New Zealand and South Island Next

The flight over the Tasman Sea to New Zealand is going well, and we land almost exactly at 11:30 PM local time.

I have some comments about the landing. First, the plane tilts quite a bit, almost as if there was a big bump in the middle of the runway. Then, there’s a sudden stop, causing us to almost hit the seat in front of us. Neither I nor anyone else seems to be hurt

After that, I went through passport control, which is self-manned. A scanner reads the passport, and you’re supposed to be allowed into the arrival hall, but not for me and a few others. We have to take the regular route, because on the plane, we had to fill out a form about what we have in our luggage, where we’ve been, and so on.

The form also asks if you have camping equipment, medications, explosives, weapons, and so on.

I indicated that I have a tent and other camping gear and that my last destination was Borneo, where I also camped. The passport control officer wants to take a look at this form and notices that I marked a few “yes” boxes.

Then I’m allowed to proceed towards the exit and the next checkpoint.

The next officer also looks at the form and then asks, “Where is your tent?” I point to my North Face bag, and the officer tells me to follow the red line. There are also yellow and green lines. Now, I’m asked more questions about the tent, and they also want me to produce it.

I hand over my North Face bag to the female passport control officer, she asks me to wait and she walks through a door into an office.

After about 10 minutes, she returns and said…
– We found some ants in your tent, and you have two options. You leave your tent here, and we destroy it for free.

I look at the woman as if she’s joking and said…
– Destroy?

She responds…
– Yes, but your other option is to let us send the tent for cleaning, but that will cost you about 160 NZD.

What do you do?
Starting an argument with these officers is out of the question, so I asked…
– How many days do I have to wait to get it back?
She replies…
– About a week.

I have no choice but to accept their offer, and I provide my address in Christchurch, my phone number, and email address.
She says…
– We’ll send you an email when and where you can pick up your tent.

Sigh, sigh, and more sighs, and now the time it’s almost half past two AM .

I’m tired and realize that my hostel tonight won’t be open when I arrive….

I hade to get out of the terminal with the rest of my bags and try to find a taxi or bus that will take me to the address 373 Gloucester Street.

A Shuffle bus driver is standing outside at the exit and he asked if I attepting to go into the city. I gave him the address to my hostel .
He asks me to put my luggage in a wire cart that was standing right next to him and then he points to a gray Toyota van that was standing in the parking lot.

Shuffel taxi at Christchurch airport

There are three more families going in the same direction and we have to share the space in the bus. The driver then reverses the bus towards the entrance and hooks up a large white fully covered trailer. He counts the bags and then we drive to Christchurch in the dark of night.

After dropping off the other families at various hotels in the city center, we head on traffic and deserted streets towards the Linwood district and Kiwi House Hostel.

A large fence surrounds the hostel but a small gate to the left takes me into another door that has an internal radio next to it.

I press the internal radio, just a lot of beeps and two lights shining right in my face. No answer. I‘m thinking about what to do, whether I should stay until they open or leave my luggage and head into the center. I decide that I leave my luggage and head towards the city center to see if anything is open. I leave the luggage in the space between the outer and inner fence.

Before I left, I locked my bags to the fence with the long yellow strap equipped with a combination lock. It took me just over 30 minutes to find my way to the city center, but nothing is open except a hotel with a closed bar.

Before I left, I locked my bags to the fence using the long yellow strap with a combination lock. It took me just over 30 minutes to find my way to the city center, but nothing was open except a hotel with a closed bar.

I was allowed to sit at one of the window tables. The girl at the reception gave me a mug of hot water, and in my backpack, I had a packet of instant coffe so I could stay awake…

Then I slowly walk back to the hostel and just wait. After waiting for about half an hour, the gate door suddenly swings open and a young girl comes out.

She obviously hadn’t expected me to be standing there and lets out a short scream.

We talk for a while and I show her the SMS message I received from the Hostel and explain why I‘m standing here with a bike box and six bags.

– If I let you in, I could be fined 500 NZD$ from the host, says the girl.

– Wait here and I‘ll go in and talk to someone.

She comes back within five minutes with a face–scarred guy. They let me in and I get help with the packing. I‘m now so tired that I feel bad. I drink several cups of coffee while I wait for the staff to show up at 8.

