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The Grand Adventure
  • Helene Rimberg
  • Helene Rimberg

The Grand Adventure

A bike trip with no end Leer más
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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    Checkpoint where we were stoppedTypical Malaysian town

    Over the mountain range

    25 de julio de 2025, Malasia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Early morning start to try and avoid heat while we make it to the top of the mountain. It is quite hazy with smoke from fires in Indonesia. Stop and chat with monkeys and then are stopped as the road prohibits cyclists - too dangerous. Policeman at checkpoint tries to flag down trucks to transport us with no luck. Finally a car passing the other way stops and offers a ride. Manage to fit everything in and finish the last 1000 feet of climbing with ease. Pop out at next checkpoint and cruise down the hill. Go another 20 miles before stopping in Tanjung Malim. Walk through large university to very good Thai food.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    Deserted street

    Long day on the pavement

    26 de julio de 2025, Malasia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Long ride along highway 1. Not much besides pavement through the jungle. Not even a monkey to beak up the day. Arrive in Kampar. Opt to try the region’s dish - clay pot chicken with rice. So good! Crispy, burnt rice bits and moist chicken with occasional bites of salted fish. Highlight of day.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    1

    A waterfall and cave!

    27 de julio de 2025, Malasia ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C

    Take a walk into the hill and jungle behind town to local waterfall. Very nice water! Pack up and head out. Kind of late but short day. Divert off main road to check out Tempunung cave. Very cool. Huge open caverns. Even have little moss and ferns growing. Finish up our ride and eventually make it to our little villa very hot. Enjoy our pool before walking into Ipoh for tasty Indian food. And gelato.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Taiping

    29 de julio de 2025, Malasia ⋅ 🌩️ 33 °C

    Wound our way out of the busy streets of Ipoh. Hugged the river valley as hazy peaks surrounded us on both sides. Found a few quieter roads enabling us to get off of the busy Hwy 1. Stopped for some lunch where Doug finally tried Durian - reporting that it was slimy. Continued on as day got hotter. We really do need to stop riding in the late afternoon. Arrived in Taiping. Checked in to Hotel Louis. Meandered around a bit before finding a dinner spot.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    Street art to share history
    1Used to be the ferry dockFun quay out into the waterSo many types of templesTypical street11Beautiful illumination

    Exploring George Town

    31 de julio de 2025, Malasia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Out for good coffees and pastries before exploring the city. Finally some history in this country. Quite the mix of Asian and European influence. Small streets with food stalls abound. Lots of street art. Nice dinner spot - Tina’s Kitchen for local Penang cooking.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    1No idea what these were.2He is made of jade.1What would you do with 18 handsShe is hugeThese guys were friendlyDoug is armed

    Kek Lok Si Temple

    1 de agosto de 2025, Malasia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Went out for coffee and wound up eating breakfast after observing the French toast. Quite tasty. Fueled us up to battle the traffic to get to Kek Lok Si Temple - a huge Buddhist temple. The artistry was amazing! Spent several hours there before resting by the turtle pond. Headed to Botanical Gardens which were underwhelming but was full of aggressive monkeys. Head back and out for vegan dinner and then ice cream.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    Sand is like couscous

    A jungle hike and beach

    2 de agosto de 2025, Malasia ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C

    Opt to not ride anymore as the traffic is horrible and drivers worse. Catch a grab (uber-like) to take us to national park on the other side of island. Sit in a lot of traffic but at least it’s air conditioned. Arrive and find that beach walks are closed. Head up and over, going through jungle to get to turtle beach. Swimming is not advised and the water is hot anyway. Relax a bit before hiking back. Return to the city (less traffic) and have nice Indian dinner. Check out Georgetown festival.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    Goodbye Georgetown
    Boat crossing1Yes that is a jellyfishNo idea what those mid skippers are

    Two ferries and quiet roads

    3 de agosto de 2025, Malasia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Get an early start as we have always to go and 2 ferry crossings. Streets are quiet as it’s Sunday morning (perhaps). Arrive back in Butterworth and head north out of the city. Pretty quickly find ourselves on very small roads amongst rice paddies. Enjoy oceanside road until it disappears on us. Back to bigger road. Arrive at river crossing and easily catch a boat across. Stop for some food and finish our ride, showing up,at small, rural “resort”. Enjoy pool before heading into to “town” for a very unhealthy dinner (bit of fried seafood and ice cream)Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Some days just don’t go as planned

