Day 960 7th March 2019
48 miles (Kuah to Thaleban National Park) Average speed 11.1 mph Top speed 34 mph
Great to be on the move.
I got up at 8 and showered, packed and waited for Pauline to have breakfast, but as she was asleep I had coffee and toast. I left at 9.55 and went to the port to buy a ferry ticket. I boarded and chained the bike to the railing as told, but as I was looking for a seat one of the boat crew asked me to move it so that it wouldn’t get covered in salt water. Then I wrote my diary and read after passing all the nearby islands and the beach resort I had bunked into yesterday. It only took about 45 minutes to reach Kuala Perlis where I disembarked. I stopped at KFC where I tried to use WiFi from a discarded receipt, but it didn’t work so I hit the road, saying hi to lots of people along the way. The road was good and followed a river; there wasn’t much traffic and despite the wind from my left I was setting a good pace.
I arrived at Kangar in no time where I had chicken rice with curry and vegetables and ice tea. There were some well dressed business men, one was even carrying a full length rain mac! I found a shop that I knew stocked snail gear and went to spend some of my Malay ringgit on a very nice polo shirt with Brian motif on the pocket for 79 ringgit. Sometimes fashion costs and I couldn’t leave Malaysia without one!!
I left knowing that I had some big climbing ahead but it took a long time to get to the first one. I had two tea ice and chatted to the staff and customers and took photos. Still no climbing as I was circumnavigating a big reservoir, but 20 mins after leaving the restaurant in the afternoon sun I found my hill!
Hill climbs and fantastic views
It was tough and I think I may be two gears down since changing cassette, but I made it to the top with some support from drivers passing by. I stripped off to cool down and then took on the descent which was brilliant. At the bottom I went to a garage for 100 plus and the pump attendant gave me free water as I looked at the stickers on the window. A splash of water and I was off again.
Stickers in a window
At the security check 1 mile from the border the police asked me lots of good questions about my trip and were all impressed. I topped up with more 100 plus and went through passport control and straight through customs after filling in forms.
Border crossing from Malaysia into Thailand
I was now in Thailand where the first guy I spoke to offered me drinks and I asked him for money exchange. As the grocery shop/exchange was so close to the border I carried on hoping for another that may offer better rates. There were no others, but on the way out of town I stopped at Thaleban park to ask if I could camp and although the guard didn’t speak English he took me inside to a guy who did a bit.
Thaleban National Park
He offered me a bungalow and put me onto a lady on his phone speaking perfect English who offered me this wonderful place for 600 baht and as I could hear thunder and feel the rain that was a done deal. She said I could pay tomorrow after going back to exchange money! The place is amazing, I am right next to the lake where I listened to frogs, monkeys, birds of all sorts including owls and watched two women fishing from a raft.
Surrounded by wildlife
I showered, did my washing and went in search of dinner. Back at the border which was now closed as were all the shops and restaurants, I asked at the only place open if I could eat and it turned out that it was the opening day of a new shop and they had food left over and gave me delicious noodles with fresh veg, papaya and cucumber with light curry sauce and I chatted to the owners’ son, who was the only one to speak English. I offered him money but he declined and gave me water. A great first meal in Thailand. He told me there was a village a few miles away which had a few shops and restaurants, so I went, even though it was downhill and dark. The road was of brilliant quality with wide shoulders and fresh tarmac. I found a stall selling satay stick and took two of each to eat back at my place. I realised I didn’t have as much baht as I thought but still enough to buy coke from a shop. I expected the ride back to be tough as it seemed I’d been going down all the way for 4 or 5 miles, but I think these are magic roads, as I found myself doing 16 mph even uphill!!
Back at the bungalow I tried to sit on the balcony but there were too many insects for that, so I ate inside listening to the wildlife. I gained an hour crossing into Thailand so was in bed by 9.30!! What an amazing day and another new country to add to the list!
Thaleban National Park.
600 baht.