While I‘m sitting at one of the wooden tables, more and more people come down to the kitchen to eat breakfast. It is now eight o‘clock and the door next to the reception is unlocked. A younger woman already knows that I have booked and says that I can not get a bed until after ten.

She shows me the TV lounge and says than…
– You can sleep at the sofa while we are preparing your bed.
Al–Jazira is the only news program I could find, but I let it allowed to sound in the background while I tryed to fall asleep, which I do eventually.

…zzZZzz…

See yah later
P-G
// TheGlobalCyclist1719

By The Global Cyclist 1726|2026-02-10T16:06:01+00:00March 28th, 2019|General, New Zealand, Oceanien|0 Comments

Jakarta and 15 hour wait for the next Take Off to Pontianak

19 February

We arrived to Soekarno Hatta Airport at Jakarta few minutes befor 24.00. My next flight to Pontianak will departure 15.20 tomorrow.

The first thing I did after landing was to look for a VISA sign at the arrivals counter and apply for an extended stay in Borneo.

My Swedish passport allowed me to stay for 30 days without a VISA, but an extended VISA gives me another 30 days, which I had calculated I would need!

The officer told me that an extended VISA receipt cost 30 US dollars and then I only need to visit an immigration office which I can find in all cities of Borneo to get my x-tra 30 days. I paid him and then through pass control before I pick up my luggage from claim 6.

Unfortunately, one of my bags, the tent bag is missing. A personal from Guarda airline established that. Together we made a registration and I left my mobile number and e-mail and also get a mobile number to call them.

Finding a quiet place to sleep for a few hours was impossible, but I found a cafe with a secluded place near the window and a place with an electrical outlet.

The rest of the day was just spent waiting for “takeoff” and lunch.

The airport was quite large and very nicely decorated with small flower gardens. Although everything, as usual at airports, is very expensive.

Fyrtiofem minuter före avgång går jag mot gate 20 och mitt flyg till Pontianak.

On board I fell a sleep almost immediately and I didn’t wake up until the air-hostess came with food and a drink.

Soon I’m on Borneo Soil. Feels a little unreal that I’ve managed to get all the way to Borneo by bicycle

Down below Pontianak and river Kapuas

Twenty five minuts later I was on Borneo soil and Pontianak city. My missing bag will appear tomorrow.

See Yah Later from Pontianak

// P-G, The Global Cyclist 1726

By The Global Cyclist 1726|2026-01-05T18:59:59+00:00February 19th, 2019|General, Indonesia, Borneo, SouthEast Asia|0 Comments

The island of Orangutans – Borneo

Soon, in about a day, I’ll be stepping foot in my twentieth country, the land of orangutans. I’m looking forward to this adventure with excitement and delight… Wow, I have to pinch myself for all the experiences and challenges I’m going to face.

Borneo, my planned route through island

Roughly an hour after departing from Changi Airport in Singapore, we touch down in Jakarta, Indonesia, at Soekarno-Hatta Airport. It’s pitch black outside, and the time is approaching 11:30 PM. My flight to Pontianak on Borneo is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, so I’ll be spending a good chunk of time at this airport.

But first, I need to go through passport control, and the first thing I see when I enter the hall is a big sign obove my head that reads “VISA on Arrival.”

There’s no line, so I approach an officer and inquire about how to apply for an extension of my already-granted 30 days. I don’t think 30 days will be enough to explore the island. He tells me that I need to purchase a card or receipt for $30, which, starting from today’s date and before my initial 30 days expire, should be presented to an immigration authority in one of the cities I’ll be passing through.

Then I’ll automatically get an extra 30 days on Borneo.

I pay the fee directly to the officer and then proceed across the hall to passport control, where I show both my passport and the newly acquired VISA card.

The woman says the same thing as the officer on the other side of the hall, that I should later present my passport and VISA Receipt in the city where I wish to extend by 30 days.

I receive my passport stamps and head towards baggage claim. There’s a sign that says “Claim 6,” so I make my way there.

The suitcases start coming down the conveyor belt just as I arrive, and I load them onto a trolley.

