Cook

Ayam Masak Kicap (ABC from Jakarta) and load of ginger.
Not bad

My lil Brondong

Final coat has been sprayed. Now undergoing polishing stage. Soon I will scrutiny every single inch of the car. 

Beauty is in the perfection.

Considering I need to do u[ the interior again, and Chinese New Year is coming, give and take I'd give it another month I think.

Genting Sempah

Weekend cycling is always fun.

Yesterday was especially nice. The weather was perfect. In fact it was windy and cold at the peak. What a beautiful day to ride, especially with good friends. Same kaki.

I have been wanting to get Dr K to come back to ride Sempah. Finally he could make it. We enjoyed our ride. It was quite effortless for me because I was yapping throughout the climb.

And Matt took us to this little secret on Sempah - where we can hangout and watch the traffic on Karak Highway.

What a great Saturday morning.

My Little Brondong

The final coat of paint has been sprayed on. It has been many months.

Brondong is about 80% completed.

I really miss driving it. I think when is completed as usual I will drive it to my running point like Lake Garden and Kiara. 

Driving Brandong on Sunday mornings is alway fun.

Approaching the New Year

Last week I went all over to collect contributions for mangsa banjir Pantai Timur from my friends, Malay and Chinese.




After collecting I send to this badan who call themselves Al Nidaa' - I don't know what it means. Sometimes I wonder is it less Islamic if we use Bahasa Malaysia. Anyway, that's besides the point. The point is, as I reached Al Nidaa' in TTDI I have to unload the car. Coincidently a Chinese friend of mine was having coffee near by. She she saw me straight away she came and helped me. 

I was blocking the road, and my Indian mechanic happened to be there when I blocked the road. 




They both asked me? What are these for? I explained to them about the donations.




After helping me, the Chinese girl went straight home then supermarket to buy food and delivered it to Al Nidaa'. My Indian mechanic parked his car, rush to Al Nidaa' and gave some money for donation, to an Islamic foundation. 




And mind you, I have quite a number of non Malay / non Muslims friends who are like this. They see themselves as fellow Malaysians to help each other because like it or not we are sharing this country.




OK that's it.




Have a wonderful new year!

Brondong in the REMAKING.

Brondong has been in the shop for months. 

Many many months.

But it will be ready soon.

I visit Brandong a couple of times a week.

PEGORETTI

Total custom. 

It's the sprit of steel and bicycle. 

I have to write an essay about myself and mail it to Mr. Dario PEGORETTI. He will interpret it and present it in a beautiful art form on my frame. Of course the dimension of my body is a form one has to fill up, separately. 

I can only appreciate it after riding more than 10 years. How alive a steel frame can be. Rider and bicycle is ONE. 

Relatively heavier than Alu and carbon. Not much heavier than the Titanium. However, in a very long ride (not fast) can be like BUTTER! 

After reading this you will want to order one immediately...

coz normally you have to wait for 18 months to get ONE completed.

Christmas ride - take jadi

We planned to ride our favorite route Genting Peres yesterday. However, when we reached Batu 18 Ulu Langat, the road seemed wet due to downpour earlier. For safety reason (reads: laziness) we decided to drive the cycling route by car to Genting Peres down to Pekan Titi all the way to Bandar Kuala Klawang for breakfast at an old-school kopitiam. 

Once in a while not riding a bicycle is fun too . 

While driving we then realized how long and severe those climbs are, especially on a bicycle. 

I want to ride more miles in 2015. NEVERTHELESS.

I was humming Maria Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You while shooting this video.

Flood - East Coast

You can bitch about Najib golfing in Hawaii and Anwar holidaying in New Zealand (stand corrected) until the cows come home. However, if you are in Malaysia but can't even lift your fingers from the keyboards to help the flood victims physically, financially or spiritually within your capability, then you are......... DUA KALI LIMA

a pot calling a kettle black

TRANS THAILAND - Aliya, Gajah

Very fascinating sculpture / art installation. Remind me of something our artists Yusof Gajah would do. I recently show this photo to Pak Yusof. He said he did something like this and installed in SIngapore. t was sold and it is somewhere far away in a distant land now.

