DAY 33 Simpang (Malaysia)

A day off.

I woke up slowly and had breakfast.

I ate a banana, dried fruit and nuts, an apple, yogurt, a roll with blueberry jam, and hot coffee.

I organized photos and other data and edited my email newsletter.

Before noon, I went into town and had lunch at a local restaurant.

I had Nasi Kandar, a curry rice dish topped with fried chicken and some vegetables.

I stopped by a bakery with freshly baked bread and returned to the hotel.

I reconsidered my itinerary until my return home and decided to return about a week earlier than planned.

I canceled the return portion of the discounted airfare I had already purchased (no refund) and bought a new ticket from Penang to Kansai International Airport.

My run ends on Tuesday, April 7th, in the afternoon at Penang International Airport.

I will make a flight to Kuala Lumpur that night. I have about a 9-hour layover, and the next day, the 8th, I fly from Kuala Lumpur to Kansai International Airport.

 I am scheduled to return home around 3 PM. This trek will end in about 40 days. The total distance traveled is expected to be 750 kilometers.

I think I'll be able to complete this tropical journey while adapting to the heat.

The trouble with my right knee is unavoidable, but I think I can overcome it.

I'll keep moving forward without letting my guard down until the very end.

*Today's distance traveled: 0 km

*Total distance traveled from Changi International Airport: 658.1 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 32 Kuala Kangsar to Simpang (Malaysia)

Started just after 7 AM.

Headed west along Highway 1.

Along the way, there was a gentle uphill climb and a small pass.

In the latter half of Highway 1, where it runs parallel to AH2, the road and shoulder narrowed.

The heat today was tough after yesterday's cool weather.

A day with few intersections. The road occasionally widened to two lanes, and traffic decreased.

The road surrounded by quiet rainforest was pleasant.

There were no shops for 15 kilometers, and I finally managed to buy some supplies at a supermarket in Bukit Gantang.

Cold drinks quickly become lukewarm, so it's best to buy cold drinks at shops each time.

Arrived at the hotel in Simpang before 2 PM, but the door was locked as the owner was absent.

I bought a rojak (fruit salad) from a stall in front of the hotel and asked the vendor to call the hotel owner and have him come right away.

About five minutes later, the owner appeared and I completed the check-in.

For some reason, I was taken to a different hotel than the one I had booked, and checked in there.

My right knee isn't great (bending and straightening it is jerky), but I'm grateful and overwhelmed that I can even move forward.

Tomorrow is a day off for rest.

I drank too much water again today and my stomach is sloshing around.

*Today's distance traveled: 27.4 km

*Total distance traveled from Changi International Airport: 658.1 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 31 Sungai Siput to Kuala Kangsar (Malaysia)

 

Departed just after 7 AM.

It seems a considerable amount of rain fell last night. There were puddles like ponds all over the road.

There were a lot of cars parked along the roads around the Chinese cemetery. Was it a day for visiting graves, like the O-higan in Japan?

It's a mountainous area, but there weren't any particularly steep climbs.

Because it was Sunday, there were quite a few groups of road cyclists.

They waved and called out to me as we passed each other.

I ran past Lion Hill, a mountain that resembles Mount Fuji. Its height is about 310-365 meters.

Looking closely at the abandoned buildings, I noticed a troop of monkeys living there!

I see monkey communities everywhere, but there must be about 100 of them here.

Today, the traffic was light, and I enjoyed a pleasant run.

Luckily, it was mostly cloudy, so I didn't feel the heat too much.

Usually, I'd be drenched in sweat, splashing water on my head and body while running, but today it wasn't necessary.

Routes like this, where I can feel close to nature, are great because I never get bored while running.

I took two breaks at bus stops.

I arrived in Kuala Kangsar and killed time by enjoying ice cream and canned coffee at a convenience store near the hotel.

I arrived at the hotel around 1:30 PM.

Although check-in was supposed to be at 2 PM, they let me check in early.

A relaxed, leisurely pace that left my mind and body at ease.

About half the distance I usually run. A journey and a life without rushing is truly wonderful.

*Today's distance: 23.5 km

*Total distance from Changi International Airport: 630.7 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 30 Ipoh to Sungai Sipt (Malaysia)

At just after 7 AM, I set up the buggy and left Adamms' house. We went to a food court/market about 1 km away for breakfast.

I had two roast pork bao and an iced coffee.

This is where I said goodbye to everyone. Adamms accompanied me part of the way on his bicycle. He even took photos and videos for me.

It was a truly wonderful two days in Ipoh, and thanks to Mr. And Mrs. Adamms, I have another fantastic memory. I hope we can meet again someday!

I must never forget that my PEACE RUN mission is to make friends all over the world and share peaceful time and space with them.

After following quiet back roads for a while, I returned to Highway 1.

Today's route is 26 km to Sungai Sipt.

It was hot, but I mustered my strength and continued my journey.

The road was mostly flat.

While resting at a bus stop, I received some drinks as a gift.

The heat is more intense than usual.

Nevertheless, I'm making slow progress, frequently cooling down in the shade.

As long as I make sure to stay hydrated and replenish my electrolytes to prevent my body from overheating, I'll be fine.

With 9 kilometers to go, I ate Mie Goreng at a restaurant in Chemor.

I've been overeating for the past few days, so I'll stick to just fruit for dinner.

