DAY 21 Rawang to Kuala Kubu Bharu (Malaysia)

The hotel I stayed last night had no air conditioning, only a huge fan.

The wind was strong, but the noise was terrible. It cooled down in the early morning, so I turned the fan off.

I was surprised by the state of this provincial hotel, something unthinkable in the city of Kuala Lumpur.

It's unclear whether the sheets and pillowcases had been changed. 

There were also dead insects and garbage left as they were.

I sensed a lack of motivation from the owner.

I found this hotel through Booking.com, but the reviews clearly didn't tell the truth.

The only thing I can appreciate is the low price of under 2000 yen…

After leaving Rawang, there was a long, gradual uphill climb.

There was traffic congestion in places due to the holiday rush.

After running 12 kilometers, I took a break at Antara Gapi.

My right knee was bothering me from yesterday's downhill run.

Bending and straightening my knee felt a little strange.

My knees are stiff and a little painful on the downhill.

I'll take it easy and see how it goes.

I went into a Family Mart in Rasa at lunchtime, but the air conditioning was so strong it was almost too cold.

A father with a family struck up a conversation with me.

He said he'd seen me running with a stroller from his car.

He said he and his family were visiting his parents' home.

With 10 kilometers left, my iPhone shut down several times due to the heat.

Even though it was 33 degrees Celsius, the perceived temperature was much hotter. It felt considerably cooler in the shade.

How glad I am that I managed to finish today's run at 2PM!

The hotel I'm currently at is about 2.8 kilometers northeast of Highway 1, on Highway 55.

This is because there weren't any suitable hotels on Highway 1.

Tomorrow, I'll have to follow the same 2.8 kilometers back to Highway 1.

In the evening, I went into town. I got takeout food from the bazaar.

Fried chicken rice, sausage spring rolls, and douhua (tofu pudding) for a total of RM13 (520 yen).

I feel like I've been eating nothing but chicken every day.

If I want to eat a variety of vegetables, Chinese food is a good choice.

*Today's distance traveled: 30.7 km

*Total distance traveled from Changi International Airport: 437.1 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 20 Kuala Lumpur-Rawang (Malaysia)

Departed just after 7 AM.

Stage 3 is approximately 200 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh.

Will I be able to arrive in a week?

Heading northeast from downtown Kuala Lumpur.

Passing Central Market and Merdeka Square, which I visited yesterday.

Mainly running on Highway 1. There were many ramps and intersections, requiring a sprint each time.

While there are many sidewalks in the city, they aren't very reliable because of obstacles and dead ends.

Big cities have many people and shops, but the number of cars and motorcycles is abnormally high. Those in cars might not notice, but the exhaust fumes and noise from running on the highway all day gives me a headache.

Took several breaks at bus stops. Today's distance is short, so there's no need to rush, but I want to avoid the heat as much as possible. There will probably be another thunderstorm late this afternoon.

The last 15 kilometers or so involved a long, drawn-out climb over a mountain pass. At 158 ​​meters above sea level, it wasn't particularly high, but the heat made the several-kilometer ascent quite challenging.

Finally, the skyscrapers disappeared from view, and the familiar Malaysian scenery returned.

Ramadan is almost over, and it seems the rush of people returning home for the holidays is about to begin.

*Today's distance traveled: 30.3 km

*Total distance traveled from Changi International Airport: 406.4 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 19 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night, it was only around 11 o'clock. I still have strange dreams, but most of them are about the various troubles and incidents that happened at the school where I worked as a teacher.

When will I ever be freed from this curse (lol)?

I had a light breakfast, finished my morning tasks, and headed out into the city.

My destination was Merdeka Square. A historical place where Malaysia gained independence from Britain 69 years ago.

At midnight on August 31, 1957, the Union Jack (British flag) that had been flying in this square was lowered, and the flag of the Federation of Malaya was raised in its place. This was the de facto independence of the Federation of Malaya, the predecessor of Malaysia.

Today, the Malaysian flag was fluttering in the wind at the top of the 95-meter pole.

Many tourists visit this place.

I suddenly found myself thinking about what independence really means.

People and countries that were under some kind of rule win their freedom. Similar situations have likely occurred many times throughout world history.

It's hot outside again today. On my way back, I strolled through Central Market.

Most tourists coming to Malaysia probably enter through Kuala Lumpur.

I entered the country through Johor Bahru. Kuala Lumpur is quite different from the impression I got of Malaysia when I first saw it there.

Skyscrapers tower everywhere. There are also many historical buildings.

Much has changed in Malaysia in the last 70 years or so.

The Malaysia of today exists because of its diverse past history.

For lunch, I ate something called Ghi Garam Tosai at an Indian restaurant near my hotel.

It's a Malaysian version of a pancake, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

It had curry-flavored potatoes inside. There were no spoons or forks, so I ate it with my hands.

It was almost amazing to be able to eat something so delicious for around 200 yen.

Dinner was Chinese food. Sword-shaved noodles with seafood. The light, salty flavor was delicious.

Tomorrow will be the 20th day since the start of my journey.

More than sightseeing, I hope to fully enjoy the various things of each country and place with all my senses.

Tomorrow marks the start of Stage 3. My next destination is Ipoh.

A Facebook friend who lives there will be there to greet me. I'm looking forward to it.

*Today's distance traveled: 0 km

*Total distance traveled from Changi International Airport: 376.1 km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 18 Kajang to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

The cool morning hours are quite short. By 10 AM, the temperature is already in the 30s Celsius.

On humid days, sweat clings to the skin unbearably.

