silver colour but this one is different.

I took a walk around the petrol stall visiting the roadside stalls. Even though it was only 4pm, I decided to stayover at Kota Bahru as I think it is more interesting than Penarik. Penarik offers the fireflies and fishing vilage. I just had to take longer time to reach Singapore from Kota Bahru.

My route to Kota Bahru is routed to pass through the Thai temples in the area. Along the way, I saw alot of muddy fields. Later I suspected that they could be padi / rice fields as I saw a sorting machine used to collect the rice grains (forget the correct name). I was too far from the field edge to get a sample to verify. I couldn't find the Wat Pothaluh temple with the 24m sleeping Buddha (I went back the next day and found it). I found the other Thai temple with the huge sitting Buddha. The amosphere in the temple is like you had reached Thailand.

I proceed to Kota Bahru as it was already 5.45pm. Following the GPS, I arrived at Suria Court, somewhere around the town but not exactly central area. There was no private carpark at the hotel. There was an open carpark with coin operated machine and timer. I was lazy to search around for one with carpark so I just park somewhere across the hotel. The hotel was full and happened that I saw the KB Backpacker Hotel sign at the same building. Lonely planet highly recommended this place for backpackers as a low budget hostel. I chin cai one, got room can liao. I got a single room at RM15 (so cheap!). The room comes with a fan and bed and dressing table. There are available aircon rooms but all had to share the bathroom. It was difficult to bath as there was no hanger of any sort to hang anything. So i just place everything on the floor and hang the clothes where ever I can find a place.

As I was going out to look for dinner, one of the 2 operators of the backpacker hotel, Bob stopped me and asked where I was going. I told him I was looking for dinner and any recommendations. He said he haven had dinner so we can go dinner together. I was fine with that since if not I would just package back to eat in the room. As we chat while waiting for his friend to come back and take over the counter, I found out that he used to ride too. He was waiting to take over a BMW GS1100 from his German friend who imported in the bike to Malaysia. He has riding friends from Kuantan group and used to go touring before he had an accident.

He brought me to this Swedish place which was opened by his female friend whose boyfriend is a malay. It was a very nice and cosy place, something like a homely sort of Pub. I found out more that Bob was of Portagese origins and he is half-chinese (mum is a chinese muslim, grandpa was chinese). No wonder he has such nice eyes and fair skin. I recalled that one of my malay friend whose mum is chinese also look like that, fair skin and big round eyes and plump features. Don't worry, Im not interested....haha..

After we finished dinner, as we were leaving, a group of malay men enter the place and sit infront of the cable TV. They took out notebooks and started calling their phones and making notes. I think they are the malaysian bookies and Bob confirmed so. They were quite obvious in their actions, and lady boss take it that nothing happening; or she can't do anything.

I wanted to walk around as it was still early. Bob decided to show me the night market nearby. I had wanted to explore on my own but did not know how to reject his kind offer. As we walked around the stalls, I found that I seems to be the only chinese around. I asked Bob and he replied that the chinatown of Kota Bahru is somewhere away from here. I think thats why he wanted to accompany me around. The night market was very near our place. It looks like the night stalls that JB used to have at the open drain after the rows of money changers. Daytime was carpark area and night is all the movable hawker stalls. All the stalls sold muslim food and each stall comes with a TV to attract customers. They were showing either the malaysian football or the malaysia idol show. We sit and talk for a while with his friend. After that I went back to my room to take notes. Halfway through I think I fall asleep. Later Bob told me that 2 of his kuantan riding friends rode pass and U-turn to inspect my bike parked at the open carpark among the honda cubs. Too bad I had slept liao.