Total Budget : RM$300 (RM$60.00-Accommodation & meals a day)
Total distance covered : 520 Km
Date: 1st July– 5th July 2009 (5 days)
Destination: KL- Temerloh - Kuantan - Rantau Abang - Setiu, Terengganu
Day 1
1st July 2009 (Wednesday)
Route : Selesa Hill Resort (Kg. Bukit Tinggi) - Karak - Mantakap -Temerloh
Distance covered: 99.33km
Total Distance : 99.33km
Time start: 6.00am
Time of arrival: 1.30pm
Expenditure :
1) Breakfast (Batu Caves) on the way to Selasa Hillhome : RM$2.60 (2 tosai)
2) Breafast again (Karak) : RM$4.50 (Wanton Noodles)
3) Snack : RM$2.00
4) Hotel : RM$60.00
5) Road Map : RM$11.00
6) Evening Tea : RM4.40
Total : RM$84.50
I over spend, so tighten budget ahead.
Being a working week day, it will be crazy to start my journey from Puchong because of the usual heavy traffic. So at 4.00am I packed my bike into my car and head off to Selesa Hillhome Resort just after the Genting Sempah tunnel. Park my car at my friend apartment and started my journey at 6.00am using the old road towards Bentong which run parallel with the highway. Coming down from Selesa Hillhome was indeed a surprise as I turn towards the dark road, my front LED light shine on a beautiful Civet Cat (Musang) looking for food beside the road. My present doesn’t seem to bother it at all. I always enjoy riding early morning. Time passed fast and the cold air seen to make me feel nice. The real reason is, I’m sucker/crazy about sunrise rise along the way. Ride in the dark always have a negative side even though I have my real caution light and front LED light to help me. So would be wise to choose you route wisely. It was really quite, dark and chilly. I love it and further more mostly doooooown hill. Whoooooo!!!! Nice!
Early morning sunrise along the lonely road to Bentong (Route 68). If you love the green and lonely road try using this way. There is hot spring along the road if you felt you need to have a hot dip. Go for the dip but close your eye on the facilities.
‘Serenity’ that the name of the beautiful bungalow which poop out from the jungle hill top along the way. With lots of trees and a clean river running along this property; it owner surely pick a right name for it. With “Serenity” the owner should add another word to it. “Longevity” Tell me who don’t live longer at this place. I know I would.
At 15km, now I got to turn left toward Route E8 (Express Highway) before cutting to Route 2 which is the old road to the East Coast from KL. Please take note; cycling is not allowed to use E8 after the Karak turn off to Kuantan. You are better off using the Route 2 because of the less traffic and lots more things to see along the way.
King of fruit ‘Durian’. “Smell like Hell but taste like Heaven” Westerner will rather die than to go near it (Smell like Hell) but local (Malaysia) are willing to die for it.
MORE DURIAN Yes! Our famous durian!!(Torny Fruits). It’s the durian session so if you are a durian lover, cycling along this route will be you heavenly route. For the Mat Salleh (that how the local descript the westerner) I believe you will speed like hell every time you see such store along the road. Take the challenge and try having one at least if you are a Westerner visiting Malaysia. You dare to travel so far. What can this harmless fruit do to you? It’s not that bad really. Send me a photo of you eating one if you can. The flesh is sweet and creamy. It tastes…..heavenly for me.
MORE & MORE DURIAN!!!. Two friends with durian in their car boot and back seat. Can you imaging what would happen if the drive hit the emergency break at high speeds???
Sign to the Elephant Rehabilitation Center. It’s out the way so I didn’t turn to visit this place. It’s a very interesting place to visit if you have the time.
Yip! Another 4 km and I reach Temerloh. It’s quite safe cycling in Malaysia. With road nicely tarmac and an emergency lane on most of the road, cycling here is indeed ideal.
Sometimes we refer small town as cowboy town. Look like this supermarket had followed the trend. Maybe the owner should add a cowboy hat on top of the signage and dress their worker with full cowboy attire. Look better and business might even pick-up.
Swiss Hotel located along Jalan Tan Sri Yahya. Telephone number 09-2963700. If you are calling from international, add ‘6’ in front (609-2963700). RM$60.00 per night with TV and air-con. If you are cycling from Kuala Lumpur it will be wise to put up a night here as there no accommodation in Maran which is another 54km up the road.
