3D/2N Sg Lembing/Rompin/PJ (Part 1) : 29 Apr - 1May 2012

Group picture at Batu Caves.

This is I think the 3rd biggest group I've joined for an overnight stay. In total, there were 8 bikes consisting of Kawasaki Z1000SX, Kawasaki Versys, Kawasaki 6f, Kawasaki 6n and a Honda. We congregated at a petrol station in Batu Caves. The KL convoy of 7 met the Northern convoy consisting of 3 bikers but 5 people, namely Meng Ee & Moy on the Versys, Eric & wife on 6f & Vasu on his Versys. From Klang Valley, we had Vincent & wife on the Honda, Alex & Eric on their 6f respectively, Ravi on his Versys & Rocker 57 and myself on ZacBoy. 
The Klang Valley bikers met at Damansara Uptown at the famous Park Village Nasi Lemak for breakfast while waiting for the Penang bikers. The food was so good, the gang ate brunch instead! At noon, we met up the northern folks. After the Penangnites had their brunch, we headed to Sg Lembing through Karak Highway heading to the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia. 
Sg Lembing is a quaint tin mining town in the state of Pahang, approximately 17km from Kuantan town. I've never heard of this place until Rocker57 started riding. Though he has been there once, this would be my maiden trip.

After few pit stops for refuelling and leg rest, we arrived at Sg Lembing for "Lunner" at about 4pm(??? Lunch cum dinner, duh!...hahha...I just coined the word). Tired and hungry, we ate what the restaurant could cook up for 12 hungry bikers. We quickly lapped up the sizzling hot fried noodles. 
Then Alex (former Sg. Lembing local) suggested we should visit the temple in a cave. And, went we did - Charas Cave, here we comeeee!!! It was almost closing time but the caretaker was kind enough to accommodate us, given only 10mins to go up & down!. A token fee of RM2 each & off some of them went up the flight of stairs. A handful of us decided not to go, Rocker57 & myself inclusive. We enjoyed the clear & clean fresh air & rehydrate ourselves with more liquids while waiting patiently for our camaraderies.

Charas Cave.

The cave is only a short ride to Sg Lembing township. Sg Lembing consists of two main roads and few rows of half cement & old wooden shop houses. 
No 5 star hotels but we were pleased to be able to check into a local motel just a stone throw away from the famous Sg Lembing.  (errr...Sg =Sungai = river!! Just in case you are still fumbling with what is Sg...hehehehe). The so-called motel is just a huge double storey wooden house extended with many rooms to accommodate tourists :)  
As it was a public holiday, all rooms were fully booked, so Meng Ee from Penang offered to take up the 'Spiderman treehouse' for RM150/night complete with ensuite bathroom but no air-condition, cool, eh? Our landed 'property' was RM80 per night. Super small room befitted with a queen-sized bed, air-condition, 1 plastic chair & a bedside table that can only be placed at the end of the bed! And just enough walking space & to place two panniers. No luxury of ensuite bathroom like Meng Ee. But decent and clean.

Meng Ee's Spiderman Treetop house!

FYI, Sg Lembing overflowed & filled the entire town almost to the second floor of the shops in 1971 for close to a week!! It was front page news in local national newspapers. But in normal time, the river look so tame and inviting.(see below).

View from the car porch of our motel.

After refreshing ourselves, we headed to Hoover Restaurant for the famed tomato noodle. I eat fresh tomatoes but am not a fan for tomato based stuff except pasta sauce. I was sceptical and quite reluctant to eat it. But was asked to try, and try I did. I had second helping, surprisingly!!! It was smacking good! Thanks Alex for the recommendation. We also had other dishes that complemented the tomato noodles such as vegy, sweet sour pork, fish, orange sauce chicken, minced meat taufu just to name a few. We had two variants of the tomato noodles - yellow mee & mee hoon aka vermicelli but the former tastes better!

Tomato noodle & fish on foreground

Sweet sour pork & orange sauce chicken

Cost for 12 people for 9 dishes inclusive of drinks came to about RM13 per person, super reasonable considering the huge portions served. We were all sated to the max. With no TV in our rooms & it was raining, we gathered at the make-shift open garage to chat & mingle. At about 9.30pm, we sent old faithful Alex to buy drinks & toasts for supper. 5 minutes later, he was back empty handed!! Guess what? The proprietor of the shop is also the owner of the 'motel' we were staying in. What a small world! And we had special home delivery as the owner was on his way back to the hotel, Alex was sent 'home' earlier. Hah! This is one special delivery...similar to hotel's room service...we had our garage service! We chatted into the night & called it a day slightly past midnight as half the battalion will scale the famous hill in Sg. Lembing at 5am tomorrow. For more news, check out my next blog.
Till then, stay happy always. "WE LIVE TO RIDE"