I notice that my bike box is a little further down and steer the cart in that direction. Just as I’ve loaded the box onto the trolley, I realize that one bag is missing.

It’s the red North Face bag with a complete tent, mattress, liner, pillow, and silk sheets inside.

The belt has stopped, meaning no more bags are on their way. I find a service staff member and am advised to go to Garuda’s service office to file a loss report.

Using the stickers on my boarding pass, we note that a bag is missing, indicating that it’s the airline’s fault, not mine.

The luggage was checked in correctly in Singapore, as confirmed by my stickers.

I provide my mobile phone number, WhatsApp number, my address in Pontianak, and the man behind the desk takes note of everything. I receive a receipt for my report.

The receipt also contains their WhatsApp number and a reference number I should mention when calling.

I’m afraid it might be more than one night in Pontianak, I definitely want to get the North Face bag with the tent back before I continue.

I then push the trolley cart back towards the exit and take the escalators two floors up to terminal three and Gate F.

Up here, I’ll try to find somewhere to rest. I find a booth with the sign “Scandinavian” above it, it fits me perfect

Inside the booth, there’s a sofa with a upright back, two light green armchairs, and a table. I try to get into a relaxed position so I can get a few minutes of sleep, but it doesn’t take long before the travelers start walking around, so I didn’t get much sleep.

Good night, it started off well with Indonesia…!!

See Yeah from Pontianak, Borneo
// P-G The Global Cyclist 1719

By The Global Cyclist 1726|2026-01-15T22:11:39+00:00February 19th, 2019|General, Indonesia, SouthEast Asia|0 Comments

Bicycle repair, Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands

The Chinese New Year celebrations disrupt my planning with almost a week. During this celebration, almost everything owned by Chinese people is closed, also bicycle workshops. Someone told me they dont´t open until februari 11. But I don´t have any hurry!

Instead I explored Singapore both by walking around but mostley using the subway, Singapore Mass Rapid Transit or SMRT. This transport system it´s smart, fast , quite cheap and very very clean. Both the subway cars and stations. Even though I tried, it was hard to find any graffiti or trash.

You can´t find any garbage, dirt or graffiti

No dirt or trash as far as the eye can see.

I have mentioned it before about the Durian fruit and its smell, down here signs on several places forbids you from bringing durian on board

The rules are clear and the fines high if you break some.

Twenty minues later a digital voice announce that we are stoping at Bayfront station. To find my wau out to Gardens By The Bay was easy,
signs, arrows fo follow, can´t miss.

Then I had to follow the walkways which were very well signed. It was like to walk in a green dream garden.

Garden By The Bay is an 105 hectares (260 acres) area with lots of walkways.

In the green city of Singapore lies one of the world's most beautiful parks - Gardens by the Bay - a park

that I could never get enough of.

Didn't have to walk far from SMRT station before I saw the enormous giant trees which resembled a giant Y.

Hard to miss this huge supertree groves.

My first attraction was to visit the OCBC Skyway, a walkway between the crowns of the super trees.

OCBC Skyway is 128 meter long and 22 meters above the ground

When I get there it was a que, but I understand why everyone wants to walk up in the artificial treetops, because the view was fantastic.
The fee cost 8 SGD$ or 55 SEK.

View from OCBC Skyway,WOW. A picture is worth a thousand words.

There are 18 Supertree Groves in the park, mostley of them light upp in the evening generated from solarpower.

I wandered around the park for several hours and decided that later in the evening I would visit the light show. Becuse Gardens by the Bay is not just an attraction during the day, in fact the most magical and eye-catching thing happens every night after dark.

The supertrees host a light and sound show every night that is the best I have ever seen in that category. Twice a night, the Supertree Grove is packed with people.

Supertrees lightning up, around 6.30 PM

Everyone sits everywhere on the ground and everyone looks up at the supertrees in awe.

When I was here, a kind of musical show was played with different artists. The music and the performance was fantastic and the supertrees’ light show was magical.

Supertree Magical Show

The light show was not diminished by the city of Singapore being illuminated by shops and stores in the background.

Super tree with one of many light shapes and the city lit up i the background

That I got goosebumps was no exaggeration. That says something about how fantastic and magical this was.