Take frequent breaks in the shade and stay hydrated.

Continuing to run despite the heat increases the risk of heatstroke.

As I left Kajang and approach Kuala Lumpur, the roads became more complex.

Every time the number of lanes increases, I'm forced to sprint at intersections and ramps.

There are many places without pedestrian crossings, so I have to go straight to avoid being hit by cars turning left.

Furthermore, I have to be careful of cars coming from the left and return to the left lane...it's a constant cycle.

I once got lost on a freeway while running in America, and it's a similar situation here.

As it's a big city, people, cars, and shops are all crammed together.

During the morning rush hour, motorcycles weave erratically between cars, trying to move forward as quickly as possible.

Many parents are dropping off their children at school.

Having run on the roads so far, I'd say Malaysian drivers aren't much different from those in Japan. Of course, there are some reckless drivers and those who drive selfishly.

However, there are also many careful drivers who yield the right of way and stop when crossing the road.

I use Google Maps to choose walking routes, and there's a new option for wheelchairs, which I haven't seen before. It probably avoids areas with stairs or other obstacles.

My buggy is wide, so naturally, I can't move forward when the sidewalk narrows. A common problem here is encountering utility poles or traffic light control boxes in the middle of the sidewalk; that's a dead end. At worst, I have to back up.

Traveling around Malaysia with a buggy is more difficult than in Vietnam or Taiwan. Especially in cities like Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur, there are many extremely dangerous spots.

Safety is paramount, above all else, to avoid being hit by cars or motorcycles. I must never forget that I'm running to protect my life.

I'm so grateful and moved that I was able to finish my run safely today!

*Today's distance: 28.1km

*Total distance from Changi Airport: 376.1km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 17 Seremban-Kajang (Malaysia)

I left Seremban a little after 7 AM, while it was still dim.

The first half of the journey took me through the hilly area of ​​Highway 1, nestled between rainforests.

Highway B24 was a quiet country road, with several small settlements along the way.

The small general stores in these towns reminded me of the old-fashioned candy shops(dagashiya) of the Showa era, reminiscent of those found in Shikoku or Kyushu in Japan.

In the second half, as I approached Kuala Lumpur, traffic increased, and I began to see more high-rise buildings and residential areas.

Is Malaysia currently experiencing a boom? There are many areas under development for housing.

Japan has been stagnant for the past 30 years or so, but Malaysia seems to be experiencing economic growth comparable to developed countries now.

I ran almost continuously in the second half, covering 39.3 kilometers in just over 6 hours.

Under the scorching sun, my iPhone displayed a "high temperature warning" and shut down twice.

It's not good to expose smart phone to direct sunlight for extended periods when the temperature reaches around 35 degrees Celsius.

It's hotter inland than along the coast. It's better when there's a breeze, but there wasn't much wind today.

Tomorrow, I'll finally be in Kuala Lumpur. Just over 30 kilometers from here.

*Today's distance: 39.3km

*Total distance from Changi Airport: 348.1km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 16 Rembau-Seremban (Malaysia)

Started at 7:30 AM.

There was a very strong wind blowing last night.

The noise and vibrations from the cars were quite noticeable in the room as I was sleeping in a hotel room near the national highway.

I headed north on Highway 1, and as I approached Kuala Lumpur, the amount of traffic inevitably increased.

I kept running silently, hardly talking to anyone.

I only spoke to shopkeepers, restaurant staff, and hotel staff, but today, while resting at a bus stop near the Patas Hot Spring Resort Park, two motorcycle police officers spoke to me.

I might have looked suspicious, but their expressions softened when I told them I was from Japan.

In the early afternoon, there was a passing shower. I took shelter at a bus stop, but it stopped after about 10 minutes.

At the entrance to Seremban, I went into a Chinese restaurant and ate wonton noodles, then had an iced latte at McDonald's, and arrived at the hotel exactly at 3 PM for check-in.

At McDonald's, there were many families, probably because it was the weekend. The peaceful scenes I see in any country are pretty much the same.

Seremban is a fairly large city. There's a food court near the hotel, and plenty of convenience stores and other shops.

*Today's distance: 27.3km

*Total distance from Changi Airport: 308.8km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site

DAY 15 Alor Gajah-Rembau (Malaysia)

The owners of the guesthouse in Alor Gajah once again thoughtfully brought homemade steamed buns and coffee.

Yesterday, during check-in, all we had was a brief conversation about being from Japan and traveling by running in prayer for world peace... I'm so grateful and touched by their kind consideration!

Started at 7:40 AM. There was a fairly strong headwind.

The ups and downs weren't too steep, but there were more gradual inclines in the latter half.

The shortcut route I took when joining Highway 1 from Highway 19 was interesting, like a trail.

There were hardly any people or cars. The atmosphere was nice and quiet, like a farm road.

There were several packs of stray dogs, and some bumpy, rocky paths reminiscent of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.

I took several breaks at bus stops. It was comfortable when there was shade and a breeze.

Since it was 23.4 kilometers, I arrived in Rembau by lunchtime, but I killed time at the bus stop until hotel check-in.

I was surprised to find so many things there – convenience stores, restaurants, McDonald's, etc. – when I thought it would be a barren town.

20km is definitely too short; it's better to run at least 30km.

I checked into the hotel exactly at 2pm.

The owner, a Japanophile, kindly carried my heavy duffel bag up to my room on the second floor.

*Today's distance: 23.4km

*Total distance from Changi Airport: 281.5km

*Today's Photo Albums

*YouTube Playlist

*PEACE RUN Official Site