Let's Cycle 2 - Day 5 - Sauk - Tasik Raban - Kuala Sepetang

Good morning Kamo Home, the air at Sauk was fresh and a good start for Day 5. 

I had a good sleep and woke early to enjoy the morning of Sauk.

The camera was ready to roll as we set ourselves for a ride to Tasik Raban.

It's my first time that I heard of Tasik Raban. Wow I was going to visit it and how wonderful I am cycling to the lake.

The quiet morning ride to the lake passing by places like Kg. Jenalik and Kuak. I like the smell and sound of the refreshing environment.

Tasik Raban is a popular natural lake in Perak consisting of several connecting water bodies and surrounded by pristine rainforest. This scenic area is an angler's paradise and it also supports small freshwater fish farming. 

Kamo briefing us about the jewel of Tasik Raban and it is truly a hidden treasure.

Tasik Raban also offers outdoor trails into the rainforest. They have one day trail or 3day/2nights adventure in the forest.

We were told that this primary school has the most scenic view in the country located just next to the beautiful lake.

Tasik Raban is about 200-odd kilometres from Kuala Lumpur. You can take the North-South Expressway (PLUS), exit at Kuala Kangsar and drive towards Gerik. Or you can cycle there but it will take a couple of days to reach.....

We forgot it was Ramadan, we were supposed to eat the roti canai here but we have to wait for a next time. Thank goodness the crew went out to pack some food for us before our boat ride.

I love water related activity and boating is one of them.

I think Tasik Raban needs a lot of publicity for its ecotourism in this country. It has a lot to offer and more can be done to promote it.

Raja Muda Nazrin Bridge (also known as Tasik Raban Bridge) over Raban Lake as part of Lenggong - Sauk  Bypass. Lenggong is an nice engineering structure across the lake.

We were on a small boat not fishing but enjoying the scenery of this beautiful lake. White birds were seen resting on tree tops and occasionally they fly in group.

The professional at work on a separate boat.

There are lot of fresh water fishes in Raban Lake and here we were visiting one of the freshwater fish farms.

Tilapia fish farming is one of the popular freshwater fish farms found here..

It's back to Kamo Home for a rest before visiting an Uncle's home in the village.

A man who gave up his hobby in fishing (due to scary story he had heard) and he is back to something he loves most and that is timber joinery. We paid him a visit at his home.

He collects driftwood of all kinds and make them into interesting parts of furniture, many of his tools are conventional and some he impoverished himself. My admiration to this man in Sauk.

We have to leave Kamo Home and made some marks on the board at Kamo Home. It has been a nice visit to this amazing place. I think I should get my family here for them to experience a stay in Akong's home.

Bye bye No.7 Kamo Home I hope one day I will visit you again. All the best and continue the good work.

Finally we were at Kuala Sepetang for the evening and we were required to attend a night class before we can enjoy our dinner. 

A good fun at a "Mind Your language" class at Port Weld. A class for the local folks to learn English. Well done Kuala Sepetang.

Let's Cycle 2 - Day 4 Ipoh - Sauk

So far this was the best accommodation we had in the tour and thanks to MH Hotel for their support. MH Hotel Ipoh is located in Ipoh Garden. After a good breakfast in the hotel we were set to roll again and this time to an old folk home at Jelapang.

It was a hot day and the first day of fasting in this month of Ramadan.

We passed by The Church of Our lady of Lourdes as we left Ipoh.

Yes this way, we will follow you Rickman.

Poor Baki no drink for him only chatting on the phone on a super hot day.

Here you are our first visit of the day and we will be spending a couple of hours at this home.

After 15km under the hot sun we reached Jelapang Old Folk Home.

Peter Choi, the main man at this home was waiting for us.

The folks at this home with their own stories as how they ended up at this place. A place where we might be here if our loved ones isn't around to take care of us.

No gas cooking is allowed at this home, mostly cooking with charcoal. I was glad to be able my charcoal cooked rice it has been a long time since the last I had one.

Friends from Penang came and performed a couple of oldies for the folks. Thank you young musicians.

The attentive audiences enjoying the performance while waiting for lunch to be served. Uncle Lim, Fenn & Rickman were at the kitchen preparing the food. Uncle Lim not only good in cycling he can cook too!

Of course we have our popular hosts entertaining at the stage.

Peter Choi, the Secretary is doing a good job and I believe he can provide the best for this place, till then Peter we will see you in Penang. The time was about 4.00pm when we left this Old Folk Home and the journey was not going to be easy to Sauk.

Slowly and steadily we pedalled under the hot condition, Sauk is on the way to Gerik and is a detour from our journey to Penang. We shall be there.

It was a tough day for Baki with the scorching heat and he was fasting, we could see how he fight through this day. My salute to him.

Leaving the neighbourhood of Sungai Siput.

At our 49th kilometre we took this overhead  ramp over the railway lines.

And after 58km of cycling to we reached this bridge. Victoria Bridge is a single track railway truss bridge located in Karai, in the state of Perak, Malaysia. It is one of the oldest railway bridges in the country, having been constructed between December 1897 and March 1900 by the Perak Government Railway as a crossing over the Perak River to serve the local tin mining industry. The bridge was officially opened by the late Almarhum SultanIdris Shah I of Perak and the British's Federated Malay States Residents-General Sir Frank Swettenham.

The Victoria Bridge remained in use until 2002, when a wider concrete girder bridge built parallel to the old bridge was completed to take over the role of handling rail traffic. The new bridge is significantly wider, with room to support a second track, but in its early life it was only required to handle a single track until double tracking and electrification was conducted between the Ipoh-Padang Besar line during the late-2000s and early-2010s.

While the old bridge is closed to rail traffic, its adjoining footbridge is still publicly open to motorcycles and pedestrians. Attempts have been made to retain the structure, with occasional maintenance having been conducted on it.

This was the longest day of the tour it was already dark when we were on Baling - Kuala Kangsar road. I just couldn't wait to see any sign showing Suak and it took a long while to see it.

At last after pedalling 76km we finally reached Kamo Home 容县七号 at Sauk. This place reminded me of my grandfather home in Karangan, Kedah, deep in a rubber plantation there was this wooden house where my late dad and his siblings once stayed.

A brief chat with Kamo and a quick cold shower before we went over to a restaurant before it is closed. Everyone was hungry and dinner was on everyone's mind.

The dinner was delicious especially the steamed fish, apparently one must try the fresh water fish in this region.

The four male riders were put on the attic and there was only natural ventilation available, fortunately it got cooler as the night passes by.

Good night and sleep tight there wouldn't be any uploading of photos as the internet is weak at Sauk.

The longest day covering a distance of 76km with one of the most difficult elevations in this tour.