It was in 2008 January, where we rode our Hope Too
into Thailand using the Betong border.
2012 June, that’s 4 and half years later, we are
back. All seems so familiar but so far. Seems like everything was in our dream.
Even Oliver massage, has changed. The smell is not
the same, the staircase, room, friendliness and the massage standard has been
amended to the tourist standard. bye bye Oliver.
Thro Joe Chan’s recommendation, we found
Only One Massage.
Quiet, no gimmicks, no joking, no loud music, no
shouting. Truly, if you are a person that has experienced with thai massage,
from the first stance where the masseur will first stretch your feet and you
know how serious is she.
Best Massage in Hatyai. Highly recommended for
serious massage lover. For party group, do not come here.
It is a little expensive but worth! At point of
visit, we paid 350Baht for 2 hours standard thai massage, excluding tips. If you take a tuk tuk, they may bring you in and get commission, in the end, you still pay 350Baht but the massage parlor earn lesser. What we did was pay the tuk tuk 20Baht each, get down and walk into Hakka Association, wait for the tuk tuk to leave, then we walk into ONLY ONE.
Located infront of the Hatyai Hakka Association.
The Hakka association in Hatyai is worth a quick walk. We found this in the hall, which means all Hakka people belongs to one family.
ONLY ONE MASSAGE GPS location at:
7.003709,100.472744
or
N07° 0.2238', E100° 28.3614'
Another place we found out to have cheap, fresh local
seafood is at the clock tower market.
We always have misconception that fresh seafood
should be at the beach, where they will do the fresh catch and we eat the fresh
catch.
Just like last year, we went to Tioman Island and stayed for a week, ordered some seafood which is not really affordable. Some of the seafood we wanted was not available and the owner said: there is no shipment from mainland today. When we leave Tioman, we saw they really shipped the seafood from mainland into Tioman.
This roadside seafood hawker stall is just located 1 street
away from the local wholesale night market where tonnes of fresh seafood, vegetable,
meat and spices were distributed from here to other restaurant.
BBQ Prawn was 400gm for 210Baht. Fresh Oyster at 40Baht per piece. Flower crab at 160Baht per big piece (BBQ). Squid for 2 person BBQ at 100 Baht. Beer and whisky available. Park your bike just 1 meter of yourself. May need to bring your own umbrella if it rain. Toilet, ermmm.... ask the local.
Located at Thanon Montri 1, west of clock tower.
7.011283,100.468179
or
N07° 0.6768', E100° 28.1259'
Hatyai is well known for the oldies bar and restaurant.
One of the retro and oldies restaurant we can find is at Sakura hotel, where
the ladies will just sing while you eat.
We have not tried the food of this
restaurant but, we love to sit outside this restaurant, having a beer, looking
at the street and wait for the best ‘som-tum’ (papaya salad) motorcycle to arrive.
Where else can we eat KFC with a plate, fork and knife, and drink the Pepsi with a glass?
Meeting time
was 630am at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Objective is to reach Kuala Kedah before
3pm with the whole convoy to catch the ferry into Langkawi Island.
Our mission:
1) bring
late Sam Leong’s helmet, as a significant of his soul, to Langkawi as he had
signed up for this trip 2 months before he passed away.
2) donate
out cash to the needy family. Cash was received from Sam Leong’s family.
3) make a
stone bench with Sam Leong’s name at the Guan-Yim temple at Hatyai, Thailand.
We need to
set off on 7th June, 2am from Clementi. Knowing that we are using a
small bike with heavy equipment, we expect to go slow on it. Working backwards,
630am to reach KL, 2am set off from Singapore, to have 6 hours of sleep we must
go to bed at 8pm. After loads and packing, it was about 930pm when we go to
bed. I only did 1 hour of deep sleep and the rest was rolling around the bed
trying out a more comfortable position, also trying to tell lie to myself that
this is the most comfortable position.
After
clearing the Singapore custom, our hand pump comes in handy. A fellow biker on
his Yamaha FJR had a flat tyre. We had this pump with us during our round the
world trip and was a gift from Yang but we have never used it before.
The Yamaha
Tenere 660XTZ has 1 piston and it was fitted with the Leo-Vince exhaust. The
bike owner, Siong, made the passenger seat higher and pilot seat wider. 21”
front and 17” rear, chain drive. Compared to my KTM 640 adventure, the Tenere
has very much less vibrations. I could feel the petrol being sucked out when
the RPM goes above 5000.