If you are going to visit Singapore, you must not miss this spectactular show and its free

This picture of OCBC Skyway is Photoshopped

Around 10 pm I walked back through a vibrant and colorful Singapore and I was more than satisfied. Stoped for a cold beer at a pub
before goodnight.

See Yeah later
// P-G, The Global Cyclist

By The Global Cyclist 1726|2026-01-18T19:44:23+00:00February 7th, 2019|General, Singapore, SouthEast Asia|0 Comments

Exploring Singapore

On my bicycle journey Singapore is one of my favorite cities in Southeast Asia. Not like other cities I’ve cycled through. It has everything. Luxury, glamour, beautiful parks, shopping centers, diversity, influences from China and India, cleanliness, street food, you name it.

Where to stay in Singapore

Accommodation in Singapore is generally expensive, some of them very expensive. The demand for accommodation is large and free access to the exclusive view over the bay from the Marina Bay Sands hotel and roof view determines the prices.

Other expensive hotel is Raffles Singapore, lies five minutes walk from city. Even more expensive hotels is the luxurious Mandarin Oriental, which is in Marina Bay overlooking Marina Bay Sands. A night at one of those three hotels you will need to charge your credit card $700-1000 per night!

If you want to be in the heart of the actions Marina Bay is a great location!!

If you like me think these options are a bit expensive, are there budget hotels. I choose Chinatown only few blocks to downtown and lots of cheap food places close. Thed area has only small houses and hotels, not more than three stories.

Chinatown is quite nice place to stay at,but you have to put up with the smell of the Durian fruit. One of the moste notable features of durian is its strong and pungent smell. Often often described as a mix of rotten eggs, onions, and turpentine!!

Durian fruit, also called “king of fruits” Very popular in Southeast Asia, especially China

This intense aroma has led to the fruit being banned in some hotels and public transport in Southeast Asia.

The rules are clear and the fines high

If you want to live in the liveliest area full of bars, shops and better hotels, then the riverside area of Clarke Quay.

By The Global Cyclist 1726|2026-01-18T23:51:01+00:00February 6th, 2019|General, Singapore, SouthEast Asia|0 Comments

Our routs splits and ferryboat to Pulau Tioman

After our lunch Marcus join me to the ferry terminal and from here our paths diverge.

Mersing ferry harbor terminal

Fishermans harbor in Mersing

The ferry leaves 5 pm so little more than an hour to by a ticket and a cup of coffe. There are quite a lot of people waiting for the ferry.60 RM (130 SEK) coast the ferry ticket for Bluewater Ferry and the journey takes about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the weather and tide conditions.

Bluewater ferry

Bluewater ferry

Ferry Route Mersing – Tekek, Pulau Tioman

Vädret är mulet but warm and it also blows from the sea, the waves have white backs and the ferry has good speed, about 17 knots.

Just before half past eight, after four stops on the island, I get off at the seaside resort of Tekek, which is also something of a capital on the island.

After about half an hour of searching, I find a cheap hotel complex, Coral Reef, which consists of small cottages instead of hotel rooms and the beach is only about ten meters away.

My room at Corral Reef cottage. It was cheap in many way

After a shower in semi–cold but refreshed shower water, I head to the only street there is and enter a Chinese restaurant.

I was hungry like a wolf and order fried rice and a meat dish called Sizzling Iron Plate according to the menu and it tastes delicious.

Before I head back to my little cottage I bought a large Coke with me because what the camping has to offer they have tripled up the price a little too much.

Good Night
// P-G, The Global Cyclist

By The Global Cyclist 1726|2025-01-10T21:52:18+00:00February 2nd, 2019|General, Malaysia, SouthEast Asia|0 Comments

The biggest market in Pekan. Here you can find something to eat, buy some clothes,
repair your shoes and trousers, fix your hairstyle, makeup stores, and you name it!

I sleppt until 10 a.m, eat some breakfast and then packing my backpack with my shimano shoes and head to the shoemaker I found yesterday inside a large market building, Bazar Muhibbah.
At the front of the toe cap there is an incipient small opening that could collect dirt, sand and gravel and then there is a risk that the shoes will not last long.
An old man with big smile took a short look at my shoes and said….
– I´ll fix it, come back after lunch.

