Merdeka Folding Bike Touring, Klang to Langkawi: Day 5

Today as usual, Yeong, the early person type, decided to explore the Penang by himself in the wee early morning while both of us still smug in bed.

Once Mike and I were ready, we checked out of our motel and head straight to the ferry ticket office.

While Mike went in and check if there is any tickets available, I'm admiring the old clock tower which was just outside the office. Then Mike bought out a good news that they have tickets available, but his fund was dangerously low, so I went in to pay for it. Thou there are two morning ferry to Langkawi, we were only allowed to buy the 2nd and the last ferry, due to our bikes. With 3 tickets at hand, we called Mr Yeong and we headed out to a hawker center where Mike used to patron as a kid.

Having a breakfast was certainly important, but strangely I did not have any appetite for it. Perhaps I was too exhausted that the last night rest wasn't enough? Despite the mood, I made myself finish the meal, knowing that I need to replenish my body with carbohydrates.

After breakfast, we head back to the jetty. When we arrived, there are many holiday-makers already crowding the small boarding room. Lucky for us, the very same person that sold us the ticket allow us to enter the premise first. Felt like VIP there.

It was quite a scary sight when we saw how they put our bikes on the deck of the ship. There is no ramp nor lift that facilities transport. Just a bunch of porters who just carried our bike over the railing and onto the deck. Heart-breaking sight indeed.

As with all other ferry we have took, the seating arrangement was open-seat style, so we chose the upper deck. Weirdly when the ferry started it engine, I suddenly feel very very excited. Instead of cycling, I will be spending 3 hours just relaxing my tired muscle. What a big relieved.

Once out into the sea, the next obvious thing to do is to head outside and enjoy the view of the landscape. As it was a public holiday, there are many holiday-makers crowding the deck.

Weirdly, despite the breakfast, I was already hungry way before lunchtime. Since there is no meals to be purchase on the boat, I took out my chocolate bar (which is my emergency food bar) and consume it without guilt. (Or maybe I underestimate my food intake for the touring)

When we disembarked from the jetty in the afternoon, we basically walked straight into commercialized shopping center. With funding running low, we have to withdraw some cash from the ATM. It is a good thing we do it fast, as there was only one out of four vending machine still have cash in it.

Exiting the building, I went ahead to tourist information center (which is just the opposite the entrance of the mall), grabbing a map and inquiry on hotel. Oh by the way the staffs were very friendly and speak well.

The first thing we must do when arriving at Langkawi, is to visit the famous landmark, a huge statue of Eagle overlooking the archipelago. On the way out, I spotted a fallen sign which had fall onto the parked cars. Since the ground was still wet, perhaps earlier there has been a heavy storm.

Just only 1km away from where we are. We reached the bay shortly. YEP, the eagle is there.... but there is something else as well. The scaffolding!!!! Bloody hell..... of all time it needed maintenance, it choose to do it when we arrived. Spoilt the look...BEH

After the photo session, we went back to the Jetty Point Shopping Center to have our lunch. And then I made a startling discovery, Mike opened up his camelbak and revealed two bottle of beers!!! Maybe that's his secret of his powess!!! After lunch, we went on to look for hotel.

With one fully-booked hotel, and rejecting two hotels that doesn't have a lift, finally we found a resort hotel which is well-hidden behind the row of shophouses (and where we rejected 2 hotelish). Not only it have one of the best sea view from the windows, we're happy that we can roll our bikes into the room on the ground floor.

Wanting to escape the hot afternoon sun, we leisurely relaxed our muscles in cooling room, enjoying the TV show, while I studied the map I got from the information center. After lazing for few hours and the day become late afternoon, we decided to explore the island via eastern road.

I saw an opportunity to use the kampung road instead of the main road, and it was a good call. If not we won't be able to come across a green field full of the wandering buffalo, a farm of dragon-fruit, ponds full of freshwater crabs, with backdrop of the forested mountain.

I have no idea why Mike was so interested in catching the crab. Never mind that the crab have claws that can pinch real pain, but trying to get the crab out of the water can be tricky, especially if you are a noob...

After Mike tried to hunt for crabs (for dinner later) unsuccessfully, we made our way. But very soon they shouted to stop me. A look behind and one person have another tyre flat. Yeah again Mike got another lottery! A curious look at the tyre and the apparent problem is the already-bald tyre, with sharp object poking the thin-walled inner tube. After fixing the problem (and broke my tyre level in the process....#@$#^&$), we headed our way.

I didn't know they stopped at the Langkawi Wildlife Park, nor I didn't saw them due to towering bush which may hide them, I decided to carry on cycling to the Perdana Gallery. However when I reached there, they were nowhere to be found. So I gave them a phone call.

There's a miscommunication which I thought they went further up, so I decided to go further north, instead to the south. So after a while I was getting suspicious when I didn't see them after some distance. A final phone call confirms my mistake, but a good thing was they asked me to wait while they cycled to my waiting spot. Not before long I can see them from the horizon. Since the sun is starting to set, we decided to head back to town for dinner. Yippee!

While I trying to catch up with my touring partners, they came across a local cyclist who was on his routine training, where he told them of a bike shop on the same stretch of road. So after we regrouped we decided to pay an impromptu visit to the LBS.

However we got lost in the midst of finding that shop and we wandered into the housing area. Since my GPS does not have the location of the bike shop, it will be a blind search for them (since I'm more interested to fill my growling stomach).

While Mr Yeong went ahead to search, Mike and I waited and explore the surrounding, where Mike spotted more freshwater crabs and freshwater snails and began his shooting assault photography. Meanwhile I was busy trying to smack all the vicious mozzies trying to suck on my precious blood. After a fruitless search we abandon the idea and went on our way.

That's the signboard..... which I tweak the camera to make the shop disappear =P

Immediately just turn into the main road and cycled ahead when we spotted a LBS!!! And to add salt to the wound, the shop has already closed. Damn.... (AHEM to my two touring partners.... you own me a few litres of blood I 'donated' to the mozzies).

Once we arrived at Kuah town, we explored our option and decided on a simple Chinese cuisine meals. Interesting, a good look around the town is full of shops selling tax-free goods. And only Mike is extremely happy to shop in Langkawi for one good reason.... alcoholic beverage.

While today was the shortest ride ever and without our loaded pannier for majority of the ride, my body and I decided to have an early night. Hopefully tomorrow it will be a fantastic day to tour langkawi. It will be damn bad if we encounter this...

Distance: 45.45km (Penang and Langkawi ride)
Average Speed: 13.8km/hr
Max Speed: 36.1km/hr
Total cycling time taken: 3h 17min