Day 956 3rd March 2019
72 miles (Butterworth to Langkawi) Average speed 11.5 mph Top speed 36 mph
Another fantastic day.
I got up at 6.30 and had half boiled eggs with soy sauce and coffee made by Kim. I returned the shirt Rickie had gifted me as it was too big and I have enough clothes to carry. He gave me a pair of socks and we left at 7.30. We cycled together to a restaurant for brekkie number two, which was a large bowl of pigs knuckle and intestines cooked in a very thick gravy with noodles. Then went to see the local street art and Rickie took a brilliant photo of me on bike with a food seller.
We took the ring road along the coast and enjoyed the views of Penang. They took me 10 miles to the turn off I needed and we said our farewells. It was great to meet such a wonderful couple and I now have many good memories and two pairs of repaired shorts and new socks!!
I then hit the accelerator and went to Kuala Muda passing many friendly cyclists en route. After the bridge and a busy market I took a left to the coast road and saw a tsunami memorial dedicated to the 10 people who died in 2004.
I had iced tea and filled bottles with ice turning into a headwind which I had for most of the day. I went through some burning fields with dust coming from a ploughing tractor. Then I arrived at the beach to catch a ferry. The driver said that it would be 20 ringgit instead of the 7 Rickie quoted as I would be the only passenger so I waited for a while but decided to take it. Then as I arrived I saw two boats full of passengers behind me so I missed out by a few seconds.
The road out was good and quiet until the K1 which was a little busier and I had a bit of a climb and I think since my change of cassette I have lost a low gear, so climbing may be a bit tough in future! Before the climb I had two more iced teas and refilled with ice and while I sat drinking a road cleaner tried to throw away my gloves drying in the sun. The lady in the cafe found this hilarious, but I can see why he thought my stinking wet gloves were rubbish.
The descent was good and fast and I was making good time to meet Stanley. So good that I had time to stop for more tea and to eat the treats that Kim had given me. I made it to our meeting point 20 minutes early but overshot the crossroads and had to do a u turn. Once I returned the 100 yards, as I was ordering my lime ice, a pick up truck nearly ploughed into the back of a van turning into the garage opposite and skidded into the hard shoulder I had been on a minute earlier. Once I’d sat down to drink I realised that this was not the safe road I had felt. It narrowed at the crossroads and I saw many coaches travelling at speed. Relieved I had two lime ice drinks and some fried chicken.
I waited 40 minutes but Stanley didn’t show so I continued on to get the 4 pm ferry. I arrived with 15 minutes to buy my ticket and loaded the bike on the front of the boat. The handler put it on its side with all the weight on a pannier so I chained it to the railing and had a wash in the toilet. I changed my shirt and found a window seat.
Hostel village 218. 20 ringgit