All roads lead to Kota Bahru

There is a saying that says " All roads lead to Rome".
But to me , all roads lead to Kota Bahru. From the East-West Highway, we can go to KB through Tanah Merah, or through Machang, or through Rantau Panjang. I have been to KB a few times, but I was not certain which one is the best route for travelling, until this latest trip.
If we follow the road signs, the best bet will be going through Machang because this stretch is wide and straight. But the ' slow and steady' Kelantanese drivers will really test one's patience. They seem never in any hurry at all.
Anyway, being not that adventurous, I always take this route.
Through conversation with a local this time around, I was told that the shortest route is through Rantau Panjang. True enough it shortened our return trip from KB to Jeli via Rantau Panjang. The downside is the road is more winding and need to pass through a few road blocks.

So maybe the road signs should add some wordings like these:

By the roadside to Machang , the sign should read :
" Ke Kota Bahru, Laluan selesa untuk pemandu sambil lewa"

By the roadside before junction to Rantau Panjang,
" Ke Kota Bahru, Laluan optimum untuk pemandu mengejar masa"

Wuahahahahaha...............








The main attraction of the east coast states: beautiful beaches.

Travelling between Kota Bahru and Kuala Trengganu also faces the same dilemma; use the coastal roads D7 , T3, T1 though the kampongs, or use the inner road 3 that is more winding and hilly. The choice is yours.

New experience_Home Stay

1st of May, Worker's Day is on Friday. I have 3 days break. A petrol head friend suggests a long drive to Kelatan and Trengganu. Being a last minute plan, we couldn't find any available hotel room. Luckily a colleague gave a contact for Homestay accommodation in Kota Bahru. We just grab it.

In my mind, homestay in a kampong means maybe putting up in a place like this:

The place we booked was quite deep inside a kampong. So the host had to meet us in town and led us in......

.

.

(I always look left when I pass through this part,

especially at night)
.

.

.

.

.

.

jeng,

.

.

.

jeng, jeng.

.

.

.

. jeng, jeng, jeng

.............. to our great surprise!!! we were led to THIS place!

Woa! a bungalow man!!!!!

Walaueh! Homestay in a mansion in the kampong. That was the last thing we would have expected.

The host stays upstairs. We had the whole of downstairs to ourself.

There is a living room and 2 bedrooms

Dining area and a second hall.

It won't lose out to staying in a hotel. I would say we were very lucky to have found this place.

We were even told we were the first customers. Wow!!! how lucky we were. Should have asked the host to let us cut some ribbons before entering. Hahahaha.........

So............, if you happen to be around KB and feel like breathing unpoluted air in surroundings like this

You should contact the friendly host, Encik Aminuddin.

Drive 1000km in a round trip to see a tree

Ini cerita surat khabar lama.

Two years ago my buddy and I drove a round trip of about 1000km, just to look at this tree. Crazy ! isn't it?

Pokok Cengal Terbesar - The Malaysia Book of Records

Nama Spesies : 'Cengal', Neobalanocarpus heimii
Ukuran : 1,675 cm lilitan dan 65 meter tinggi
Tempat Dijumpai : Kompartmen 5, Hutan Simpan Pasir Raja, Dungun Terengganu

Pokok cengal terbesar dan berusia kira-kira 1,300 tahun ini ditemui di Hutan Simpan Pasir Raja, Hulu Dungun pada 1999 oleh Pegawai Renjer Durian Mas II, Encik Omar Mohamad.

Pokok tersebut yang berdiri setinggi 65 meter dan ukur lilitnya 16.75 meter, atau kira-kira 13 pemeluk, serta bergaris pusat 5.32 meter memerlukan 27 buah lori bagi mengangkut kayunya jika ditebang.

Isipadu pokok cengal ini dianggarkan 220m3 dengan keberatan 120 tan metrik.

Usia pokok tertua ini dianggarkan 1,300 tahun iatu berdasarkan kaedah pengiraan pokok di kawasan tropika mengikut pertumbuhan gegelang (growth ring) pada kadar 0.4sm setahun.

Pokok yang terletak lebih kurang 200 meter dari sempadan Taman Negara dan 390 meter dari paras laut di kawasan Kompartmen 5 hutan ini, telah menerima pengiktirafan The Malaysia Book of Records sebagai pokok terbesar di Semenanjung Malaysia dan didokumenkan dalam keluaran edisi ketiga pada tahun 2001.
Pokok cengal kedua terbesar pula terletak dalam kompartmen 4, Hutan Simpan Pasir Raja dan dianggarkan ketinggian 45 meter dengan ukuran lilitan 10.75 meter.

Source:http://www.forestry.gov.my/v2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=98&Itemid=101


It was a 4x4 expedition. We started from Penang, took the Simpang Pulai route to Cameron Highland first.


Routine check on the 4X4 to make sure it would not act up during the trip.


After lunch in Brinchang, we drove to Ringlet and exit to some jungle track.


The government was building a highway that links Cameron Highland to the Karak Highway. We drove some stretch along the alignment of the highway that was being constructed. These photos were taken 2 years ago. I wonder whether the Hway is open to traffic now.











After many hours of driving in the jungle, we finally joined the Karak Highway at somewhere near Bentong. Drove on to Kuantan and put up a night there.

We had dinner here:


and the next morning breakfast here:


Actually only 2 cars were from Penang, the Land Rover joined in from Cameron , and 4 more
were from Kuantan.
From Kuantan were drove up to Pasir Raja.






Then drove through some Felda scheme.


and reached a river. Our cars were not well equiped enough to cross the river.



Only the Land Rover attempted to cross ,buttttt.............. aiyayoh, it got stuck


Team effort to free it.


The rest of us left our cars at the riverbank and walked the jungle track.

Aiya, stuck again.




After tracking for more than 1 hour, we finally reached our destination and saw this:











After we had seen and touched enough, we track another hour back to the river. Originally we planned to pitch tent and camp 1 night here.

But it was only 3 pm, still had enough time to shoot home. So we started our engine and brooommmm....., straight to Kuala Trengganu, then to Tanah Merah, then East West Highway.

Finally, home sweet home at 11pm. Still in time to yam char at Jln Raja Uda.

DIY- Change stabilizer bar bush

For quite some time I have been feeling that my car has 'loose legs'. When driven over bumps it gives me the feeling that the suspension setup is a bit loose and has too much free play.
I decided to take a peep at the undercarriage and realised that the bushes of the stabilizer bar are quite old and worn out. The bar can be easily removed by just unsrewing 8 bolts. I took up the challenge and did it myself. Too bad I was so engrossed in the work that I forgot to snap photos. I can only share what it looks like after the job has been done.

These are the 4 worn -out bushes

I believe they are original bushes that came with the car when it left the assembly plant. So they are about 14 yrs old already.


This is the stabilizer bar that runs across the front undercarriage. It is a very chunky and heavy steel bar, weighing many kg.

This is the smaller bush at the end of the bar, fixing it to the lower arm of the suspension.

This is the larger bush, fixing the bar to the car chassis,just below the engine oil sump.
I spray-painted the brackets and the bar, that's why they look clean.

Removing the bolts and nuts were easy but fixing the bar back needed more effort because new bushes are always slightly smaller. They need to be pushed hard before the nut can be screwed onto the bolts.

End result?
Wou!
The car is more fun to drive now.The steering has better control and the handling is better. Going over bump is more sure-footed now.
I should have changed them long ago. The parts cost RM24, labour is free, just sweat only.