Day 947 22nd February 2019
61 miles (Melaka to Serenban) Average speed 12.4 mph Top speed 34 mph
Another good hot day.
I was awake at 10, showered and went to an expensive coffee shop for brekkie of chocolate croissant and latte.
Expensive latte
I left at 12.15, luckily the receptionist checked my room while I was packing my bike and came down with my passport and cards that I’d left in the safe! Doh!
I took a different way out of town along a great new road and was flying with a good tailwind. I rejoined the old road and saw familiar points we had stopped at last time here. I tried to go towards the coast but my path was blocked by an army camp where I was told to go back. Then I took a photo as I left and about ten minutes later a uniformed soldier pulled up alongside me on a scooter and interrogated me about the photo. He insisted that I delete it and was quite abrupt with me, asking lots of questions and then he took a photo of me, I asked him why, but stopped short of asking him to delete it!! After an hour I had two iced teas and filled bottles with ice for only 1 ringgit. I think the owner liked me. Next stop was a fruit stall for baby bananas and then full steam ahead.
On the way to Linggi there were more climbs and then I had a 100 plus drink at a garage in China Kechil and then another tea to get ice at a restaurant where I met Fiza and her family. We chatted and took lots of photos, her kids were great and I was glad to meet them.
I meet some lovely people on my travels
At Linggi I saw a good sari shop with an old guy making them by hand and a flower shop making garlands. I asked the lady if I could take a photo and while I filled up with water chatted to a local.
Lady making flower garlands
At Pekan Rentau I had a foot long sandwich and chatted to an old guy about his time at Sandhurst training centre. He bought me a tea as I waited for my sandwich to arrive.
Just a small foot long sandwich!
I took it a bit easy after the food and knew that I could make it to hotel potato before dark. I took quite a few backroads on the way and a bit of a climb through a residential area and passed a big mosque and park before arriving and checking in at the special rate of 50 ringgit. I showered and went in search of food where I walked through a big park with lots of impressive lights .
Park lights
A security guard told me that I could not take my bike in even though I was pushing it. So I found another way to the food court which was closed. So I had a beer and noodles with good WiFi.
Hotel potato 2. 50 ringgit. Double room with tv, good shower, aircon but no WiFi.