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Sunday 25th March 2007- Malaysia

(Daniel) It was amazing to wake up to the Bird calls in the jungle this morning, so many different types, some sounding like sirens and others like human voices calling, very atmospheric. I tried to record the sound, but it didn’t work very well.

In the morning

I got up and had a wash in the river before settling back down to wait for everyone else to wake up. The night temperature had been really nice, but the jungle soon started to warm up! Aleyna and the others got a breakfast of mackerel and noodles going on the gas hob, whilst the others woke up and went to bath in the river. During this time, a few other off-roaders driving Isuzu troopers and a Rodeo pickup passed close to the camp, crossing the river about 50 meters down the track. I took some photos and a video of the crossing and then returned to eat some of the food that was now ready.

Breakfast of noodles....

.... and fish

After a few hours, which I spent repacking the Wolf, we started to pack up camp and were soon back on the track driving out of the jungle. It seemed like no time at all before we were back on the road passing through the amazing Dam created landscape. After another 30-40 minutes we started down another track which eventually led to a waterfall after a small river crossing and hill climb. One of the vehicles got stuck and grounded out on a rock, but of course the Wolf breezed through even with the trailer in tow. This coupled with the track in the jungle has been a great test of the last axle repair which we had done in Pakistan, and I am now confident that this will hold out suitably to continue the Expedition.

Packing away camp

A visitor in the Wolf

The vehicles

The members

We arrived at the waterfall where I had intended to jump off the falls as in Laos, but was so tired when we arrived that it was all I could muster to walk up half way and then return to eat some fruit with the others before we left and drove back to KL in convoy.

Trailer is still there!

Driving back out of the jungle

Wolf getting her feet wet

Car wash

In Convoy

Land Rover Owners Club of Malaysia

When we returned to the guesthouse, I spent some time in the Indian restaurant across the road with Aleyna planning my next moves. Basically the east coast sounded like the best bet, and Aleyna had a friend with a chalet in Batu Rakit north of Kuala Terrenganu. This apparently had a private beach, and was ideal to spend some time catching up on my diary and organising any repairs required. Plus I could take a route through Kuantan and a few other towns on the coast road which should be nice to drive through. I will go with Aleyna tomroow afternoon and The thought of seeing the sea was really exciting, as I don’t think that we have really seen the coast once since we left. Unless you count the Bospherous straits, but I wouldn’t! After making a plan, Aleyna left for a meeting, and Jeff and I checked into the Guesthouse, where I had reserved a double room this time, dorms not really being my style!

After leaving our stuff in the room, we sat outside on the laptops for a while chatting, and before we knew what had happened it was past 11pm, we walked across to another Indian place and ate a Thali and a waterpipe before returning and hitting the sack!!

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 Copyright © 2007 Daniel Moylan