Bike-Ride to Australia Friday 10th-February-2012 Butterworth to Ipoh. 108 miles. Finding beer isn’t easy here, and most hotels don’t seem to have a bar either! Last night, when I searched for beer, I went to the local shop. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any, but one of the men in the shop pointed me toward another shop. Sensing that I wasn’t sure where he meant, he took it upon himself to take me there. I could see my old mate Eddie who used to run my local shop, doing that. He’d have just told you to get lost but in a more expletive way!
We arrived at the shop, but they didn’t sell beer either. But they directed us to another shop a few doors away, but again no luck. Eventually, after visiting a few more shops, I found some beer. And all this time, the man from the first shop acted as my guide. I bet he wished he’d never bothered!
More Motorway Riding
Today didn’t get off to the best of starts. I had trouble finding the right road. No matter which way I went, it led to a motorway, and bikes aren’t allowed on them here. In the end, I’d had enough of going around in circles and decided to go on the motorway! After all, I only needed to be on it for two junctions.
I survived the motorway and reached the junction I wanted, but I still couldn’t find the right road. So I turned around and got back on the motorway. After a short distance, I spotted a policeman sitting on his motorbike on the hard shoulder. There was nothing I could do. I certainly wasn’t going to turn around and ride against the flow of traffic. The only thing to do was play the dumb tourist, which I’m very good at; it comes naturally!
I pulled up to the policeman, smiled and said where I was trying to go. He just said to go to the next junction about a kilometre away, turn round and head back down the motorway, and you’ll pick up the signs and the road you want! I should have come off at the first exit. And there was me thinking the policeman would have a go at me for cycling on the motorway. He told me to cycle back down it!
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