I walked back into the city center and drop in at a cafe, checked tomorrow’s bike route south. Before I turned back to the shoemaker I also bought bread, yoghurt and sausages in a supermarket.

When I get back to the cobbler, my shoes are ready on the counter. For his job he wants 15 ringgit (MYR), about 32-33 SEK.

While the shoes were at the shoemaker’s, the seamstress in the store next door had fixed my cycling pants. At the left leg the seam had released around the reinforcement band so now it is also fixed.

– How much for your help I asked her?
– Free for You she replied with a great smile

Rest of the day I just walk about in the city and did nothing…

Through Pekan floats Pahang River

In Malaysia they have roules where is´t OK to smoke. In this public park it´s forbidden. If you are caught
with smoking, a fine for 10 000 MYR or imprionsment for two years

Muzium Masjid Sultan Abdullah. Beautiful and huge mosque which has been renovated into a museum.

…and on my way back to my hotel I stopped at a Take Away bar for a Roti Tellur.

Roti is a type of Indian flatbread made using different flours. It is a staple food in many parts of South Asian countries.
Taste lovely

At 11 pm I thought it was time to go to bed. Fifty-six miles (90 km) on the bike tomorrow requires being a bit rested!. I put the earbuds in my ear and listen to SR.
Fell into sleep quite fast. Tomorrow a bike trip by the coastline to Kula Rompin

See Yeah Later
// P-G, The Global Cyclist

By The Global Cyclist 1726|2025-01-05T00:36:08+00:00January 30th, 2019|General, Malaysia, SouthEast Asia|0 Comments

Up to Mount Brinchang, Mossy Forest and Tea Plantations

Cameron Highland and Tanah Rata is just over 1500 meters above sea level and the top of the mountain that I am going up to is 400 meters just over higher up.

The road up to the top goes from the foot of the mountain at Brinchang and it is described that it should be paved but it is a truth with great modification. Many holes and cracks and landslides have meant that the road in many places is barely passable.

After all the way up you pass tea plantations in masses but there are also other cultivations, mostly vegetables. Green, green everywhere and for every meter you ascend it gets colder, but apparently never below 5 °C.

The sun has not had time to warm up the air very much at this time in the morning and probably won‘t do so today either because the clouds don‘t seem to want to separate very much.

At the top of Mount Brinchang 2031 m.a.s.l, there is a raw mist and the temperature fluctuates between 13 and 15 0 °C. It feels cool up here on the mountain, the area is called Mossy Forest and you understand that when you see the rainforest.

It is dense and in some places impenetrable, the trees are overgrown with green and soft moss and since you let nature have its own life, it is risky to walk along the path.

Up here its cool and misty and untouched nature

Pitcher’s plant is a carnivorous plant, also called the “poor man’s condom“

You are advised not to deviate from the trail as it leads to the vegetation being trampled down and dying and thus threaten the entire rainforest area. Up here, it is also forbidden to hunt.

It‘s magical, downright magical to walk along the path. The trees, plants and bushes grow as if inside each other.

The trees up here are huge

In order not to fall along the muddy path, you have to hold on to trees and branches because it is not a footbridge exactly. Unfortunately, the raw mist prevents showing the view down to the valley.

Around noon we headed down to t he tea plantations ,Boh Tea Plantation it lies further down and most of them are located along the mountain slopes. Cameron Highlands is known for its tea plantations and up here there is also a tea factory that takes care of the tea leaves.

Boh Tea Plantations, green so far you can see, Beautiful Cameron Highland, Malaysia

Rows of tea bushes soon ready to be harvested

Only the light green leaves are harvested, and they grow at the top of the bush. The dark ones are allowed to return to Earth.

The leaves do not smell of tea, you have to crush the leaves between the palms of your hands to be able to smell a faint scent of leaves or leaves but absolutely no tea smell.

Green tea is from leaves that have been dried in the sun and then the drying process is quick. The taste will be smooth. Black tea is dried without sun and together with the tea leaf process, takes longer and then the taste is also stronger.

