I got away from Georgetown and headed for the Cameron Highlands. Just a really good ride through the flat land of the Malaysian coastal strip then climbing into the hills.
Not a long ride but a good one.
The Cameron Highlands is a popular place for Malaysians. It is pretty, it is cool ( but high humidity )and has a holiday atmosphere. Met a biker from Singapore, he and his 5 mates had ridden there for the night.
It is full of rather tatty high rise Hotels and some "old style Tudor" hotels from Colonial times. A pleasant place but what a relief to be riding in the trees on good roads.
The Cameron Highlands is the tea growing area.
Next day I headed down to the plains again and the rains. I got wet ! Firsy time I have had rain since Albania. As usual I watched the sky, and shot into a service station to shelter. It cleared and I was away through the trees again and suddenly it fell down. I got drenched. So I headed back into the hills this time to Frasers Hill. Other than the rain it was another great ride. Up to about 1000metres and again an old resort area. Poor and expensive Hotels. In fact the place I stayed in could be styled an old dump. Never mind the fan ran all night and the riding suit got dry.
Next day down the mountain on more magnificent riding thropugh coconut plantations rubber plantations, and all sorts of trees and bamboo.
Sadly also more rain showers, so I got to spend some time in bus shelters.
Riding Malaysia is pretty good. And the roadside food stalls are pretty good. Spicy food, cheap, tasty and with tea.
So in the afternoon I did manage to find the waterfront at Malacca and an expensive Hotel.
And that is where I am as the rain showers continue. I will make a run to Singapore when it clears.
Malaysia is a place that seems to have as many Chinese and Indians as Malays. I am unsure that the relocation of other races is a good idea. I am yet to be convinced that moving large numbers of Asians and Indians to New Zealand is of any benefit in the long term. It sure does make NZ like every other country in the world and I ask myself why a European Tourist or an American if they can afford to travel any longer, would want to come to NZ to eat Indian and Chinese food.....stay in foreign owned and staffed Hotels, and end up like I am in Malaysia thinking .......where are the Malays ?
The world is becoming a multi cultural motorway with a McDonalds at each end in a Shopping Plaza the same as the last one ( they are all the same) and Shell stations every 50 k along the way. The same roads the same plants and lanscaping the same advertising the same lighting the same signs, the same same same......
If New Zealand has any future it is in tourism, we have little else, and that means creating a Kiwi feel ........is it already too late ?
What I have seen and NZ needs to make the investment, and that is roads are not upgraded they are retained and new motorways built near the old roads so the locals still have a road and those that want a motorway also have one. It transforms the countryside.
It also makes cycling and walking possible. If NZ has a future that is where it is, eco or green tourism ( bad names but individual travel on foot or cycles) ....or is it too late.
nzl04
