Johor/Melaka: Durian and Seafood Ride...

"They said people come and go. But the truth is, no one really disappears from your life..."

(A group photo with En. Atan, the caretaker of the kebun)

We went out earlier and stopped at NLTJ warong in Desa Petaling to have nasi lemak breakfast and to meet face-to-face with En. Aziz Mat, the owner of the warong and an fb friend of mine. The specialty of NLTJ is nasi lemak and ayam perap goreng.

We met up with the rest of our bikers gang at Seremban R&R at 10 am and started riding on the North-South highway towards Pontian.

(The handsome gentlemen...)

(And the pretty ladies...)

First stop: Kebun buah, Benut, Johor

When we reached the caretaker's house, we were served with nasi briani and cold drinks. After solat, we feasted on varieties of durian, manggis and rambutan, followed by air kelapa muda. We felt at home and were very grateful for the hospitality and friendliness of the caretaker and family.

(Abundance of fruits from the kebun...)

(Feasting on varieties of durian...)

Second stop: Limastiga Resort, Umbai Melaka

Limastiga Homestay is a cosy resort situated in Bukit Tembakau Umbai, Melaka away from the busy hustle bustle of the city. The resort has many rooms with modern facilities and 2 swimming pools. It is a place suitable for family holiday or friends reunion. We were there for a short rest and were served with Mango juice and keropok goreng and had the opportunity to meet with the owner of the resort and his wife.

(A cosy kampung resort in Umbai, Melaka)

(Tranquility and serene, a place to rest the mind...)

Third stop: Muara Sungai Duyung, Melaka

Our last stop was at one of the seafood restaurants at Muara Sg Duyung for a sumptuous seafood dinner. Although we were quite full, we managed to clean up the ikan bakar, butter and spicy prawns and sambal sotong.

It was nearly 9.30 pm when we started riding back to KL.

(Many more dishes to be served...)

(Too full to ride back...)

Total Mileage: 650 km

Route taken: KL - Pontian - Umbai - Muara Sg. Duyung - KL

Riders gang: Mus & Mun, Din & Yati, Keef & Nesla, Fazli & Koes, Nazeli & Sham, Azim, Zali, Rahim & Rahim

Thailand: Betong ride Just the two of us...

"Don't be afraid to try. Be afraid to regret not trying..."

(Betong Hot Spring)

'

Betong II, Thailand

(July 17 - 19, 2011)

Total mileage: 900 km

Route taken: KL - Gerik - Betong - Tapah - KL

My Overseas Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

Next Trip: Thailand 2011: Kanchanaburi Monsoon Ride...

Terengganu: Ride to Trengganu and Tasik Banding...

"Life is a book. Don't jump to the end to see if it's worth it. Just enjoy and fill those pages with beautiful memories..."

(Tasik Banding)

Saturday - 8 July 2011

More than 30 big bikers gathered at Welly Batu Caves from 8 am but the bikes only started to roll only at 9.30 am. The group met at Karak Toll where we began our ride in a closed convoy.
'

(The start of the convoy)

We took the route to Kuala Trengganu via Ajil and stopped at Pekan Muktafil Billah for refuelling and lunch. The ride was smooth, if not for a few road constructions at several places along the way. We reached Anees Resort at Pantai Telipot around 4.30 pm and had ample time for a short rest. Later, about 20 KT big bikers came to lead us to 'rempit' around KT town with a few stops for photo shots at Taman Tamaddun Islam and the River Side Esplanade.

(Taman Tamaddun Islam, Kuala Terengganu)

It was already dusk when we rode back to our chalets. The KT bikers then joined us for a BBQ dinner after the Isya prayers.

Sunday - 9 July 2011

Early morning we had nasi lemak breakfast at a nearby restaurant before we rode off towards Jeli to cross the East-West highway to Tasik Banding. It was a hot and sunny day so on the way, the bikers stopped for a short rest and had a round of cool air kelapa and nira to quench our thirst.

(A neat row of easy riders)

We had nasi goreng lunch at one of the restaurants before we checked-in at Banding Lakeside Inn. While some bikers went for a boat ride around the lake, some others shot off to Betong, the nearest border town, escorted by one of the experienced marshalls. We chose to stay in our air-con hotel room and took a most needed nap till it was time to join the rest for the BBQ dinner by the swimming pool.

The rest of the night was spent either in the karaoke Lounge or a trip somewhere near for yum-cha. Some just sat around chatting and getting to know each other better.

Monday - 10 July 2011

Breakfast was served in the dining hall over-looking the beautiful serene Banding Lake. After a short briefing, the convoy started off at 10 am riding the winding hilly road and stopped for a durian feast by the road side before we reached Grik.

(Riding on the Tasik Banding bridge)

We stopped for lunch at Simpang Pulai R&R. Later, some bikers split from the rest of the group to ride off home on their own...

Total mileage: 1,500 km
Route taken: KL - Raub - Muktafibillah - KT - Jeli - Banding - Grik - Spg Pulai - KL
Riders gang: Welly Advanced Bikers

Life is long enough…

"sometimes it's not the person that you miss, it's that feeling you had when you're with them."

(Sham Tok Uban)

Life is too short

to grumble about the past,

about things we don't have,

and things we haven't done...

