THE KRABI - PHUKET ADVENTURE (PART I)

I'm currently living a boring life as lack of money leads to no travel or what so ever. Since there was no new update on this blog, I decided to write about my travel (mind you, with motorcycle) to Krabi and Phuket about a year ago. And boy, that was really an adventure of a life time!

The Rendezvous: This photo was taken right after the guy who was late arrived. That's me on the left of the photo. We were busy ensuring all the documentations for border crossing were in place. 

So there were seven of us riding (five Kawasaki ER6 and two Kawasaki Versys). More than half were inexperience riders but led by our very own trusted leader (Mr. Nizam Sandi, ER6) and the most patience rider I ever met as the Sweeper (Mr. Shukri Abdullah, ER6) we pressed ON! The other riders were Mr. Rusihan Ariffin (Versys), Mr. Haneef Ahmad Ibrahim (Versys), Mr. Najib Jaafar (ER6), Mr. Rashdan Hafizi (ER6) and of course yours truly (ER6).

The Main Men: The guys on the left is our fearless leader, the one on the middle is our main photographer and the man on the left is the Sweeper. A SUPERB team. And the rest were SUPERB followers of course!

We started the ride as early as 0500HRS. We decided to rendezvous in R & R Rawang and head for Penang from there. As happened in every ride, one of us (the guy with the Go-Pro video camera & the best DSLR among us) were one and a half hour late. Nobody wants to ride without the guy with the camera (no camera equals to no photos, selfie etc.) so we waited for him. And at around 0630HRS we begin our adventure.

The ride to Penang was swift and smooth as there were not so many cars (and of course we maintained 160 - 180KMH). Not that we were rushing, but riding a motorcycle in the glaring sun is really not a wise idea (trust me, it's like sitting in a sauna while avoiding lorries, cars and other incoming vehicles). So around 0930HRS all of us safely made it to Penang for a quick breakfast and refueling. The next stop (among other 'pit stop' along the way, mainly to smoke) was Bukit Kayu Hitam translated as the Black Wood Hill. We finally arrived there at 1230HRS, the last stop in Malaysia (I can still remember this clearly, what a thrill, crossing the Malaysia - Thai border for the first time by motorcycle).

The Breakfast Break: Mr. Rusihan eyeing (maybe envious) Mr. Haneef's Versys that was prepped as if he was going to race in Dakkar. Mr. Haneef (aside from being our photographer) was also the quartermaster. 

While every single person in the group swiftly concluded the border crossing business, I came a across my first challenge. Somehow the officer handling my papers managed to screw me up by (maybe) purposely misplacing it. So I had to get in line (again) and repeat the whole process (all over again) and yes, I had to 'pay' them as well. This, in utter truth really spoil my mood then. I was super pissed, it was hot as hell (not that I've been to hell nor wishes to go there) and I was so damn thirsty. Nonetheless,  I managed to keep my cool and got through the border (accompanied by lots and lots of F word as I was cursing inside the hellishly hot helmet).

Finally Through: Ladies and gentlemen, that was me proudly holding my papers keeping my cool though the F word keep on flowing steadily inside my heart. But still I was thankful to Allah having safely made it across the border.

That was it for the first part of the adventure. I will write on the Bukit Kayu Hitam - Krabi ride in my next post. There is more interesting story to tell with better photos and yes, drama. Nothing like a good drama in a story right fellow readers?

So like always, I'll leave you guys with something to ponder. Cheers!

"Doesn't really matter how you travel (Plane, car, motorcycle etc), as long as you have FUN doing it."

Yours truly,
Kaz
14 Feb. 2014