The tea flavors are obtained through the process that after drying, grinding, sorting that the tea leaves go through From the thinnest and greenest leaves, “white tea“ is made, but then you have to handpick these and the price is then relatively high. Otherwise, you use a machine that two people stand on either side of the tea bush row hold and move forward.

White tea leaves, must be handpicked and the price will be high by that reason

On the steepest slopes it becomes too heavy and then you use large scissors to grab the tea leaves. Most of the tea workers live nearby in small houses and they earn about 2000 RmMyr per month, or just under 4400 SEK (2019)

Among all the green tea bush rows there are also less pleasant creatures. A green snake that they call Viper snake, and it is very venomous and all workers wear special gloves, sleeve guards, pants and shoes.

Green Viper snake among tea Plantage, very hard to discover without help

a tree with angel trumpets

Before we left BOH Te plantation a vist at cafeteria and the shop.

See Yeah Later
// P-G, The Global Cyclist

By The Global Cyclist 1726|2024-11-18T11:59:13+00:00January 24th, 2019|General|0 Comments

Tough ride to Tanah Rata, day two

January 22

I wake up when the alarm sounds and get ready for today‘s climb, which I already know is mostly uphill among crooked but divinely beautiful roads.
It was a problem to take the bike back on the road, the slope of the ditch was higher on this side and I had to invoke all the forces that existed.

Then get on the bike and pedal on, slowly, slowly and have to steer the bike between the worst hills.

About 6–7 km here Kampung Raja, the sign shows that I should turn right towards Cameron Highland. Now I get terrible downhill slopes instead, some are on the verge of dangerous.The area I am now in consists instead of rainforest of hundreds of gigantic tents that in some cases occupy an entire valley. There are nurseries for all kinds of plants, vegetables and fruits.
It actually looks a bit grotesque with all these tents. The places are called for example Lavender valley, Rose valley etc.

All the way up to Tanah Rata plant nurseries galore

After a few good downhill runs, I get to climb again and the communities appear at regular intervals and I reach Brinchang, Cameron Highland‘s second largest city after a tiring climb.

I seriously consider staying here but decide to continue up to Tanah Rata, the largest town in Cameron Highland. After a tiring climb of about 3 km, I arrive at Tanah Rata which means, flat ground in Malay.

Now I‘m at the top of Cameron Highland, and if you stay after the main road and it feels liberating then I know that down to Pekan on the east coast it‘s mostly downhill or completely flat.

When I arrive, the sun is shining and the thoroughfare is jam–packed with cars. The hotels are standing like rods on the hill and I walk into Plamters Hotel which is located by the thoroughfare and booked three nights.

I‘ve planned to visit the surroundings which are more beautiful than all the beautiful things I‘ve seen in a long time, that‘s three nights.

I also have time to perceive that there are plenty of tourists here but never show up at anyone who speaks Swedish.

If I‘m tired?… Completely exhausted, I feel like an empty, damp bag that is crumpled up and even though the heat today has been like a Swedish high summer day only.

Two days tough cycling

Today distance	38,3 km	Travel time	03:22 h.m	Total time	04:35 h.m
Max speed	57,1 km/h	Medium speed	11,2 km/h
Max temp	26 °C	Average temp	23,5 °C	Min temp	20 °C

Tanah Rata “will settle”

See Yeah Later
// P–G, The Global Cyclist 1719

By The Global Cyclist 1726|2025-01-06T00:42:28+00:00January 23rd, 2019|General, Malaysia, SouthEast Asia|0 Comments

Tough cycling to Tanah Rata

Yesterday I did nothing, just walking about and visit the market. I also fixed my wristwatch, the chain link had broken and it cost me nothing.

The local markets are often popular and important for farmers

This day started well, good breakfast and easy cycling. The road is winding and the surroundings are full of plantations.

Just before Batu Gajah I meet a happy Malaysian gang on a bike. As usual, they want to take some selfies and I don‘t say no. Most have some kind of mountain bike, hybrid bike and one of them has a Fatbike, they are all going to Batu Gajah.

A gang of malaysian cyclist stopped for selfies

The road continues fairly flat but the plantations of oil palms and bananas remain. I also see started oil palm plantations and it doesn‘t look nice.

