Of Sunshine, Rocks and Good Friends

Thailand never ceases to amaze.. Just look at the photo (above), it is a road side coffee shop at a petrol kiosk! In there is a full fledged expresso machine and serving cappucino, latte, and mochas as well!

Yep - this ride is all about Thailand. So we skipped Malaysia in 10 hours, next day zipped right into playful Phuket. In more ways than you can count, Phuket is a 'play'ground. Yeah, here are the guys at lunch, immediately when we arrived in Phuket.

The Catch Beach Bar is a trendy place to hang out, with a non-stop flow of trendy music, generous portions of food and also all manners of toursits as you can expect in Phuket. Rounds and rounds of Thai food, followed by rounds and rounds of massage was to prep us for the ONE day we planed to go for Rock Climbing at Krabi... We chose a business affiliate of Climb Asia, these are the good guys at Base Camp Tonsai. Mr Ip (not of Ip Man fame) took fantastic care of us, taking a short hike to Diamond Wall and then kitting us up nicely. Diamond Wall is an excellent choice for outdoor climbing, with a shaded overhanging natural rock roof, and routes ranging from 5A to 6C.... we spent the morning with Ip and found that we could really PUSH our limits :)

The return leg from Phuket to Krabi was a fantastic day. Despite the sore arms from the climb, we rode in fantastic cool weather that invigorated us. An unexpected surprise came in a random photo we took roadside... A RAINBOW!

So it is also our 10th wedding anniversary... an impromptu purchase by the beach, possibly overpriced lantern, but for that moment, it was worth EVERY penny!

Totally shattered and tired by the time we reached Hatyai, but the guys were ahead of us and had gotta a menu prepared! Fresh seafood and aromatic lemon grass!

So what do we reckon is the formula for perfect motorbiking holidays?

- 3 to 6 bikes;

- fabulous adventurous friends;

- a flat & clean bed to sleep on;

- sunny, dry days!

- healthy, good food,

- mind blowing scenery,

If only we could go on travelling forever....

Kemaman, Makan & Lepak

Let there be light to guide us.

The Best way to travel : two silver bikes. One 900cc twin, the other is a 800cc V4. Which is faster? ha ha ha This is our first time trying to bike & drive. Turns out to be a bit of a logistics mess, where the car will be left behind & the bikes shoot off ahead to mark the turns, etc, etc. Yep, bikes are superior animals on the road. Bikes are like gazelles leaping through the urban jungle, while cars are like hippos. wide and always getting held up!

The trip was going to head Cherating and the small town of Kemaman. The famous Ah Peng Coffee and the classic steamed fish & noodle breakfast.

Part of our small convoy is a red Beetle. Look at the happy owner... walked back to her car after breakfast and then there were two!

nothing fab to report in Cherating, but we went out hunting in the evening for a famed seafood store... If u can find this store at night, you will be rewarded with freshest seafood in all styles known to kampung malays :)

Warung Awang Ikan Bakar.

Here is a neat pic of the tree house for rent at Ruby's Resort in Cherating.

Imagine u need to answer the call of nature at night.... how, ah?

Teluk Iskandar 2010

Have you actually thought of Mersing as a destination?

Well, Teluk Iskandar Inn is one of those places that might just change your mind.

We primarily sought out this place because the owners believe in the tropical living concept, with all rooms having excellent natural ventilation. Most peaceful is the simple & spacious garden. Just ideal for lazing underneath the mature mango tree that is 4 storeys tall, the sea breeze from the ocean cools the entire living space.

So this is place totally to chill out, veg out, retreat from the mad urban sprawl that is Singapore!

Modelled after some Aussie style B&B, that place has got 6 guest rooms and totally possible to sit at the Inn's al fresco dining space, just reading a book & helping yourself to unlimited servings of coffee / tea. If the mood strikes you, an assortment of lounging spaces are thoughtfully scattered beneath the guest apartments. This (in effect) creates a basement effect, but is actually breezy and the hammock is the BEST spot for 'leh-pak-ing'.

Up the road is a hawker stall in the classic Malaysian style... the guy set up a satay shop right in front of his house. We had been reliably told that he started off with only 1 table, but now had grown to more than 12 tables! We ordered Chicken satay and it was the most succulent chicken satay ever! just the odd burnt bits on the edges, but otherwise, the chicken chunks were still juicy on the inside. The enterprising owner even included free Wi-Fi connection for his guests!


Malaysia Boleh!

Chill out Ride to Muar 5-7 Nov

Did a short ride to Muar over Deepavali weekend with some old friends back in town & also last ride for Cheong who's leaving Singapore soon....

Enjoyed the ride through the small towns Batu Pahat & Ayer Hitam along the way, not without first getting through a massive jam before Malaysian customs.

Muar has developed quite a bit , nothing like the sleepy town few years back. The food street reminded us about streets in Hatyai or perhaps Melaka's Jonker Street where you can walk a round savouring bits of local fare.

By the Muar River, there's wonderful assam pedas, the best being the stingray! The whole row of assam pedas stall as far as the eyes can see....

Last pic outside Muar Traders Hotel before we left....

Phuket Bike Week and World Peace!

Right then, how it it that Phuket Bike week is full of motorbikers from all walks of life? when the the branding CLEARLY shows a Harley-esque slant, with all manners of skulls & eagle talons?

Dunno how, but the little carnival that was Phuket Bike Week has now blossomed into a three part event. Yup, there are now three organisers & all the events fall into the month of April!

Conveniently, this means that it branches Songkran festival as well :)
So how does this link with world peace? Simple.



Songkran is about "attacking" somebody else with water. Ice water, chalky water, smearing chalk paste onto stranger's cheeks, you name it.... and the rule is, the receiver should not get angry. So imagine being subject to humiliating attacks from strangers and not getting angry. And if that could be a way of life...... would we have world peace?

