Posts Tagged ‘Kuching’

Day 346. 81km. Kuching – Sungai Ladong

Posted: April 16, 2016 in Cycling, Malaysia
Tags: , , , ,
3

This is how it’s done. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed like I was in Sumatra, Will watched as we pulled up to a little village amid the banana trees and found a place to sleep. We spent the evening watching the locals playing baminton before having the hall to ourselves – except for the giant bugs buzzing into walls and the lights.
‘I don’t mind sleeping in bird shit,’ said Will as we decided on a place to set up the mosquito net. Nice one!

The road

The road

Thank-you my friends in Kuching. Thank-you Jammie for inviting us to stay in your place and spending time with us. A huge thanks to Akmal to come all the way from Kuala Lumpur for some special parts bike maintenance. And thank-you to the bike team in Kuching for putting the final touches on my new carbon drive set-up.
Kuching was also our place for getting a second 60-day Indonesian visa.
Finally, Kuching was reuniting with Will – an irregular Irishman I cycled with in Tajikistan. It’s been 17000km since we last cycled together. Back then we were together with Mark and Kim. This time we are a team of three – Clement, Will and me.

Our warm showers host Jammie

Our warm showers host Jammie

Akmal performing magic

Akmal performing magic

The bike team in Kuching

The bike team in Kuching

The new cycling team - Will, Clement and me

The new cycling team – Will, Clement and me

Day 345. 38km. Siburan – Kuching

Posted: April 15, 2016 in Cycling, Malaysia
Tags: , , , ,
4

Using bottled water results in so much plastic waste that pollutes our planet. I try to avoid using bottled water. I also have panic fits of running out of water – I sweat a lot, and if I drink enough I get cramp and cannot go on. Today my panic attack overtook my common sense, creating one more piece of plastic rubbish for the planet.

When it is hot and humid and at low altitude (making it hotter), and when the road is constantly steep, I get cramp. I cannot drink enough water and electrolytes to replace what I am sweating out. In the backblocks, where there is not a village shop every few hundred metres, I can panic, needing to stock up on water when I see it. I have almost run out of water before, and not drinking enough will definitely result in cramp with this weather.
Cycling through the outskirts of the capital of Sarawak province, you can be sure there will be water to be had. I was not happy with only my emergency reserve water, and bought a bottle of water where there was no other drinking water. I regretted having done this – especially when Clement was able to fill up with water without creating extra plastic waste just 2km down the road. I will try to think more and not let panic attacks take over. Lesson learned.

Today we met up with Will who I cycled with in Tajikistan and Krygyzstan. Its been 16000km since I last saw him. It’ll be good to have a third member to the team in Borneo and Sulawesi.

The new cycling team - me, Clement and Will

The new cycling team – me, Clement and Will

Thanks Jammie for the great and relaxed hospitality. We are looking forward to a lovely evening and time with you here in Kuching!