Malaysia (Singapore)
 Singapore-Malaysia : July 4 to July 9, 2006
 Mercing-Kota Bharu : July 9 to July 25, 2006
 Kota Bahru-Pennang : July 26 to August 20, 2006
 Pari Buntar–Pulau Penang : August 20 to August 31, 2006
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Malaysia (Singapore)

Singapore-Malaysia : July 4 to July 9, 2006

Finally, there we are in South-East Asia! We left Australia earlier cause we were a little bit tire of the cold weather and the monotony of the landscapes of the coast. We changed our ticket for Sydney and we left the continent July 4 to 8:00 am. We took contact with a boy of the organism warm shower and he provides us a roof for 3 days. He gave us good advice for the journey. Because of him, we find an excellent bicycle shop soonwatt that was able to arrange our bicycle for 135 dollars Singaporean (90 Canadian). To cross in Malaysia, we took a ferry that brought us directly to Kg. Pengerang on the East coast. When we arrive in the country, we have been welcomed by 4 or 5 macaques (monkeys). How to hope for a better welcome, some locals!!!! At this time, the air was very hot but nothing in comparison of what we find on our way. On the road, we have been welcomed by the song of the mosques prayers. It is necessary to hear them to understand the beauty of this. Our first day was indeed a whole puzzle. We didn't have any roadmap and we didn't know at all where we were in the country when the boat drops us! Because were a bit lost, we find difficult to find a good place to sleep without pay too much. Around 7:00 p.m., we decide to knock to the door of someone and ask hospitality to sleep on his backyard. The night was so humid in the tent and we were so dirty. We had to sleep almost nude without the roof. I couldn’t go to the toilet because they had a million of mosquito. The following day, we left to go to Kota Tinggi, a city to 50 km in the north of Johor Barhu. It was so hot and humid there also! We were sweating so much. On the way, Benoît rolled over a cobra by accident. He was lucky to roll over him at the height of the head. The opposite case would have been worth him a beautiful bite and one travels direct to the hospital. Today, we ride around 90 km. The morning was very hot but fortunately, it was raining in afternoon. We are presently in Mersing on the West coast and we wait for the sunrise to go on Tioman Island. Finally, we are at the paradise and we don't want come back home. Our days only cost us 6 Canadian dollars (lodging, 3 meals, and water) and everybody is very kind with us. They encourage us all on the path with their funny horn!!!! For those that worried about the situation with the Muslim! Malaysia gets too much tourist and it’s a modern country of Asia.

Mercing-Kota Bharu : July 9 to July 25, 2006

Tioman Island was wonderful with his relaxed atmosphere and his crystalline blue water. We remained there 5 days instead of 3, because we met so many good people. It is there that I learned to speak Malay! The return on the road was not too difficult, but on the coast, it is much more hot and humid that on the islands. On the road to Kuantan, there is a crazy monkey who tried to attack us because we passed between him and his babies. Kuantan is a big Islamic city. There, we met a local and he brings us to visit the whole city and he brought us to visit his family. Her sister cooks some typical Malay dishes. Hum!!!!! After two days of rest, we decide to go to Taman Negara by bicycle. We have to roll 3 days in the middle of Malaysia. Ben and I were a bit disappointed of Taman Negara (jungle) due of tourist village, Kuala Tahan. It is very artificial and the premises are not very interested to discuss. They work strait 16 hours and each tourist is like a number. If you got your own backpack, I think it would be worth it to do some jungle trekking. In the jungle, Ben heard a tiger at three meter of him. Yes, yes!!!! It was around 18:30 hrs and Ben surprised the tiger. Immediately, the tiger run behind a big tree. It is to this moment that he heard it grumble. Unfortunately, he never saw the animal because the jungle was too dense. To join the coast (Kota Bahru), we ride more than 400km in the jungle. It was very exhausting due to the high rate of humidity and to the numerous hills that we had to climb. In 3 days, we browsed 330 Km, what slapped me! Now we are in Kota Bahru to rest (border of Thailand), and after we left for a other islands: Perhentien Island. They are supposed to be the prettiest islands of Malaysia. We arranged that to be there for my birthday. Small remarks: in public the men don't shake me the hand. Then, I don't ever start the first steps. I always wait to see the reaction of the other before shaking the hand. I have a lot of difficulty to understand the Muslim religion and the woman's position. It is very different from the western countries and difficult for a woman to conceive that she is not equal to the man. Finally, we visited all the fireman station of the state of Pahang to ask for a free roof to sleep there. On this day, we visited more than 8 fires stations.

