Alright, as I sit here in a small room at the back of a computer hardware shop, I realise I didn't bring along my little notebook detailing my journey today. But nonetheless it's still pretty fresh in my mind:

DAY ONE (My house to Muar 207km):

I spent last night doing last minute stuff which I had happily put off doing previously. Simple things like copying a point to point outline of the route, printing the town maps and buying travel insurance I didn't do cos I assumed they could be done easily. Yeah, so I missed my intended bed time by 2 hours, and woke up 1 hour late. So I found myself leaving the prata shop opposite my house at 7am ....



Before I take a step into the lift. Yeah, this is my all weather attire which will save me from sunburn and hypothermia.



I briefly ponder when I will be home. Monday night perhaps.


I was only at half tank though, as I wanted to travel light.


So this is what's happening behind my back....


I crossed the check point at 8:20, and turned left to start hugging the coast line, and look out for 'Pontian Kechil' or <5>, which was the road I was to use for the next 2 days. Road signs appeared soon enough and I was on way. It seemed quite long, but I finally reached Pontian, which was a small town on directly west of johor, along the coast line. I think it was at the 84km mark around 10:40pm.




My first lunch at Pontian Kechil. I think this place was slightly touristy cos 2 canned drink and a plate of 2 meat one veg cost me RM10.40.


Should I drop by for an upgrade.... hur hur

From then on towards Sengarang I had 2 shower passings (*Shower passings, a term I created since technically speaking it wasn't the shower that passed over, it was me who went under..... The rain cloud had no lateral movement.) before I finally reached Batu Pahat.

Along the way I stopped at a Shell petrol kiosk to refuel (drinks lah, what are you thinking), and an old malay man struck a conversation with me:

Old man: Satu?
Me: Yah, only me.
Old man: Satu?!
Me: Yeah...
Old man: Where are you from?
Me: Singapore...
Old man, looking a bit amazed: You are from Singapore? Are you Chinese or Malay?
Me: Chinese (hur hur)
Old man: Where is your wife?
Me: hur?
Old man: Where is your wife?
Me: I don't have one (-_-'')



Batu Pahat was by far the biggest town since Johor. It had banks and air-conditioned shops etc. I reached at about 13:30pm (?), at the 150km mark. Just nice for a second lunch i reckoned:


This is the hainanese chicken rice stall where I had my second lunch. RM4.50 for Chicken rice, a can of soya milk and a can of marinda orange. It was nice to have an all Chinese environment with people I could converse with comfortably. A larger Chinese population resides here.


My bike waiting faithfully as I refuel.



This is how a day at the office will look like. Notice the tape on the stem, which lists down al the intermediate destinations for the day. Below is a top-tube mounted pouch which i place my camera and notebook in, for on pictures and quick notes.

After lunch, it was straight to Muar. But by the time lunch was done, an enormous patch of super dark clouds had moved in from the east, and covered exactly the regions where I had just passed. A storm was coming. It seemed as though I was being cut off form the back. Ahead, it started raining, but the clouds were grey, and I could see the light at the end in the horizon, which gave me added motivation to speed forwards. Imagine if I was headed the other way.... It would have been tough on the morale. The rain stopped, and then started again, and I spent the next 2 hours in pure rain. There was a period of time I had a real fear of lightning striking me, ut thank God nothing happened. Stopping didn't seem like an option at that time because is was cold, the surroundings were miserable and Muar was only 40km away at that time.

It was but a drizzle by the time I reached Muar, and yeah, it was a civilised place: Macdonalds, Pizza hut, KFC, supermarkets, shopping centers with a small arcade. The hotel Sri Pelangi was quickly located in the middle of these luxuries and i settled for a room at RM98, paid by credit. I wonder what i can do with 2 single beds. Once again many Malaysian Chinese here. I think few suspect that I'm not local until I speak to them or fiddle excessively with the camera. Especially since I'm alone.

KFC: RM8.40 for the above minus phone and wallet.

I think KFC is not enough....

Checking out the shopping center...

My hotel? Nope, it's not this one but the one behind on the left...