April 27th-28th

Cherating is the first place we have stayed at where there are a lot of backpackers and somehow it gives a totally different atmosphere to the place. Most backpackers ignored us anyway as anyone over 40years old is not visible.
We watched a local farmer use a gibbon to climb up his coconut trees to collect his coconuts. As a spectacle it was interesting although we did not really approve of using an animal in this way.
During our time at Cherating we experienced three tropical rain storms which have to be experienced to be believed. However the locals took it all in their stride as it was over as quickly as it started. Our start was delayed this morning by the third downpour but we finally got on the road at 6.30am.
We quickly cycled into Terregganu state, and thus a new Sultanate. Malaysia has the worlds only revolving monarchy. The nine state sultans each take it in turn to be the king for five years.
Today we actually saw two western women cyclists the first foreigners on bikes we have seen.
We are now in Paka having completed 40 plus miles and find we are getting fitter and therefore able to cover these distances more easily than last week. We are staying at a very nice beach resort hotel and have a chalet next to the beach and Jeff has already had a swim but not in his trunks as he left them at the last place we stayed. Actually he accused me of deliberately not packing them as they were a " BLOODY DISGRACE " with too much hanging out if you know what I mean. However he has managed to swim but in his shorts , much more respectable and the women now look at him rather than look away when he was in his skimpy trunks!!!!
Jeff has asked me to tell you all about my breakfast as he feels I must share this with you all (???) As usual we stopped at a hawkers stall of which there are many at the side of the road. I wanted an omelette so I pointed to an egg and asked for it to be cooked. A moment later I was handed a metal cup with very hot water and an egg in it along with a cup and saucer and spoon. Now readers what would you have done with this scenario? Wrong - you like me assumed the egg was already hard boiled and was merely in the hot water to keep warm. After a decent interval I assumed the egg would have been warm enough so I cracked it open. Or rather I started to until I realized it was not cooked. The lady of the stall rushed over and took the egg from my hand and emptied the contents into the cup giving me the teaspoon to eat it with! There were smiles and nods all around the stall as if to say the poor sap did not know how to eat an egg.
We are off to walk along the beach and await our next unexpected adventure in this wonderful place.

April25th and 26th

Stayed the night at the Chief's Rest House 1929 which was very colonial in style - we had a very large room all for 10 pounds. We are now into a more conservative muslim area and for example one is expected to remove ones shoes before entering any building such as a house or office. Most of the men are now wearing the traditional Malaysian cap and virtually all women wear the very least the head scarf. The people are very friendly and we are tooted at throughout the day when we are on the bike. people call out Good Morning what ever time of day it is. Linda regularly gets the thumbs up from the women when they realize she is on the back of the tandem. all the men sit lotus fashion when they are resting or eating ( this is not a position Jeff has yet adopted but I intend to get him to have a go but bum still a bit tender as is mine).
Although we left at 5.30am we got lost and went 12 miles out of our way ending in a 56 mile journey! At dawn we found ourselves beside the sea and a river - there was a little mist and the sunrise was glorious. Then we had a little diversion when Linda got ants in her pants and was seen dancing the light fandango across the sand. We had decided once we found the right route to take a minor road by the sea. We continued along this route for about 6 miles . We stopped to look at some water buffalo and tried to take a photograph of a kingfisher. Between the road and the sea were a number of Kampongs which are small settlements. between each of the houses were coconut trees. It was very quite and very beautiful. However as we discovered there was little traffic on the road as it came to a dead end with an army camp on it so we had to divert yet again back onto the main road.
eventually we got to Kuantan which is a city beside a large river. We found a very nice hotel in the centre of the town adjacent to a mosque called Masjid Negeri which is the largest mosque on the East coast of Malaysia. It was magnificent - we heard the Iman preaching throughout the evening via a loud speaker system and he was at it again this morning at 5 am.
We are now in Cherating and have a lovely beach hut right by the beach and we are off to have a swim in a minute.

