This week’s on this day post comes from the 10th-February-2012. I’m in Malaysia on my world tour, and I find myself cycling on a motorway until I encounter a policeman. Finding beer also seems to be a problem. Sadly I didn’t take that many photos, and the photos in this post are from Thailand, except for the header photo.
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, I went to the local shop in search of beer. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any, but one of the shopkeepers 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 (Eddies Corner 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 Cycling
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.