TRANS THAILAND - Halal Street

There is quite a significant Muslim community here. Being a minority I a sure they are quite close to each other. Most of them are descends from Yunnan, a province in the southern part of China. That's why the food is very Chinese including noodles and sausages.

Yellow noodle

Sausages

Oxtail soup. Very spicy.

She is very friendly

TRANS THAILAND - The Arrival

The arrival. Unloading in action

At some point I was quite nervous about the shipment. Who knows, anything can happen. Accident or just a bike theft ship it all the way across the border into Myanmar or Laos.

However, the fact that Khun Amphun has been recommended by 2 people, my worries was baseless.

Its a joy to see the arrival of the bikes.

TRANS THAILAND - just a thought

Sunset, Ao Nang beach, Krabi.

This is what I wrote to my K16 Whatsapp Groupchat.

I want to share with you guys my favorite photos from the recent Trans Thailand adventure. I am currently updating my blog (don't expect a good writing from me. However I will try to compensate it with my photography).

I have to say, we the among the blessed few to be able to own this probably the finest touring machine available today.

Go cross the boundaries!

Its a beautiful machine and the beauty rides beautifully.

And go explore the beautiful world with beautiful people.

TRANS THAILAND - Breakfast in Chiang Mai

Our nice little hotel is located in the old city. The area is also popular among the backpackers. 

Its actually a bakery. 

Typically this ind of place would have good western breakfast.

Found it!

Located very close to the morning market where i get my fruits every single mrning. I really miss their fresh tropical fruits. Cheap, delicious and easily available.

Capt enjoying hos breakfast

Its a nice harmony of holiday + local atmosphere. Thats one of the reasons why I love Chiang Mai.

My croissant with omelet and cheese

I have to highlight here the fact that this is not my first time in Chiang Mai. It was about 7 years ago I actually rode my touring BICYCLE, not motorbike, from Bangkok.

My view. A bunch of backpackers having breakfast while watching the world goes by. Note the sweaters. It was rather a cool morning. Beautiful morning.

This time, I am here with this lovely machine who is going to be my closets buddy for the next 10 dayr exploring Thailand from North to South and beautiful people and places along the way.

Quoted from a newly found Latvian friend in Chiang Mai:

I am not a tourist.

I am a traveler. 

TRANS THAILAND - Chang Mai

Water feature at our hotel. A nice little hotel in the middle of the old city. Quite central. Quite soothing and very quiet.

Took a tuktuk to the night bazaar. BAHT10

Kind of weird. The gear knob is like between your knees

Night Bazaar. CNY deco

Open air reflexology. BAHT 300 per pop.

Thai craftsmanship

Street artist

Elephant art

Fish therapy. I scared the tourist. Baby piranhas

There are thousands and thousands of tee shirt design in Thailand. Spoilt for choice. I didn't buy any as I don't have much space on my bike

My favorite photo of the day

TRANS THAILAND - fly off to Chaing Mai

We flew Air Asia from Hatyai to Phuket. I met some Penang guys who wanted to go to Chiang Mai. What they did was drive to Hatyai, parked their cars there and take a flight to Chiang Mai. Less than RM400 round trip. From Penang it would have cost them more than RM1000

I have a little bit of problem at he airport. Mainly because I wasn't organized and took for grated domestic flights would not be as strict.

The confiscated the CO2 canisters that come with tire repair kit. They said its not safe, even for check in luggage. So Have to let them go.

Damn it!

TRANS THAILAND - Lotus

TRANS THAILAND - lunch - Thai style

PORKY!

TRANS THAILAND - breakfast Thai style

The Thais are fond of cakoi for breakfast.

This is my real breakfast. Nasi kerabu, Hatyai style

TRANS THAILAND - Hatyai morning market

I always enjoy browsing through local markets. It's colorful and you can always see what are the local produce and even sample their food. Their staple.

My favorite photo of the day

These ketupat are actually a third of the size of ketupat we have in terengganu. And this one is sweet I think