April 22nd-24th

We continue to make our way north wards. Today it is pleasantly hot where as yesterday it was stiflingly hot and we noticed the locals having to keep out of the sun.
We are trying to cycle first thing in the morning to miss the heat of the day. This was after our experiences on the first couple of days when we both suffered after we both had a 'bonk'. On the first day it was Linda who nearly keeled over and on the second day it was Jeff. After he had his third rest and got up feeling dizzy he said to me " remember our marriage vows - for better or worse" to which I replied "remember yours- to take care of me", and for those amongst you who have dirty minds - 'BONK' is a technical term used in cycling when the cyclist is so exhausted that he cannot go on.
Now back to our journey- although we thought we would only get as far as Endau we did in fact manage nearly 40 miles and got to Romplin were we stayed at a holiday resort where our chalet was adjacent to the beach. Jeff had his first swim in the South China sea and was amazed as to how warm it was. Linda felt uncomfortable about going into the sea as we are now in a more conservative Muslim area where the women, if they swim at all do so fully clothed including wearing a head scarf.
Yesterday we did another 30 miles and got to a very small fishing village called Nenasi where our room was on stilts over the river and next to the fish market very much a minus one star. Today we have got as far as Pekan which is a much larger town and where we have already visited a number of sites more of this later.

April 21st

After a great night in our luxurious hotel and a substantial breakfast we walked to the sea front in Mersing. It has a beautiful beach with views to the Malaysian islands. Mersing is a fishing port with fishing boats lining the banks of the river going into the sea.
Malaysian food is often served in food halls or hawkers stalls in the street. People seem to be eating all the time and with resturants everywhere what did Linda do ---- look for shoes! we had to take the bike into a bike shop as we thought there was a problem with jeff's pedals but they were more interested in the bike than sorting out the problem but we did manage to prise them away from oh! ah! the bike, and fix it.
We went to the Hindu temple this afternoon where we had to take off our shoes before entering and view the very ornate statues, it was a very lovely building.
note - all indigenous Malaysian cats have a kink in their tails!
Tomorrow we are off at 6am to Endau which is only 20 plus miles a way - a piece of cake!!!!! (Linda) comment. x

April19th-20th

The journey to Malaysia took 30 mins and we were immediately into a very rural area such a contrast from cosmopolitan Singapore. The road from immigration passed through tropical rain forest and we were entertained several times by groups of monkeys playing by the side of the road. We also saw two giant lizards which scuttled across the road in front of us. Gradually the rain forest gave way to mile upon mile of oil palm fields. Hurry to see Malaysia before all the forest is destroyed.
It was very hot and humid and we made frequent stops at road side stalls where people were very friendly and found the tandem very amusing. Finally we reached Kota Tinggi which was 45 miles from the start of the day.
We found the hotel suggested by the Guide Book which was very much a one star but did have a shower!
Up by 6am today and were on the road by 7am. We stopped for our breakfast after an hour Jeff had noodles with fish sauce and I had a pancake with an omelette very nice too!
After a long old day and several stops we arrived knackered at Mersing where we booked into the best hotel in the town - we thought we deserved it after last night.

Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th

Having spent ages weighing bike bag and our other bags we could not get the weight below 46kgs - limit 40kgs!.
Got to Larnaca airport to fly Emerites. they laid a red carpet for 1st class, blue for business; we were economy-stone floor! We did not mind as were first in the queue. We put our bike bag on the scales before any Emerites staff came. We had to lift the arm off the scales as the bike bag was too big to go under it. It weighed 30kgs. When the Emerites girl arrived we put the bike bag back on the scales but she had put the arm back over the scales so we could only get the bike bag half on. It only registered 15kgs ! - no excess charge.
Finally got to Singapore only to be told our bike bag had not got on the flight- eventually arrived 8 hours later.
First meal out - Jeff enjoyed a spicy crab - he is leaving the fish head soup until later!!
Today we got the bike together (no problems) Jeff has it down to a fine art.
We cycled to Changi prison - the scene of horrendous conditions for prisoners of war. It was a very moving experience. There was a wonderful video of a Malaysian woman who had been tortured by the Japanese for helping British prisoners. She said " she forgave the soldiers, but could never forget what happened to her, but the real evil was war when people behaved so badly". We are taking the ferry in the morning to Malaysia to start our cycling holiday. Not sure when we can next up date you but we will when we can.

Bike made for two

Hello to all our family and friends we are about to start on our journey on April 16th, we will keep in touch.

Jeff & Linda