Back!

I have decided to take the east-west highway to come back. It has been a while since I last took this route, and I have never take this car through this route before. Started at about 10:00am, from my hometown (err... it's not a really a town. It's a kampung - small village) and by about 10:30am Gunung Reng suddenly spring into my view. From here on, it took me one full hour climbing up the Main Range till I reach the highest point of the highway.

I wish this car has a manual transmission, instead of auto transmission. Still it was fun to through the winding road hilly road. On certain strecth I purposely turn off the over-drive to get an extra pumping and kick from exceleration climbing uphill and cornering through the winding road. It was fun. It rawks! It will be damn much fun if I can get hold of one the boxsters that I saw travelled in on the opposite direction. Okie! Another item into my dream-list. To driver boxster through the East-West Highway. I am sure this gonna be damn fun, yay!

This is the photo I snapped at the rest area, if I am not mistaken the highest point of the highway. Sorry for the poor quality of the photo, it was snapped using the phone camera. Hmmm... time for me to get myself a proper digital cam...


I should have started earlier, I like the missy condition of the road during early morning which I have sometimes experienced in the past trips.

Another nice scenery. View from the Banding Island. Yes, an island on the Main Range! This man made island is formed when the surrounding area is flooded to be made into a dam. Though can't been seen clearly from this photo, the water of man made dam is green in colour. Must be from the algea that thrive in it.


This lake is an angler heaven. There is chalet on this Island too. Banding Island Resort, if I am not mistaken.

Though distance wise, this route is further (clocked 480 KM on my speedo meter) than the Karak-Gua Musang route that I took on my way back on Thursday I still much prefer this route. Still I clocked almost equal hours from end to end for both route. Ya, I speed like mad cow just now. Sue me... :P

I like this route for a few reasons. First it has much nicer scenery. The surounding mountain (unfortunately those forest by the road side is has been exploited for timber, very long ago). At certain strecth you can peer down by the side of the road and the view of ravine few hundred meters (I guess, or at least that how it seems to me :P) deep await you. Yeah!

Most of the highway on the penisula has been improved too much to the point that it is too straight to my liking. Straight road are plain boring, and the only way I can keep myself alert and awake on those highway is to drive at highspeed. Which was exactly what I did on North-South Highway just now. :P I hope they won't straighten the East-Wast Highway no more. This is just nice, just make sure all it is poth-hole free and I am a happy driver like dat *grin*.

It took me approximately 5 hours drive through the 480KM from end to end, that on everage 100 KM/H. Wait, this can't be correct. I thought I have been driving at err... mmpph... never mind, forget it :P.

Stopped a few times briefly. At the highest point to take picture, Banding Island to take picture, Gerik Town for a leak and some where between Gerik and Lenggong by policeman. The last stop was not a pleasant one. I was stopped by the Policeman who said I crossed the double lines. I told him I didn't, I turn in just in time. I was pretty sure about it. He was not happy, yet in the end he let me go after I keep telling him I am very sure I didn't crossed the double line.

Thanks godness he let me off, otherwise another RM300 gone. Honestly I am pretty sure I turned just before the double lines start after I overtake a car. Yet, one thing he was right and I agree is that I was speeding above the speed limit, pretty damn lot above the speed limit which is 90KM/H for that stretch. He didn't have speed gun, so he just let me go. Phew....

You expect me to drive at 90KM/H on the road so wide and straight? I honestly think it will be more dangerous for me to keep driving at speed of 90KM/H on such a straight road, I will dooze off and skid off the road any moment. I think something is not right with the system of the speed limit. Anyway, maybe I will write about it othertime.

For those that taking a long trips over this festive period (deeparaya), I wish all of you have a safe and pleasant journey.