Eventually after 35 km I arrive at Simpang Pulaj and there I stop just after the exit at a street bar. It seems very popular because it is almost full and the staff runs shuttles between the tables, the kitchen and the dishes.

I was´nt hungry but coffee and two ice–filled glasses of Cameron Highland tea, which tasted lovely in the heat.

Then off and now the heat has come to some kind of peak, because it feels like you‘re sitting in front of a fireplace and also the climb begins and it becomes both to work uphill with the pedals and to steer the bike uphill when it‘s steepest.

I had planned to fill up with water in the next village, Pos Slim but for some reason I miss the turn–off.

It will be to continue to fight uphill and my thoughst and hope is that there will be some small stall along the road where I can fill up or buy water. Unfortunately I am disappointed, not a single village or shop and I do not have much water left, barely half a liter.

After 50 km I arrive at a waterfall, Sinju Fall, river Raya and I park the bike at the guardrail and walk down towards the waterfall. I sit down at the edge of the stream on some rocks and take off everything except my shorts and T–shirt and crawl into the water which despite the current was quite warm.

After 50 km I stopped when I saw a waterfall , Sinju Fall, beside the road…Oh my god, I love waterfalls.

Here I sit for probably half an hour and enjoy the surroundings and the cooling off before I get on my Long Haul Trucker for more climbing upwards!

Half past three the rain comes, not much but a little more than drizzle and it feels liberating. The heat drops drastically The heat drops drastically which I do not oppose.

The road continue upwards km after km, not very steep but still upwards. The heat and humidity force me to do some small stops.
At one of these I get a tip from to guys, roadworkes to fill water from a pipe that water flows from the rock. First I was suspicious but the water looks very clean, tastes good and I was in dire need of refilling my bottles so I‘m taking a chance.

After replenishing, I just have to continue the diabolical climb uphill and unfortunately there are also few places where I can camp.

An opportunity arises after one of many slopes, an electric power station that is open and has paved surfaces. This place will fit my needs I thought.

I steered the bike in and was just about to lock the bike to one of the masts stanchion when I discover that the place is a giant haunt for spiders.
No small spiders either, some are dm big, and many they are also, maybe a hundred of them.

This electric power station was a home for hundreds of spiders

I left the place quickly to find a less spider–popular spot. The surroundings especially on my left side just get more and more powerful and the mists from the rain rising up towards the mountain tops make it a bit dramatic views.

Dramatic views over Cameron Highland rain forset

Next attempt at a large green area above the road where there are also a number of small houses, mostly similar to barracks, but with some nice green areas around but two old ladies and an elderly gentleman just waving their hands in the negative and I understand that they do not want any tented Scandinavians.

It is now just after half past six and it is hurrying to find a suitable place before darkness falls, but it does not look good.

On the right side of the road only slopes upwards and dense rainforest, on the left it plunges straight down hundreds of meters. The small green area that exists is occupied by the road barriers.

Just before 6 pm I saw two distance signs, one on the left side and the other on the opposite side and here there is room for my tent and the sign pole will be perfect to lock up for my bike.

After almost 70 km cycling I found this green spot to pitch up my tent

The problem was to take the bike from the road down into the ditch and up the other side, it will be difficult but it is possible.

At 7 pm my tent was pitched up, a half–cold beer and two loaves of bread with sausages. Then I plug in the earbuds as usual and listen to one of many downloaded SR programs.

My program of choice tonightis about a gang, the Blekingegade gang in Denmark that belongs to KAK, Kommunistisk Arbejdskreds that carries out lots of mail robberies to send the money to the PFLP, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Outside, the trucks thunder past and I could hear that it‘s hard for them too. I‘ve set the alarm for 07:15 because tomorrow will also be pretty hard. Have about 40 km left to Cameron Highland and to the top of the mountain.

Today distance	66,3 km	Travel time	05:41 h.m	Total time	08:24 h.m
Max speed	39,7 km/h	Medium speed	11,7 km/h
Max temp	40 °C	Average temp	32 °C	Min temp	26 °C

Seea Yeah Later
// P-G, The Global Cyclist 1719

By The Global Cyclist 1726|2024-11-19T10:55:17+00:00January 21st, 2019|General, Malaysia, SouthEast Asia|0 Comments

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