Day 3 - Belum Rainforest

Oh, it got better indeed. Waaaay better.

Started off a bit later this morning, about 9am. Simply because I am following a no alarm clock rule; I go to bed around 2200hrs (plus or minus one hour) and wake up when my body is ready to wake up. Since I’ve got a bit anal with tracking sleep - wearing my Apple Watch to bed and using the Sleepwatch app - for the first time this year I’ve had a really good resting heart rate and sleeping heart rate dip over the last 3 nights.

With a breakfast of nasi lemak and two cups of coffee to start my engines, I rode off. It was Route 60, then A1-something-something then onto the North-South highway towards KL. The ride started off to be similar to Route 5 but just as I was gritting my teeth and mentally preparing myself, traffic opened up and it was a smooth ride to the NSE.

Opened up on the NSE, as this would probably be the last chance for the rest of the trip. Then exited on Exit 143 - Kuala Kangsar, Gerik and a few other unmemorables.

Upon which I was promptly stopped by the police. This was 4 roadblocks in 3 days and I was pulled over at three of them. The cop asks what was the bike capacity, checks my license and road tax, chit chats a bit because he is curious what I was doing on my lonesome so far from where my plates were registered and sends me on my merry way. 

It appears that the law is not being so lenient on the big bikes anymore. Gone are the days when it was a rich man’s hobby and everyone who rode one was either a Datuk or Tan Sri or connected to one. Those were the days where the big bikes just got waved through roadblocks. So word of warning to the boys and girls out there without the appropriate license (I know there are a few): Get one. Or until then, stick your ‘L’ plate on. The ego trip is not worth the hassle. 

I digress. Because the road from Exit 143 to Gerik is a dream. Firstly, it is cool due to the elevation. Secondly, not too much traffic. Thirdly, good surfaces most of the way and gentle curves. So far, it was the best stretch yet. 

Fuel up at Gerik, and I was on the objective of this endeavor - Route 4, otherwise known as the East-West Highway. It’s the best way to get from Penang to Kota Bahru, but coming up from Lumut, I’d bypassed about a third of it - in hindsight I don’t think I missed much.

I’d been on this road twice before. Once with my dad on my first ever road trip when I was 14. Yes, that was 28 years ago. Again with my wife-to-be at the time (she’s been my wife for 12 years now) in my Toyota Celica, and this was about 13 years ago. My memories of this road are fond; I remember beautiful scenery and challenging curves along a very, very long drive. And today I got the unfiltered version, exposed to the elements on the back of a bike.

It was only a 45km ride from Gerik to the Belum Rainforest Resort where I was staying, but it was 45 minutes of pure bliss. I have come to the conclusion that the two things I love most about riding are beautiful roads and beautiful scenery. Route 4 delivers both in spades.

The road was signposted everywhere with “Awas! Kawasan Kemalangan!” But I have to say this is the most overused phrase on Malaysian roads. I’d already passed at least 50 of these, and looking around had to ask myself, “Why? When? Who? HOW is this possible?”

But this road had telltale signs that made me take the warning very seriously. There were guardrails on the left and right sides. And I couldn’t find a stretch more than 50m long that didn’t have a dent in it. I’m being a bit generous here, my feeling is it was no more than 20 meters between deformities. Some dents not so serious. Some of them, 8 think the remains of the crash might still be in the rainforest below.

I finally cross that beautiful bridge over an expanse of blue water that I so clearly remember from my past trips. Over the bridge and I see the entrance to the resort whizz past on my right. Yes, it is JUST THERE. Quick u-turn where there was a safe stretch with no blind spots (it was a ways away) and there I was. Belum Rainforest Resort.

It is magnificent. Lovely setting, sustainably built, caring for the environment it is in and the communities that surround it. There are a lot of nature-related activities that start at the resort itself, and it was obvious a number of the foreign guests were there for the rainforest experience. Sprawling property, and getting from my room to the pool or restaurant was a bit of a trek, so I brought everything I’d need for the afternoon.

Only problem with the pool was that only two beds were in the shade. These were taken up by the sensible English. All the other furniture was in the scalding hot sun, where three Germans lay broiling. It was seriously too hot to make use of the pool, I could feel my tattoos burning. So I missed my daily dip.

Had lunch then spent most of my time in the room writing and resting up, with an early bedtime planned. 

Tomorrow is going to be the long, hard ride. 

The bridge over a beautiful blue expanse of water, as seen from Belum Rainforest Resort

The Hollywood sign

The beautiful expanse of blue seen from the resort’s bar/restaurant

The swimming pool, overlooking the beautiful blue expanse