PENANG to SINGAPORE

It is 10,509 kms from Beijing to Singapore. Add this to the distance we travelled in Sth America and Europe, and you have a total of 25,118 kms – a rather large number and achievement too!

Strangely though, crossing the Causeway into Singapore our feelings were mixed.  We can’t wait to get home, but with only one more continent to go, the end is also getting closer.  No more strange food, struggling to be understood or things that work – somehow differently to how you expect? This new world might even take a little getting use too!  But that’s why home, is called home, and why it will be such a great 8,000 km dash to the finish line.

Leaving Penang, we first had to contend with Chinese New Year celebrations. The roads were jammed, and for the first time, finding a cheap hotel was proving difficult!  But this was a small price to pay, and the Chinese revellers soon amazed us with their goodwill and gifts of carefully wrapped mandarins!

Our next stop was KL.  An impressive city, but one we would not recommend cycling around. I’m not even sure I would feel safe driving a Hummer through its maze of expressways and flyovers!

Keep it quiet – but in Melaka we celebrated a birthday.  Yep, Jules, turned 34.  Maybe this is why he is starting to struggle up those hills in the midday sun?

We arrived in Singapore, to a heroes welcome from the kids at the Australian International School.  The Pre-school, Year Two and Year Five classes, challenged us with their questions and impressed us with their handmade “good luck” cards.  We thank them all for a wonderful day!!

From here, we fly to Darwin and begin our ride across the Outback to Cairns, then down the east coast to Melbourne.  There is plenty to look forward too.

Enjoy the ride!

Jules & Jess

On the road again. Singapore here we come!

Chinese New Year. Now they are big incense!

The iconic symbols and expressways of KL

Chores need to be done, even on a rest day

Roadside bike repairs on way out of KL

Melaka - colourful and charming

And peaceful bliss in comparison with the Malaysia's capital !

Loi, doing an expert job of keeping us on the move

Community Kareoke! It was so bad, you loved it!

We now appreciate these signs you see in tourist places

Someone's Birthday ?

Clocking up 25,000 kms - a big number!

In Singapore, the end of the road in Asia

Chatting with the AIS Pre-Schoolers !

Question time with the Year 5's

Receiving our handmade "good luck" cards

Thanks Rene, and everyone at AIS for a wonderful day !!