DAY 9: Pari Raja to Batu Pahat (Malaysia)

Left hotel in Parit Raja at 7:40 AM.

Today will be a short day just 23km to Batu Pahat.

Soon I join Route 5, along the coast, heading towards Muar and Melaka.

The shoulders of the road are now wider and relatively easy to run along, but I need to be careful when crossing the road or turning right.

To turn right, I need the same speed as a car or motorbike and start sprinting as soon as the light in front of me turns green.

It was also nice to see drivers chatting to me from their car windows and road construction workers waving at me.

For an early lunch, I had pork noodles at a Chinese restaurant, 7km from Batu Pahat. It was so delicious that I drank the whole soup.

The heat remained the same today.

Sweating profusely and drinking plenty of fluids stimulates metabolism and actually makes me feel better.

Eating and drinking too many cold foods or drink can make my stomach feel cold.

Checked into the hotel at 2 PM. Enjoy every day to the fullest.

*Today's distance: 22.6km

*Total distance from Changi Airport: 136.5 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 8 Simpang Renggam to Parit Raja (Malaysia)

Started at 7:40 AM. Before leaving, I was chatting with the man at the hotel front desk, and he became interested in my trek.

On this trek, I haven't had many opportunities to talk to local people so far, only making small talk with hotel staff and convenience store clerks.

It was going to be hot again today, with temperatures ranging from 23-33 degrees.

My journey on Route 1 ended in Ayer Hitam, and from there I headed north on Route 50.

I covered another 30 kilometers today. By 10 AM, the temperature was over 30 degrees.

While resting at the bus stop, I noticed a wild monkey climbing a tree in the forest behind it. I looked it up and it turns out to be a long-tailed macaque.

I stopped off in Ayer Hitam for ice cream and coffee. No matter how much water I drank, it quickly turned into sweat and was lost.

I also don't forget to replenish my salt intake. I have brought some seaweed salt with me this time.

Every town in Malaysia has monuments with words like "I LOVE (actually a red heart mark) XXX" or "WE LOVE XXX," suggesting a strong sense of community.

Today, as always, many cars and motorbikes honked their horns to encourage me as I ran along.

It was exactly 10 kilometers from Ayer Hitam to Pari Raja. The last 5 kilometers were the toughest.

The water I had with me quickly became hot. Even if I put it in a foldable cooler box, there was no ice, so there was nothing I could do.

With 2 kilometers to go, my iPhone displayed a "High Temperature Warning." This can happen if I charge it in the hot sun.

The first time I saw this was in the mountains of Andalucia, Spain. 

It was when I was trying to find a way out.

I had lost internet and GPS connection, and got lost in the mountains.

What would I have done if I hadn't survived?

I finished at a hotel in Parit Raja at 2 p.m. Today I'd gotten a double room.

I disassembled my buggy and carried it up to the second floor. Climbing the stairs was an ordeal. My room was on the third floor.

For a late lunch (early dinner), I had takeout from a nearby deli and ate it at the hotel.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Batu Pahat. It's about 20 kilometers. I'll have the day after tomorrow off.

*Today's distance: 30.1km

*Total distance from Changi Airport: 113.9 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 7: Kulai to Simpang Rengam (Malaysia)

Left hotel in Kulai just after 7:00 AM.

Today's route on Highway 1 was simple. Only a few sections had four lanes, and most were two.

Even though traffic was not so heavy, I needed to watch for traffic due to the large number of large vehicles and narrow shoulders.

The strong, black smell of diesel exhaust fumes seemed unhealthy.

I checked for large vehicles behind me in the mirrors, and when passing a large vehicle from the front, I made sure to move the buggy off the shoulder onto the dirt road.

Safety was my top priority. Fortunately, a motorcycle lane was added in the second half of the trip, widening the shoulder.

Took several breaks at bus stops. Because it was tropical, I was bitten by mosquitoes.

There were quite a few long sections along the way that were surrounded by dense, empty jungle.

A surprising number of cars honked their horns in support.

Temperatures ranged from 24 to 33 degrees. I was feeling a bit exhausted from the heat in the afternoon, so I tried to cool down in the shade as often as possible.

Arrived at hotel in Simpang Renggam just after 2pm, avoiding any evening showers.

I did some shopping and had a light meal. Since it was an odd time, I ate some nuts and fruit.

It took quite a while to replace the spokes.

I had experienced this once before in Taiwan, but the tire bead was stiff and it was difficult to mount the tire.

Afterwards I took a shower and did the laundry (by hand washing). 

Day 7 was completed without a hitch.

I had chicken rice for dinner at the restaurant next door. It was completely different from chicken rice that Japanese people imagine, which made me laugh.

