DAVE'S VIEWPOINT

Perspective of a motorcyclist – A travel diary

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Day 6 - 18/06/2019 - A taste of many things today in Myanmar. Got to experience the unbelievable morning peak hour traffic on the 20-lane highways of Naypyitaw, the nation's modern capital city. Lunch on the menu was the cuisine of the Shan State people, at a small rural restaurant that operates on no electricity. As the day went by, the weather varied heavily from one side of a mountain to another, until ending the day at Inle lake where approximately 1500 people inhabit a town built over its waters. Shops, bars and accommodation for visitors help to keep the town's economy afloat. The floating garden beds that surround the town are a major source of tomatoes for produce in Myanmar. #honda #crf250 #rally #crf250rally #motorcycle #roadtrip #adventure #travel #overland #nature #scenery #landscape #myanmar #naypyitaw #inlelake #asia
Day 5 - 17/06/2019 - Over many decades, Myanmar had been secluded from the rest of the world largely due to its former military dictatorship. It is only in recent years that the country has taken steps to invite more foreign tourism, though this had been hampered by ongoing political issues. Its isolation has meant that culture and traditions have been well retained. Buddhism is a major part of life in Myanmar, and this is visibly evident by the countless numbers of pagodas that has its place in every town and village. Thanaka is a facial paste that is applied by the females of Myanmar, a feature that is exclusive to this country. Made with grounded tree bark mixed with water, it is used both for cosmetic purposes and a natural form of sunscreen. #honda #crf250 #rally #crf250rally #motorcycle #roadtrip #adventure #travel #overland #naypyitaw #myanmar #asia
Day 4 - 16/06/2019 - Made it to the Myanmar border by lunch, ending my very short stint through Thailand. Now only 1 day behind schedule, opposed to the 5 days when I left Malaysia, I no longer am required to bypass as many key places. Police check points are in place in Myanmar at just about every village. The authorities are hyper cautious about foreigners, so I am required to show proof that I had the necessary papers, especially as I am on a foreign registered vehicle. A lot of these check points also have toll gates for every section of road between towns; a local road tax enforced for using their road. Good thing that my guide in Myanmar is able to deal with these issues on hand. I thought that it was overkill to have a guide be mandatory at first, but it makes total sense in a country where the English language is seldom used and naive foreigners like me are ripe for potential overcharging and scams. #honda #crf250 #rally #crf250rally #motorcycle #roadtrip #adventure #travel #scenery #overland #thailand #myanmar #asia
Day 3 - 15/06/2019 - Trying my best to rush towards the Myanmar border. As I am riding an Australian registered bike, there is a legal requirement to be accompanied by a guide at all times in Thailand, who is caging it through the perpetually peak hour-like hustle and bustle of urban traffic. There is only so much progress that I can make, however, especially when the whole road network across Bangkok is a bumper-to-bumper nightmare. Above that, the biggest challenge is dealing with the constant heat and humidity. I generally get really uncomfortable at temperatures above 30°C. Most of my Australian road trips had been during the winter season for this particular reason. I have already lost two bolts from my bike over the past two days, and I needed to source some parts on the ASAP as my luggage frame was vibrating incessantly on the road without the crucial mounting points secured properly. Almost by pure luck, I bumped into a Honda CB500X rider at a servo who just instantly wanted to assist me with everything that I needed. You meet the nicest people on a Honda! #honda #crf250 #rally #crf250rally #roadtrip #motorcycle #adventure #travel #scenery #overland #thailand #bangkok #asia
Day 2 - 14/06/2019 - Woke up in the Songkhla province, the no-go zone of Thailand. I had planned for some adventurous roads in Thailand but, due to the delays in Malaysia, the most direct route to the Myanmar border was my only choice, where my compulsory tour guide is currently waiting for my arrival. Met up with two Africa Twin riders from Malaysia on the way up to Chumphon; great to see a few 'proper' bikes in a country where mopeds and 125cc bikes are ubiquitous. Not to miss an opportunity to explore despite the rush to the next destination, the CRF made its way through the night markets and drinking holes of Hua Hin. #honda #crf250 #rally #crf250rally #motorcycle #roadtrip #adventure #travel #overland #thailand #asia
