Ride to Cameron Highland, Gerik & Kota Bahru (30/6/06 - 02/07/06) - Day 1

Today is the first long trip I will be making after my break of 4 years, and it is also the first solo trip I will be doing. For the past whole week, I had been making changes to the plan to make it to suit my needs. Was feeling very excited the whole week until the day before the trip I suddenly got cold feet about going alone. Later thought about it, heck lah..leave everything already approved, route planned out and money changed...Just wack only...!

The plan had been changed to Day 1 Cameron Highland (no more Batu Caves), Day 2 Ipoh outskirts, Kuala Kangsar, Gerik & Kota Bahru (first choice as more things to do and nearer incase I can't make it to Penarik) or Penarik near Kuala Terengganu (if got time), and Day 3 to pass through Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan route and Home. The route was changed after planning the route through GPS and calculating the time estimated and some advice from riders. I do not want to take the risk of riding in the dark, but on the route back I got to ride in the dark through Yong Peng Town at high speeds. Day 3 was most exciting among the 3 days.

When I came back, those who know I went up alone called me "siao cha bo". Alone go so far, what if bike break down... Actually that did crossed my mind before I go, but I was thinking I had some knowledge about the bike and had my tools with me so minor breakdown I can still repair. If major breakdown, call back Singapore lor. Go in a group also bo bao bo ta zi mah. Anyway, I am solely responsible for making sure I come back safety whether in group or alone mah.

Day 1 (Cameron Highland)

I was supposed to left my house and to start the ride from Gelang Patah at 8am, but I haven been packing my bag the nite before so got to spend some time packing + waking up later than planned. I left at 8am.

Getting ready to move out

I reached GP Petronas and the whole of the journey I had planned to pump Petronas. Can't recalled what time I left, I think around 9.15am. I switched on my GPS to lead me and track my process, and I proceeded on my way.

The whole journey I rely on the GPS to lead the way and show my position. I found it to be a quite useful device. For example, I can foresee where and when is the next turn so that I do not have to keep looking out for the signs. I often missed my turnings based on paper maps as I can't remember the directions and often missed the turns as I was going too fast and by the time I saw the signs (which is very near then I can see, my eyesight is no good) I do not like to do E-brake so most of the time I got to do U-turns to go back. The device can also estimate your time of arrival by pre-keying the estimated traveling speed; and it would increase or reduce your estimated to reach time accordingly. So far the time I reached the destination and the GPS estimated time is almost the same. However, the device is not without the bad points. Firstly the map had to be accurate. I got lost in Yong Peng town on the way back cos there is no right turn at the GPS map shown. I got to reroute and come back by another route. Secondly you got to know what scale to zoom in at certain areas. If the turnings are within short distance, you had to travel slow and zoom to maximum detail so that you can follow the directions; the refresh rate is slower and you will end up missing the turn if you do not turn to the correct scale. I make 3 U-turns around the Pomela stall areas as I got confused by the slow refresh rate compared to my traveling speed (U-turns are sometimes indicated by 2 right turns). The uploaded maps are also quite accurate especially in Kota Bahru town. A point to note is to turn on the "lock on road"; as the roads in the map and the actual roads does differ by alittle. I tried "lock on road" OFF and got lost in Kota Bahru road. The routing will lock onto the roads and give a more precise routing to follow. Overall, I rate the GPS good!

After top up at Pagoh R&R, after the flyover I kena stopped by the Malaysian road block. They had a table by the side of the road similar like Sg major road block. The TP asked for my license, look at my bike and let me go. Before going off he said " Don't go too fast".. I just smiled back at him. That was the only road block and police I saw throughout the jounrey. Must be my lucky day.

I can't remember if NSH's scenery was ever so beautiful. Not sure is it becos I haven been here for very long or Malaysia had did some improvement works. Anyway the scenery was beautiful. I always preferred to travel in the daytime than night as looking at the scenery you will not feel bored. At night, there is nothing to see so the main objective is to speed and reach the destination asap.

I know there is a split off near KL, one to Nilai (E6 Elite), another to KL (E2). Somehow I read the signs wrongly and end up at Nilai side. The scenery is as good on this side of the road and traffic was light hence I can also test top speed at this area.