Kota Bahru-Pennang: July 26 to August 20, 2006

Our small escapade on Pulau Perhentien was strange. Ben and I were sick. He was even sick the day of my birthday, but he got better in the evening and we celebrated all night long with French Canadian friends. The atmosphere on this island was strange enough. From far we preferred Pulau Tioman!!! While coming back, we finally decided to visit the West coast and we took the bus until Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. The only thing we did there was to spend money. We met people of the community of Sudan. When we felt ourselves better, we decided to visit Genting Highland (2000 m of altitude). It’s almost colder than Quebec. We spend 1 week there free of charge, thanks to this generous man: Matsarif, he give us some place in his flat. We went there because that was the World Cup of rock climbing!!!! Without that, this city is so boring. It is a mini Las Vegas with nothing to do there. On the way, we stopped in Pulau Pangkor. The island doesn't have anything special in itself but we meet a celebrity,Chief Wan. He’s a famous cook well know all over the world and he’s specialization is the Asian dish. It was there to do a shooting for a kitchen broadcasts. They adopted us, we are going to appear in one the broadcasts and they invited us to follow them during the two days. We have been invited in a big dinner in the table of honor and we shared the hotel room with chief Wan. The following day on the tray of filming, we could taste the dishes specifically cooked for the broadcast. If we return to Malaysia, we are invited in his Penthouse with swimming pool, view on the sea. His son invites us as free in his big Euro-Asia restaurant. The night after our departure, we went to sleep to fire station of Taiping and the chief welcomed us like kings. He gave us for the night his bedroom, he brings us to the restaurant and he brought us to the night safari. The following day, we were supposed to return us to Pulau Penang, but we have been stopped by a bicyclist on a motorbike and he welcomed us in his home. He’s from warm shower, but we met it by pure luck. With him, we learn to discover the Indian culture. Indeed, he receives us like kings. Every day her wife cook for us delicious Indian dishes. We were feeling like a part of the family. Last night, David brought us to the most fascinating ceremony than we never see:Indian fire walking explication

Pari Buntar–Pulau Penang : August 20 to August 31, 2006

Now, we are in Pulau Penang, a big tourist island at 5 or 6 km of the coast. The city is charming since it counts several intact buildings of the time of the colonization of England. Today, August 31, 06, the whole country celebrates the day of independence of Malaysia. Last night at midnight, we had been to look for the fireworks but every thinks was really far away. We were a bit disappointing that Georgetown doesn't organize anything special for the event. The temperature is not really so beautiful these last days. No possibility to go swim, its raining everyday. Yesterday, we bought a laptop to push our website and to translate it in English. We decided to try to get some financing from this media. As soon as the internet site is translated in English, I am going to make know our project through the Medias of Canada and from all over the world. For it, we need the collaboration from all over the world. Like a human chain. So one day, if you come in Malaysia, you must absolutely make a tour at David house, he is a good friend, in Nibon Tibal, it is a “must” in Malaysia. According to some people, he’s collects the tourists and especially, the cyclist. Don’t worry, more he got people at home, more is happy. For us, he was a small Gandhi. David makes us know the multicultural community through the daily activities of people of his village. We have been invited to wedding (Malay and Indian), we participated in the Indian festivities (fire walking ceremony, feast of Ganesh), we fished the crab, and we drunken alcohol of coconut milk…. To our departure, his wife handed me in gift her Indian sari that I wore to the Indian wedding the day before. Not easy to walk with this long tip of cloth of several meters and not easy to put. Finally, we cross the border of Thailand in two or three days. We have very hurry to change country to see new landscapes. We keep a beautiful memory of Malaysia. It is a country that you must visit by bicycle!!! There is a lot to see especially outside of the tourist zones, but it is necessary to see it through premises. The cities look all the same, but it’s the people who make the difference of it.