Day 1 - 13/06/2019 - Finally on the road today in Malaysia after spending hours getting the motorcycle crate out of the shipping port. Officially 4 days behind schedule due to the Malaysians taking time off work during the Islamic holidays, Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Unfortunately, due to the delay in the whole unloading and customs clearance process, there was absolutely no time left to explore Malaysia on two wheels. The Thai border was my end destination for the day, where my compulsory tour guides were waiting since Monday. Just a few things about motorcycling in Malaysia: 1. For the most part, motorcycles and scooters aren't required to pay for the highway tolls. Just proceed through the narrow far-left pathway at the toll gates, and off you go. 2. There are motorcycle-only lanes that run parallel with the city highways. 3. Across the whole highway network in Malaysia, there are motorcycle shelters designed to provide refuge in the case of inclement weather. 4. Wearing a jacket the front side back is a thing in Malaysia. 5. Nobody follows the speed zones. #honda #crf250 #rally #crf250rally #motorcycle #roadtrip #adventure #travel #overland #malaysia #asia
It's finally happening! Unloading the crate right now at Port Klang and processing the final documents before heading back to Kuala Lumpur to collect my luggage. It's been a long wait, but I'm glad to say that today is the day that I hit the long road! #honda #crf250 #rally #crf250rally #motorcycle #adventure #roadtrip #travel #overland #asia #malaysia #portklang
Separation anxiety. It's been a week now without my own motorcycle, and it's starting to make me feel restless. The likelihood of meeting the strict schedules for my journey across Asia are looking precarious by the day. At this stage, there's nothing much I can do about it, but to just pass the time and explore the foreign city that I am stuck in for the moment. To the north of central Kuala Lumpur sits the hills that hold the towering limestone formations of Batu Caves, guarded by the Hindu God of War, Lord Murugan. #honda #crf250 #rally #crf250rally #motorcycle #roadtrip #travel #adventure #malaysia #asia #kualalumpur #batucaves #overland
A brief visit to Singapore as I wait for the freight company to release my motorcycle in Malaysia. Massive thanks for the kind hospitality of my very good friends Brad and Ruth. Love the urban greenery, effortless public transport system, cosmopolitan cuisine and outright technological modernity. Its tropical heat and humidity is a miss for me as I hate sweating... but ehh... can't have everything your own way 😋 #honda #crf250 #rally #crf250rally #motorcycle #travel #roadtrip #adventure #asia #singapore #overland
That feel when you know you're definitely on track after weeks of crippling doubt. With one day remaining, just a moment ago, I collected my passport from the Chinese visa centre in Sydney to finalise my paper visa applications! 🖤 I was so worried that I might not get my visas done on time, particularly as the official processing time just for the one for Pakistan is 4-6 weeks. After a lot of push n shove, I got my Indian, Pakistani and Chinese visas all within a span of just 6 weeks! I should have applied for them earlier 😫 I'm feeling a little better about my trip now. Tomorrow, we fly!! ✈️ #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #motorrad #roadtrip #motorcycle #adventure #travel #overland #camping #scenery #travel #europe
Soon, my friendsss.. The road is calling. Last year, I was both excited and nervous at the prospect of getting my way around the European continent on a very impractical cafe racer themed German bike. It's had its fair share of challenges, but it was still realistic albeit ambitious. It's a whole different game for this year's intercontinental road trip. There is no logic in play. It's insanity trumpeted through a gargantuan loudspeaker. I don't know if I can do the whole journey as planned. I am downright petrified, so much so that I think at this point I would prefer to spend the three months off from work to spend time at home on the dream backyard that I've always wanted. I don't really want to go through with what I know will be a massive ordeal. There is no pleasure boat on offer in this company. The road that leads to automotive Eden is laid with the bricks of anxiety, paved with the mortar of uncertainty. But I know that it must be done. It's now, or never.. #bmw #bmwmotorrad #motorrad #roadtrip #motorcycle #adventure #travel #scenery #paris #france #eiffeltower #bastilleday #europe
Thank you @sydneywestriders for the opportunity to ride the @luddenhamraceway a few weeks ago. Grateful for the chance to be part of a new breed of Ride Day programs for a wider range of riders. Whether you are a beginner or a pro racer, there is a place at @swrtrackdaysau that will suit your skill level, on a track that will challenge your tight cornering skills, without breaking your budget. Personally, I love the fact that there are many more right hand turns here at Luddenham than the left-centric SMSP at Eastern Creek. I'm quite terrible with my right handers, but the track is so well surfaced that you're bound to tackle all the corners with much more confidence by the end of the day. My best lap time was a modest 1:00.1. I guess not bad for a first timer at Luddenham, especially for a newbie like me 😋 I gotta get down to the sub 1 minute mark... I'll have to be back for more action! Thank you again to the team at Sydney West Riders. You will always hold a dear place in my heart 🖤 #bmw #bmwmotorrad #motorrad #makelifearide #track #trackday #racetrack #luddenham #luddenhamraceway #sydneywestriders #motorcycle #s1000r #sydney #australia