Yes! You’re allowed to keep your bicycle in your room. However you will have to carry your bicycle one floor up where the reception and the room are located.
How the condition of the room??? Well the picture speak for itself. I called this the “NCA” (No Choice Accommodation). The other hotel looks even scarier. Since I arrived just after lunch (1.30pm) on a very bright sunny day, I pamper myself by having a good afternoon nap with the air-con full blast.
I decided to take a nice walk (too lazy to carry my bike down) towards the evening as it gets a bit cooler. Lots of shops selling shoes. Haaam…! Look familiar. “Happy Fried Chicken” I don’t think Colonel Harland Sanders (KFC) will be happy at all. Look it’s crowded inside anyway.
The Store (Shopping Mall) just round the corner. Should you need to top-up your suppliers, you should find it here.
Aaah! Yes. Refueling. Don’t really feel hungry. Trying out the kopi-thiam toast bread, a cup of tea and some kuih for my late tea. All for just RM$4.40. Only after 10.00pm I was hungry. However all the shops were closed by now and I have to walk about 30 minutes hunting for food. Lucky to find a Malay store that was still open and I have my dose of Mee Goreng for RM3.50 before I call it a day.
King of fruit ‘Durian’. “Smell like Hell but taste like Heaven” Westerner will rather die than to go near it (Smell like Hell) but local (Malaysia) are willing to die for it.
MORE DURIAN Yes! Our famous durian!!(Torny Fruits). It’s the durian session so if you are a durian lover, cycling along this route will be you heavenly route. For the Mat Salleh (that how the local descript the westerner) I believe you will speed like hell every time you see such store along the road. Take the challenge and try having one at least if you are a Westerner visiting Malaysia. You dare to travel so far. What can this harmless fruit do to you? It’s not that bad really. Send me a photo of you eating one if you can. The flesh is sweet and creamy. It tastes…..heavenly for me.
MORE & MORE DURIAN!!!. Two friends with durian in their car boot and back seat. Can you imaging what would happen if the drive hit the emergency break at high speeds???
Sign to the Elephant Rehabilitation Center. It’s out the way so I didn’t turn to visit this place. It’s a very interesting place to visit if you have the time.
Yip! Another 4 km and I reach Temerloh. It’s quite safe cycling in Malaysia. With road nicely tarmac and an emergency lane on most of the road, cycling here is indeed ideal.
Sometimes we refer small town as cowboy town. Look like this supermarket had followed the trend. Maybe the owner should add a cowboy hat on top of the signage and dress their worker with full cowboy attire. Look better and business might even pick-up.
Swiss Hotel located along Jalan Tan Sri Yahya. Telephone number 09-2963700. If you are calling from international, add ‘6’ in front (609-2963700). RM$60.00 per night with TV and air-con. If you are cycling from Kuala Lumpur it will be wise to put up a night here as there no accommodation in Maran which is another 54km up the road.
Yes! You’re allowed to keep your bicycle in your room. However you will have to carry your bicycle one floor up where the reception and the room are located.
How the condition of the room??? Well the picture speak for itself. I called this the “NCA” (No Choice Accommodation). The other hotel looks even scarier. Since I arrived just after lunch (1.30pm) on a very bright sunny day, I pamper myself by having a good afternoon nap with the air-con full blast.
I decided to take a nice walk (too lazy to carry my bike down) towards the evening as it gets a bit cooler. Lots of shops selling shoes. Haaam…! Look familiar. “Happy Fried Chicken” I don’t think Colonel Harland Sanders (KFC) will be happy at all. Look it’s crowded inside anyway.
The Store (Shopping Mall) just round the corner. Should you need to top-up your suppliers, you should find it here.
Aaah! Yes. Refueling. Don’t really feel hungry. Trying out the kopi-thiam toast bread, a cup of tea and some kuih for my late tea. All for just RM$4.40. Only after 10.00pm I was hungry. However all the shops were closed by now and I have to walk about 30 minutes hunting for food. Lucky to find a Malay store that was still open and I have my dose of Mee Goreng for RM3.50 before I call it a day.
Cycling route on day 1
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