Life is just long enough

to enjoy the ride into the sunset

enjoy the smell of the ocean breeze

and hear the sound of friends’ laughter...

Al-Fatihah…

West-East Presidential Ride...

"Like the ride taken on an uncharted road, life is full of sharp turns . And very often we wonder whether we would beat the odds again... "

(Tyres ready to roll...)

Day 01: Friday, 24 June 2011

Route: KL - Cameron Highland - Penang

Hotel: Bayu Emas Apartment, Penang 

Five couples and 3 single riders met at BHP gombak for the West-East Presidential ride. After breakfast, tayar golek sharp at 9.30am and we took the Karak Highway and rode through the Bentong and Raub trunk road. We stopped at pekan Sg Koyan for a short rest and a round of drinks.

(Snack break at Ringlet)

(Fuel break and a short rest)

The winding mountainous road from Sg Koyan to Ringlet is free of traffic and beautifully scenic. With the weather clear and sunny, the ride across the mountainous road was a real bliss to the mind.

(Tea and ice-cream break)

(Bharat tea plantation)

From Ringlet, on the way to Brinchang, we stopped at Bharat tea shop for some photo shots. It was Friday, so the men went to perform solat jumaat at the masjid while the ladies rested and went to pray after. We had lunch at a nearby restaurant then later continued riding and entered the North-South highway from Sg Pulai Interchange.

(Riders taking a sharp corner)

We rode north and exited at Changkat Jering Interchange and headed to Kampung Menteri, Kuala Sepetang for the famous Mee Udang at Restoran Mak Jah.

(Everyone was on the phone @ Mak Jah Restaurant)

(The famous mee udang)

It was dusk when we reached Penang bridge. The sun was at the horizon and the beautiful sunset reflecting on the clear water. After we checked-in at Bayu Emas Apartment at Batu Ferringhi, we went out to have dinner at a nearby warong. Later we split from the rest of the group and strolled along Batu Ferringhi night market and bought us some hard-rock cafe t-shirts.

Day 02: Saturday, 25 June 2011

Route: Penang - East West highway - Terengganu

Hotel: Seri Indah Resort, Kuala Terengganu

(A group photo before the ride)

(One of the booths at Penang Bike Week Expo)

We started to roll at 8.30am sharp and had breakfast at one nearby mamak restaurant. We decided to stop by the Sg Nibong Expo Centre to check out the Penang Bikers Week event. The stalls were not as many as when it was held in JB and we missed the flag-off for the bikers convoy. We bought some tees and pouches and later took the highway and headed to Grik through Kulim and Baling with a short stop at the roadside stall on the way for a durian and mangosteen feast.

(Durian and mangosteen feast...)

(Taking the West-East highway from Grik to Jeli)

We continued riding through the winding road of the East-West highway and stopped for lunch and solat at Pulau Banding. It started to pour when we reached Jeli. Even though it was raining heavily on the way from Jeli to Tanah Merah, we still continued riding with extra caution as there was heavy traffic and the visibility was near zero.

(Dark clouds in the sky...)

(Lunch break at Tasik Banding)

The weather was sunnier when we reached Pasir Puteh. From Jerteh we took the Tok Bali coastal road to Kuala Terengganu and stopped for drinks at a keropok lekor stall by the beach.

(Keropok lekor stall by the beach)

(Mus and Mun)

We checked-in at Sri Indah Resort at Pantai Batu Buruk just before Maghrib. We had ample time to rest and some had a dip in the swimming pool before we had dinner at a nearby Tom Yam restaurant, a short walking distance from the resort.

Day 03: Sunday, 26 June 2011

Route: Kuala Terengganu - Kuala Lumpur

(8 bikes docking for the night)

After breakfast we started our ride sharp at 10am and headed to Paka where we were joined by another biker. At Pantai Mok Nik we took a short break for drinks and mee goreng at a stall by the beach. And later we made another stop to buy keropok lekor.

(Mee goreng stop @ Pantai Mok Nik)

(A group photo @ Monica Beach)

(Bikers learning to make keropok lekor...)

In Kuantan we stopped for lunch by the river side. Many years ago the esplanade was all hussle and bussle but now it looked forlorn and run-down. We rode on and stopped for solat at Masjid Maran. It started to rain heavily when we started off again on the old trunk road. At dusk we entered the Karak highway and stopped for a Musang King durian feast. The group broke off after a dinner stop at Gombak R&R. We reached our Putramas apartment around 10.30 pm, feeling tired but happy.

(Sham and Aishah)

(Nazeli and Shamsiah)

(Din and Yati)

(Sazali and Azim)

(Keef and Nelsa)

(Fazli)

Total mileage: 1,500 km
Route taken: KL - Bentong - Raub - Sg Koyan - Ringlet - Tanah Rata - Brinchang - Simpang Pulai - Changkat Jering - Kuala Sepetang - Penang - Kulim - Baling - Grik - Banding - Jeli - Tanah Merah - Pasir Puteh - Jertih - Tok Bali - K Terengganu - Dungun - Paka - Kuantan - Maran - Karak - KL
Riders gang: Mus & Mun, Din & Yati, Sham & Aisyah, Keef & Nelsa, Nazeli & Sham, Azim, Fazli, Zali