Just a week to go for that adventure motorcycle thing to happen again... I can't believe a year has gone by so quickly... I've let myself down, because I'm sure that I've disappointed you all, my social media friends. I've had so much to have published from my trip last year in Europe, much of which remains untouched and left to collect dust. I was so excited for the chance to be able to share more of the experiences, but life got in the way. But only because I had a bigger plan in mind, one which required me to use basically almost all my waking hours at work. Big plans require some serious cashola... I guess at this point, I'll have to ditch the rest of my Europe content, and look to the future that awaits in a few days time.. cos it's gonna be a hell of a time.. #Eurasia2019 ✈️✈️✈️ #bmw #motorrad #bmwmotorrad #motorcycle #roadtrip #adventure #travel #europe #makelifearide
Haven't done a "live" shot for a while. This one's straight out of my budget-level Motorola G5S. Just sitting here at The Rocks at midnight, contemplating about what I've done in the past 4 years since I last took a photo at the exact same spot with the KTM 690 Duke. Sooner or later, I'll have to wean myself off the lethal road tripping habits that continually threaten my financial stability. Why couldn't I get a cheaper hobby??? #bmw #s1000r #ktm #duke #ktm690 #motorcycle #sydney #australia #travel #adventure #roadtrip
Ready to crate! For months now, my mind had been firm on the bike, but without as much done due to massive work commitments. The bike itself had also been a needlessly mammoth headache to work on, due to some unfortunate prior mods and it is not 100% the way that I want it, but I must proceed with the freight process. I will finally be able to sleep a little better, knowing that at the very least I'll have a bike to ride once I land in Malaysia next month. Here's hoping that everything else will somehow fall into place. Until then, I should really get the rest of my R nineT content out of the way. It's gonna be a hectic few months ahead of me!! #honda #crf250 #rally #dualsport #adventure #motorcycle #roadtrip #touring #travel #overland #malaysia #australia #sydney #givi #denali #rotopax
I need a pick-me-up. I don't mind working 80 hours a week. In fact, I enjoy it most of the time. On the other hand, it does get pretty fatiguing when some tough decisions have to be made, and you're left procrastinating and indecisive because sleep debt is a parasitic leech against a clear mind. So, just for a moment, I'm taking a deep breath, and looking back at simpler times when life was more accommodating for weekend rides to local destinations. No pretence of a social media presence that people in real life don't give two hoots about. No selfish ambitions in blowing my savings to travel the world at the expense of more meaningful investment opportunities. No longing for more bikes than one in the garage. A ride across the hills on the Multistrada was all I needed to keep me happy. Those were the good old days. What makes you happy? #ducati #multistrada #adventure #motorcycle #adv #touring #travel #awasteofmoney #australia
Not quite there yet, but I'm on my way. It's going to be a terribly anxious 2 months now as I prepare for the subsequent 3-month ordeal. For now, I am waiting for my Iranian visa to be approved, and waiting for the letter of invitation which will enable me to successfully apply for the Chinese visa. There is much to be done. I hope I get to see the finish line. #bmw #makelifearide #honda #crf250 #rally #motorcycle #overland #eurasia #asia #europe #adventure
Bowser with a view ⛽🏞️ Went riding through some mountainous roads in Albania for a few hours with a Norwegian guy I met at a camp site. He expressed how unremarkable the scenery in Albania was and that the mountains are nicer in Norway. Me, muttering to my uncultured Australian self... Dude, this place looks amazing...! Our mountains down under are just insignificant hills in comparison 😩 #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #roadtrip #motorcycle #travel #scenery #adventure #landscape #mountains #makelifearide #albania #vlorë #europe
Sitting on a park bench in Montenegro, downloading routes on Google Maps from a random Wi-Fi hotspot. The local mosque chimes the evening's Adhan through the town's loudspeaker; The Islamic call to prayer. Spent around 10 megabytes worth of mobile data in Montenegro and Albania because that was just as much as I wanted to pay on roaming charges via the German SIM that I had at the time. Don't remember how much exactly the fees were but, typically being a cheapskate, I didn't want to spend more on data than I did for food during my stay in those two nations. #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #makelifearide #roadtrip #motorcycle #travel #adventure #scenery #night #landscape #camping #montenegro #europe
Climb mountains not so the world can see you, but so you can see the world 🇦🇱🌍 - not my quote sadly. I stole it off the net 😒... Pretty crazy that these huge mountains in Albania are bordered directly by the coast of the Mediterranean seas! #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninetracer #rninet #caferacer #motorcycle #roadtrip #camping #travel #scenery #nature #landscape #mountain #adventure #albania #europe #makelifearide
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