2 – 12 January 2013 (part 1)

One hard push on the pedals, and the chain on Alexandre's Koga has snapped for the 4th time. While Claudia deals with the entry formalities, Alexandre is busy behind the immigration hut fitting new chain links.
Entry stamp for Malaysia received, repair finished, keep cycling!

There are still 800 kilometres to go to the Singapore border. We had planned our route along the better-developed west coast. The last-minute decision to extend our travel adventure to "Borneo" (Kalimantan) brings new momentum to things. So we cycle along the east coast through the states of Kuala Terengganu, Pahang and Kuantan. They are among the most varied regions of Malaysia. The heavy monsoon rains are responsible for flooded roads and closed resorts. Do they still exist, the long palm-fringed sandy beaches that haven't yet been overrun by mass tourism?

The "Perhentian Islands" are surely among the most beautiful islands. With our bikes, though, getting across is awkward. During the monsoon season there are fewer ferries, which could mean an unexpectedly long stay on the island. We stay on the mainland and let ourselves be surprised by Kuantan and Cherating to the south and the beach of Tanjung Jara further north. But first, our short cut of several kilometres at "Pak Bai" from Thailand to Malaysia had to be crossed by ferry.

We're spared nothing: the remaining 30 kilometres to Kota Bharu are dominated by monsoon storms. Even our rain capes were no match for the heavy rain, so we reached the hotel soaked to the skin. In our air-conditioned room we deal with outstanding office work, like writing the travel report, choosing photos and updating the website, while it rains non-stop outside.

Everything has to be "earned": the distances we covered each day were over 100 kilometres and took a lot of strength. From Mersing to the border there was an endless corrugated stretch to cover. 135 kilometres of up and down, countless hills adding up to 1,400 metres of climbing, reminded us of Argentina (South America 2009). From our hotel room in Johor Bahru we can already see our "destination port". Now there are only 30 kilometres left to the bustling centre where life happens. Singapore is within reach.

After a week in Singapore (see the travel report) we ride back to Malaysia. According to one report, the western border crossing, Tuas – Gelang Patah, is closed to bicycles. So that we aren't turned back at customs, we choose the longer way via Kota Bharu, to then reach Melaka on the west coast.

22 January – 3 February 2013 (part 2)
In just 2 days we reach Melaka, the oldest coastal town in Malaysia. It lies about 200 kilometres north-west of Singapore on the Strait of Malacca and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Protected from storms by a ring of small islands, this port was once a thriving trading place for ships sailing from India to China. Because the water isn't deep enough, Melaka has lost its importance for ocean-going ships today, and is now only suitable for coastal shipping.

Strolling along the Melaka River and climbing St Paul's Hill soon gave us a first impression of this historic town. We noticed the colonial-era buildings, so untypical of the country. The ruins of the "Porta de Santiago" from Portuguese rule (1511–1641), the gabled roofs and "Christ Church" from Dutch rule (1641–1824), and other sights from British rule (1824–1957). Until independence in 1957, the town and the Malay Peninsula belonged to the British colonial empire. Of course "St Paul's Church", the "Red Square", "Queen Victoria's Fountain" and the "Stadthuys" didn't escape our camera either.

The last kilometres to the capital, Kuala Lumpur, were a bit awkward. The road layout, disrupted by several construction sites, caused quite a lot of confusion for us and the GPS. Finding our way around "KL", as the Malays call Kuala Lumpur, wasn't easy. Probably someone slept through the road planning. The name Kuala Lumpur means "muddy confluence" of two rivers. The name comes from the rivers Klang and Gombak and was given by the Chinese when they founded the city in 1857.

At the Swiss Garden Residence we found suitable accommodation for the next 5 days. A spacious kitchen, a "living and sleeping room", and enough space to pack the bikes into boxes. As usual, we had a few kilos too much again, which had to be sent home by post. Until our onward flight to Sabah (Borneo), we passed the time feasting on sushi and sightseeing. There isn't much to see in Kuala Lumpur, and yet there was a lot going on. Chinese New Year celebrations were just around the corner. Coloured lanterns, magic trees and, once again, deafening firecrackers weren't missing.

In this metropolis of 1.5 million people you meet the most diverse cultures and religions. You see Christian church towers, the minarets of mosques, Chinese pagodas and Indian temples. Alongside the houses of the historic past, more and more new buildings shape Kuala Lumpur's progress.

By now our equipment is packed and ready for the flight, and there's still plenty of time to walk to the best-known sights. First we want to get a 360-degree view over Kuala Lumpur from the 421-metre-high Menara TV tower. At 276 metres there's a platform that is the highest viewpoint in the city. In just a few seconds, one of the 4 lifts takes us up to the dizzying observation deck, with a view of the twin skyscrapers of the oil company Petronas. 7 metres higher there's also a revolving restaurant.

On foot again, 2 kilometres away, we come to the gigantic Petronas Towers. At 452 metres, they are the tallest twin towers in the world. The golden triangle around the complex, the centre of the city, also offers a lively nightlife. All 1,200 visitor tickets, a limited daily allocation, are already sold out. The price of 80 ringgit seems rather too expensive to us compared with the Menara, at 47 ringgit and with a better view. We skip this high flight and go one floor down into "Suria KLCC", one of the largest shopping centres in Malaysia. A shopping mall of superlatives at the foot of the Petronas Towers! There's nothing you can't find here. Everything your heart desires, on several floors. Goods in every price range, from sinfully expensive designer brands to postcards.

At the Pavilion, another multi-storey mall, we come across a sticky speciality. The unique sweet Sticky is probably one of the sweetest temptations of Australian origin. In front of this production stand, lots of onlookers gather, cameras in hand, to capture the work of the highly skilled confectioners. Before the eyes of the watchers, the most beautiful and delicious Sticky candies are made for almost every occasion. There seem to be no limits to the variations in colour, shape and flavour. At the time, the Chinese New Year designs were the attraction. We couldn't resist this sweet either, and helped ourselves generously from the tasting bowl.

At "Sushi Tei", which by now we have chosen as our favourite place to eat and meet, Tisha and Simon are waiting for us for a week of mountain biking in Borneo. In the rainforest, with bikeandtours, we want to track down proboscis monkeys and orangutans.

Biker info for the route

-	Active (11 days of riding)	1,219	kilometres
-	Total climbing	4,568	m
-	Average speed	19	km/h
-	Riding time in motion	63:28	hrs