It was an
official set off at 8am by the sponsors. Media were also involved and I believe
it is an event that involves many VIP. Official traffic police also escorted
the whole convoy of 100 bikes. They need to stop the traffic that is coming
onto our way and regulate the speed of the whole convoy, making sure that
everyone could catch up together and reach the destination on time. I see that
it is a smooth ride for us. The eyes of the other road user were searching for
the most important person that the police are escorting. I could hear noise,
curse and shout from the other road user that were being stopped:
Road user
#1: WTF, I’m late for work and I still
have to give way to these ass holes…
Road user
#2: Wasting tax payer’s money!
Road user
#3: Everybody owns the road, why do I
have to stop for you?
Unknowingly,
I was the first few bikes of the convoy. When the convoy reaches the highway,
they were going at about 130-140km/hr. The tenere has a hard time catching up,
very hard. I have to catch up the guy in front of me making sure there is no
big gap, also to make sure the one behind me is not too close, also, because 2
bikes are sharing one lane, I have to take care of the neighbour’s bike. At
times, the marshall and traffic police that speed pass from our left. All these
happening at the top stress speed of the tenere, with 2 big aluminium panniers,
with a passenger.
After the
first petrol stop, I told Samantha that we need to be the last bike.
The event
director, Mr Azaha, came to us to borrow Sam Leong’s helmet. Because one of the
camera crew has only a half cap and is filming on a fast moving bike, it would
be much safer for him to wear a proper helmet. We are sorry that there isn’t
any cushion inside Sam Leong’s helmet but at least, it is safer that the half
cap.
Sam Leong’s
first contribution was to protect the film crew’s safety.
The
organizer booked a whole barge for us. We have to wait for the tide to be at
the correct level so we could roll the bike onto it. Under normal operations,
if one has to send the bike into Langkawi, he has to put the bike at the
loading bay and wait for 3 working days to transport over. We are lucky enough
to have this opportunity.
When we reached the ferry terminal, we need to make a U-turn. but the tide has flooded the road. and a GSA with Singapore registered number went through the flooded at high speed to make water splashing, creating an 'adventure effect' for the whole convoy to see.
See the picture below, right side of the GSA, there is a scooter. I could witness the water from the GSA splashing onto his face, wetting his whole body and i could hear him shouting and see his angry facial expression. If I was that guy, i could have confronted the GSA. Lucky he was cool enough.
After a long
day without any sleep, we reached the hotel and after the dinner, everyone
gathered at the ballroom for briefing. The organizing committee observed one
minute of silence with the entire participant for Sam Leong.
Thank you.
2nd
day was a free and easy day for everyone.
We went to
do the tourist stuff. The cable car ride is a must.
Locals pay
RM$15.
Tourist pay
RM$30.
I wonder if
the Garden by the Bay, in Singapore, has the same system, encouraging locals to
visit our own pride.
Don't be mistaken by the above picture. you CANT ride there.
Samantha and
I went around the island to explore. Right to 161, end of Datai Beach, was a
dead end with a private residence. We went into the Andaman resort. We parked
the bike, walked into the high class lobby and was greeted by a staff. We told
him that we would like to walk through and look at the beach. Guess what, we
are more than welcome to do that! He gladly showed us the direction to the
beach.
It was
really a classy place. The beach, so so…
When we are
done, we walked out and get ready to move. One of the shy hotel staff wanted
to take a picture of the Tenere. Both of them were pushing each other to start
the conversation with me. In the end, I asked them:
You want to
take a picture of the bike?
You want to
sit on it?
What I read
on the travel guide about being a foreigner in Langkawi is to smile at the
locals, and it really works! The smile break the ice. We could feel the
warmness from the local.
And we also
went to Galeria Perdana, a museum displaying gifts and awards presented to
former Malaysia Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahatir ahd his wife. The gifts
displayed were from world leaders, states man and fellow Malaysians during his
term as the Prime Minister.
3rd
day was the event ride event.
Ride to the
main Eagle Square to take group photo.
Go plant a
tree.
Ride back to
Pantai Chenang where they invite the needy family and some disabled children
for lunch and to receive cash, laptop and daily necessities from the organizer.
They need a
helmet to go around all the participants to collect cash donation. Sam Leong’s
helmet was gladly invited to do the job.
Picture extracted from official event's facebook.
It was a
touching moment that they want to use the helmet for cash collection.
Picture extracted from official event's facebook.
Sam Leong’s
2nd contribution was to help collect more cash for the needy.