Around 2:30 PM, I checked into my hotel in Sungai Sipt.

Only about 160 kilometers left. Now, let's go to Penang for the final stage!

*Today's distance: 25.9 km

*Total distance from Changi International Airport: 607.2 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 29 Ipoh (Malaysia)

Day off.

In the morning, I went to "Fo Shan," a dim sum restaurant in Ipoh, with Mr. and Mrs. Adams.

It was incredibly delicious! The artistic taste and presentation were amazing!

You could tell they were very particular about their ingredients. 

The shrimp were plump and juicy. Even a man who doesn't know much about cooking could tell they used high-quality ingredients for the shumai and dim sum wrappers.

A feast from the morning!

Afterward, we went to Kin Loong Valley, a spot where limestone cliffs rise majestically.

Tasik Cermin Ipoh is a tourist spot commonly known as Mirror Lake.

This time, we participated in a tour where we rafted through the caves in a rubber boat.

It was a fun little adventure.

We became friends with a young couple from mainland China who were also on the rubber boat, and afterward, we enjoyed exploring Ipoh together.

We visited Kelly's Castle, a castle from the British colonial era.

A castle built by a Scottish man named Williams to achieve great wealth and prosperity.

However, construction began over 100 years ago and the castle was left unfinished.

It seems it was also used as a filming location for movies such as "Anna and the King," starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-fat.

And for lunch, chicken and bean sprouts at a Chinese restaurant. 

I've been eating a bit too much since yesterday.

Finally, I visited a museum-like place called TT5.

Ipoh is a city that prospered from tin mining.

Various exhibits and explanations are provided to learn about its historical background.

In a way, Japan may have been saved thanks to Malaysia's mineral resources.

Thanks to Mr. Adamms' driving and his wife's English guide, I was able to learn a great deal about Malaysian history and culture – a truly valuable day.

While everyday travel is mostly about running and getting from place to place, these kinds of learning opportunities are limited. 

However, learning about these things makes Malaysia feel much more familiar.

This is my first time in Malaysia, and it's suddenly become incredibly fun and interesting.

But my trek will soon be over.

There are still so many things to enjoy!

*Today's distance traveled: 0 km

*Total distance traveled from Changi International Airport: 581.3 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 28: Gopeng to Ipoh (Malaysia)

Started at 7:30 AM.

Today's journey continues along Highway 1 from Gopeng.

Traffic increases as I approach a city.

Ipoh is Malaysia's third-largest city. 

So I got to be careful, as freeways enter and exit this major city.

Shortly after departing, a tough-looking man got out of a parked truck. I wondered what he wanted, and he silently offered me a bag of tea. Don't judge a book by its cover! (laughs)

The tea wasn't in a cup, but in a plastic bag with a straw.

There was plenty of ice, which I appreciated.

Around 10 AM, the temperature rose sharply. It's only cool for a few hours right after sunrise.

Even while running, I often heard encouraging horns from cars.

Since passing Kuala Lumpur, I've been receiving more and more offerings. It seems like the atmosphere has become quite lively lately.

This area is mostly mountainous, with exposed rock faces in places.

Yesterday I managed to cover 38 kilometers, which was good, but I still had a dull ache in my right knee this morning. 

I'm diligently stretching and massaging every night, but I can't let my guard down yet.

Sprinting at every green light at intersections is quite tough.

In the early afternoon, I visited Adamms, a Facebook friend, at his home on the outskirts of Ipoh.

His house is spacious and has a garden. His mother and wife welcomed me.

He apparently attended school in Japan when he was younger and can speak Japanese.

He treated me to lunch in Ipoh (a flat noodle stir-fry that's a local specialty).

And at night we enjoyed dinner at local Chinese restaurant. Then drove around the city of Ipoh. Adamms wife guided me in English as for the history and culture of Ipoh.

Ipoh is apparently a sister city of Fukuoka.

*Today's distance: 18.4 km

*Total distance from Changi International Airport: 581.3 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 27 Tapa to Gopeng (Malaysia)

Started a little after 7 AM.

Leaving Tapah, there was a long, gradual uphill climb.

The weather turned ominous, and a sudden shower began.

It cooled down while it rained, but then the sun came back and it became humid and muggy very quickly.

Passed through several towns: Temoh, Kampar, and Jeram.

In Kampar, a man on a motorcycle gave me some food when I was taking a rest at a bus stop. When I told him I was from Japan, he said Japan seemed like a wonderful country and he wanted to visit someday.

After running for a while, a car stopped in front of me, and a man named David called out to me. He treated me to lunch at a food stall near a shopping mall just ahead.

There's a reason he loves Japan and Japanese people.

He's retired now, but he worked for Toyota and Mazda in Malaysia for many years.

He apparently also stayed in Japan for about five weeks for training.

He's a 4th dan in Kendo and still practices diligently. We connected on Facebook.

After we said goodbye, I kept running16 kilometers to Gopeng.

During the hottest part of the day, I felt dizzy and had to cool down in the shade many times.

34 degrees Celsius was quite tough. I think the perceived temperature was around 40 degrees.

37 kilometers for the first time in a while. My right knee held up somehow.

I didn't feel much pain in my right knee while moving.

Arrived at the hotel in Gopeng a little after 4 PM.

Tomorrow, finally, I'll be going to Ipoh.

*Today's distance: 37 km

*Total distance from Changi International Airport: 562.9 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site