*Today's distance: 30.0km

*Total distance from Changi Airport: 83.8 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 6 Johor Bahru to Kulai (Malaysia)

At 7:15 AM, I finally set off just when the sun rose.

Fortunately, it was a cool 24 degrees.

I followed Route 1, but even leaving Johor Bahru was complicated and involved many detours.

There were no crosswalks or anything to get onto the other side of the road. It reminded me of the freeways in Los Angeles.

It was extremely dangerous if I wasn't careful of cars entering and exiting the ramps.

Even if there were sidewalks, many were narrow. Where there were no shoulders, I risked my life.

It felt like a glimpse into the reality of Malaysia's car-oriented society.

I took two breaks at McDonald's and one at a convenience store.

A Chinese-looking man driving a local truck gave me a banana, bread, and two drinks.

Afterwards, a woman offered me mineral water bottle through the window of her car.

There were hardly any pedestrians, let alone bicycles, on the roads, so a traveler pushing a buggy stood out.

A sudden downpour hit just after 2 PM.

With only my luggage covered, I stayed wet, which was actually quite comfortable.

Even so, the number of cars didn't decrease; it only increased. Traffic jams raged in Kulai. The shoulders were narrow, so even my buggy got stuck in the jam.

A little after 3 PM, I ran 30.1 km to the capsule hotel in Kulai.

It was quite tough and hard for the first day, but I was so grateful and moved that I managed to finish safely!

I had Malay-style Chinese Char Kway (RM9.90) at the hotel restaurant.

*Today's distance: 30.1 km

*Total distance from Changi Airport: 53.8 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*PeaceRun Official Site

DAY 5 Johor Bahru (Malaysia)

DAY 5, second day in Malaysia, stuck in Johor Bahru.

In the morning, I did some grocery shopping. It was delicious, but even if I had no idea what I was eating, the AI ​​could help me figure it out.

Around noon, I had mie goreng at the food court inside Larkin Sentral Terminal.

It was similar to Japanese yakisoba(fried noodle) and wasn't too spicy. At 320 yen, it was great value for money.

I also visited the bazaar.

To learn about a place, you need to see it from the locals' perspective.

Even if you don't understand the language, you can often learn more by feeling than by thinking.

A country with cheap and delicious food is a blessing for a traveler. If the people are also warm and friendly, that's even better.

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Movie List

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY4 Johor Bahru（Malaysia)

I took a taxi from Singapore city to Johor Bahru (SGP$60).

Immigration and immigration procedures were also very easy and smooth while remaining in the taxi.

If I traveled by bus or on foot, I would have to go up and down stairs, and if it was crowded, I would have had to wait 4-5 hours on weekends.

I disassembled the buggy, packed it up, loaded it into the taxi, and reassembled it at the Larkin Terminal.

The taxi driver (a man in his 70s) was very friendly and resembled Morgan Freeman. We chatted for about 40 minutes about the good things about Singapore and the current world situation. I arrived at Larkin Sentral in Johor Bahru.

I checked into the hotel at 11:00 AM. I folded the buggy again and took it to my room.

I had nasi goreng for an early lunch at a restaurant.

I did some grocery shopping and it was still cheap!

I was stunned by the difference in prices compared to Singapore.

I'll spend another day adjusting tomorrow, and the day after that I'll finally hit the road.

＊Today's Photo Album

＊YouTube Movies Playlist

DAY3 Day Off in Singapore

Woke up at 4am. Worked on my computer, then had breakfast. I packed my bags and checked out of the hotel around 10am.

It was hot again this morning. It's expected to reach 32°C during the day.

Tomorrow I'm taking a taxi to Johor Bahru, Malaysia, so I decided to check where the taxi stand is.

The fare is $15 per person for four people, but $60 for one. I can't wait until four people gather. And will four people even gather so easily? There's also a bus terminal next door. It should be cheaper to take the bus.

One advantage of taking a taxi is the ease of immigration. Apparently, I can easily enter the country by simply showing my passport to the taxi driver.

If I take the bus, it gets crowded, and I could end up waiting four to five hours.

In the end, in Singapore, I just traveled from the airport to the city. Malaysia is the main focus of this trip.

I occasionally cooled off in the shade. A cool breeze in the shade is more comfortable than an air-conditioned room.

I occasionally stop at a convenience store for a break. I enjoy a cold coffee and ice cream (Magnum is my favorite).

I check into my hotel on North Bridge Road at exactly 3pm.

I folded up my buggy and stored it in a corner of the laundry room.

It didn't rain yesterday. I wonder if the rainy season is coming to an end soon.

Wherever I walk in the city, there are tourists everywhere.

I can't wait to ride on the quiet country roads in Malaysia.

Today's distance: 5.1 km

Total distance from Changi Airport: 23.7 km

Today's photo album is here

YouTube video playlist is here

*PEACE RUN Official Site