Also, we did
what we suppose to do: to put the cash, given by Sam Leong’s family, to the
needy.
Our #1 and
#2 mission was completed.
Thro out the whole ride with the convoy, the tenere 660XTZ was feeling not so welcomed. It is slower then the rest of them riding 1400cc, noisy and blasting with the Leo-Vince exhaust. We are so sorry for the other riders that were around us. This is our very first trip with this bike and it belongs to Siong.
Most importantly, we have fulfill a departed man's living dream.
I went to the insurance at Anda Insurance Agencies Pte Ltd, 18 Sin Ming Lane, #02-10 Midview City Singapore 573960 tel: 65542288, email: thomson@anda.com.sg
It was a complexed building. To change the name of the Next rider cost $80.25.
After the name was changed, i was only allowed to ride the bike legally on the next day.
In the night, Siong came to my house with the Tenere. He warned be about the stiff handling of the steering and handle bar. i took a small ride and it was really dangerous. he had a Hepco and Becker rack, so we tried putting Hope Too's pannier on but something is not right. The rack is the same size but we just couldnt squeeze it in.
We need panniers for the bike, else i have to go alone with a backpack. soft luggage cannot be tied at the rear as the exhaust were fitted very high.
I sent Siong back to Jurong.
The next day, i drove my lorry to M-technik just to deliver the 2 panniers and go home.
Then i rode the dangerous Tenere to Alexandra village to rectify the handling problem. I went to Hock Kim Leong.
The mechnic could instantly know that it is the steering cone bearing that was broken. but they do not have any parts.
'its about $150'
i was telling myself: WTF?! $150?! but i kept cool.
After checking out the part number, they couldnt do the job because they do not have the bearing on hand. They ask me to go Serangoon to get the bearing and come back to let them do the repair.
i asked: which shop?
Mechnic: the SKF shop
I replied: ok... i try (but i don't know where).
i walked across the street where there are some car spare parts sales.
'uncle: do u have bearing number: 32006JR and 32005JR?'
oh yeh! they have it! $25 for 2! they have 32006 and 32005, with out the JR. as long as the size is the same, it fits!
Yamaha XT660Z Tenere's steering cone bearing number is: 32006JR and 32005JR. Tapered type.
i went back and Hock Kim Leong and they were sure impressed on how fast i ride to Serengoon and back within 8 minutes.
The labour to change the bearing was $80. They also changed the rear brake pad for $25. i didn't see the packaging of the new brake pad.
Next, i rode the Tenere to Mtechnik. With Chan's magic hands, he was able to fit the panniers onto the rack. I believe that i could not do it myself so, i would keep the panniers on the bike as long as Chan is not around me. Thank you, Chan.
Now, the bike is working again, the panniers are good, we did a small test with Samantha for a short ride to Kulai, Malaysia.
Being on the back feels so different because the seat for her is very high. the bike is most comfortable at 120-130km/hr. i tried a 160km/hr but dont feel safe, feeling that the panniers may fly away.
i stopped and looked at the engine during the petrol stop. noticed some brown water stain on the engine. could it be mud splash or corroded coolant water or coolant breakage? i couldnt find any break.
The bike does not come with center stand. i have to make a wood so that i could oil the chain or make the bike stand by itself if the wheels are needed to be taken out during puncture.
we are meeting at +3° 5' 58.32", +101° 38' 7.98", Naza World, KL, Malaysia on 7 June 2012 630am.
will be riding up with Samantha to meet them.
for the
The Langkawi International Charity Ride 2012
At last i have a new riding pants. it suits me well, from Ho Kai Weng.
Something out of the Topic. I saw this truck with S1962CD on the road... it is a vehicle of the Diplomatic Corps in Singapore. source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Singapore
then, on 23 May 2012, around 3 pm, i saw 2 enforcement officer, parking their work bike at a non-desitinated lot, going to a motorbike shop for leisure shopping. are they abusing their authority?
Our life has always been chased by these people. we park to buy our lunch for 10 minutes and by the time we are back, the $10 fine is there. There is not a space for the commoners in singapore to breath. NO SPACE TO BREATH, U BLOODY #Y%*@@#?! ARE U LISTENING?! it is too tight.
don't let us have a chance to bite back because once we see the chance, we will bite, chew, tear and make sure it bleed non-stop!
well, the picture below shows a thousand word.
Don't push us too much!
this is Siong's Tenere. it just clocked the first 10000km.