I was tempted to go Putrajaya for a short visit. I had been there before and the view and surrounding buildings are very beautiful. Somehow I managed to follow the route and join back the main NSH. I saw a few Malaysian class 2 sportbikes as I join back to NSH. Unfortunately I was going straight, while they were going in to the nearest R&R.

I choose to go up Cameron Highland by the Tapah exit 132. Along the way I discovered that this is the old road to go up Cameron before the new road was built. I had my Phantom accident on this route! Comparing the old and new road, I prefer this road as I find it more fun in terms of cornering. The corners are tighter and blind. You can't see the road after the corner at all. If a car happened to overtake at the turn, good luck to you, there is no road shoulder at all at certain stretch. It is also dangerous to stop along the road at most of the route to take pictures. I was some distance away from the blind corner when a stupid car decided to overtake immediately after the blind corner, coming into my lane. If I had been faster, I would definitely not be around anymore as there is virtually no place to siam. So for bigger groups, I suppose the Pulai road would be much more safer but less fun. Going through this route reminds me of Fraser Hill again. Urgh....!

There is a double hairpin (if I remember correctly what this kind of U-turn corner is called) along the old road, making a tight "S".

The picture quality not bad lah hor...I took using my Sony Ericsson Phone S700i (1.3 mega pixels) as my digital camera was spoilt. I liked this phone alot cos I can take pictures at the same time. You just need to hold the phone very steady to get clear pictures. But I dun think I can develop to photographs due to the resolution.

This is the hotel I stayed at in Tanah Rata, Kavy Hotel operated by indian family. Below is a Pub which I can hear from my room at 2nd storey.I was supposed to go Cameronian Inn but was a bit tired so see the first hotel I just wack lor. Later I find out that the place Im supposed to go was only opposite the hotel, much nicer and cheaper. The hotel I stayed in cost RM45, but the rooms are not worth the pricing. Very "lok" and old but okay lah...For sleeping only mah...Later at Kota Bahru I stayed in a backpacker hotel, room okay but toilet/bathroom jialut. I did not booked the hotel room before coming as the internet only recommend and accept booking for mid-range and above hotels. I found out that there are alot of these hostels in Malaysia through the Lonely Planet book and internet, so was not that worried about no room to stay. Anyway, high class low class also just need a bed to sleep and secure room to keep the things. Most of the time spend is outside the room mah...Give me swimming pool, gym whatever I also not using so why pay for them?

I arrived Cameron Highland at 4.30pm, 2 hours later than my estimated time but exactly as my GPS estimated. If I had included Batu Caves, I think 6.30pm then can reach Cameron. Since I still got time, I decided to ride around town and do some exploring while there is daylight. From Tanah Rata, I went through Brichang and the road started to go downwards.

I reached the split-off to Simpang Pulai and Gua Musang. I decided to go towards Gua Musang. When I stopped to take pictures, I almost dropped the bike as I was on a slope (downwards). I had put my side stand down but the bike started to roll forward and the stand shifted, immediately I grabbed the front brakes and I just take my pictures with my foot on the rear brake lor. It was too troublesome to put the bike in gear to prevent it from rolling down. Halfway down the new road, I reached a point where the road joint construction is not completed yet. Even cars had got stuck at the middle of the joint. Bike go through will most probably kena stuck in the middle due to our short wheelbase. I decided not to take the risk, sure drop one and cross over to the opposite side and go against the flow of traffic.

I went pass a cleared area where the trees had been cut into logs and waiting for transportation out. On the way, I saw kids and adults strolling along the highway, I suppose they lived nearby in the forest as I was 50+km away from the nearest town. Someway down I decided to go back when I saw the road marking that I was 79km away from Gua Musang. Forget it man, its 7pm and getting dark.

On the way back, I did not have the chance to visit any of the stawberry farms or tea plantations as I had reached too late in the afternoon and I thought I could drop by some of the roadside stalls on the way back but I went too far and came back late. Maybe next time. I had my dinner at MaryBrown (dun feel like eating anything else, can't even finish the whole meal). I had not taken any lunch or food since I left Singapore. Somehow when I am traveling, I dun feel hungry at all. At each petrol stop I just take a drink and a bottle of "Livita" and its enough to suport me all the way. The television reception is bad so I read my Lonely Planet for Kota Bahru places of interest, after which Zzzzz liao.........