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.
Me and the street art of Butterworth
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.
Preserved part of coast as a memorial
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 only passenger on the ferry
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.
Arrived in Langkawi
Hostel village 218. 20 ringgit