My solution : No more road rage, no more "one-up-manship", just happy people allowing others to get along their way!

A small chunk of peace that can be found on Phuket all year round is having dinner on Promthep Cape. No pics of the traffic nightmare to get there, but the sunset view and the seats offered by the hilltop restaurant are fantastic!

A new slice of Malaysia... Sepang Gold Coast

Then, on our way back, we stopped by a totally new resort called Golden Palm Tree, off the Sepang Gold Coast. It is 400 units of chalets, built off the coast of Sepang. Combined with time share holidays, it is a Club-Med styled vacation with all inclusive room rates and 5 meals a day :) We were part of a group of people allowed to "test drive" the facilities, so we happily shared our feedback with our hosts! But for sure, we'll make more visits to this part of Malaysia in the future!

Cameron Highlands 16-18 Jan

Yet another trip to Cameron Highlands, this time we stayed at OMF Bungalow. A beautiful colonial bungalow built on a hill slope at Tanah Rata, with none of the commercialism... just peace & quiet.

This bungalow has 9 rooms & a common sitting room & dining room. Meals are provided by Mrs Chye who takes care of the place. The strawberry jam served at breakfast is as fresh as it gets.

Absolute peace, absolute quiet. On the first night, we could even hear the sound of silence!

3NCR to Penang

3 Nation Charity Ride to Penang

The NS highway beckons again & here we are with 2 inline fours again. Just like back in '98 with the Super4 & Zephyr. This time with two Suzuki 1200s, the road seem to pass faster. Sort of....

The thing is, in between the nine years of riding trips, I started to enjoy more countryside riding than highway shoots. So this trip is one in a long time that the destination is Malaysia, but ALL highway roads. Guess the only time I'll do another highway ride would be if we're going to cross the 2nd border to the Land of Smiles. :)

Outside the hotel Equatorial

Burly bikers bringing the kids from the village home a spin on their bikes....

Kuantan - Ride to Eat

Happy National Day Singapore!

Our ride to Kuantan, after a 5 month dry spell.... Our ride to Eat.

Food, as we've discovered... there's so much that we've never tried before.

Firstly, there's Ikan Batu, served with mee sup. Both items had a dollop of sambal belachan on top. That's breakfast food.... The same shop serves the usual mini nasi lemak too.

Then there's Kedai Kopi Hai Peng. Well decorated coffeeshop.... see the trike on the wall as decor? :) Serves toasted kaya buns, also fermented rice wrapped in leaves & sweet glutinous rice too. All on the self service table....
The outside of the coffee shop :

Here's our cosy hotel. Very friendly staff & clean rooms. Highly recommended if you're in Kuantan. Easy parking too.

More food..... a shop that only sells otak & related fishy stuff...

It's delicious otak hidden in these triangle shaped leaf pouches, all grilled in a row.

Lastly, the not to be missed stuffed crab. Crab shell stuffed with crab meat + veggies + onions, then covered with egg & deep fried.

Told you it was a food trip.

Nikoi Island

Nikoi Nikoi Nikoi...

sounding like an ancient Koi fish of some sort, Nikoi island is not an ornamental fish, nor is it an island off the coast of Japan. Instead, it is a privately owned island resort with perfect blend of the rough and the refined.

Rough? = sleeping in grass roof huts with no aircon
Refined? = each hut has hand crafted teak furniture & beds with pristine white sheets

Rough? = unvarnished wood decking on forecourt of each hut
Refined? = the granite slabs lovingly hand laid into the straightest walls possible

Rough? = lightly cooked & still crunchy veggies
Refined? = dishes garnished with the freshest herbs from Asia and Europe

Yes, this is the tropical paradise that is Nikoi island!

Ros and i were part of a team fortunate enough to spend three days & two nights on this paradise, helping a select group of Nikoi Island guests have their first taste of rock climbing. For now, we'll let the pics say those proverbial 1000 words.

4x4 Drive KK to Ba'Kelalan 31 Mar - 7 Apr

This is our first off road drive.

Journey started in Kota Kinabalu where we met Malcolm, Eunice & Mel Jr. Driving from KK to Lawas was on road, before we changed to off road tyres at Lawas. Here, Eunice gave us a short briefing of the day's drive.

From Lawas to Merarap was gravelly roads. It rained along the way & vision got really bad. What was more worrying was the road we're going to be the next day.
Arrived at Merarap Hot Springs Lodge to spend the night & we were greeted by a little kitten, probably 2 mths old, which we adopted as Ah Meow during our stay. She would follow us wherever we went & was especially attentive during meal times. The lodge is located amongst forest & next to gushing rapids. A couple of hot spring pools were in the compound for visitors to soak in the 40 degree water.

Next day's drive was Merarap to Ba' Kelalan. This section was on logging trails, followed by mud tracks. And MUD it was. Apparently, it's been raining for a few weeks already plus many vehicles have been traveling in & out of the area, so the soft ground was totally turned over & over like cake mixture! Yup brown chocolate mousse cake...

Mel digs his arm into the mud to hook the tow rope on.

A bit of shovelling will help the front wheel get out.

An interesting log bridge...
Arrived at Ba'Kelalan Apple Lodge in the evening. Ba'Kelalan consists of 9 villages,in the Bario highlands of Sarawak. They have apple & mandarin orange orchards & also a couple of vanilla trees & vegetables. Paddy fields produced their special Ba'Kelalan rice, which was served during lunch time... fragrant & chewy texture, in between glutinous rice & regular polished rice. The grains were smaller than thai rice too. Opposite the lodge is the local air strip. 19 seater planes from Lawas & Miri arrive 2 times a week.

The airport:

The view of the villages from the hill top:
Taken with the lady of the Apple Lodge: