Bentong- Cameron Higlands-Ipoh : Christmas day 2011

MERRY X'MAS!! 
I'd always dreamed of private jetting to Paris for lunch and perhaps Rome for dinner within a day. Errr....living the lifestyle of the rich & famous...haven't you thought of it before? Com'on..be honest! You did, didn't you? Well, too much influence from reading too many romantic novels in school and perhaps a super overdose of western movies. But this Christmas, I did just that!! I dined at 4 different venues in 600kms of solid riding in what I would call almost a perfect riding day except for a short spell of rain towards the 3rd leg of our journey.

The early birds -(from left Sam, Alex & Rocker57)

The group meeting point

Group gathering at NKVE. We embarked on our first leg to Bentong for brekkie at 7.42am. By 8.14am, we arrived at Restoran Big House for our breakfast. Each ordered & paid for their own meals, mine was paid for :)   Today, I decided to be a free loader and let Rocker57 pay for all the meals!

Ready to Vrroooom!!

Riders were Alex, Sam, Vincent & son, Tong, A Peng, A Yat and Jim. An enthusiastic rider, Jim joined for breakfast and then he had to rushed back to KL for Xmas shopping with his girlfriend. Now, that's PASSION to ride in huge capital lettering!! Jim, you are truly a die-hard rider, undeniable! And yes, a pleasure to meet your acquaintance.
Vrooom, Vrooom and we are ready to ride to Cameron Highlands via Raub, Sg Koyan, Ringlet, Tanah Rata. It was a ride that Rocker57 and I took during the recent Hari Raya holidays on our return trip. It was scenic & a truly cool ride. All the riders enjoyed the ride as the road conditions were good and the view, breath-taking! Oh, I almost forgot. Eric & his young son, joined us at Raub.

Brekkie at Big House.

Complimentary snapshots from Sam for the ride from Sg Koyan to Camerons (below)

enroute to Ringlet.

Glorious sky, beautiful winding roads

Happy riders!!

 

 

 

Regrouping at Ringlet (lone riders started to trickle in & regroup 5 mins before noon!) The ride from Sg Koyan to Ringlet was long, winding and perfect for bikers to enjoy their "Rossi's twists & bends" and "Lorenzo sprints". What saddened me was I saw several deforestation, hopefully it is for vegetation expansion and not illegal logging! 
I simply loved the greenery and fresh air. But alas, as we left Ringlet, we were caught in the frenzy of vacationers! Although, I think the vegetables, flowers and strawberries welcomed the carbon monoxide, the homo-sapiens are choked with the excess of it! Phew...all I could breathe in was burnt tyres and fumes from the exhaust! Lucky we decided to eat in Tanah Rata. The ride from Tanah Rata to Brinchang was arduous and horrendous as the bikers had to weave and maneuver carefully alongside hundreds of vehicles lined along both sides of the single lane roads in Cameron Highlands.

Delighted bikers waiting to dig in - Lunchtime!!

Regrouping at Ringlet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eric left on a different route while the rest trekked their way down to Ipoh via Simpang Pulai exit. A Yat and A Peng was no where to be seen...their Lorenzo sprints turned out to be a marathon between them both to Klang!! Vincent & son also left the group after refueling at the petrol kiosk near Simpang Pulai. They rejoined Eric & son at Sungkai (to soak in the hot springs) while the remaining bikers Tong, Alex, Sam and us turned into Ipoh to savour some coffee and bread on toast. A short break, and off we go again...on the road H.O.M.E!!! We rode together until Ulu Bernam R&R. Then, each went on their separate ways & individual speed. VROOOOoooOOOM.... 

After the drizzle - welcome sunshine!

 

 

By 6.15pm, we arrived home. After a good ride & a long journey, Rocker57 and I ended a great Christmas ride with Japanese cuisine after unpacking & a quick shower. We were famished! Its hardwork for both rider and pillion, you know. I know, because I was there. So, when will you be joining us?

Kuala Gula?? 18 Dec 2011

Bugged by the riding 'illness', we embarked on a ride to nowhere with organiser Sam and another rider KS. Started our journey at 7.44am & arrived at Ipoh for breakfast by 9.14am. I had chicken hor fun while the guys shared a huge portion of kueh-mueh ( crullers, yam cakes, vegy dumplings & banana fritters) and each had our own cuppa. Apology, no pictures taken as I was very hungry ( grinning...aint I always the hungry one?)
A quick check, and off we went to join Vincent & his wife at Bukit Merah Laketown. When we reached the traffic light heading into the resort, we were 'escorted' & directed to a special parking lot. Boy oh boy...it was a bike week at Bukit Merah Laketown Resort! Very happening with loud music and the emcee welcoming new riders coming in every few minutes. This time, the focus was more for the Goldwings - the huge Honda big bikes that is very comfy & expensive type. The last I checked, it ranges from RM140K and above! There were Harleys, and tiny cute bikes which I learned was FJR or JFK of FJK or something to the tone of it...duh, I pillion rider only okay not a genuine biker ya! Among all, I was attracted to the Indian...massive bike in striking blue..awesomely handsome. I was told it's priced about RM300-400K!! Oh my gosh!

Goldwings - frontal view

Rear View - lady inclusive!!

Anyways, it was all hyped up with loud music, stalls selling trinkets, apparels & bike stuffs. Lots of bikers. Some even have team shirts as they are club members coming as a club instead on individuals. Having no rights to their photo and lest being sued for no authorization to publish their pictures, I refrained from taking their pictures. Just to be safe from legal pursuits. Despite how the small bikes looks, please don't be deceived by the looks. Yours truly can hardly tip-toe on them...yes...you are so right, am really that short. Hey, I'm not even at eye level OK...happy now!?!?!

the FJR, JFK or whatever!!

guests checking them out

We hung around for about an hour, then we went to see people fishing at the river just about a kilometer from the resort. While resting, we ate fried jack fruit which was delectable, hot and fleshy. RM1 for 6 seeds - 100% cheaper than in Klang Valley. Then it was decision time to find a place for lunch. Think-think-think. KS suggested Kuala Kurau, so out came our GPS. It was 39.2km away..well, nothing is too far when the biking 'illness' attacks. So, off we went. It will be our very first visit to Kuala Kurau - both Rocker57 & I.
Well...what do you know? They don't serve seafood for lunch! The restaurant people were nice enough to direct us to the nearest town about 7km away - Kuala Gula. Into the wilderness we rode...no village or township in sight and out of the blue, there were two rows of shophouses on both sides. Our leader (interchangeably as we rode) brought us to a fishing village nearby a Chinese temple. We then headed back to the first corner shop on the right along the main road of Kuala Gula just before turning into the temple .
The shop is called Tee Kee Seafood. Couldn't take a picture as the signage was old & discolored. 
As we waited for our food, we noticed that along the river/water canal just a stone throwaway from our restaurant, the locals were resting with their cuppa and a group was playing mahjong in mid noon! With shades & trees, the ambient seemed conducive for the locals to 'chill out' after a hard day's work.

That's me digging in. Vincent & Mrs. Rocker57 being blocked by me.

 We had curry fish, vegy and crabs fried with vermicelli. The fish is as fresh as one can get, it was sweet, fleshy and fresh - of course! Hmmm...you must be thinking why cook in curry instead of steam, right? See...I knew what you were thinking....well, we have to be considerate when traveling in a group, right? Two of the bikers will eat some if only the fish doesn't reek of fish smell...so with curry, we get the best of both worlds. Plenty smart eh?
The crab vermicelli was the best I've tasted so far. The crabs though small in size was so so sweet, fleshy and super fresh. The tasty vermicelli complement the crab, a house specialty. (Pix of lunch complimentary from Sam) Again, yours truly forgot to take one for the blog....yes...am hungry mah!!! Top with a big bottle of mineral water and 3 glasses of kedondong drink. The damage? Only RM96 i.e. RM16 per person. Truly satisfying - both tummy & pocket.
After a hearty lunch, its a dread to travel over 300km as one will get sleepy on a full stomach. Case in point. Mrs Vincent who rides on a Honda Valkyrie (akin to a Goldwing) actually admitted she dozed off between Kuala Gula and Simpang Pulai! Imagine that!!! So risky and dangerous. Lucky nothing untoward happened. On the ride home, we faced rain, sun, drizzle, sun, rain...but everyone arrived home safely. 
It was the craziest ride I've been on, almost 700km in 11 hours of riding (pit stops inclusive). On hindsight, it was worth the ride, because I would not have seen Kuala Kurau, Bukit Merah or Kuala Gula if not for the spontaneity.

SiR eLToN J0hN CONCERT 22.nOv.2011

Eventhough, both rocker57 and I love his songs very much, the steep ticket prices made us rethink it over and over again. Finally, we decided not to attend the legendary Sir Elton John's (EJ) concert @ the Arena of Stars in Genting Highlands
Cost analysis - 2 Elton John tickets (RM480 each for so-so seats OK?!?!), if I were to add another RM830, that's the total cost of our tour to Da Nang, Vietnam in Jan 2012 for two persons on a 4D/3N stay inclusive of return flight, accommodation & reserved seating!! So, we opted not to attend with a heavy heart. 
Lo and behold...our lucky stars and the EJ angels were eaves dropping and answered our woes. At the 11th hour, Rocker57's niece gave us two complimentary tickets! We were thrilled to bits with the free tickets. And was in cloud nine when we found that it was center position and quite near the stage! WOWZA, how good can this get?

Complimentary tickets!!

On the event day, Rocker57 clocked off promptly from work. We were stuck in traffic on the way to the Resort but managed to arrive an hour before the show, just sufficient time to grab a quick bite before the show starts.
Ushered in & comfortably seated, we waited for the legend to appear. A duet electric cellists from Croatia kicked start the show with a bang. I've never heard such beautiful sounds from a cello before and I'd always had the impression that cellist are a bore due to the huge and restrictive movement of the cello. Boy was I WRONG! If I were 2 decades younger, I would be scrambling to be their fans. These young men were simply electrifying!! The quick pace of music and the passion they displayed was mesmerizing and addictive. I was SOLD!!


At 8.30pm, in walks the legend. At 64, I expected things to be mellow but boy was I wrong again for the second time within 30minutes. Ian Gillian from Deep Purple was a far cry from our legend. EJ merely had seeps of water after every two songs, but Ian was drinking half a glass! I SALUTE you, Sir Elton John! 

Obviously, you would have read by now, the press write ups about the concert. But the press did not tell you that EJ climbed up the Yamaha grand piano and jumped off it. I was so afraid he may injure himself and not be able to perform his next concert...I mean with his weight and slow reflexes and all...errr...at 64, I wouldn't do it! But hey...he's THE legend, so who am I to comment, eh?
Its obvious EJ can't have much showmanship if he keeps hammering at the piano, right? DUH! But he took the effort to walk to both ends of the stage to send flying kisses to his beloved audience who paid huge sums just to watch him sing. He was adorable. 
He also made many elated when he touched and shake the hands of the VVIP and VIP audience. I envy those who had the opportunity. But I felt blessed that I had the opportunity to be in the same place with the legend for 2.5hours of continuous melodious songs from EJ.

Clearly, he was singing "Candle in the Wind"

Although EJ did not take my breath away, but his concert was memorable and simply awesome. He did mentioned that he would like to bring his son back to visit Malaysia someday...hope he does for Malaysia is truly Asia.

Guess what? Elton came back for a 20mins ENCORE!! Told you he was adorable. To me, it was an electrifying and 'Eltonic' night! The PA system was bombastic, the acoustic clear and the lead guitarist - awesome. 

FYI, the drummer has been with EJ since 1969 when he first started while the lead guitarist joined in 1971. These two goes way way back with EJ. Although half the time, EJ and band played something from the past and something from the present which I've not heard of, but his rendition of a remix of 'ROCKET MAN' was superb!

Well...what can I say? The legend made 22.Nov, a heavenly night, for me that is.

BETONG, THAILAND 5 & 6 NOV 2011

It's our first trip on bike to Betong, Thailand (border between Northern Malaysia & Thailand). We started our journey from home at 5.30am as we were scheduled to leave from McD's situated at the Subang-Damansara Petrol station along the NKVE. The group started to trail in one by one; introductions made, breakfast taken and soon we were ready to embark on our longest journey to-date. There were 7 of us in total with another 3 meeting us at the border. (namely - Alex, Ryan, Sam, Tong, Kai Seng & Eric)
At 7am, we began our long journey ahead. Next stop was Rawang to meet another 3 bikers who were also going to Thailand but on different destination. We traveled together until Kuala Kangsar where we bid our goodbyes to the 3 younger riders from Klang. Refueling & stretching out was at Tapah for about 15mins. By 10.30am, we were having our second breakfast at Kuala Kangsar after refueling in town! 
The strangest thing happened. After whetting our appetite for the second time in under 4 hours, Rocker57 remembered he had forgotten his passport!! Imagine that! Oh gosh!! 
AHA, me to the rescue... obviously I brought it with me - DUH!! Sigh, what would Rocker57 do without me? (snickering)

Breakfast at a curry house restaurant along the main road to the border.

Half an hour later, we were at the Immigration where we met the rest of the bikers. It was chaotic as there was no system nor signage to guide you. Lucky for us, the seasoned riders guided us through without a hitch giving us step by step instructions - Thanks! It seems that the vehicle declaration form is very important. If one forgets to return the form upon return, the same vehicle is disallowed to re-enter Thailand in future. So definitely, I kept the forms safe and sound.
Bikers being a spontaneous lot, no accommodations were made before hand. They love to scout around before settling down. Errrr...something Rocker57 & I aren't used to at all. But the 'kapala" (bikers slang for head of team) managed to secure accommodations for all bikers - RM80 per night per room. At that price, I seriously knew what to expect and I was not wrong. Complimentary toilet rolls were provided as tissue paper, so you can know what to expect, right? No pictures taken, didn't want to be reminded.
We went in search for lunch after being given half an hour to refresh. The gang then walked about 20mins then settled in at the seasoned bikers' preferred choice for good food at reasonable price al fresco restaurant.

Betong was an improvement from my recent trip to Yangon, Myanmar in late February. It is a small township, I think you can walk about town in under an hour. Motorbikes are aplenty and apparently helmets were required only on certain days or specified hours only, odd but true. Safety doesn't seem that important here as roads are small and vehicles can't really move fast around here. 

During the day, you can see a lot of police officers around town at their makeshift booths or walking/bicycling around. Well, at least a lot lot more police officers than I can see in Betong than in USJ where I reside!! In the night, more army personnel join in the routine. So, one tend to feel safe here. Is it safe? I wouldn't know.

Yes! They serve bak kut teh here! (pork ribs boiled in Chinese herbal soup). Apparently a lot of Malaysians trade or have settled down here. So these traders understand Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia, Cantonese and Hokkien! Therefore, communication is not an issue :)   Understandably, in the 50-60s a huge community of Malaysian communists evading arrest in Malaysia have called this "home". So their descendants are now naturalized Thais, I presume. Verdict of our Bak Kut Teh? Even the Klangnites swears it is as good as it gets!!! So there!
After a short walk about town, Alex, Kai Seng and us headed back to the hotel to rest while a large group of them went on to explore the communist camp. Rocker57 and I have just seen the ones in Ho Chi Minh City, it is quite similar, hence we did not join the group. Luckily, we did not follow as they were caught in the rain on the way back - all 30km!!

As bikers are spontaneous people, we were caught unaware of the agenda (none really! Apart from when we start, pit breaks along the way to Betong, there was NO agenda when one is in Betong). We waited for over half an hour for the group at dinner time, none appeared. Except for the one 'lost soul' from the touring group who joined us, the rest were MIA (missing in action, doing god knows what? Shopping/massage perhaps) After our meal (delectable and cheap), we walked around town, had our cuppa before calling it a day. ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

The journey home the next day was uneventful as only 3 riders headed home in the wee hours of the morning while the rest were still snoozing.