Do you miss flying?

[PNGMK]

PNGMK, bet you know the company and possibly the vessel I was servicing, don't you!

the only work I did in that area was a pipeline survey off the Flinder's Tide. I assume you were on the XOM platforms?

[malcontent]

Looks nice. Pity the route is not scenic (at least for what I could get from the street view).
Any experience using roadside assistance of AAS/AAM on such a bit off the popular tracks roads?

There are two routes you can take, either route 3 via Mersing, or the North-South Hwy via Yong Peng/Segamat. I usually take route 3 going to Kuantan, and the other route on the way back (it breaks the monotony). Either way it’s a good 6 hours.

Once you clear the urban sprawl, Johor to Mersing has a bit heavy traffic with hills, twists, turns & bumps... but once you pass Mersing, it’s smooth, flat, straight and light traffic... just watch out for the occasional goat crossing! There is one small undeveloped stretch along the road with good ocean views. You can stop along the side of the road to stretch and explore a bit, but I wouldn’t stray too far, it’s a bit isolated.

As for the other route, the stretch between Kuantan and Segamat is pretty raw, thick with jungle and/or palm oil plantations... but there are a few stretches in the hills that are quite scenic. It is also a bit less stressful because you avoid Johor Bahru traffic... that’s why I usually take it on the way back.

Learn from my mistake, if you stop in Mersing (they have a KFC for example) do not park in the official parking spaces which require coupons as they’ve got guys hiding around every corner just waiting to put a ticket on your car instantly! Instead, do what I later saw the locals doing - park illegally on the side of the road where there are no parking spaces! This happened to me on my last trip anyway, wasted 30 minute finding where to pay the RM30 fine which I negotiated down to RM10.

[Max Headroom]

Once you clear the urban sprawl, Johor to Mersing has a bit heavy traffic with hills, twists, turns & bumps... but once you pass Mersing, it’s smooth, flat, straight and light traffic... just watch out for the occasional goat crossing! There is one small undeveloped stretch along the road with good ocean views. You can stop along the side of the road to stretch and explore a bit, but I wouldn’t stray too far, it’s a bit isolated.

Can I ask what it is that might happen?

[malcontent]

Isolation means you are far from help should you get into trouble. I would usually reach out to a local whenever I have needed help, but you may not easily find one there. You are also hours away from any medical facilities. In terms of crime, Malaysia is very safe in my experience, just practice more vigilance & increased awareness as compared to Singapore. It’s usually not locals, but the foreign population (specifically the ones in country illegally) that are more of a concern.

[Max Headroom]

I was keen to her your take on exactly that aspect, i.e. crime/personal safety. We encountered quite an unsavory character in pretty much the very spot you're describing above. In fact, if I read the scenario correctly that day, we're lucky to come away in one piece, thanks to a keen eye on my part and a subsequent all-out sprint back to our car. It was the first time in my life I felt like quarry. Scary AF.

[malcontent]

One other somewhat disconcerting experience you will likely encounter is the police dragnet. I’ve yet to make a single trip there and back without passing at least one, and it can be on either route. Each time they just waved me through without any verbal exchange, but I try to get a video recording started before I reach them (just set my phone in the cup holder between the seats angled up at my drivers side window) in case there is a problem. I suspect they are looking for something other than Singapore plated cars laden with tourists.

[Wd40]

I am surprised by the surging cases in US and Europe. I think most of us expected this thing to get over in 6 months. It is one year now and getting worse.

I think the vaccine rollout will take time. I don't see us flying until the end of this year.

That is quite a thing to not catch a flight and be stuck on a 700sqkm island for 2 years!

The good thing is Singapore had managed to control the virus and schools are open, unlike many of the western hemisphere countries, so we are able to live like normal in this small bubble.

Sent from my Redmi 10X using Tapatalk

[malcontent]

It’s a good time to explore the island (if the rain will ever stop). For example, some new segments of the rail corridor up through Bukit Timah were recently opened and my son and I have really enjoyed cycling that path. Some stretches are pretty amazing, you could easily forget you are in Singapore.

[Max Headroom]

Yeah, what's with this rain?? La Niña indeed. Should be blue skies, sunny with a fresh breeze now. Rain rain, go away...

[PNGMK]

Max - we're on the edge of the monsoon and the La Nina cycle actually aggravates that here.

[Max Headroom]

Clearly. According to the news just now, we're having the wettest January in 30 years. And we're only 10 days in. WLE.

But the forecast is for dryer weather from Wednesday onward, so yay!

[Wd40]

Jurong Bird park has a promo this month $2.50 per person entry. We are going this thursday, hope the rains stay away, lol.

[PNGMK]

Jurong Bird park has a promo this month $2.50 per person entry. We are going this thursday, hope the rains stay away, lol.

It's a good promo. Take umbrellas and also ponchos. Remember every "show" you have to pay extra $2.50 PP to get into. Work out which ones you want to see and line up EARLY for them as they have caps. Also the birds can't fly in the rain so the hawk show for example won't be on if it rains.

The waterfall exhibit is the best IMO, there is a feeding time worth watching as well there. The shows are good for kids.

[tiktok]

I was keen to her your take on exactly that aspect, i.e. crime/personal safety. We encountered quite an unsavory character in pretty much the very spot you're describing above. In fact, if I read the scenario correctly that day, we're lucky to come away in one piece, thanks to a keen eye on my part and a subsequent all-out sprint back to our car. It was the first time in my life I felt like quarry. Scary AF.

Would you say it's a dangerous route to drive after dark with children in the car?

[Max Headroom]

I don't really like driving on Malaysia's secondary roads, from a safety perspective at least, day or night. Too many lunatics trying their luck overtaking ahead of a curve or a slope and, at times, way too many lorries and buses.

We used to have a rule of thumb that applied as good as 100% for years; we'd see at least one accident aftermath per leg, i.e. two of them per trip!

That stretch up there was brand new back then and had no road lights, not to mention the fact that it's quite remote. Add to that the various jungle critters that cross the road out of nowhere, it's not the safest road, with kids or without.