    4 de agosto de 2025, Malasia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Another early start to catch ferry to Langkawi. Short ride to port town only to find out that we couldn’t go on the passenger ferry with our bikes. Next ferry port - almost 30 miles to the north. Off we go. More small roads through rice paddies with threatening skies all around. Get a tad bit wet and fight the wind. Arrive at the ferry too late for the 1:00 one that had not yet left. Wait for the 3:00. Roll on no problem. 2+ hours we arrive in Langkawi but at a different ferry dock. Ride back into town to our hotel. We made it! Off for Syrian food.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    To the north side

    5 de agosto de 2025, Malasia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    First order of business - determine if we can take a ferry to Thailand. Ride to passenger ferry terminal and confirm - we can! Grab some breakfast and ride the 12 miles across to the north side of the island. Check in to Red Coral Cottages. Skies open and it dumps for a few hours. Afterwards, head to the beach. Long Beach walk. Dinner right next door.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    2How do they convince them to stay by their sign

    To the west and waterfalls

    6 de agosto de 2025, Malasia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Skies are nice and clear when we wake up but become a big ominous as we head out across to the east side of the island. Rain begins to fall as we arrive at the start of the walk up to Seven Wells falls. But it passes. Beautiful falls and not too many people. Lounge around in the pools for quite a while, trying not to slip on the rocks. Return to our room and walk along the beach for fish dinner.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    Little lake broke through with added rain

    Beach combing and deja vu

    7 de agosto de 2025, Malasia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    After checking out, head down to the beach for the afternoon. Hadn’t seen the beach at high tide. So many different types of shells! Get a tiny bit of rain but seek cover under a tree. Pack up and ride back to Kauh for our ferry to Thailand. Check back in to the same hotel. Dine at the nearby arts cafe. Nice dinner!Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    HmmmmmYa think I will be eating a lot of rice?Never seen such grapes2This is going to be challenging

    Thailand

    8 de agosto de 2025, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Early morning to catch the 9:30 ferry to Thailand. Pay for our tickets and await clearing Malaysian border patrol. Do notice the sign that says bikes not allowed but they do let us through. First on board to stow our bikes in the back. Short trip to Thailand. Last off and wait to clear Thailand border patrol. No problem. Ride quiet roads at first and then join the larger road with an ample shoulder. Hot day but make good time to town of La-Ngu. Find our hotel and relax before venturing out. Find the restaurant we had chosen and with the help of google translate manage to order our first Thai meal (in Thailand). Stop for dessert on the way back - much easier as could just pointLeer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    Rubber trees"Beware of monkeys throwing rocks"Beautiful headstones

    Meandering through the countryside

    9 de agosto de 2025, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    Rainy night gave way to clear morning. Odd breakfast delivered to our door. Ok but not my fave - chicken and rice soup (Congee). Quickly find ourselves on small roads, amongst the jungle interspersed with rubber trees and other fruit bearing trees. Stop in a cemetery for a snack and continue on - reaching Yan Ta Khao. Find our hotel (harder than you think when can’t read signs). Relax and then venture out for dinner. Google translate to the rescue again.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    Longan fruit shared by a man at 7-eleven

    To the Andaman Sea

    10 de agosto de 2025, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Have a “normal” breakfast (yogurt) but stop for coffee before leaving town. Because of all the estuaries, it’s impossible to go in a straight line. Stop at a Botanical garden and do a short jungle walk. Lovely trees! Enjoy the view from above with a canopy walk. Day heats up and we go onward. Stop at 7-eleven (our new favorite stop) for smoothies. Day is also a bit windy - not in our favor. Finally make it to the sea. Stop for a bit before continuing to our hotel. Beautiful, long Beach full of locals enjoying their Sunday afternoon. Great seafood dinner with the help of an English menu!Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    It’s a warm rain

