Down the East Coast

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

On the 21^st of March it’s time to part from my little wooden bungalow on D’Lagoon beach. I have just enough time left to reach Singapore 770 km away and still take a day off in Cherating, a traveller’s favourite that’s been recommended to me by a friend for it’s relaxed atmosphere.

Off the speedboat I’m relieved to find my bicycle where I left it. I discover the owner of the travelling agency has kindly kept the bike in his own living room next to the family TV for a full week! After a hearty breakfast of rice and spicy chicken curry, I’m back on the road in a familiar setting. The heat is hitting pretty hard but the road is not unpleasant thanks to the variety of the sights : seaside or the forest alternate with small towns, sleepy fishing villages and some mangrove swamps. At noon in Merang I’m pushing some more rice down my throat in a small eatery when a westerner joins in: it’s Stefan from Germany who’s been biking for nine month across the US, Australia, New Zealand and more recently Malaysia. This very nice guy has had his share of adventure! Reluctantly I have to put an end to the storytelling on both sides and hop back on the bike.

In the evening, I decide to skip the state capital Kuala Terenganu for the night and push until Marang instead. This reduces the next day’s mileage to Cherating from 175km to 150km. A wise moved considering I’m “blessed” with a strong quartering headwind most of the next day. The kilometres are not flying as fast as expected. After lunch, I stop struggling and crash for a long nap in a shady spot on the beach. I eventually make it to Cherating, tired but happy. The lowering sun is shedding a soft but still warm light on big stretches of white sand. Malaysian tourists are playing around, often heading into the water fully clothed.

Time for a nap...

In Cheratin, while checking at the Matahari guesthouse (cheap and good chalets that I recommend) I bump into friendly John and Saskia from the Netherlands. They have shortened their stay in Malaysian Borneo because of clashes in the province of Sabah between the army and militants from the Philippines, a conflict that is making the news in Malaysia since I entered the country. I’ve lost a lot of liquid during the day and the two rounds of beers we share at the “Don’t Tell Mama” bar leave me with a hangover the next morning. Fortunately, my program for this rest day is not too ambitious. First, have breakfast on a solid portion of roti (delicious Indian-style flatbread) with dhal (lentils or pea curry). Second, stay in the shade of my chalet and alternate between reading, dozing off and eating some more. Third, walk slowly along the beach at the end of the afternoon, enjoying every moment of it, aware that the trip is slowly coming to an end… and that it’s still freezing in Belgium.

Cheratin beach

At night, I give up on going to sleep early: the music from the club next door is too loud. In such cases, my moto is : “if you can’t escape it, join it”. It’s Saturday night and also the start of Malaysian public holidays. A pretty good band is on stage and an enthusiastic crowd is singing and dancing on classic rock tunes and downing all kind of alcohol. The usual veil has given way to tight mini skirts. An interesting contrast with the rather conservative atmosphere I’ve encountered on the road.

Enjoying a Burmese cigar

A purposely short 90km stage allows me to take a late start in the morning. On the way, I cycle along the impressive port of Kuantan, the second largest in Malaysia. I arrive nearly fresh in Pekan, a pretty town with many historical buildings and some spacious neatly decorated lawns. The town must bear a special significance for Malaysians because on this Sunday, the place is packed with young couples in traditional dresses posing for wedding pictures. Despite the wedding crowd in town I manage to find a room at the very nice and very typical Chief’s Rest House. On my way for dinner, I notice an Indian barber that is still open and jump on the opportunity to enter Singapore with a civilized look. But the wait takes forever and when I exit the place, smoothed-face but starving, all the restaurants are closing. The only option left is the local Kentucky Fried Chicken. Not exactly a wedding dinner!

Port of Kuantan

Central square in Pekan

The first 130km to Mersing are mostly uneventful. But I won’t forget the last 25km. I’d assumed a bit hastily that the road running parallel to the coast would remain flat. Instead, it enters a hilly area covered by wild jungle forests. The ups and downs are quite challenging, not least because I was not expecting them. Again, I can hear the bustling wildlife around me while I push my bike slowly up the hills. Several times I encounter big male monkeys sitting on the road side looking at me with a glare of defiance.

My next stop, Desaru, is the last stop in Malaysia. Completing the 150km that day requires some serious effort. Nearly all the itinerary takes place in palm tree estate. The roads are straight lines alternating flat sections with bumps of varying size. Once at the top of a hill I inevitably discover a new alignment of humps cutting through the palm trees and fading in the distance. After a while it becomes a bit boring and my attention is mostly focused on getting the kilometres done.

I’m in for a surprise at the end of the day. I read that Desaru is an aging seaside resort catering to wealthy tourists, first of which Singaporeans. But I was still expecting to find at least some limited budget accommodation around. In fact Desaru is limited to three upscale resorts lining along the coast. I don’t feel like splurging on this charmless place and despite the heavy legs I head back inland and search for an alternative. It takes a while (hence the zig zags left by my beeper – see the track on Google Map) but I eventually find a hotel room for 80 Ringgit (20 euro) in a commercial lot on the outskirts of Bandar Penawar. The place is less prestigious but definitely more friendly! The busy restaurant next door caters to a colourful mix of Malays, Chinese and Indian clients. So, on top of my usual two servings I also get a last taste of the authentic Malaysia that I like.