This morning I managed to sleep in till 9 after my long day of travelling yesterday and because I have to be on the 730am ferry tomorrow. My new sandals I had bought in Kuching were starting to shred either from the heat or excessive use so I had to switch back to my old sandals which luckily I hadnt thrown out.

I had spoken yesterday about renting a bicycle and when I went down to the reception at 1030 nobody was there except the helper sleeping on the floor behind the reception.

I decided to walk to a local Mosque I had seen on the map. It was very hot and took 45 mins walking one way. At this rate it meant I couldnt do anything on the island as you need transportation and they were spread out over the island.

I felt like my trip on this tropical island paradise had been ruined and I walked back to the hotel to see if anyone was there and if I could get my bike.

When I arrived back at 1230 the owner was there and said I could get a bike. Some other tourists asked about renting a motorcycle for 45Rm ($15) which is the same price I had been told for a bike. Then I asked what the difference in price was for a motorbike and bicycle.

Turns out they only rent motorbikes and that is what he was arranging for me. I've never driven a motorcycle before and only rode as a passenger. It would certainly be easier than a bicycle and give me access all over the island. Also 45Rm was flat for the day and not by hour

We got talking as he kept calling to see where the bike was. It was now past 1pm so as we were both of Pakistani origin he wanted to offer me nashta/unda paratha (breakfast eggs/paratha) while he kept calling his other Pakistani buddy to find out where the bike was.

By 2pm the bike finally arrived after lots of conversations. The owner and I got to know each other quite well chatting in Urdu and English sharing family stories. In the middle of this his outer porch ceiling collapsed due to the weight of condensation from the A/C pipes on above floors.

When the bike arrived they explained how to use it as I've never driven one before. The two brakes on each handle were the same as a bicycle. You twist the right handle for gas the rest was straightforward.

The first tricky part was how to reverse out from the hotel and do a u-turn to the opposite side of the road. After that everything was easy though I was sticking to 30km/hr. The helmet was also too small for me and would cause headaches by the end of the day

As I drove thru the country roads some light drizzle began. Then it turned to a heavy downpour for a few minutes. In another section it felt like gale force winds as I drove along. By now I was getting up to 60 km/hr.

I wanted to find the scenic beaches and finally made it to Pantai Cenang after a 25 min drive. I parked my bike by a shopping mall and headed for the beach.

This was my first time making it to a tropical beach as in most other trips I'm doing mostly urban stuff. In the Philippines I didnt get to see any of the beaches.

People were paragliding, riding waterbikes, or lying in the sand letting the waves run over them. It was nice except for some tiny ants that were biting me.

I didnt know if I should sit here for the day or use the bike to explore more of the island since I only had today. I decided to look for some food but most places looked touristy and expensive.

I found a place with fried rice for 4Rm ($1.30). I know needed to find some gas for the bike so followed the map to a gas station.

Even though they showed me how to fill gas I couldnt figure out how to get the cap off now. Another bike pulled up behind me and I tried to ask him for help but he didnt offer. I was able to get it off and fill the tank for 5Rm ($2.70).