    11 de agosto de 2025, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    After deliberating back and forth between heading to the theoretically drier east coast or staying on the likely wetter but more scenic west coast , opted to take our chances. Wait out the first rain shower in the hotel. Have a nice stretch of dry rural roads before hitting the busy highway. Sun peaks out momentarily but the rain returns forcing a lunch break undercover. Opt to push on to Krabi. Nice hotel in quiet area. Out for dinner, first stopping at Booze Bar.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    Those roots were crazy
    1Cheeky little buggersLittle houses amongst the cavesThey were a bit aggressive

    Wat Tham Suea

    12 de agosto de 2025, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    No rush this morning. After coffee head into Krabi for breakfast. Skies open just as we are about to leave. Wait it out and catch a ride to Wat Tham Suea; a Buddhist temple in the hills. Check out the main temple before heading towards the caves. Once again it pours and we wait. Finally continue along, getting wet anyway. Rain tapers and decide to ascend the 1200+ steps to Buddha and views. Well worth it. Clouds add to the mood. Nice outing. Back to hotel before laundry and another very good dinner.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    2

    Ban Ao Nang

    13 de agosto de 2025, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Very short ride out of Krabi town to the seaside resort of Ao Nang. Very touristy, yet beautiful. Walked along the beach to the tip, and hung out watching the tide go out; opening up a walkway to nearby ‘island’. Returned on the beach as it had become much bigger with the lowering tide. Watched sun dip down before going out for pizza. Sometimes you just need gooey cheeseLeer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Railay Beach

    14 de agosto de 2025, Tailandia ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    Bit rainy in the morning so take our time getting ourselves ready for the day’s adventure. Take a longboat down the coastline to Railay beach - a peninsula only accessible by boat. Explore on foot with the hordes of tourists. Check out a very cool cave and follow the submerged walkway to tip. Heavy rain comes down but we have our ponchos. It lets up a bit and mosey around for awhile longer before heading back. Another nice Thai dinner and find good ice cream.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    Doug startles the birds for the photo opp

    Unintended rest day

    15 de agosto de 2025, Tailandia ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    Very rainy morning. Pore over weather forecasts to figure out how bad it will be. Finally decide to stay and right after we pay for another night, the rain stops. Stays relatively dry for the remainder of the day. Do some planning and go out on a beach walk. Help groups of children with their English lessons by being “interviewed”. Out for very good Indian food.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    I hate mud

    16 de agosto de 2025, Tailandia ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    After our morning showers set off, heading east towards the other coast and hopefully dryer weather. Make good time on the big roads but are glad to get onto quieter ones. After a turn, road is no longer paved and muddy from the rains. Continue on. And then it becomes thick and like clay. And we are stuck. Literally- having to clear tires and crevices so that the bikes will move. HORRIBLE! After about 2 hours and maybe 2 miles land back on gravel. But we are spent. Roll along the hills and amazingly enough come to a tiny car wash. Doug hoses us down. Late lunch and return to big road. Make our destination of Bang Sawan and find a hotel a bit outside of town. Fortunately they have a restaurant. Unfortunately it’s closed. Walk back to night market. Our first one. Manage to find some dinner (not bugs) and return to room.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    A two pool day

    17 de agosto de 2025, Tailandia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Wake up mostly recovered from yesterday’s adventures. Walk across the road to the local swim hole. Beautiful, cool water. Pack up and continue eastward towards the Gulf of Thailand. Roads remain relatively quiet. Decide to go a bit farther to a riverside resort with a pool. Nice bungalows and cool salt water pool. Eat dinner by the pool.Leer más

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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    Our route took us right through marketOne of many temples along the wayRoad to ourselves

    The Gulf of Thailand

    18 de agosto de 2025, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    With a long day ahead of us and hot weather predicted, opt to get breakfast at the cafe. Nice choice. Leave before 9 - early for us. Rather quickly spot a large cobra crossing the road. Stay vigilant after that. Make good time on quiet rural roads. Quick lunch and then reach the Gulf. Stop for a swim - very warm water. Opt to continue to a larger town. Check in to hotel and out for a very good dinner - soft shelled crabs and red meat.Leer más

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